LA Chargers: The four variables that will determine offensive line success
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers are looking for a rebirth of sorts for the offensive line in 2020.
The LA Chargers‘ biggest weakness over the last several years has been the offensive line. The team has been unable to field an offensive line that is above league average for quite some time and they continued that trend last season.
Philip Rivers was not good in his last season with the Bolts and a big reason why that is the case was the offensive line. Now, Rivers is going to enjoy plenty of time to throw behind one of the best offensive lines in the league in Indy.
The Chargers’ front office has been making strides in improving the offensive line, though. The team signed veteran free agent Bryan Bulaga, traded Russell Okung for Pro Bowl right guard Trai Turner and hired a new offensive line coach in James Campen.
Campen was the offensive line coach for a decade for the Green Bay Packers and was responsible for some of the great offensive lines that protected Aaron Rodgers. The hope is that Campen can install a new culture in the Chargers’ infrastructure that leads to better results in 2020 and beyond.
There are four variables in 2020 that are going to be the deciding factor in whether the Bolts have a league-average (or slightly better) offensive line or if the team is yet again going to have one of the worst.
Spoiler alert: Pro Football Focus thinks the Chargers are going to have one of the worst, ranking them 30th in the league.
Some of these things Campen will have an influence on, and others he will not. Regardless, here are the four variables that could go either way in the 2020 season.