Why the LA Chargers should not draft a wide receiver in the first round
By Jason Reed
1. The LA Chargers’ wide receiver room is just fine for 2021
It seems like every week there is some flip-flopping on what the LA Chargers should do in the 2021 NFL Draft. The hype for a receiver was built after this game as the Atlanta Falcons did a really good job in coverage, preventing the Chargers from getting separation and Justin Herbert from getting the deep ball.
Herbert still finished with the most efficient game of his career, completing 81.8% of his passes. The Falcons did a really good job in their deep coverage. It should not take a few replays of the Charger receivers getting locked down to convince everyone that this team needs a top-10 receiver.
Heck, it was not that long ago that everyone was touting the weapons on this team, that everyone was saying that Tyrod Taylor has never had this good of weapons in his career and he should thrive. Not that long ago when we were all saying that Keenan Allen and Mike Williams was one of the best-receiving duos in the league.
Yes, Williams is made of glass, which is worrisome, but the Chargers’ weapons are more than fine. Keenan Allen is elite, Williams is solid when he is healthy and Tyron Johnson and Jalen Guyton have been much better than expected this season.
This is also a team that has Austin Ekeler and hopefully can re-sign Hunter Henry. Not to mention that they drafted two rookie receivers in K.J. Hill and Joe Reed last season who could blossom in their second years in the league.
Justin Herbert is third in passing yards per game behind just Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. You don’t throw the third-most passing yards per game in the league with slouches in the receiver room.
This is a “need” that can be prolonged a year. Let Williams play out the fifth year of his rookie contract, see if Reed and Hill, or even Johnson and Guyton, can blossom into something better. Then, in 2022, re-evaluate and spend high draft capital if you need to.
There are good receivers in every single draft class. I get that Ja’Marr Chase is really exciting and fun to envision on the Bolts, but he is not the only good receiver.