One name has continually come up when discussing the lack of moves the LA Chargers made to address the interior offensive line this offseason: Brandon Scherff.
The Chargers didn't upgrade the left guard or center position much to the dismay of a concerned fanbase. As Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman continued their position battle on the offensive line, fans kept pointing Scherff out as an easy alternative who could be signed at any point.
Any and all desire to sign Scherff ultimately led to a dead end that fans didn't even know about. Scherff told interested teams over the spring that he is retiring from the NFL, which is new news that was just revealed in mid-August.
Chargers never had a chance to sign Brandon Scherff
It really was mind-boggling why the Chargers didn't go after Scherff as additional offensive line help. At the very worst, Scherff would have theoretically provided competition on the interior offensive line while also giving the team more depth to protect against injuries.
Scherff was by no means going to save the Chargers' offensive line, but he undoubtedly would have had a big impact. The veteran guard finished with a respectable 74.5 pass-blocking grade on Pro Football Focus last season and has consistently been a plus on the offensive line.
There's no way of knowing if the Chargers would have been in on Scherff if he wasn't retiring. After all, he's always been more of a pass-blocker than a run-blocker, which does not line up with how Jim Harbaugh coaches.
But then again, he could have stepped in as the best pass-blocking guard on the Chargers roster. Alas, it was never meant to be.
Any fans still clutching onto the hope that the Chargers can improve the offensive line after Rashawn Slater's injury should be ready for disappointment. Quality offensive linemen don't just grow on trees, and with Scherff officially off the market, there are no pivots remaining for the Chargers.
That being said, the team can add depth with roster cuts looming. A lot of talented players will get cut as teams trim the roster down to 53 players. Maybe the Chargers could even trade for a depth piece who has direct ties to Harbaugh.
Regardless, Chargers fans now know why the team never brought Scherff in even when it made all the sense in the world on paper. At least there is some clarity in knowing it wasn't the Bolts' fault.