Chargers passing on Malik Nabers looks genius after WR buries the Giants

The LA Chargers selected Joe Alt with the fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which was a surprise to many at the time. With one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the sport, many assumed the Chargers would give Justin Herbert a true franchise wideout with LSU's Malik Nabers.

It initially looked like the Chargers made a mistake. As good as Alt looked in his first few games in the league, Nabers was proving to be a true franchise wideout. With several talented offensive linemen going in the second round, fans theorized what could have been if the Chargers took Nabers and Zach Frazier (or Jackson Powers-Johnson) in the second.

While Nabers still has All-Pro potential — which would have been easier to realize with Herbert as his quarterback — the Chargers decision to take Alt and trade up for Ladd McConkey is starting to age like fine wine. Alt is the best rookie tackle in the sport and McConkey ranks second among all rookie wide receivers in receiving yards.

But even more telling is how Nabers has handled adversity in his rookie season with the New York Giants. Nabers has not shied away from being critical of his team despite being the new guy in town.

Chargers' decision to pass on Malik Nabers is aging like fine wine

Nabers was not shy about making it clear he was not happy with the quarterback play before Daniel Jones was unceremoniously kicked to the curb. Now that Jones is no longer the fall guy, Nabers has no problem openly questioning his coaching staff.

In addition to his comments above, Nabers also said the Giants' loss was "soft" (with a certain expletive sprinkled in) and said the team's losing isn't because of the quarterback position as the outcome was the same with or without Jones.

None of this would have flown in Jim Harbaugh's locker room. It is so beyond obvious that Nabers would have been a horrible culture fit for what Harbaugh is looking to build around Herbert.

Granted, Nabers would not be on a losing team so his attitude in the media would be different. However, in less than one full season in the NFL, Nabers is proving that as soon as things get tough, he has no problem airing out the team's laundry to the media.

That is the absolute last thing the Chargers needed to add as they look to build a Super Bowl contender in the next five years. Adversity is going to strike and the Chargers need a core that can handle that adversity as a unit.

Nabers seems more concerned about being an individual. If he really only cared about winning then he would keep his critical comments behind closed doors... especially as a rookie.