Chargers ignore depleted wide receiver room, draft Joe Alt with fifth pick
By Jason Reed
Well, the LA Chargers did the one thing that most of the fanbase agreed the team shouldn't do: stay put with the fifth overall pick and draft a tackle. With the fifth pick, the Chargers selected Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt.
Heading into the draft, there was a lot of debate around whether the Chargers should draft a receiver with the fifth overall pick or if the team should trade down and take a receiver and a tackle with two picks in the first. Ultimately, the Chargers did neither of those things and took Alt with the fifth pick.
Considering there were rumors of the Chargers taking JC Latham with the fifth pick, taking Alt seems better by comparison. However, it does not change the fact that Chargers fans are left with an ugly taste in their mouth as they look at the wide receiver room that Justin Herbert has to throw to.
Chargers drafting Joe Alt fifth overall is shocking
By drafting Alt, the Chargers are committing to Trey Pipkins being a $9 million swing tackle that the team is definitely going to release as a cap casualty after the 2024 season. The Chargers are also going to have to convert Alt to being a right tackle, as Rashawn Slater shouldn't be asked to move off his spot as the team's franchise left tackle.
Taking a tackle only to ask them to switch positions in their rookie season (not the easiest thing to do) is certainly a bold choice considering all the holes on the roster. Chargers GM Joe Hortiz did say the team was going best overall but many assumed that would be Malik Nabers, who has legitimate franchise receiver potential and actually fills an area of need.
It is easier to fix the problems the Chargers had with the offensive line with coaching and with later picks in the draft. It is not as easy to fix the wide receiver room with coaching and later picks in the draft. As it stands right now, the Chargers have the worst wide receiver room in the sport.
Now the Chargers will likely go out and sign a veteran receiver as well as draft a receiver on day two of the draft. That or the team will just commit to giving Herbert the worst weapons in the league in favor of "establishing the run".