3 Chargers the team was right to move on from in 2023
By Jason Reed
Most of the moves that the LA Chargers will make this offseason have already been made now that the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books. The team could still make 1-2 savvy veteran free-agent signings like it did last year but for the most part, the dust is settled on this offseason.
It was not a massive offseason headlines-wise like last year but it was still a solid offseason nonetheless. The Chargers retained or replaced the most important free agents on the team and added a draft class that most fans are happy with.
Several players moved on to new teams this offseason and while it is always hard for fans to say goodbye to players they were rooting for, there are certain players that the Chargers made the right call in letting them walk away.
3 Chargers the team was right to move on from in 2023:
3. Breiden Fehoko
At first, this looked like a silly decision and was one that most fans were not happy with as Breiden Fehoko developed into a fan favorite. But now that we can see the entire picture of the offseason it becomes more clear to see why the Chargers let Fehoko go.
As good as Fehoko was against the run, he offered little to no value against the pass and that is the most important thing to stop in 2023. That is what Brandon Staley's defense is entirely built around. If you cannot get to the passer then it is going to be hard to play on this team and we saw that firsthand.
If the Chargers wouldn't have replaced Fehoko it would have been an issue but the team did. Sixth-round pick Scott Matlock, who is already becoming a fan favorite himself, can add a similar impact against the run while also having a higher upside in rushing the passer.
That is without factoring in defensive lineman Jerrod Clark, who was one of the best undrafted free-agent signings in the entire league and has a legitimate chance of making this roster. Seeing Fehoko leave was a bummer but the Chargers are better off having cost-controlled options that are under contract for several years.