3 Chargers the team was right to move on from in 2023

1. Storm Norton

Do we really even have to analyze this one? Storm Norton signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints this offseason and it was something that Chargers fans celebrated. It is never a good sign for a player when the fanbase is actively happy that a player is leaving.

And to be fair, most Chargers fans would probably admit that they will root for Norton to succeed in New Orleans. It is not like the Saints are a direct rival of the Chargers and seeing a former member of the powder blue succeed is always a welcomed sign. It was just never going to happen with the Bolts.

Norton had to start at right tackle for the Chargers in 2021 with Bryan Bulaga's injury issues and he was statistically one of the worst tackles in the entire sport. It was so bad that when Rashawn Slater got hurt in 2022 the Chargers were more comfortable letting a rookie with no NFL experience who was drafted to be a guard play left tackle.

That was the right decision and letting Norton walk away without a fight was the right decision as well. It won't take much for the team to improve at swing tackle and the Bolts may have done just that with fifth-round pick Jordan McFadden.

McFadden is eerily similar to Jamaree Salyer in that he is coming from a big program (Clemson) and thrived at the collegiate level. However, because of his size and frame, he is projected to move to guard and that hurt his draft stock.

Hopefully, McFadden can watch from the sidelines in his rookie year as that would mean that the Chargers offensive line stayed entirely healthy. But if he does come in to play then he will certainly be a more polished option already than Norton.