3 things that must happen for the Chargers to draft a first-round wide receiver
By Jason Reed
3. The LA Chargers have to be confident in their plan at right tackle
The LA Chargers cannot go into the 2022 season without addressing the right tackle position. Bulaga is obviously going to be released and Storm Norton, while he should be kept around for depth, should not come close to starting in the 2022 season. He allowed the second-most pressures last season and was absolutely torched in Week 18.
The Chargers do not necessarily have to sign a right tackle in free agency, although that is certainly an option. The tackle market is not the deepest this offseason and the Bolts are going to deal with competition in the market. However, they could still land a quality starter.
The other plan would obviously be to address the position in the 2022 NFL Draft. You could definitely make the case for the Chargers taking a tackle in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft but if they want to take a receiver then they better be sure of the backup plan.
The Bolts can absolutely land a quality right tackle in the second round of the draft but they should not wait much longer than that. While impact offensive linemen can fall later than that, it becomes a crapshoot when you are taking a tackle outside of the first two rounds.
Even if it is someone with potential, the Chargers need someone who can contribute right away. The last thing that the team needs is a developmental tackle like Trey Pipkins.
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So whether it is in free agency or the draft, the Chargers have to be 100% confident in their plan if they are going to pass up a first-round tackle for a wide receiver.