Biggest LA Chargers draft needs: 5. Wide receiver
I previously stated that the LA Chargers should not draft a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft but some things have changed since I wrote that article. The last few weeks of the season made the offseason a bit clearer for the Bolts and it does not seem like the Chargers are going to sign a big-name wide receiver on the free-agent market like a Davante Adams.
The team is better off spending that money on the defensive side of the football. That is why a position like receiver edges out another position, such as linebacker or edge rusher, because the team can spend in free agency to retain guys and sign new talent.
The most likely scenario for the receiver position in the offseason appears to be a franchise tag for Mike Williams. I do not blame the Chargers at all for not wanting to commit to contract in the four-year, $70 million range as Williams has been inconsistent throughout his career and even in what was a career year for him in 2021.
The Chargers are better off slapping the tag on him and evaluating the position as a whole the following offseason. Keenan Allen will be a year older and who knows what state he is in and Joshua Palmer will have another year of advancement.
So will a rookie receiver that is taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Chargers should not draft a receiver in the first two rounds, especially considering this receiver class is not anywhere as deep as the last two. However, it would not hurt the team at all to take another receiver in the third round like Palmer, as long as they do their scouting right.
Some of the higher positions on this list can be taken after the third round and still have an impact, which is why the Bolts might draft their fifth draft need with their third pick.