3 players from the 2006 Chargers that would help the 2022 Chargers go 17-0

2. Antonio Gates

The Chargers' tight end room this season is perhaps the most underrated portion of the entire roster. While the Bolts do not have an elite tight end option, they have more depth than most teams do as there are three players who will all be difference makers in their own right.

Gerald Everett is going to be the main pass-catching tight end and while he is not elite, he is explosive and is going to be able to do so many more things in this offense than Jared Cook. Donald Parham is one of the best red-zone targets in the league and is improving as a blocker. Tre' McKitty came into the league and was already a fantastic blocker for a tight end. He will only get better.

Now just imagine that room if we essentially swapped Everett for prime Antonio Gates, who is on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest tight ends of all time. The tight end position is very important to what the Chargers do offensively and Justin Herbert with prime Gates would be terrifying for the rest of the league.

The 2006 season was Gates' third consecutive All-Pro season (and the last of his career). The then-26-year-old caught 71 passes for 924 yards and nine touchdowns. That was all with the team also having LT and leaning on him much more.

In today's game, where passing the ball is much more prominent, a prime Gates would easily have over 1,000 yards and would dominate opposing defenses.