The LA Chargers did not have as aggressive of an offseason as last year but it was still a solid offseason nonetheless. The team was able to retain the most important free agents while also upgrading areas of the roster that needed it.
Now the hope is that the Chargers can stay healthier in 2023 and make it farther in the NFL Playoffs as a result. This team certainly has the talent to make a deep run in the playoffs, it just needs to get out of its own way.
Hopefully, by improving certain areas of the roster, the Chargers will indeed be able to get out of their own way and make a deeper run in 2023.
Ranking the biggest improvements the Chargers made this offseason:
3. Swing tackle (Storm Norton/Foster Sarell to Jordan McFadden)
Storm Norton was one of the worst tackles in the entire sport in 2021 when he had to fill in at right tackle for Bryan Bulaga. It was so bad that when Rashawn Slater tore his bicep in Week 3 the team instead turned to a rookie with no NFL experience that was drafted to be a guard.
Later in the season, the Bolts called on Foster Sarell to provide depth at right tackle over Norton. Sarell was not very good but it showcased just how bad Norton was and how bad the swing tackle situation was for the Chargers.
Sarell is still with the team but does not provide a reliable option. Norton, meanwhile, signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints.
With that in mind, the Bolts drafted Clemson's Jordan McFadden in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft to likely provide depth both on the interior and at tackle in 2023 and beyond. If someone does happen to go down then McFadden should step in and provide a much better option than Norton would.
Even if the Chargers don't fully trust him at tackle yet, they could put him at guard and kick a certain someone out to tackle. Speaking of that certain someone...