Nowadays the inveterate, collective opinion among most football fans is the NFL is “quarterback driven”. With all the rules that have been altered to favor the passing game in recent years, the validity to such a statement is quite sturdy. Even so, what football at any level comes down to is the battle in the trenches. And with that in mind, the San Diego Chargers’ top priority this offseason should be to fix the offensive line.
Two years ago Chargers general manager A.J. Smith traded up to acquire running back Ryan Mathews in the first round of the 2010 draft. At times in his first two seasons Mathews has shown sparks of elite ability, but he needs better blocking in front of him to become the 1,500-yard rusher Smith and head coach Norv Turner expect him to be. Moreover, Mathews’ emergence as a top runner could ease some of the pressure on quarterback Philip Rivers, who could benefit from shorter distances on third-down plays.
As of right now there’s an overabundance of questions regarding San Diego’s situation along the offensive line. Left tackle Marcus McNeil and left guard Kris Dielman may retire. Center Nick Hardwick is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. Jared Gaither, who stepped in at left tackle for an injured McNeill over the final five games, is also set up to be an unrestricted free agent. Right tackle Jeromey Clary signed a four-year contract last summer, but it’s probably safe to say he’s one of the worst players at his position in the entire NFL.
With a tremendous desire to see my Chargers win their first Vince Lombardi Trophy, here are what I believe should be the following steps Smith should take to make the offensive line a formidable unit:
1. Sign Carl Nicks or Ben Grubbs to play left guard
In my humble opinion, Dielman should retire and move on with his life. The concussion he suffered during a loss to the New York Jets last October, along with the seizure that followed, should be enough for him to realize that there’s more to life than playing football.
Nicks would be the ideal replacement, as he’s arguably the best guard in the NFL right now. Signing him would be a great first step towards making the Chargers a tougher team physically. But since Nicks will be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, Grubbs is an excellent fallback option and would be a fixture on San Diego’s offensive line for many years to come. Either player would serve as the mauler the Chargers’ offensive line desperately needs on the inside.
2. Re-sign Jared Gaither
After being picked up by San Diego late in the year, Gaither performed like an elite left tackle while protecting Rivers’ blind side. With McNeill unlikely to return to the Chargers, bringing Gaither back is crucial, as Rivers obviously needs to feel comfortable in the pocket.
There’s a concern that Gaither will become lazy if he receives a long-term contract. In that case, Smith would be wise to sign the massive pass-protector to a two- or three-year deal, since it’s unlikely Gaither will receive a long-term offer anywhere else.
3. Release Jeromey Clary
Clary was given a four-year, $20 million contract last summer, and I still have no idea why. Anyone who has watched the Chargers over the last few years knows that Clary has been the weakest link on the offensive line, which leads to a mystery of why he hasn’t been replaced. With Smith on the hotseat, he can’t risk going into another season with Clary starting at right tackle. An upgrade at that spot is well overdue.
4. Have Colin Baxter and Tyronne Green battle it out for the starting center spot
Hardwick will be 31 in September and has expressed some thoughts about possibly retiring soon. As far as I’m concerned, that shouldn’t inspire Smith to sign the center to a long-term contract.
The Chargers have two hungry players, Baxter and Green, who could battle it out for the starting center spot in training camp. Competition breeds success, and the winner earning the job will gain a ton of respect from his linemates. The loser, meanwhile, will still provide solid depth. It seems like a win-win scenario.
5. Select Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams in the first round
As of right now it doesn’t appear San Diego will have a chance to pick any of the top three offensive tackles—USC’s Matt Kalil, Iowa’s Riley Reiff, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin—in April’s draft, unless Smith is able to move into the top 10 selections. The next best option, and an offensive tackle who isn’t that much of a dropoff from the top three, is Adams.
At 6-7, 320 pounds Adams possesses the skills to start immediately at right tackle for the Lightning Bolts, and he has the ability to switch over to the left side later in his career. After a dominant effort during Senior Bowl week, he has positioned himself to be selected around the time the Chargers are up in the first round.
Making these moves would lead to San Diego’s starting offensive line looking like this in September:
Left tackle: Jared Gaither
Left guard: Carl Nicks or Ben Grubbs
Center: Colin Baxter or Tyronne Green
Right guard: Louis Vasquez
Right tackle: Mike Adams
Under normal circumstances, bringing back just one starter from the offensive line that started the previous opening day would lead to disaster. The Chargers’ offensive line hasn’t been better than average for a while, though, so these types of moves are completely necessary.
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