Chargers should consider quarterback in NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Chargers are in a weird spot as they enter the 2018 NFL Draft. On one hand, the Chargers came within a whisker of reaching the playoffs last season. They went 9-7 and finished second in the AFC West, one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the other hand, the Los Angeles Chargers have not won a playoff game since 2013. As well as that, their star quarterback is ageing. Philip Rivers turns 37 years old this December. With only two years remaining on his contract, his future at the sport’s most important position is in doubt.

Barring a major surprise, the Chargers don’t have the heir apparent to Rivers on the roster. Behind him are only Geno Smith and Cardale Jones, with neither projecting to be a starter of any quality.

Picking 17th-overall in the upcoming draft, general manager Tom Telesco has a real decision on his hands. The Chargers could really use a run-stuffer up the middle on their defensive line. There is a good chance that Vita Vea, Da’Ron Payne and Maurice Hurst are all available. Los Angeles also needs help on the offensive front, and Mike McGlinchey would make a ton of sense out of Notre Dame.

Then again, Lamar Jackson might be ready and waiting, especially if Telesco is willing to move up a fe spots and get ahead of the Arizona Cardinals. Jackson wont Heisman Trophy in 2016 with the Louisville Cardinals and ran for 50 touchdowns during his college career while throwing for more than 9,000 yards. While his completion percentage was poor at 57 percent, it improved dramatically every year.

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If Telesco has an opportunity to secure Jackson and presumably the future at quarterback, would he be willing to pass on immediate help elsewhere? The Chiefs did something similar last year, trading up to get Patrick Mahomes instead of adding some plug-and-play starters. The result was a dip from 12 wins to 10, although another division crown was won.

With Rivers’ career presumably winding down, the Chargers might want to make one final all-out push in an effort for the elusive championship. Nobody could blame Los Angeles for taking that tact, but the long-term view can’t be lost in the shuffle.

While everybody will be talking about the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Denver Broncos in terms of taking a quarterback early, the intrigue could come later if a top-end signal-caller lasts until the middle of the round. If that’s the case, the Chargers might be unwittingly thrust into the spotlight.