New Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh joined first-year general manager Joe Hortiz in completely changing their wide receiver room as the duo look to remake the roster in their image.
That included releasing injury-plagued wide receiver Mike Williams. This was not necessarily too much of a surprise given his price tag for the 2024 season and the fact that the former first-round pick is recovering from a torn ACL.
However, the trade of franchise legend Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a mere mid-round pick last month caught a ton off guard.
Allen, 31, earned six Pro Bowl trips with the Chargers after they made the CAL product a third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Despite his relatively advanced age, Allen is coming off perharps the best performance of his career.
- Keenan Allen stats (2023): 108 receptions, 1,243 yards, 7 TD, 72% catch rate
Franchise quarterback Justin Herbert also recorded a 106.6 passer rating when targeting Allen. Obviously, the wide receiver was extremely important to his success.
Related: Los Angeles Chargers Interested In Top NFL Wide Receiver In Free Agency
Jim Harbaugh Down Plays Los Angeles Chargers Wide Receiver Situation
Harbaugh talked with the media on Wednesday as the Chargers conducted their first off-season practice under the head coach. Attention quickly turned to Los Angeles’ questionable wide receiver situation. Harbaugh’s response left a lot to be desired.
“Excited to see that. It’s the same for every position. Some good conversations. But like I said, talk. Now, we get some action,” Harbaugh told reporters.
Harbaugh didn’t really discuss the questionable situation. We know how he is with the media. But there also needs to be a plan moving forward.
A first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Quentin Johnston is the Chargers’ future at this position. He caught 38 passes for 431 yards with two touchdowns as a rookie. Though, Johnson’s 57% catch rate left a lot to be desired.
Josh Palmer also returns after putting up 38 receptions for 581 yards a season ago.
The Chargers are slated to pick fifth overall in this year’s NFL Draft. They’ve been linked to the top-two wide receiver prospects in that of Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers. But it’s not a foregone conclusion that Los Angeles will go in this direction.
There is also a chance that Harbaugh and Co. look to the NFL trade market for an upgrade. Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals) and Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers) are two potential options.
Either way, Harbaugh and Co. must have a plan at this position moving forward in the offseason.