The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the biggest winners of the offseason, landing head coach Jim Harbaugh and pulling in a 2024 NFL Draft haul that received considerable praise. Now, some believe Los Angeles could take one of the biggest leaps forward in the NFL this fall.
The Chargers roster isn’t exactly in a great spot. Due to salary-cap issues, Los Angeles had to trim much of its depth defensively and the release of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen created one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. Despite that, there is a lot of confidence surrounding the infrastructure in Los Angeles.
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At quarterback, Los Angeles already has one of the best players in the NFL. Justin Herbert has the ability to play at an MVP-caliber level, but a below-average coaching staff and issues with the offensive line prevented him from reaching his potential.
The situation will be much different in 2024. Los Angeles spent its first-round pick on Joe Alt and left tackle Rashawn Slater is now healthy. Plus, the Chargers coaching staff built by Harbaugh is providing Herbert with one of the best environments for success that he’s had in his NFL career.
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Still, most in the NFL media who see the Chargers roster aren’t optimistic for their playoff chances. That’s not the case for NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt who recently explained on The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny why he believes Los Angeles will make the playoff and win double-digit games this season.
“I think the Chargers are going to win 11 games this year. Just follow the pattern…That psychopath they have at head coach is going to do whatever he needs to do. Goes to Stanford , they’re terrible. The second he gets there, Toby Gerhart is a Heisman finalist and he destroyed a Pete Carroll USC team. Niners, they’re going to the title game in his first year…There’s no warmup year, there’s never “Oh, Harbaugh’s first year year, he won 8 games. It’s immediate. I think they’re gonna win 11 games this year.”
Kyle Brandt on the Los Angeles Chargers, Jim Harbaugh
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Jim Harbaugh coaching record in first seasons as head coach
| Team | Prior Season | First Season |
| University of San Diego | 8-2 | 7-4 |
| Stanford University | 1-11 | 4-8 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6-10 | 13-3 |
| Michigan Wolverines | 5-7 | 10-3 |
It’s certainly an optimistic projection based on the Chargers roster. Los Angeles is still projected to have one of the league’s worst defenses in 2024. Furthermore, the lack of a proven playmaker and limited depth at wide receiver are concerns.
However, as Brandt highlighted, Harbaugh has found immediate success at every stop of his head-coaching career. Plus, Sharp Football Analysis rates the Chargers schedule as the second-easiest in the NFL this upcoming season. As NFL history demonstrates, a great coaching staff, an elite quarterback and a quality offensive line can go a long way.
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