Bolts From The Blue
This early in the offseason, NFL power rankings are not to be taken too seriously and only hold so much weight. However, it’s still fun to see how some national analysts are compartmentalizing the league and the hierarchy of its teams.
In a new set of rankings from NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, the Chargers saw zero movement from their previous ranking, coming in at No. 13 once again. Understandably, it doesn’t look like the team’s recent performance in the Hall of Fame Game was enough to sway Edholm in one direction or the other.
“In a best-case scenario, the Chargers won’t have to lean on Trey Lance or any other quarterback not named Justin Herbert this season. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good to see Lance perform well in the Hall of Fame Game, making a stronger push for the backup job. The Chargers had to deal for Taylor Heinicke last August and were fortunate Herbert stayed healthy last season after some early ankle issues. Realistically, in the big picture, the Chargers will go as far as Herbert can carry them, and he could receive a decent amount of help from rookies Omarion Hampton, Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. The reshuffled offensive line theoretically should be better, too. Whether the Chargers’ defense can play at the same level it did in 2024 is a fair question. Receiving a boost from the offense can help the entire operation.“
It’s a new season, but analysts and fans are still connected on the understanding that this team has and will always go as far as Herbert takes them. The thing is, he played the most efficient ball of his career in 2024 and it still wasn’t enough because of how bad the interior of the offensive line was, and now they’re running it back with two of the same three players.
Yes, the Chargers added more playmakers to take some pressure off of Herbert once again, but that won’t matter if he’s still being pressured at a high rate once again.
Time will tell, but No. 13 feels right for the Bolts at this point in the offseason.
Do you agree with Edholm’s ranking? Where do YOU think the Chargers should rank entering Preseason Week One? Let us know in the comments below!
