Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers, sitting on the 5th overall pick, are in a very premium position. Their offseason moves hint towards a strengthened defensive line, but they might need help in the pass-rushing area. On the offensive side, even though they have signed Carolina center Bradley Bozeman, there have been no other additions.
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Thus, it is clear that Jim Harbaugh might protect Justin Herbert through the draft. During free agency, they’ve added JK Dobbins after bringing in ex-Ravens man Gus Edward. And with Gerald Everett going to the Bears, they have brought in Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly. All additions point towards a revamped, high-octane rushing game design from the former Michigan head coach.
But the moves have not gone down well with some parts of the fanbase. Especially from Herbert’s perspective, fans fail to see how it improves his position, except maybe with the signing of the star center. On Rich Eisen’s show, his co-host, Chris Brockman, noted,
“I’m looking at these signings from Justin Herbert’s perspective; do you think he’s wondering ‘what are we doing? We’ve got these Ravens running backs that have been hurt recently. We got rid of my favorite wide receiver, my favorite tight end, we let my other wide receiver go and now we’re talking about trading the pick and taking a lineman. You just paid me. I’m an MVP candidate every single year. What are we doing?”
And Eisen, even though he understands where the criticism is coming from, does not agree. He believes in the abilities of Jim Harbaugh, who has a stellar resume. A quarterback in college and in the NFL, Harbaugh has coached great play-callers such as Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick, and Alex Smith. He was also the mastermind behind Michigan’s Natty-winning play design, which saw JJ McCarthy being utilized marvelously in a high-efficiency system.
“If I’m Justin Herbert, I’ll trust Jim’s way of doing things,” Eisen responds. “That maybe, just maybe, the run game can be supportive. The run game can actually grind stuff out. The run game can actually lead to an easier way for him to find his targets down the field. That he could possibly be part of the run game if they so choose. And then just one other thing, this maybe unfair, but I’ll say it anyway. How’s it worked out otherwise for Justin? How’s it worked out?”
And the NFL analyst says that even though he’s played or been able to play well enough to get paid, he hasn’t taken the next step. And thus, it will be advisable to give a chance to such a reputed coach. Someone who has been known to bring fortunes everywhere he goes.
Rich Eisen Believes Jim Harbaugh is Pitching for “Quarterback, Quarterback, Quarterback”
The sportscaster believes that the first 3 picks in this draft are going to be “quarterback, quarterback, quarterback.” Out of the thousands of mock drafts available, most fight over the sequence of events between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, but more or less believe the same thing as Eisen. Some others also extend the quarterback fever to the 4th pick where JJ McCarthy would get picked. And that makes teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, and LA Chargers really excited.
When the higher picks are primarily quarterbacks, lower slots don’t have to worry much about competing. For instance, if the Colts, sitting at No. 15 in the first round, want to draft someone like defensive star Johnny Newton or Florida State’s Brandon Fiske, it gets easier for them if the first 5 out of 10 picks are QBs. And Jim Harbaugh, along with the LA Chargers, is banking on the same.
Looking to add weaponry or protection for Justin Herbert, the owners of the 5th overall pick are playing it smart by keeping options open for other teams to come in and take up the prestigious spot in the draft. However, the front office has made it clear that only “a fair trade” will be able to convince them. And if that doesn’t happen, it will be interesting to see what they do at that premium spot. Who knows? Maybe they will draft a wideout. It’d be sure exciting to see.
