Spanos Sets Chargers Up Well for the Future

To say that the Chargers have been a disappointment as of late would be an understatement to say the least. This is a team that was contending for the right to represent the AFC in the Superbowl just a few short years ago. After three terrible season by fan and team standards in a row, a change was needed. GM A.J. Smith, once regarded as one of the best in the business, was fired. Joining him on the curb was offensive genius Norv Turner, who has never truly had success as a head coach. The Chargers brought in young blood with Tom Telesco and Mike McCoy. The decision to bring them in, especially McCoy, was a fundamentally sound move by the Chargers. Both are young guys with a lot to prove in this league. McCoy has never been a head coach at the NFL level and steps in at a crucial time for the Chargers.

Telesco may have been an even more critical hire for the Chargers. A.J. Smith ran several successful drafts, netting star players for several seasons. As of late though, he had succeeded only in railroading the team. He was too aggressive in his trade philosophy and to set in his ways. Telesco is all business. That stood out no better than his decision to trade up in the second round to grab Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o. Telesco inherited a team that has almost no offensive line, poor depth at running back and receiver  and no true leader on defense. We won't even mention that the clock is ticking for many of the players on the roster. Guys like Rivers and Weddle are certainly not getting any younger. Telesco has the difficult task of bringing in talent for McCoy's system for the long haul while still producing a winning team right away. The fans won't stand for another season watching the playoffs from the outside looking in. 

What perhaps nobody really wants to think about with these hires is this. Each is a newcomer. This means that they have no record to evaluate on when it comes to their current job. The team can afford to trust these two for the following reasons. First, the talent window for the Chargers began shutting years ago. This is a team that is maybe a year or two away from having some serious rebuilding pains if things don't go right. Knowing this, why not put two guys with everything to prove in the situation. In a few years, we will certainly know if these two can perform their jobs well. If they are successful, then the team will be successful and competing for Super Bowls again. If not, it will just make it that much easier to start completely over. Charger fans should be looking forward to the coming season. By all looks, these two should be great. Perhaps the best thing Spanos has done is hire these two. Time will tell. Look for some growing pains, but I for one expect at least 8 wins out of the team and a wildcard spot in the playoffs. Year one is all about getting things right. 

San Diego Chargers Roster Breakdown: Quarterbacks

Continuing our look at the Chargers depth at the moment, we move on to quarterbacks.

Losses: Billy Volek

Signed: Charlie Whitehurst, Jarrett Lee

Returning: Philip Rivers

Projected Starter; Philip Rivers

The Chargers will once again be helmed by Philip Rivers. Yes, he had a down year last year, but he should bounce back fine. He has proven before that he can create chemistry quickly with receivers, which he will need to do given the new look the receiving corps will have. Rivers is a deep ball quarterback, and new addition Robert Meachem, while not a Vincent Jackson, should see plenty of deep passes.

Charlie Whitehurst is back on the sidelines as the backup after his Seattle experiment. He should do ok, but losing Billy Volek hurts. It was a move that made sense, but Volek was one of the best backups in the league. Whitehurst won't be able to do everything that Rivers can do, but he should be able to step in for a game or two and play decent football. Who knows, maybe the Chargers can trade him again.

The last member of this list is former LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee. I really don't expect much out of him. He couldn't ever really keep the starting job at LSU, so it will only be harder in the NFL. I expect him to stay on the roster until the end of the pre-season, but unless he really wows the coaches, expect him to be cut.

AFC West Quarterback Rankings

Chargers fans get to see this matchup twice a year now.

No position can be as big of a game changer as quarterback. How well a quarterback plays often determines who wins and loses. Here is the breakdown on the starting quarterback situations for each AFC West team.

1) San Diego Chargers

There is no doubt that Rivers is the cream of the crop in the AFC West. I know that Peyton Manning has been added, but until we know for sure how he throws in a game situation, Rivers is still the best. Last season was a rough one for Rivers, but it happens. He may have the best supporting cast in the AFC West around him too. The offensive line will return all of the pieces that protected him so well at the end of last season. Better yet, they added quality depth to the line. Look for Rivers to have 2 great duals against new Bronco Peyton Manning and return to form.

2) Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning is the guy that Elway wanted. Tebow got thrown under the bus and now Peyton is in charge. If he fully recovers from the neck surgeries, look out. He may not have the best supporting cast around him, but he will have control of the offense like he had in Indy. With young developing players like Eric Decker and Demaryious Thomas to work with, Manning isn't in a talent vacuum.

3) Oakland Raiders

Carson Palmer is a real unknown. What does he even have left? He was all over the place last year, so a full off-season with the team can certainly help. His supporting cast is not very strong at all, especially at tight end, but he is a veteran with good experience. It will be interesting to see how this pans out with a full season. It is critical that Mcfadden stays healthy all year.

4) Kansas City Chiefs

How many more chances is Cassel going to get? He has been hit and miss the last few years, and is most likely on a short leash. He does have great talent around him with Baldwin, Bowe, and company. Cassel has to show that he can be the franchise quarterback he was thought to be. Expect the pressure to be on him from the get go.