Chargers' Future: Harbaugh, Herbert and a Potential New Coach

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Chargers Face Major Questions About Harbaugh, Herbert and the Team’s Direction

The Chargers opened the season 0-7 both straight up and against the spread, raising serious questions about the team’s future in Los Angeles. Even coming out of a bye week, they were unable to capitalize on a historical trend in which winless teams after Week 5 covered their next game at a roughly 75% rate. Instead, the Chargers lost to the Rams and failed to cover.

The Rams were viewed as the right side at -6.5 because the line did not appear large enough. Although there was some risk that the Rams could play down to their competition, the expectation was that they would control the game.

The Chargers are now considered a complete mess, but the structure of their coaching staff could lead them to stay the course for the rest of the season. The central question is whether the team has seen enough from Harbaugh to retool again or whether the locker room needs a fresh voice.

Harbaugh has been a winner, but the Chargers must determine whether he can take the team forward. The offense, offensive line and defense all require evaluation, while the roster includes several expensive players who have frequently dealt with injuries.

One possible outcome is that both Harbaugh and McDaniels are fired. If Shane Stein is also fired by the Colts, reuniting him with Justin Herbert could make sense. Rather than joining the Chargers as offensive coordinator, Stein could become the team’s next head coach.

That possibility depends on whether the Chargers remain committed to Herbert. If they decide to trade him and completely tear down the roster, every option would be on the table. However, the team still has talented pieces, including Rashaw Slater, Joe Alt, Ladd McConkie and Amarion Hampton. McConkie has struggled to stay healthy, while Hampton has not been utilized properly this season.

A complete rebuild does not appear to be the most likely path because the franchise may not be ready to give up on Herbert. If the front office and ownership instead choose another attempt to rebuild around him, hiring a coach with an existing connection to the quarterback could be the logical approach.

The Chargers must first decide whether they still believe Harbaugh is an NFL head coach. If the Michigan job were to open, there could be interest in bringing him back after he won a national championship there. A mutual parting of ways could become possible if Harbaugh is better suited to relating to college players than NFL players.