The buzz around the Chargers isn’t coming out of nowhere. It’s being fueled by people who have actually watched this team up close, and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is among the most bullish voices after spending time at training camp.
Rapoport came away impressed by more than just one star or one shiny addition. What stood out to him was the way the roster fits together and the direction the organization appears to be taking. As he put it via Eric Smith of Chargers.com, “The hype around the Chargers is warranted,” and if the team can stay healthy, “they can go pretty far.”
That’s a strong endorsement from someone with Rapoport’s credibility, and it helps explain why the Chargers are drawing so much preseason attention. He also said the group he saw might be “probably the best, deepest and fastest Chargers team” he has seen in some time.
A big part of that optimism comes from the offense and the arrival of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. The move gives Justin Herbert another chance to operate in a system built to create space and put playmakers in better positions.
Herbert has already shown he’s one of the league’s most gifted quarterbacks, but the Chargers have too often struggled to give him the right mix of coaching, weapons and depth. McDaniel’s offense changes that equation.
Rapoport believes that could make Herbert especially dangerous, since the scheme is designed to help players get open and give the quarterback more chances to attack defenses instead of having to create everything on his own.
Of course, there are still real hurdles. The Chargers have to deal with a tough AFC West, a difficult schedule and a new defensive coordinator in Chris O’Leary, who is stepping into that job for the first time. That brings uncertainty, even with a deeper roster and a new offensive identity in place.
For now, the belief is clear. The Chargers have the talent, the speed and the depth to make people pay attention. The next step is proving it when the games count.
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