Welcome back to the Chargers Mailbag!
We'll be running one of these every week during the regular season, so send in submissions for the Mailbag here on Twitter or by sending me an email.
Off we go...
The vibes are high!
Granted, every NFL team is full of hope and optimism entering Week 1. And the Chargers are no different in that regard.
"You could definitely feel the energy," Morgan Fox said Monday. "People are excited to go hit somebody with a different color helmet."
But I'd argue that there is a different aura surrounding the Chargers now that Harbaugh is leading the way.
The Chargers have become a national talking point since Harbaugh was hired in January, and that buzz hasn't slowed down much of late.
The best way I can describe Harbaugh's impact on the Bolts the past seven months is that there is a seriousness and professionalism that has permeated through the building.
You see it in the way the Chargers practice (physical and fast-paced) and how they look while actually at practice (Harbaugh has the team wearing full uniforms).
Harbaugh has won everywhere he's ever been and he certainly plans on making a quick and strong splash back in the league with the Bolts.
But if we take a peek into the future, it's clear Harbaugh has laid the groundwork for that, too.
Give the man a year or two to get everything in order here and I firmly believe he'll have the Chargers competing for championships.
Appreciate the kind words!
You bring up a fascinating point and something that is actually my No. 1 storyline for Sunday: what does the offense actually look like?
Harbaugh and Chargers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman have talked over and over and over again about how they want the Bolts to have a punishing ground game. And they certainly backed those words up by signing Will Dissly, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency and drafting an offensive lineman (Joe Alt) with the fifth overall pick.
But that duo also knows who is under center for the Chargers, too. And I can tell you that Herbert looks incredibly comfortable in Roman's offense as evident by some of the otherworldly performances we've seen in practice.
In my mind, the plan for the offense has always been this:
Establish a dominant ground game that opens up the aerial attack (and play-action passes) for Herbert. And when the fourth quarter rolls around, impose your will on the opposing defenses by continually pounding the rock.
We'll have to see exactly how the run-pass split shakes out in Week 1 and beyond, but I can't wait to track it all.
I do, but the group will need to earn that trust this season.
On the whole, the Chargers wide receiver room feels unproven. If you ask me, part of that is because of who had been in that position group in recent years.
And I don't even think the group needs to be explosive, as Nick alludes to above.
Instead, they simply need to catch the ball, move the chains and do their job.
Nobody is expecting anyone in this group to suddenly turn into Justin Jefferson or Tyreek Hill and push for a 2,000-yard season.
And that's OK!
We could get to the end of the season and the stat lines of the receivers all look a little bunched up. They don't need someone to be a superstar, but they need to play well enough as a collective unit.
If I were to single any player out here, I have high hopes that Quentin Johnston is going to take a leap forward in 2024.
We all know he had an up-and-down rookie year, something Johnston himself talked about this offseason. But he looked much improved in camp and could be in line for a key role this season.
Plus, if we're talking about the group as a whole, having a quarterback like Justin Herbert helps, too. No. 10 is going to elevate those around him each and every game.
The inside linebacker group could turn some heads in 2024.
I know that group might not be getting a lot of national love, but those of us who watched training camp and the preseason know this unit appears to be on the rise.
Denzel Perryman is a 10-year veteran who is going to give you a strong baseline level of play, plus tons of leadership off the field.
Daiyan Henley is among the most improved players on the team and has rare athletic traits for the position.
Junior Colson knows the scheme inside and out and flashed once he got on the field after recovering from an appendectomy.
Nick Niemann (currently on Injured Reserve) and Troy Dye are special teams aces who can also step in and give you solid defensive snaps if needed.
Overall, I just like the direction where the group is headed. And so does linebacker coach NaVorro Bowman.
"I like the competitiveness. The eagerness and the hunger to get better," Bowman told me during camp. "I like the athleticism we have in the room. Guys bring it every single day and really embraced me from Day 1 and showed me the respect that I was looking for because it's new to me also.
"Just being welcomed and give the information, that's a different aspect for me because I was on the receiving end of it," Bowman added. "For me to be able to step in and the information be reciprocated by them, that's what I wanted to get out of this."
A final note here: I know your question was about the 2024 season, but personally I think one of the most exciting things about this group going forward is the prospect of Henley and Colson lining up next to each other for years to come.
Run blocking is probably near the top of the list, Benny.
But if you want me to be more specific, I'm going to go with EPA per rush, a stat the Chargers ranked 29th in last season at -0.150.
By comparison, Greg Roman's Baltimore offenses ranked first in the league in cumulative EPA per rush from 2019-2022 at 0.116.
What I like about EPA per rush is that is measures success based on a given scenario. So if the Chargers run for 4 yards on third-and-3, that is more successful than running for 4 yards on third-and-9.
While I mentioned above that we'll have to see how the run-pass rates play out, the simple fact is that the Bolts need to be better running the ball in every situation this season compared to last.
To steal a baseball term, I don't think the Bolts will end up being a home-run team on the ground, meaning they might nit be ripping off 50-yard touchdown runs every game.
But they certainly want to be a doubles-hitting squad in the run game and consistently pick up four, five and six yards each carry.
A bonus team stat I'm watching? The new kickoff rule.
We've seen the play in action during preseason games, but my hunch is that teams have saved their real plan for regular-season games.
If Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken can help his group thrive in both aspects of this play — covering it and returning it —that should give the Bolts an added boost this season.
Hmmm, I don't know if I have just one because his first seven months on the job have been so memorable.
Even from his introductory press conference, he's offered a blend of humor and personality but also a clear message that he will (and already has) changed the culture around here.
A teaser here, but chatted with Harbaugh 1-on-1 a few weeks ago and have a feature on him that will come out Thursday.
The crux of the piece is looking at why he wanted to come back to the NFL and what drives him now that he's here. I can't wait for you all to read it.
I hope you all enjoy all of the fun and buildup that comes with Week 1, and remember to enjoy the ride.
Bolt Up!
