Welcome back to the Chargers Mailbag!
You can send in submissions for the Mailbag here on Twitter or by sending me an email.
Off we go...
Let's get right into it, starting with the popular topic of a potential Chargers trade down in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
While some draft experts had speculated about a possible connection between the Bolts and Vikings before last week, that ramped up even more Minnesota's deal to acquire another first-round pick.
So, while the Chargers still sit at No. 5, the Vikings — who now have a need for a long-term quarterback — hold Nos. 11 and 23 in their pocket.
The pair of scenarios presented above are super intriguing, but they are also pretty speculative right now.
How do we know both Harrison or Nabers will both be there at No. 5?
And if they are, it remains to be seen which player the Chargers would take if they decided to A) stay at No. 5 and B) select a wide receiver.
Both are viewed as elite prospects and the Bolts certainly now have a long-term need at wide receiver with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams no longer on the roster plus Joshua Palmer entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Selecting any player at No. 5 means the Bolts could add a top-tier player to their roster.
Now, if the Bolts were to swing a potential deal for Nos. 11 and 23, it would mean choosing a little bit more quantity when it comes to roster building.
A quick glance at numerous trade value charts shows that the value of Nos. 11 and 23 are more than No. 5, and there's a chance the Bolts could get even more than just those two picks in a deal.
As for potential players the Bolts could target at No. 11, I'm not going to give you any specific names because the draft is a crapshoot and neither you or I know how it will play out.
But off the top of my head, positions to keep in mind could be wide receiver, offensive tackle, tight end, cornerback and edge rusher.
Well, it's certainly been an eventful few weeks for the Bolts and their new front office.
I won't try to "sell you" on how it will get better but I can lay things out a bit.
For one, the Chargers entered the 2023 offseason with a daunting salary cap situation, namely in regards to Allen, Williams, Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa.
The odds of keeping all four players appeared slim simply given the numbers.
As a result, two of players are currently on the roster and two of them are not.
And I give Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and his staff credit for the outside additions they have brought in of late.
Players such as Gus Edwards, Will Dissly, Bradley Bozeman, Poona Ford and Denzel Perryman are all starting quality players who have lots of NFL experience.
Are they all going to be on the roster in five years? We'll see.
But they will certainly help jumpstart the Jim Harbaugh Era with the Chargers while also providing stability and veteran leadership to the host of young players the Chargers eventually bring in.
(Programming note: the Chargers 2024 Free Agency Tracker has news, analysis and photos of every play the Bolts add this offseason).
As for Alt, maybe he will be the pick at No. 5 (or later) in the draft? I don't know and neither does anyone else.
And it's a no go on Mike Williams as he signed with the Jets on Tuesday.
Hell yeah, offensive line questions!
Are we sure these didn't come from Harbaugh himself?! I'm kidding.
I'd say the addition of Bozeman in no way shape or form means the Chargers are out on adding an interior lineman in the draft.
If we look at the roster right now, Bozeman is in line to start simply because of the lack of depth at that position with Corey Linsley's likely retirement and Will Clapp still being a free agent.
Put another way, they are looking for a long-term center to pair with Justin Herbert.
And while an interior offensive lineman won't happen at No. 5, it could very well be in play on Day 2 (or later in the first round if the Chargers were to make some sort of trade like that).
As for the tackle spots, the starters from 2023 will return in Rashawn Slater and Trey Pipkins III. And Foster Sarell, who served in that swing tackle role of late, was recently tendered as an exclusive rights free agent.
So, the Chargers don't necessarily need to add another offensive lineman in free agency or the draft.
But given how much Hortiz and Harbaugh have talked about building through the trenches, it wouldn't surprise me if they did.
I actually wrote about this and don't want to spoil it, so you can find my analysis on the Ford addition right here.
The short answer is that Ford is an experienced defensive lineman who has played in 84 career games (64 starts) and tallied 8.5 career sacks, meaning he's a veteran presence in a room that was a bit depleted on the depth chart.
As it stands now, Ford could immediately be a starter up front if he earns that gig in the spring and throughout training camp.
The rest of what you're looking for can be found at that link above.
We'll end with this one on the buzz surrounding draft prospects.
Both Top-30 visits and the Chargers local pro day will be held over the next month.
Keep in mind how valuable that local pro day is. The Bolts got an up close look at Tuli Tuipulotu a year ago and came away impressed, hence why he was a 2023 second-round pick.
It's hard to believe but the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off five weeks from tomorrow. We have plenty of draft preview content coming your way on Chargers.com and will then obviously have wall-to-wall coverage of each selection once late April gets here.
Bolt Up!
