Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers won't fix wide receiver problems on scrap heap

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The San Diego Chargers will head into Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a depleted wide receiver corps. Both Stevie Johnson and Keenan Allen have been lost for the season due to injury. Yes, Travis Benjamin shows promise, but behind him, the team has some huge question marks. Will they have enough firepower to hang with the Jags?

Dontrelle Inman, Tyrell Williams and Isaiah Burse are the only other wide receivers on the active roster. The team has both Dom Williams and Jonathan Krause on the practice squad.

Reports earlier in the week mentioned that the Chargers worked out a few veteran wide receivers, including Griff Whalen, Chris Givens and Aaron Dobson.

Aug 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Chris Givens (19) during warmups before game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Buccaneers, 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Are any of these guys going to be the answer to replace the two key players the team has lost? No, not even close. Sure, the team may be doing its due diligence to pursue outside options, but if you’re going to bring a guy like that in, just re-sign James Jones. At least he spent some time with the team this year.

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Instead, the team should be bold. Actually, it’s the front office that should be bold. Instead of just accepting the injury to Allen and trying to move forward with what is there and hope something good comes of it, general manager Tom Telesco needs to be more proactive. He should be calling every team in the league to see if there is a receiver that is on the trading block. Perhaps he’s already had some of these discussions, but he needs to be serious about making the move.

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This is a crucial season for the Chargers. Philip Rivers will be 35 in December. The team is looking to secure a deal for a new stadium. It simply can’t accept another season like it had last year and after what we witnessed last Sunday, it sure felt like another season like that is coming. With the season-ending injury to Allen and the second-half collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs, the argument could be made that the Chargers suffered the worst loss in the NFL last week.

I don’t even think it’s an argument.

Rivers needs options in the passing game. He has Benjamin and has has Antonio Gates. Hunter Henry is young and unproven, much like the rest of the receiving corps.

Next week, you can expect to see an article from me identifying wide receivers that the Chargers should target in a trade, regardless of what happens this week against Jacksonville.

The San Diego Chargers will head into Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a depleted wide receiver corps. Both Stevie Johnson and Keenan Allen have been lost for the season due to injury. Yes, Travis Benjamin shows promise, but behind him, the team has some huge question marks. Will they have enough firepower to hang with the Jags?

Dontrelle Inman, Tyrell Williams and Isaiah Burse are the only other wide receivers on the active roster. The team has both Dom Williams and Jonathan Krause on the practice squad.

Reports earlier in the week mentioned that the Chargers worked out a few veteran wide receivers, including Griff Whalen, Chris Givens and Aaron Dobson.

Aug 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Chris Givens (19) during warmups before game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Buccaneers, 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Are any of these guys going to be the answer to replace the two key players the team has lost? No, not even close. Sure, the team may be doing its due diligence to pursue outside options, but if you’re going to bring a guy like that in, just re-sign James Jones. At least he spent some time with the team this year.

Upcoming Schedule

Instead, the team should be bold. Actually, it’s the front office that should be bold. Instead of just accepting the injury to Allen and trying to move forward with what is there and hope something good comes of it, general manager Tom Telesco needs to be more proactive. He should be calling every team in the league to see if there is a receiver that is on the trading block. Perhaps he’s already had some of these discussions, but he needs to be serious about making the move.

More from Bolt Beat

This is a crucial season for the Chargers. Philip Rivers will be 35 in December. The team is looking to secure a deal for a new stadium. It simply can’t accept another season like it had last year and after what we witnessed last Sunday, it sure felt like another season like that is coming. With the season-ending injury to Allen and the second-half collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs, the argument could be made that the Chargers suffered the worst loss in the NFL last week.

I don’t even think it’s an argument.

Rivers needs options in the passing game. He has Benjamin and has has Antonio Gates. Hunter Henry is young and unproven, much like the rest of the receiving corps.

Next week, you can expect to see an article from me identifying wide receivers that the Chargers should target in a trade, regardless of what happens this week against Jacksonville.

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