Three upgrades the Chargers need to make this offseason

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Chargers' hiring of coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz sent a jolt of excitement and anticipation into a franchise accustomed to high expectations often followed by letdowns.

Harbaugh and Hortiz bring NFL experience and success, with Hortiz winning two Super Bowls with the Baltimore Ravens and Harbaugh making three NFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XLVII with the San Francisco 49ers.

"The military, how they put together a battalion, that takes them about six to nine months, that resonates with me," Harbaugh said about turning the Chargers around. "But the other one comes from my dad. It's better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today. That being the expectation, that being the goal, to be productive."

Here are three things the Chargers will have to upgrade to be competitive next season:

Rushing offense

Harbaugh is known for developing quarterbacks -- including Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick -- but he has always led teams with dominant rushers, as far back as Toby Gerhart at Stanford and, most recently, Blake Corum at Michigan.

In his introductory news conference -- and almost every other public interview he's done since taking the job -- Harbaugh has made it a point to emphasize his plan to turn around the Chargers' rushing offense.

The Chargers haven't had a feared rushing offense in over a decade, ranking outside the top 10 in rushing yards per game since 2007. The Chargers brought in offensive coordinator Kellen Moore last season to fix their running woes, but nothing changed. The Chargers finished 24th in rushing YPG, and running back Austin Ekeler averaged the fewest yards per carry (3.5) of his career.

Perhaps the biggest question facing this rushing offense is what will come of Ekeler, who is set to become a free agent. A year after setting the single-season franchise record for receptions, Ekeler wasn't the same player last season, with more drops and, at times, struggling to break away from defenders as he had in the past.

Ekeler said he hasn't ruled out a return to the Chargers but that he will be selective about where he plays. Some of the league's top backs are free agents this summer, including Saquon Barkley(Giants), Derrick Henry (Titans)and Josh Jacobs(Raiders).

Harbaugh's hiring of offensive coordinator Greg Roman gives the Chargers a chance at turning this offense around, at least on paper, regardless of who is playing running back. Roman, who was most recently the offensive coordinator with the Ravens in 2022, put together some of the most prolific rushing offenses in league history. He was Harbaugh's offensive coordinator in San Francisco, too.

Retooling the offensive line

The Chargers' offensive line struggled to protect Justin Herbert all season, and Chargers quarterbacks were pressured on 238 dropbacks this year, the eighth-most in the NFL. Some of those struggles can be credited to injury. Center Corey Linsley, a Pro Bowler in 2021, missed the final 14 games of the season with a heart injury that will likely lead to his retirement.

In Week 14 against the Broncos, defensive lineman Zach Allen blew by backup center Will Clapp, and the hit led to Herbert's broken right index finger, which ended his season. When the Chargers tried to run the ball, they were often quickly met by defenders after handoffs, averaging 1 yard before contact, tied for the second fewest in the league.

"I love all the players on the team like beloved sons, but the quarterback, he does touch the ball every single play," Harbaugh said. "That person is somebody that we have to protect."

Secondary play

The Chargers' pass defense was one of the worst in the NFL last season, allowing 249.8 YPG, the fourth-most in the NFL last season. It was also an inconsistent year for former All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr., who often struggled in coverage. J.C. Jackson was supposed to be the Chargers' No. 1 cornerback -- it's why the team gave him a five-year, $82.5 million contract in March 2022 -- but Jackson never panned out and was traded to the New England Patriots in October.

Asante Samuel Jr. has shown the promise that has made him a first-round pick, picking off quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Week 7. But Samuel hasn't yet proved to be a cornerback who can limit the opposing team's top receivers.