INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers concluded their season with a 13-12 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday, and so they now embark on an offseason that might be outlined by change.
A brand new coach. A brand new basic supervisor. A roster that can look decidedly totally different in Could than it does proper now.
There isn’t any opponent awaiting. The Chargers can now not sink their focus into the subsequent recreation, the subsequent week of preparation, the routine of the NFL schedule that may be as a lot of a reprieve as it’s a grind.
They need to now face actuality. The Chargers completed 5-12. They misplaced eight of their remaining 9 video games. They’ve the fifth choose within the first spherical of April’s draft. And alter is coming.
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“I’m not going to be with these guys anymore, and it’s a type of journeys that I’ll all the time bear in mind,” mentioned working again Austin Ekeler, considered one of many Chargers headed at no cost company. “However unhappy that it has to finish.”
Chargers gamers will bear exit physicals Monday morning. Then interim head coach Giff Smith will maintain a crew assembly.
And that might be that.
Because the web page turns, the constants might be counted on one hand. Quarterback Justin Herbert might be beneath middle. Left sort out Rashawn Slater might be defending his blindside. Receiver Joshua Palmer might be catching his passes. Tuli Tuipulotu might be dashing the passer on the opposite aspect of the ball.
Past that, nothing is actually sure. And that feeling was palpable as gamers mentioned their goodbyes and walked out of the house locker room at SoFi Stadium.
“Want we might have gotten it finished for one another,” mentioned linebacker Eric Kendricks, a possible cap casualty getting into the ultimate yr of his Chargers deal.
The inspiration is small however promising. Slater is part of that. He has already began reflecting on what he can be taught from this season, so he was ready for the query Sunday night. He mentioned he has “pages and pages of notes” on his plan for the offseason.
“It sounds so corny, however typically you simply want an expertise like that to remind you what it’s like,” Slater mentioned of the 5-12 end. “I really feel like in case you see this aspect of it, that’s simply gasoline that you should utilize ceaselessly. I do know for a reality that each one of us can say that we by no means need to expertise that s— once more. We by no means need to have a season like that. And actually, I believe we are able to all level to a variety of various things that we are able to, individually and as a gaggle, enhance on and be taught from.
“Perhaps we thought we had good preparation. Didn’t end up that method. What are we going to do higher? And so it’s actually simply that have. We see this course of results in these outcomes, so how are we going to vary our course of? How are we going to make it possible for doesn’t occur once more?”
That is who might be main the Chargers into the longer term.
For the overwhelming majority of the locker room and the teaching workers and the entrance workplace, that future is blurry at finest.
Austin Ekeler expects to be enjoying elsewhere subsequent season. (Orlando Ramirez / USA Right now)
There are the massive, splashy names like Keenan Allen and Khalil Mack, Mike Williams and Joey Bosa, Ekeler and Derwin James Jr.
There may be additionally Smith, who finishes his debut three-game stretch as an NFL head coach and not using a victory. Will he ever get this opportunity once more?
“This was an awesome alternative to provide again to those younger males,” Smith mentioned. “I’m extraordinarily grateful for that.”
And there may be Easton Stick, who went 0-4 in his first 4 NFL begins to wrap up the season. Stick might be a free agent. Will he ever get an opportunity to begin once more?
“I can play,” Stick mentioned. “I believe I knew that, however till you go on the market and also you truly do it, that’s an enormous a part of it. And it had been a very long time. I spotted how a lot I missed enjoying and attending to compete. I’m simply actually grateful I had the chance.”
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The Chargers maximized their draft choose slot with their 5 straight losses to shut the season. That’s objectively an excellent factor for the group. However additionally it is value contemplating what a win would have meant for Stick, for Smith, for all of the Chargers who would possibly by no means get such a chance once more.
“It’s been robust,” Stick mentioned. “You play to win.”
All groups undergo modifications each offseason.
This one for the Chargers might be much more pronounced.
It begins Monday.
“Whoever is right here or no matter we’re doing,” James mentioned. “I’m going to be prepared for it.”
(High picture of Easton Stick: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Photographs)
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