Chargers have work to do before heavy lifting begins in offseason

After today's season finale, the focus is on a new coach and general manager

The Chargers' season comes to a merciful end today when they host the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium. As one chapter ends another begins as the Spanos family gets down to the business of hiring a new coach and general manager, who will assemble a new roster.

In many ways, the Chargers' 2023 season ended almost before it began. There were narrow losses followed by season-ending injuries and illnesses followed by more narrow losses followed by more significant injuries followed by the firing of Brandon Staley as coach and Tom Telesco as GM.

In hindsight, it would be easy to say coaching and GM moves should have been made a year ago, after the Chargers' squandered a 27-0 lead and lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC wild-card game. It would be easy to say the roster should have been upgraded further in the offseason of 2023.

But neither happened and here we are, with the Chargers (5-11) having lost four in a row and seven of eight going into today's game against the reigning Super Bowl champions, a team they were expected to overtake or at least challenge for AFC supremacy this season or next.

Instead, the Chargers will go back to square one or the drawing board or wherever they need to go to begin building (or rebuilding) to be the consistent playoff qualifier they were expected to become after drafting quarterback Justin Herbert in 2020 and adding significant pieces around him.

First, though, there's a game to be played and to be won by coaches and players who might be elsewhere when preparations for the 2024 season begin later this year. The Chargers would like to win one for interim coach Giff Smith and also for quarterback Easton Stick, who's waited five years to get his chance to play.

Stick will fill in for the injured Herbert for the fourth and, likely, final time today.

“We made a pact as a coaching staff and a team that we were going to compete for three games,” said Smith, who became the interim coach after Staley and Telesco were fired Dec. 15. “The motivation to get ready for this game is not an issue. You have seen these last two games, these guys have come and played hard. We just have to find a way to get over the hump. As far as anything personal goes, that's kind of irrelevant to me right now. I want to do right by these guys and the organization and go out there and beat Kansas City.”

Stick played only one game in four previous seasons in the NFL, completing the only pass he attempted in a mop-up role in place of Herbert in 2020, before inheriting the starter's job after Herbert fractured his right index finger in a first-half collision during the Chargers' loss Dec. 10 to the Denver Broncos.

Today's game could be Stick's last start, a fact he didn't wish to address.

“I've had a lot of fun,” Stick said. “I'm really grateful for this last stretch. It's been really tough, obviously. We haven't been winning and that's hard, and a lot of that is on me. That's frustrating, but I've really enjoyed getting to go out there every single day and be in the huddle and communicate and be in charge of the thing, going out there and playing and competing. It's been a lot of fun. Grateful for that.”

Stick won't be alone in filling in for a starter today against the Chiefs.

In fact, the Chargers of Week 18 won't resemble the Chargers of Week 1. Herbert, wide receivers Keenan Allen (heel) and Mike Williams (knee), outside linebackers Joey Bosa (foot) and Chris Rumph II (foot), center Corey Linsley (heart ailment) and several others won't suit up.

There's plenty to play for today, as safety Derwin James Jr. said this past week. A victory over the Chiefs would be a feelgood victory, no question, but there are jobs and paychecks to play for, too, for next season and beyond. Plus, there's a sentimental reason to play well and win today.

“It definitely would mean a lot,” James said of winning the season finale for Smith. “Everybody loves that guy. He's always there. Guys want to play hard. Guys know what's at stake. No one is showing up to lose the game. Everybody is coming to play hard and win. It would be big for us to come out and get that W for him.”

Chargers win if:

Fantasy sleeper:

Prediction:

The Chargers and backup quarterback Easton Stick, left, will take on the Kansas City Chiefs and backup QB Blaine Gabbert in Sunday’s regular-season finale at SoFi Stadium.