The Los Angeles Chargers have a promising wideout in Ladd McConkey.
Nevertheless, with Mike Williams retiring, there’s a big opening on Jim Harbaugh’s team.
With that in mind, Kevin Patra of NFL.com believes it’s time they make a run at Amari Cooper.
In his latest column, he chose the Chargers as the best fit for the former Las Vegas Raiders draft pick:
“The Chargers lost a receiver who could have provided those skills when Mike Williams decided to retire, abruptly ending his franchise homecoming. The L.A. brass has displayed confidence in the youngsters, but there was a reason Williams was signed to return this offseason in the first place. Cooper could serve as a veteran leader to the green corps. And he wouldn’t be asked to be the go-to weapon, a role Ladd McConkey ran away with last year, instead buffering Quentin Johnston and providing a backstop if rookies Tre Harris or KeAndre Lambert-Smith stumble. Additionally, Cooper appears to be the type of grinder and leader Jim Harbaugh loves,” Patra wrote.
Cooper wasn’t a factor last season, and the fact that he’s still a free agent at this point in the offseason is telling.
Just a couple of years ago, he was still one of the most underrated pass-catchers in the game.
The Chargers will continue to deploy a run-heavy offense for as long as Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are there.
Still, Justin Herbert needs reliable pass-catchers, as the Chargers struggled with drops again last season.
Other than McConkey, they don’t seem to have any trustworthy receiver to build the offense around.
Quentin Johnston has failed to live up to the expectations, and Tre Harris is still a question mark.
The Chargers are one of the strongest dark horse candidates to come out of the AFC, and adding a proven veteran could be the missing piece they need to get to the next level, even if he’s no longer at the peak of his powers.
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