Chargers Should Hire Jim Harbaugh And Give Him Control of the Draft
The Los Angeles Chargers are set to meet Jim Harbaugh next week, and all signs point to him not leaving the building without a deal in place to become the new head coach.
The Las Vegas Raiders are also attempting to bring in Harbaugh, but players have been lobbying for current interim HC Antonio Pierce to be promoted fully. Pierce has done a wonderful job with the team, and he deserves the chance to lead.
Should Pierce take the job, it would effectively take the Raiders out of the sweepstakes for Harbaugh.
Michigan is also vying to keep Harbaugh around, especially after he helped lead the team to a National Championship.
Though it would make sense for Harbaugh to remain at the college level, he has reportedly been angling to return to the NFL. He was rumored to return the past few years, but this year feels far different.
The Harbaugh rumors gained even more steam as he hired an agent who represents many players in the NFL. Considering he is now set to visit the Chargers next week, it appears his return is nearly inevitable.
Sure, Michigan could offer him a ridiculous deal that would make him reconsider coming back to the pro level, but the Chargers could also do the same.
There have also been reports that Harbaugh is more heavily considering taking over the Chargers job because the team reminds him of the underdog and scrappy group that he took over when he became the coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.
Either way, the Chargers will have the opportunity to present the best possible deal to him when he arrives to interview next week. The Bolts would be smart not to allow Harbaugh out of the building without a multiple-year deal.
The way they can sweeten the idea of taking the head coach job is by offering him the ability to take control of the upcoming Draft.
No one is better suited to draft the right kind of players than Harbaugh, as he has spent the last eight years turning Michigan into the powerhouse that it currently is.
The Chargers currently have seven picks in the draft, and sit at #5. They also have multiple holes to fill on the roster, especially after injuries proved just how thin the roster is.
I could see the Chargers trading down with a QB-hungry team, allowing them to stack even more capital for the draft. They will need to make some smart moves, as they are also around $40 million over the cap.
The likelihood that the team loses Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, and Mike Williams is strong. Those are three impact players that will be missed, but some more youthful and dependable players need to be brought in.
Harbaugh not only knows how to evaluate college players given his recent experience, but we imagine there would be a wealth of players trying to push their way to the Chargers just to play for him.
Harbaugh and the Chargers make a ton of sense, and he could help rebuild a deep roster that won't fall victim to injury as easily.
Harbaugh could also help to rebuild the right pieces around star QB Justin Herbert. Herbert is the cornerstone of this offense, and it is paramount that someone address the right supporting cast.
Harbaugh arriving and being in charge of the draft could help to implement a culture that is sorely needed for the Chargers.
Finishing the season 5-11 is just not good enough, and nowhere near what the Chargers should have been with such a talented roster. Harbaugh could come in and bring the best out of players in the way that he did for the 49ers and Michigan.
