Staley Looks to be on the Way Out, Who’s Next?
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley seems to have stayed long past his welcome in Los Angeles. While initially liked by the media and fans when he was hired, things have quickly gone south, and it has led to Staley’s seat getting hotter and hotter. Fans calling for his sacking may not have to wait too much loner either. Rumors are swirling that this will be the last season Staley coaches for the Chargers.
It appears that this firing will not take place midway through the season; the Chargers are sticking with their guns for the remainder of their games. Even so, Chargers fans have to hope that their front office is already formulating a plan for head coach, one that will be better than their current situation. More than anything, the Chargers should look for a coach that will bolster their defense to give ease to Justin Herbert, Kellen Moore and the Chargers offense.
Here are three candidates the team might be considering to be Staley’s replacement in the offseason that could do just that.
3. Jim Harbaugh (Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines)
Photo Credit: Patrick Breen, USA Today
Jim Harbaugh, the current head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, has seen time in the NFL before. In his stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Harbaugh went 44-19-1 and brought the team to a NFC Championship game and a Super Bowl. Though h came up just short, Harbaugh proved he has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Add to this his affinity with talented quarterbacks such as Colin Kaepernick and the many he has worked with at Michigan, and one could see an immediate partnership with him and Herbert going smoothly.
Harbaugh would be higher on this list if it were not for his estranged relationship with the NCAA and any other higher ups he comes into contact with. He has struggled to see eye-to-eye with the brass of the NFL and the NCAA, and he currently sits on suspension from his college team for allegedly cheating and not complying with the NCAA. Harbaugh certainly has his problems, but he also brings an outstanding coaching resume that could immediately turn the Chargers organization around if they were willing to try and handle him.
2. Brian Flores (Defensive Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings)
Photo Credit: David Berting, Getty Images
Brian Flores, who has been a defensive mind in the NFL for some time, could be a great fit for the Chargers. His skill to adjust was shown with his time with the Miami Dolphins, where he helped to build Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins roster into what it currently is, and that skill is still shown today in his work with the Minnesota Vikings. He has made the Vikings into a top 12 caliber defense despite youth and inexperience in the secondary, greatly changing his scheme to account for a new team.
As Minnesota has gone from the 30th overall defense in 2022 to the 12th overall in 2023, Flores could be just what the Chargers need. As their defense has struggled all season, having a true defensive minded coach like Flores to turn around their star-studded and expensive defensive roster into a better product would make an immediate impact for the Chargers. Hiring Flores would ultimately allow for Kellen Moore and the rest of the coaching staff to focus on the offense as he took over the defense, instantly making the Chargers a better team.
1. Bill Belichick (Head Coach, New England Patriots)
Photo Credit: Eric Canha, USA Today
One of the main storylines behind the Chargers’ 6-0 win versus the New England Patriots revolved around the coaching of both teams. Staley, who it seems is going to be forced out by the Chargers, and Belichick, who is doing no better with the Patriots system, might both be free agents by the season’s end. Despite this bad look, however, Belichick would be the perfect coach for Los Angeles.
The Chargers already have the defensive pieces they need, and Belichick could pick up this defense and make something out of it. In the past, he drafted defensive players for the Patriots, and given the same opportunity, he could fill the defensive needs while using Derwin James and Joey Bosa to their full potential just like he did with his players in New England.
His proven capability to win with a strong defense that he has created and an impressive quarterback on the other side of the ball already makes him a viable option. The fact that the Chargers already have so many defensive pieces that he could work with and a quarterback like Justin Herbert makes him the perfect candidate. This Chargers team is not so far off from what the Patriots were for so many years. They just need a coach like Belichick to lead them in the right direction.
