The Los Angeles Chargers have had a tough season. Not a lot has gone right and they have left fans bitterly disappointed. However, In Madden you can bring them success.
A big reason for the disappointment
surrounding the Chargers is the level of excitement there was heading into the
season. The Chargers were thought to have had one of the most talented rosters,
and coming off an AFC Divisional Round loss last season, sights were set very
high.
The season has gone very wrong, but you have plenty to work with to bring the team success in Madden Franchise Mode.
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*All
ratings are correct at time of writing. Pre-existing injuries have been turned
off.*
Team Rating
Thanks to their poor performance, the
Chargers team rating has dropped somewhat as their players have received
ratings decreases. At just 81 OVR they’re rated among the bottom half of teams
in the NFL, but don’t worry, they have a host of very talented players.
Among their players they still have three
Superstar X-Factors – Derwin James Jr. (88 OVR), Keenan Allen (90 OVR) and Joey Bosa (90 OVR) – along with
Superstar Philip Rivers (86 OVR).
In addition, the Chargers boast playmakers
with Star or better development all over their roster. Including Casey Hayward Jr. (90 OVR), Melvin Ingram (88 OVR), Desmond King (88 OVR), Hunter Henry (87 OVR), Melvin Gordon (86 OVR), Austin Ekeler (83 OVR), and Mike Williams (81 OVR).
That core of talent, all of whom can
improve A LOT over the course of just one season, make the Chargers one of the
most appealing teams to take over. You just need to fill a few holes.
Biggest Needs
Though they have a great core of players, there are some gaping holes on this roster, most notably on the offensive line.
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The entire right side of the o-line is poor. The starting RG is 68 OVR and the best RT on the roster is 60 OVR. LG is also an issue, with the starter being 68 OVR, and even LT could be improved with 76 OVR Russell Okung currently starting.
Thankfully, the rest of the offense is very
good. The only other area that you could look to improve is your depth at WR.
Defensively the roster is at least serviceable at every position. Defensive tackle and inside linebacker are most needy, with starters at both positions hovering at 72 or 73 OVR with normal development.
Cornerback is the next biggest need, but
only in terms of depth. Using the latest roster leaves only four CBs on the
depth chart. The top two are great, and the third being 75 OVR is good, but one
injury at that position and you’ll struggle dearly.
Trade Targets
Unlike many rosters, there aren’t any players you should look to trade away, certain players could be used to sweeten your offers, such as CB Michael Davis (75 OVR) or WR Travis Benjamin (75 OVR), but only if you have ways you know you can replace them.
READ MORE: Dallas Cowboys Franchise Mode guide
Jourdan Lewis, Cornerback (77 OVR)
Age: 24
Best stats: Acceleration (90), Speed (89), Agility (89), Jumping (85), Press (81), Play Recognition (80), Man Coverage (76)
The Cowboys are very deep at the cornerback
spot, so Lewis is one of the many players on the trade block when the season
begins. You can snap him up for as little as a fourth round pick. He is a
scheme fit and would slot in immediately as your third corner and bring
important depth.
Other options at corner are Brandon Carr (81 OVR) or Tavon Young (77 OVR) from the Baltimore Ravens, or Sidney Jones (76 OVR) from the Eagles.
Cody Ford, Right Tackle (70 OVR)
Age: 22
Best stats: Strength (88), Lead Block (83), Impact Blocking (82), Awareness (76), Run Block Power (75), Run Block (74), Pass Block Power (73)
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Ford isn’t a high overall, big splash type
of trade, but he fills a need and offers a potential long term solution. Ford
is a rookie on the Buffalo Bills and could command multiple draft picks and a
player, but he has a low salary, has very good tools to work with, and with
training and play time can steadily improve into a good starting tackle.
Nick Kwiatkoski, Middle Linebacker (78 OVR)
Age: 26
Best stats: Acceleration (87), Pursuit (86), Tackle (85), Agility (83), Jumping (83), Speed (81), Hit Power (79)
Of the three, Kwiatkoski will be the hardest to trade for. With that said, he may well be worth it. He dramatically improves the MLB position. You’ll need to re-sign him to keep him more than a year, but he won’t cost too much while also giving room for growth as he is just 26 and has the ratings to make a lot of plays for your defense.
Free Agent Targets
In addition to the above trade targets, you should definitely sign these two free agents.
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Trevor Williams, Cornerback (78 OVR)
Age: 25
Best stats: Speed (91), Acceleration (90), Agility (89), Jumping (87), Play Recognition (82), Man Coverage (79), Zone Coverage (77)
Not only is Williams immediately your third best CB, while obviously adding depth, he has star development. He will improve steadily through the year, and if you can re-sign him can combine with Hayward Jr. and King to form one of the best three CBs on a single roster. He is likely a better option than trading for Jourdan Lewis because of his development trait.
Clint Boling, Right Guard (76 OVR)
Age: 30
Best stats: Strength (87), Impact Blocking (87), Lead Block (86), Awareness (85), Run Block Power (77), Pass Block Power (77), Run Block (76)
Boling is a must sign. He is significantly better than the current starter, and while unspectacular, will do a lot to solidify your o-line. He is solid across the board and is a scheme fit, and really will make a difference to your offense.
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Draft Targets
How you approach the draft will depend on
what you aim to achieve in your first season.
If you, like me, believe the talent already
on the roster can be enough to potentially get to a Super Bowl, then you can
afford to part ways with several of your picks over the next few years to
acquire some of the aforementioned trade targets. However, you may see the
roster as having a few too many weaknesses without enough big fixes available.
In either case, your draft targets should
be the same.
The biggest need is offensive line, by far.
Every position can improve in some way. Whether finding a new (eventual)
starter for older players like Okung and Mike Pouncey, or replacing your
current starters at LG, RG and RT, this has to be your priority.
Next up should be finding your next QB.
Rivers may have another season, but it is worth using a high draft pick to
address the QB position, even if he doesn’t start right away.
Finding depth and eventual starters at LB, DT, WR and CB are alternative needs.
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Nailing the draft can be a big ask, as players rarely fit needly into their expected stat ranges and the AI can snipe your targets from you. Don’t fear, we have all the tips & tricks for you to master drafting in Franchise Mode here.
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