NFL Exec on Jim Harbaugh's Chargers Roster: 'Need More Juice at Several Positions'

Now that Jim Harbaugh is on his way back to the NFL as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, the first order of business will be fixing a roster that has a lot of holes.

One AFC executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Harbaugh "can get them going," but they "need more juice at several positions" right now.

The Chargers announced on Wednesday they agreed to terms on a deal with Harbaugh. It will mark his first time back in the league since parting ways with the San Francisco 49ers after the 2014 season.

Even though the appeal of working with Justin Herbert was probably a big selling point, there's a lot of work to be done around the quarterback position to make the Chargers a playoff contender.

It likely won't be a quick fix because the team's salary cap is a mess going into the offseason. They are currently $45.8 million over the projected cap, third-worst in the NFL after the New Orleans Saints ($83.7 million) and Miami Dolphins ($51.9 million).

There are several moves the Chargers can make to reset their cap. If they were to move on from all of Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, it would save them $80.7 million.

Of course, moving on from Allen and Williams would leave an already-thin receiving room desolate even if the Chargers use the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NFL draft on a pass-catcher.

Mack, despite being 32 years old, is coming off a season with 17 sacks. Bosa was productive with 6.5 sacks in nine games, but he's had trouble staying on the field over the past two seasons due to injuries.

A healthy Herbert with a couple of upgrades at the skill positions can make the Chargers' offense an above-average unit. It may not be enough to cover for some of the flaws on defense, but there are reasons to be optimistic based on Harbaugh's track record that he can lead a relatively quick turnaround.