Were the LA Chargers too hasty by hiring LA Rams DC Staley?

The Los Angeles Chargers made a beeline to LA Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley as soon as the Rams exited the NFL Playoffs. In short work, the Chargers made an offer, and Staley accepted. His meteoric rise to a head coaching position was signed sealed and delivered within a year. You see, that’s how long it took for the former linebackers’ coach of the Denver Broncos to be hired on as defensive coordinator for the LA Rams, and then springboard into a choice head coaching position.

While the LA Chargers cast a net for the head coach position wide enough to include several familiar names, such as New York Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett; Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll; Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith; and of course LA Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

Now, one of these things is not like the other. Can you tell what that is? Yes, Staley is the only defensive coordinator on the list. That is very material because the Chargers have discovered a very good young quarterback by the name of Justin Hebert. As good as Hebert was as a rookie, he is still very much in need of developing his skills to become a formidable NFL starting quarterback.

Building a mystery

Meanwhile, what do the LA Chargers truly know about new head coach Brandon Staley? Well, he was a linebackers coach who was mentored by Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio. And during his time with Fangio, he learned and adopted the defensive scheme and techniques used to disguise defensive coverages for devastating effect.  Of course, it helped immensely that he had the opportunity to apply that defensive philosophy to a defense with two All-Pros: defensive lineman Aaron Donald and defensive back Jalen Ramsey.

By applying his defense, the Rams became very good at stopping both the pass and the run. But it was one year only. The Rams were a very good defense, yes. But the test to any plan, scheme, or new strategy is whether it has the resilience to any countermeasures that follow from the offensive side of the ball the following year. Staley’s defense was one-and-done.

Would Staley have been hired elsewhere if the Chargers did not make him an offer? Perhaps, perhaps not. But the rush to hire Staley seemed exactly that, very rushed. Perhaps a wiser course of action would have been to stay the course for one more season with former head coach Anthony Lynn, given quarterback Justin Hebert one more year under his belt, and then, if necessary, made a change at head coach after Staley had another year as defensive coordinator.

No worries, but no guarantees

In the end, Staley may pan out for them. But there were logical reasons to hit the pause button on this hire. There are a myriad of cliches about haste and missing the target. But beyond the logic of common sense, the Chargers needed offensive firepower. The Chargers offense was a top-ten in moving the ball but fell to the 18th-ranked offense in scoring points. Likewise, their defense was a top-ten in yardage but fell to the 23rd-ranked defense in points allowed.

It’s a chicken and the egg argument. Does a better defense elevate the play of the offense? Or would a more efficient offense help out the defense by a greater time of possession?  For my money, I would have invested on the offensive side of the ball. After all, that is where the Chargers have Hebert, who is the team’s franchise quarterback.

Staley is a hot name and the Chargers wanted a hot hire for the head coach. Will they regret it? They may not. After all, the head coach hire typically comes with a three or four-year window to make the playoffs. If it doesn’t happen, they simply fire the head coach and start all over again. Staley may not be the answer, but he is an answer. To be brutally honest, that is all that the LA Chargers were looking for.