LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Chargers built their roster for a big push toward a potential 2023 Super Bowl appearance, but if things don't work out this year it's hard to see this core managing to stay together for 2024 and beyond.
Per Spotrac's salary cap figures the Chargers are at $242.06M in 2023, a figure that jumps to a whopping $322.6M in 2024. While the cap figures to rise next season, Los Angeles will clearly have some tough decisions to make as discussed by David Droegemeier and Daniel Wade on the latest episode of the Locked on Chargers podcast.
"After this season they are going to have some very difficult decisions to make on players they are going to bring back and players they are going to have to let go," Droegemeier said. "Exactly, it's all part of the same question which is can this team be as competitive in 2024 as 2023, right now it's hard to see it that way," Wade added.
Five players will have their cap hit jump up over $29 million next season: linebackers Khalil Mack ($38.6M) and Joey Bosa ($36.6M) wide receivers Keenan Allen ($34.7M) and Mike Williams ($32.4M) and quarterback Justin Herbert ($29.5M).
The Chargers almost certainly won't be able to pay all five of those stars in 2024, and while restructuring contracts is an option it is tough to imagine the team finding enough wiggle room to make this work.
Herbert has plenty of weapons around him offensively to make this team one of the more dangerous scoring teams in the NFL, and if players like Mack and Bosa (and safety Derwin James) can stay healthy this team has the talent to compete for a Super Bowl in 2023 - and it might be their last chance to do so as a unit.