Chargers should be thinking about Sean Payton for 2023

The Los Angeles Chargers have playoff aspirations. If they don’t reach the postseason, the franchise should call Sean Payton and make a deal happen.

Brandon Staley knows the pressure is on. And Sean Payton should be paying attention.

Entering this season, the Los Angeles Chargers were supposed to be a title contender. Entering Week 9, they’re 4-3 and barely in the AFC playoff picture.

And for their head coach, that means the temperature of his seat is climbing.

Yet Staley is largely misunderstood, thought of nationally for his fourth-down decisions and not what has really been at the center of his tenure in Los Angeles.

Yes, he’s a bad gambler, but not because of what he does on fourth down.

The conversation around Staley continues to be about his aggressive nature when old-school logic calls for a punt. Last season, Los Angeles tied for the third-most fourth down attempts (37) during Staley’s rookie campaign. This year? Tied for third again, sitting behind the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions with 17 such attempts.

Because of this, Staley is seen as a go-for broke coach with a swashbuckling attitude.

That couldn’t be further from reality.

The Chargers have a fire-breathing dragon of a quarterback in Justin Herbert, who possesses a right arm stronger than perhaps any in football save Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Yet Herbert’s average depth of target in 2021 was 7.6, ranking a middling 18th. This year, it’s dropped to 6.3, checking in 32nd of 35 qualifying quarterbacks.

Staley, who came to the Chargers by way of being the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, entrusted his most-important player to the offensive mind of Joe Lombardi.

Lombardi had a brief history of being an offensive coordinator who couldn’t get anything out of elite talent before going to Los Angeles. He held the role with the Lions in 2014-15, fired midway through the second season. In ’14, Detroit’s offense had Matthew Stafford under center with Reggie Bush in the backfield, and the combo of Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate on the outside. The unit ranked 22nd in points per game.

In ’15, Lombardi’s group averaged 19.8 points per game before his firing. In the final nine games that year, Detroit’s offense averaged 24.3.

With Herbert eligible for a market-setting extension this summer, the Chargers’ window of cheap and elite quarterback play is shrinking. At best, it’s open through the ’26 season, depending on Herbert’s contract structure.

Which is why if Los Angeles doesn’t get rolling over the next 10 games, it needs to make a move.

That move should be Sean Payton.

Payton is known as one of the best offensive minds of this generation. Currently, he’s working with FOX as an analyst, waiting to get back into the league. Although he’s still under contract with the New Orleans Saints, Payton would be worth a few draft picks to the Chargers, who need an offensive overhaul yesterday.

Under Payton, the Saints went from the most moribund franchise in the league to a Super Bowl champion in four years. During his 16 seasons with the club, New Orleans won seven NFC South titles and reached the playoffs nine times.

Furthermore, Drew Brees was the standard for prolific passing under Payton. He amassed 491 touchdown passes and 68,010 yards from 2006-20, averaging 298.3 passing yards per game. Brees also made 12 Pro Bowls, was named a First-Team All-Pro, led the NFL in passing yardage seven times and only twice threw for fewer than 7.5 yards per attempt.

All this, despite his best receivers over the entire 15-year period being Marques Colston and Michael Thomas, along with a short stretch of dominance from tight end Jimmy Graham.

Payton has long been known for his innovative offensive schemes, marrying high completion rates with the ability to spring receivers deep for shot plays. This is something sorely lacking in the Chargers’ attack, even when both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are healthy, as was the case in 2021.

And from Payton’s perspective, this would have to be seen as a dream job.

The Chargers play in a world-class facility located in Los Angeles. They have an elite quarterback who is not yet 25 years old. The salary cap situation is in order. Los Angeles has all its draft picks moving forward, even if a few get flipped to New Orleans for his services.

Looking around the league, consider a potential opening in Los Angeles and ask yourself what is a better, realistic option?

The full list of potential openings includes the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. None of those teams have better quarterbacks or provide a better place to live. It’s not close.

If the Chargers reach the playoffs, it’s very unlikely Staley is fired, which makes these next five games so fascinating. Los Angeles is coming out of its bye with four of its next five tilts away from home, facing the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Cardinals and Raiders. The only game at SoFi Stadium brings the Kansas City Chiefs to town.

If the 4-3 Chargers lose three or more of these games, it’s very possible they miss the postseason. And if that happens, Staley — who has never been anywhere in the NFL longer than two seasons — could be on the move once more.

Despite facing mounting injuries, the time to win and do so with Herbert at the epicenter of victory is now for Staley.

And if it doesn’t happen, Payton should soon be on Line 1.