Bears, Eagles, Steelers among nine most improved teams ahead of 2024 NFL season

You want to know the smartest move the Chargers made this offseason? It was the decision to hire head coach Jim Harbaugh. He brings instant credibility to this franchise and more importantly, he’s a proven winner. There isn’t a team that Harbaugh has coached that hasn’t won immediately and at a high level, as he led Michigan to the national championship last season and took the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2012 campaign. Whatever jokes have been made about the Chargers in recent years — “The Chargers are going to Charger,” as the saying goes — are about to end. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz already have made it clear that this is going to be a physical team. Their first draft pick, the fifth overall selection, was massive left tackle Joe Alt. Hortiz also added a couple running backs he knew from his days in Baltimore (Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins). The decision to keep edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack says plenty as well. Hortiz and Harbaugh could’ve let go of those players in the same way they said farewell to veterans like Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler. However, this team is going to be about running the football and beating teams up on defense. Don’t be surprised if the Chargers start making serious noise in the AFC West real soon.