Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram missed a combined 13 games last season, but only seven teams had fewer sacks than the Chargers (27) in 2020 and Ingram is (still) a free agent. While injuries and COVID-19 limited Karlaftis to only three games in 2020, the 6-foot-4, 275-pounder had 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks as a freshman in 2019.
It was something of a surprise when Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave decided to return to Columbus for his final college season, but perhaps in a crowded 2021 wide receiver field Olave wanted the chance to stand out in the subsequent draft class. Or perhaps he felt that the Buckeyes needed to finish the job with a national title. Either way, Olave could rise up boards if he improves on last year's numbers, where he caught 50 passes for 729 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games. Pairing him with the young arm in Justin Herbert could give the Los Angeles Chargers a heck of a QB/WR duo for the next few seasons.
Karlaftis is a power end who was banged up in 2020 but showed what he was capable of with 55 pressures as a true freshman in 2019. He's an ox for opposing offensive tackles to handle and has also demonstrated the ability to kick inside at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds.
The Chargers don't have a ton of depth on their defensive line, and DT Linval Joseph turns 33 during this coming season. Leal is very versatile, playing both defensive tackle and defensive end. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he had eight QB hurries, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three passes broken up, an interception and a forced fumble in 2020.
A 6-foot-2 corner out of Detroit, Gardner had an All-American true freshman season in 2019 and had another strong year as a sophomore, collecting three interceptions each season. His competitive temperament gets the best of him at times and penalties have been a problem, but his coverage grades stand out.
The Chargers just took Asante Samuel Jr. in the second-round of 2021, but I'm skeptical that Samuel alone fixes the team's need at CB. Samuel, Michael Davis, and Chris Harris Jr. could be a fine enough trio, but it would not be surprising if the Chargers believed they still needed a dog on the outside. Banks has impressive feet and good ball skills, which could be enough for him to fix the Chargers' woes.
