Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Los Angeles Chargers Bring In Tyler Boyd For Visit: 3 Reasons Wide Receiver Makes Sense

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 5/1/24

The Los Angeles Chargers exhausted three NFL Draft picks this past weekend on wide receivers as head coach Jim Harbaugh and Co. look to fill out the depth chart at that position.

Ladd McConkey (second round), Brenden Rice (seventh round), and Cornelius Johnson (seventh round) will all have opportunities to make an impact as rookies. That’s especially true after Los Angeles moved off veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams earlier this offseason.

Though, it would not make sense for the Chargers to stop adding to their wide receiver room. They need more experience to go with 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston and those three rookies mentioned above.

Apparently, Los Angeles’ brass is being proactive on this end.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Chargers brought in veteran free agent receiver Tyler Boyd of the Cincinnati Bengals for a meeting earlier this week.

Boyd, 29, is the most productive remaining wide receiver in NFL free agency. It’s actually pretty surprising that the two-time 1,000-yard receiver has not latched on with a team.

Why Tyler Boyd Makes Sense For The Los Angeles Chargers

Production: Since the start of the 2018 season, Boyd has averaged 73 receptions for 862 yards and five touchdowns. That included back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019. He started to see a downtrick in targets when the Bengals drafted Tee Higgins (2020) and Ja’Marr Chase (2021). For his career, Boyd boasts an exceptional 68% catch rate. He’s also dropped a mere 10 passes over the past four seasons.

Tyler Boyd career stats: 513 receptions, 6,000 yards, 31 TD

Perfect fit: Boyd has played primarily out of the slot during his NFL career. It’s a position McConkey will likely inhabit moving forward. However, there is no telling just how ready the former Georgia star is to make an impact in Greg Roman’s complex offense. Adding insurance in that of Boyd makes sense. He can also line up on the outside and act as an upgrade over Joshua Palmer if need be.

Veteran experience: That’s the biggest key here. Los Angeles simply lacks a ton of experience at wide receiver for quarterback Justin Herbert. Boyd has been in the NFL for eight seasons. He has a whopping 77 starts under his belt. As the youngsters get acclimated to the professional game, Boyd’s experience would come in handy.

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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