MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

The Chargers have been selected to play in Sao Paulo, Brazil to kick off the 2025 season. The game will be played the Friday of Week 1 with the opponent and the time to be determined.

Several opponents will be considered including Houston, Washington, Minnesota and Kansas City. Denver and the Raiders could also be considered depending on the way the schedule plays out. A win over say, the Chiefs, would be a big momentum boost to open the season.

Last year, in the first ever game played in Brazil, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles beat Green Bay 34-29.

This will be the Chargers fourth international game. They most recently played in Mexico City in 2018 and in London twice – in 2008 and 2018.

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Recent Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Antonio Gates didn’t even play football in college. He played basketball at Kent State before becoming an undrafted rookie with the Bolts in 2003. He finished his career with 955 receptions, which was the fourth best in the NFL for tight ends, and had 116 receiving touchdowns which is the most for a tight end.

Gates played 16 years with the Chargers and was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times. He is the Chargers’ career leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

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We know Justin Herbert is the starting quarterback but who’s going to back him up? Taylor Heinicke and Easton Stick are both pending free agents. Stick was the number three quarterback last year and didn’t appear in a game. His future with the Chargers is uncertain as the front office seems to be feeling they can pick up some higher upside backups on the market.

Heinicke appeared in four games this past season but only threw four passes. But in the three years prior beginning in 2021 he started 28 games. With that experience and the fact that the Chargers could bring him back on the cheap he looks like a good bet to return.

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Rumors still swirling around defensive end Joey Bosa. Some have him joining his brother Nick in San Francisco to team up with the 49ers. This hypothetically would mean the Chargers move on from him and the Niners swoop in and grab him in free agency. This might be appealing to the Chargers as Bosa’s departure would free up over $25 million in cap space.

That being said, Bosa is the second all-time leader for the Chargers in sacks with 72. Just something to think about.

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D.K. Metcalf’s name is still being tossed around but now there are a few other horses in the race to join the Bolts at wide receiver. DeAndre Hopkins would be an option if the Chargers don’t land Metcalf. He wouldn’t break the bank and had a decent year last season with the Chiefs. If the Chargers want to go to the high rent district the Bengals’ Tee Higgins could be a target. Chris Godwin of Tampa Bay is another viable option they might consider.