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Bad decisions have caught up with talent-poor Chargers

With Ryan Leaf injured, Erik Kramer is among the candidates for San Diego's starting job. AP

The San Diego Chargers opened their training camp in La Jolla, Calif. on July 22. New head coach Mike Riley will be looking to take the Chargers back to the playoffs for the first time since 1995. Here are a few questions from Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z, followed by CNNSI.com's perspective on some of the issues facing the Chargers this season. SI's season preview will be posted August 24.

1) Here we go again. Jim Harbaugh vs. ... uh, vs. ... who'd they just pick up? Oh yeah, Eric Kramer. Right. Harbaugh is 35. Can he be the old Captain Comeback or is he simply a guy who's taken too many hits over the years? If they block for him, he should be O.K., although I don't think much of that receiving corps. If he falters, Kramer is a decent professional. At any rate, this is a lot better than what they put on the field last year.

2) Can the Chargers repeat as, amazingly, the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense? Why not? They could be even better if they get a full season out of Dwayne Harper, one of the league's fine corners. Last year's unit was a precision operation, well integrated and exceptionally coached by Joe Pascale, who got my vote as assistant of the year.

3) Any help in the draft? Zip, which is why I think San Diego will be improved, but not contend for anything.

The Chargers might make the playoffs if: Dan Fouts, Lionel James and Charlie Joiner make comebacks. The Chargers have too many weaknesses on their roster to be given any hope of contending for a playoff spot this season. General manager Bobby Beathard is fond of trading away future first-round picks on draft day, and his policy has caught up to the Chargers the last few years.

The only year in the last six that they have kept their first-round pick was in 1998, and that pick (Ryan Leaf) hasn't exactly panned out as they thought he would. Their talent level and depth is subpar, especially in what should be a very competitive AFC West over the next several seasons.

Pivotal games (or weeks): Sept. 12 vs. no one; Jan. 2 at Denver. The Chargers are the first team under the new format of the NFL schedule to open the season with a bye week. Scheduling changes were made when the league went to 31 teams with the addition of Cleveland, and since there is now an uneven number of teams in the league, at least one team will be off each week of the regular season. The Chargers have four of their first six games at home, once they do get started, but then finish with a tough stretch of four of their last seven on the road. They will close out the regular season in Denver on Jan. 2, and then will begin scouting players that Beathard can trade their first-round pick for on draft day.

On the hot seat: Wide receiver Bryan Still is one of the players that Beathard made a draft-day trade for in 1996. The Chargers have been incredibly patient in waiting for him to turn his tremendous abilities into actual onfield performance, but it has yet to happen. Still is dangerously close to falling off the Chargers radar screen if he doesn't turn it around this season. Second-year wideout Mikhael Ricks had an impressive rookie year, but dropped a number of passes as well. San Diego hopes that its 1998 second-round pick learns from his rookie mistakes and emerges into a solid option to throw to on a regular basis.

Up-and-comers: Tight end Freddie Jones has quietly put together an impressive first two seasons in the league, totaling 98 catches and five touchdowns. At almost 270 pounds, Jones is a decent blocker as well, but the Chargers hope to utilize him as an offensive weapon more this season.