Chargers lament Justin Herbert falling to 0-3 in

Ladd McConkey paused for a second in entrance of his locker.

“I don’t know,” he said, less than 24 hours after another humbling Chargers playoff loss.

“To be honest with you, it’s like, I don’t know — but you gotta get that monkey off our back,” McConkey said.

A tormenting 16-3 defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card spherical despatched the Chargers’ season to an early end Sunday for the second consecutive season. Little went proper against the Patriots in coach Jim Harbaugh‘s second year in L.A., prompting questions about what needs to change to make the Chargers a Super Bowl contender.

Harbaugh, general manager Joe Hortiz and the rest of the team’s employees can have a full offseason to delve into went awry against the Patriots and a season that fell short of expectations.

Against New England, there have been offensive line woes and Justin Herbert getting pressured on 30 of 44 drop-backs, which, according to Pro Football Focus, was the second-highest strain fee of your entire season (behind the Chargers’ Week 14 effort against the Philadelphia Eagles).

Herbert, still looking out for his first postseason victory after his third defeat Sunday, confirmed up in uncharacteristic fashion against the Patriots.

Last season, he tossed a career-worst 4 interceptions in a playoff loss to Houston. Against New England, Herbert struggled to discover open receivers and was sacked six instances while the Chargers failed to implement a run recreation, main to questions about offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s future with the group.

Center Bradley Bozeman, often at the center of public criticism over the Chargers’ offensive line, fought back tears when talking about his struggles on the sector. But the eighth-year veteran acquired choked up the most speaking about Herbert.

“It just sucks that we can’t get him there,” Bozeman said. “That’s what sucks. He’s one of my best friends — and it sucks, like it just sucks, because I want it bad for him. I want it bad for myself, I want it bad for everybody, but him especially.”

Whatever the repair, if the Chargers have one, the make-up of the franchise will dramatically shift. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is being courted by a host of NFL groups — including the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders — for head teaching jobs.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen, linebackers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack and defensive lineman Teair Tart are among 27 gamers set to hit free company. The Chargers also are set to have more than $100 million in salary-cap space to deal with for potential additions.

Tart expressed curiosity in a potential extension contract with the group, as did Oweh: “Hopefully I see Joe Hortiz on my phone,” the veteran linebacker said.

Mack, who also mulled retirement a season in the past, goes to suppose about whether or not he needs to come back for a thirteenth NFL season.

The 34-year-old declined to say whether or not he’d be back with the Chargers if he determined to play.

“Just trying to stay as present as possible,” Mack said. “Make a decision based on how I’m feeling, how my family’s feeling. … Just figuring it out day by day.”

Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who emerged in his third season in the NFL with 13 sacks, was requested if he felt something needed to shift to flip playoff heartbreak into victories.

Tuipulotu repeated a sentiment that defensive back Tarheeb Still and security Daiyan Henley repeated earlier Monday:

“I just hope everyone on defense comes back,” Tuipulotu said.