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San Diego Chargers

Offseason makeover may prelude run toward .500

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2001 schedule Head coach: Mike Riley (third season, 9-23-0 career) Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium Chargers all-time record: 298-321-11 2000 rankings: Offense, 28th; Defense, 13th 2000 team statistics 2000 season results Chargers alerts from CNNSI.com! City Page: San Diego, Calif.

San Diego opens its training camp at the University of California-S.D. in La Jolla, Calif. on July 22.

By Jon A. Dolezar, CNNSI.com

Teams coming off a 1-15 season aren't supposed to be optimistic. But most teams don't overhaul their entire roster in offseason, either. New general manager John Butler has mixed young talent with high-priced veteran acquisitions, and the result should be the Chargers moving out of the league cellar and toward a .500 record.

The Chargers can make the playoffs if ... the stars align and all of Butler's offseason moves turn to gold. San Diego is certainly improved from a year ago -- and could make an improbable run at a wild-card spot -- but playing in the stacked AFC West makes a miraculous turnaround from 1-15 to a .500 team unlikely, despite the significant talent upgrade.

Pivotal games: Oct. 21 vs. Denver; Nov. 18 at Oakland. A 1-7 home record usually doesn't bode well, so the Chargers have plenty of room for improvement there. San Diego's toughest early season home test comes when the Broncos visit in Week 7. The mid-November visit to Oakland comes a week after a road game in Denver, which kicks off the toughest stretch on the schedule with four road games in five weeks.

On the hot seat: It's hard for an NFL rookie to be on the hot seat before he's played, but LaDainian Tomlinson has a ton of pressure on his shoulders. L.T. is being asked to upgrade the Chargers' league-worst unit. Att the first sign of rookie struggles, fans will remind him that they could've had quarterback Michael Vick.

Up-and-coming: Middle linebacker Orlando Ruff started 14 games in his second season, making 56 tackles and one interception for the fourth-best rushing defense in the league. With defensive end Marcellus Wiley added to the defense, Ruff is a candidate for a breakout season.

Sports Illustrated's season preview will post Aug. 29.