INDIANAPOLIS — As the Chargers and San Diego try to keep the franchise in town, general manager Tom Telesco is molding the on-the-field product.

Telesco has a lengthy to-do list this offseason, one he is eyeing at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.

“I know what our job is, our job is to put the best football team on the field that we can and stay focused on that,” Telesco said. “I kind of let the politicians and lawyers work on everything else, and we’ll work on the football team.”

There are plenty of areas to be addressed after San Diego finished third in the AFC West for the second year in a row.

While Telesco is keen on the prospects he is watching, the Chargers’ options are muddled because of free agency.

With key players such as running back Ryan Mathews, left tackle King Dunlap and wide receiver Eddie Royal hitting the market, the Chargers might have to lean further on their draft, which starts with the 17th pick.

Although San Diego again missed the playoffs last year, Telesco maintains that the Chargers’ arrow is pointing up.

“Well, we’re improving,” he said. “We continue to add pieces each year. We’ll add some more this year. I think we’re working through the process and we’re much further along obviously than when we started, especially on offense and defense with the schemes we run.”

With coach Mike McCoy entering his third season, there is a familiarity that is evident, Telesco said.

“Players are much more comfortable with what they’re being asked to do and what their roles are,” he said. “Those are all things that that first year, when Mike McCoy and myself started, that we really had to put a lot of time into. Now it’s really about repetition and getting better at what we’re doing.”

Telesco, though, said the team won’t compromise its principles for a quick fix. Character remains important. Making those determinations, as well as evaluating players’ skills, is done before reaching Indianapolis.

“At the combine, our time is very limited with players,” Telesco said. “You’re looking at 15 minutes with an interview, so most of our work on background and character and makeup is all done really in the fall, when our scouts do their visits, talking to coaches, talking to support staff, doing our background work really a lot during the football season. We’ll do some more work through this time of year. As far as at the Combine, it’s limited with time.”

What is not restricted? The many ways in which the Chargers need to get better.

They must re-establish their running game, find some help along the interior offensive line and maybe add a wide receiver.

On defense there remain questions about the consistency of the pass rush and run-stoppers as well as the secondary, especially at cornerback.