Category: Chargers Buzz

Chargers stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down following win in season opener

The Chargers performed better than many expected in Week 1. Several players stepped up in a surprising way, while a few others disappointed.

Morale is high after the Chargers’ season opening 22-10 victory over the Raiders. Now, they are set to face the Panthers in Week 2 in an attempt to keep the momentum going.

In the opening win, several players stepped up in a big way, while a few others disappointed. Here’s a look at who is trending up or down following the Chargers’ season opener.

Stock Up: RB J.K. Dobbins

There’s no doubt as to who boosted there stock more in Week 1. Dobbins’ 135 rushing yards was the third-most across the NFL, and it came on a total of just 10 carries. His injury history is well known, but if he continues to be efficient, he should only continue to see more snaps.

Stock Down: RB Gus Edwards

While Edwards wasn’t particularly effective in his team debut, this one has more to do with Dobbins’ performance. It was unclear as to who would see a majority of the work at tailback, and it still remains a bit up in the air. After the opener though, Dobbins is trending upwards which only hurts Edwards in turn. The former Baltimore Raven averaged just 2.4 yards per carry across 11 attempts. Edwards also saw less work in the passing game, as he finished with two less catches than Dobbins.

Stock Up: DL Otito Ogbonnia

The Chargers’ defensive front was stifling in the opening victory, which was largely led by Ogbonnia and Poona Ford. The defense allowed just 71 rushing yards, a sustainable recipe for success moving forward. Ogbonnia performed admirably in his fourth career start. While he won’t provide much of a pass rush, his presence in the running game will be crucial as the season goes on.

Stock Down: WR Joshua Palmer

2024 is supposed to be the season in which Palmer breaks out in a big way. The Chargers lost its two best wideouts this past offseason, and presumed starter D.J. Chark was placed on IR just ahead of the season opener. Despite the team’s 22-10 win, Palmer was disappointing in the opener. He finished the day with just two catches on four targets for 15 yards. It should be mentioned that Palmer was ejected from the game in the second half as well. There is still plenty of time for him to step up though, including a favorable matchup in Week 2 against the Panthers.

Stock Up: WR Ladd McConkey

McConkey was labeled as a major winner of the Week 1 victory, and as a direct result, his stock is only on the rise. The rookie led the offense in targets, catches, and receiving yards in addition to the lone touchdown in the passing game. Some thought that it may take him some time before becoming the team’s top wideout, but he may already be just that for the Chargers.

Stock Down: OL Bradley Bozeman

It wasn’t the best of performances for the seventh-year veteran center. In his first start with the new team, he was a bit erratic, including allowing a sack. To be fair, he had a difficult task in trying to contain Raiders star defensive lineman Christian Wilkins. Still, Bozeman’s poor performance has raised additional concerns on the Chargers’ interior portion of the offensive line.

Chargers release TE Donald Parham Jr.

The Chargers have parted ways with veteran TE Donald Parham on roster cutdown day.

Veteran tight end Donald Parham Jr. will not be on the Chargers’ 53-man roster for Week 1.

Parham Jr,’s release was announced Tuesday. He was one of two players released by the Chargers – the other being linebacker Shaq Quarterman – while 31 other players were waived.

Parham Jr,, an undrafted tight end in the class of 2019, came to the Chargers from the XFL’s Dallas Renegades in 2020. In four seasons Parham Jr. appeared in 47 games for the Chargers, and had 67 receptions for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Also see: Chargers 53-man roster cuts tracker 2024

Statistically, Parham Jr. was coming off his best season for Los Angeles, as he posted 285 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions in 2023.

Parham Jr.’s exit leaves the Chargers with three tight ends on the roster: Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst and Stone Smartt.

 

Chargers HC Brandon Staley ready for rematch with Raiders with revamped rosters

The Chargers and Raiders enter the 2022 regular season with new-look rosters.

The Chargers face the Raiders as their first opponent of the 2022 regular season on Sunday afternoon.

Las Vegas is the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year in the season finale.

In a win or tie or go home, the Raiders struck from behind and made a field goal in the final seconds to beat the Bolts in overtime, 35-32.

Despite this bittersweet fact, head coach Brandon Staley acknowledges both teams are beginning the season with many changes.

“Both teams are completely different than the team that was at that last game,” Staley said. “If you look at their team, they have brand new coaches, brand new players, a brand new scheme. Same with us; over half of our team is different.”

The Chargers have a handful of fresh faces, highlighted by the talented edge defender Khalil Mack and defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, and Morgan Fox. They were acquired to boost their run defense, which was the primary culprit to their loss to the Raiders in Week 18.

While the biggest acquisition cornerback J.C. Jackson is doubtful for the season opener, the secondary will feature a new member in veteran slot corner Bryce Callahan.

Meanwhile, new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels sought out superstar wide receiver Davante Adams and edge defender Chandler Jones, among others, to add to his squad.

“Competition is about moving forward and being ready for what’s right in front of you,” Staley said. “That’s what we’ve been working hard at all offseason, all of training camp, getting ready for this week. This week has a life of its own, and our team is ready to go take it on.”

The Chargers came up empty-handed when they last faced the Raiders. However, Sunday serves as an opportunity for the Bolts to get their revenge and start the season on a hot note with a victory over their division rival.

Chargers WR Joe Reed’s resilience leads to big performance vs. Rams

The Chargers’ third-year wideout is making his case to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

It’s been two years since Chargers wide receiver Joe Reed has scored a touchdown.

The wideout dealt with a foot injury that kept him sidelined in 2021. But after missing his sophomore season, Reed finally found the end zone this past Saturday in the preseason opener against the Rams.

It was a 41-yard touchdown from quarterback Chase Daniel to cap the opening drive. Reed was wide open, and Daniel took advantage of the busted coverage with an accurate deep ball.

Reed finished with four receptions, 61 yards, and a touchdown on six targets. He was also the team’s primary kick returner Saturday night.

“That’s part of the journey,” Reed said. “This is a hard business, a hard League, and every day you have to show up and work.

“So, going from a coaching change my rookie year to being on practice squad IR — just having the opportunity to go out there and compete and to play, any time I’m between those lines, I can’t take it for granted. Having that moment and having a full game today meant a lot to me,” Reed added.

Head coach Brandon Staley was impressed by Reed’s performance and had nothing but praise for his receiver.

“Joe had some really big catches tonight,” Staley said. “He had some possession catches, he had the deep catch, and then he was on the kickoff returner. We’re really going to try and take a long look at him on special teams and see if he can carve a role for himself on offense. He’s improved a lot as a player.”

“He works extremely hard. Coming off the injury last year, I think he’s had just a great mindset in terms of coming back and really being the best version of himself. He’s had a quality camp so far. I’m certainly proud of the way he played tonight,” Staley added.

If Reed, who’s had a solid summer, can continue to be an offensive threat on the field and make plays on special teams the remainder of training camp and in the final two preseason games, he might have a spot on the roster this season.

Should Chargers consider trade for Bears LB Roquan Smith?

The Chargers could benefit from this type of talent in the linebacker room.

The Chargers could once again turn to the Windy City for defensive reinforcements.

On Tuesday, Bears linebacker Roquan Smith formally requested a trade, saying in a statement released on social media that the new front office has “refused to negotiate in good faith” on a potential contract extension.

After trading for edge rusher Khalil Mack earlier this offseason, Los Angeles has established a rapport with new Bears general manager Ryan Poles. They also could use reinforcements at linebacker, especially with Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, and Kyle Van Noy all missing time at some point during training camp.

Smith is arguably a top ten linebacker in the NFL and would give the Bolts a dual threat run stopper and coverage linebacker that would open up Brandon Staley’s defense even further. But such a trade would undoubtedly come at a high cost, both in terms of capital and contract extension. The former top ten pick wants a deal that will be “fair” for both him and the rest of the linebacker market, which suggests he likely wants a deal with upwards of $15 million a year. Chicago will also not want to take a discount to deal Smith, whose bluff they’ve been trying to call all offseason as the linebacker holds out. That means it’ll take a high draft pick and/or an ascending player to fit the Bears’ rebuilding timeline to get the deal done.

Ultimately, while it’s fun to speculate on the Chargers getting hyper-aggressive now that they’ve made one splashy offseason trade, I don’t think they will likely pursue a trade for Smith. They already have two franchise cornerstones due for big-money extensions – Derwin James has sat out all of training camp waiting for his extension, and Justin Herbert is eligible for his extension next offseason. In addition, starters like Drue Tranquill and Nasir Adderley are scheduled to hit free agency following the season. LA is currently $13.7 million over the cap for 2023, according to OverTheCap, so there’s not much room to fit another considerable contract.

That’s especially true at linebacker, a position Staley has historically deemphasized. The Rams didn’t have a star name at inside linebacker when Staley was their defensive coordinator. Besides Murray, drafted before Staley’s arrival, the earliest draft pick on the roster is Tranquill, a fourth-rounder. Van Noy was a second-rounder back in 2014 but was also signed as a post-draft free agent after being cut in March. 2021 standout Kyzir White was allowed to walk in free agency despite a 100 tackle season. It’s simply a position the Chargers don’t place a premium on.

So yes, it would be exciting if Tom Telesco brokered a deal for Roquan Smith. He’d add a well-rounded game well beyond the capabilities of anyone on the roster and elevate an already good defense on paper to an elite one. But I doubt the Chargers will be willing to pay the price, both capital, and cash, to acquire such a player. But if I’m wrong, Smith could be the final piece for an elite Chargers defense.

AFC Playoff Picture: Where Chargers stand in conference standings at bye week

The Los Angeles Chargers are in good shape heading into the bye week.

We’re seven weeks into the NFL season and what Chargers fans want to know most is where the team stands following the blowout loss to the Ravens and heading into the bye week.

A lot can change before the end of the regular season, but Baltimore currently has the first seed in the AFC.

The top-seeded team in each conference earns a bye in the playoffs and division winners receive the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 seeds. Non-division winners with the best records receive the No. 5 through No. 7 seeds.

AFC Playoff Picture after Week 6: 

  1. Baltimore Ravens (5-1) 
  2. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
  3. Tennessee Titans (4-2)
  4. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
  5. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-2)
  7. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

In the hunt: 

  • Denver Broncos (3-3)
  • Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)
  • Cleveland Browns (3-3)
  • New England Patriots (2-4) 
  • Indianapolis Colts (2-4) 

AFC playoff matchups if the season ended today: 

  • No. 2 Chargers vs. No. 7 Steelers
  • No. 3 Titans vs. No. 6 Raiders
  • No. 4 Bills vs. No. 5 Bengals 

So as of now, Chargers fans can take a deep breath because the team is in a comfortable position for the postseason through the first seven weeks of the season. When they return from the bye, Los Angeles has the sixth-easiest schedule.

32 potential trade targets, one from every NFL team

One potential trade target from all 32 NFL teams as final roster cuts loom.

Trades within the NFL are commonplace during the month of August. Teams must consistently trim rosters, and occasionally a trade makes more sense than a cut.

Trade talk around the league will heat up over the next week as all 32 teams decide how to get rosters down to 53 players. Teams with excess at one position can help out another with a need. For instance, just this week, the New England Patriots sent running back Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams for draft pick compensation.

Here is one player from each NFL team that could be traded soon:

NFL draft rumors: Chargers prefer Rashawn Slater over Penei Sewell

Position flexibility is an intriguing trait to the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers enter the draft in hopes of getting one of the top offensive tackles to protect quarterback Justin Herbert’s blindside.

Herbert has publicly expressed that he would love to reunite with his former teammate from Oregon, Penei Sewell.

Landing him would likely require a trade-up, and so would former Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater, who the team might favor over Sewell, another lineman highly sought of.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, a couple of people he has talked to believe Los Angeles is one of the teams that has Slater ranked higher because he’s viewed as more versatile and able to play multiple positions on the line.

Slater proved that he can play the left tackle position at a high level in 2019, but he demonstrated the same capability at right tackle in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Due to his lack of arm length, many believe that he should get kicked inside at the next level, but Slater is technically sound and has the athleticism and smarts to overcome any measurement concerns.

He should be given the opportunity to prove himself at left tackle right off the bat and if he doesn’t pan out, he can easily slide in at guard or center.

The fact that L.A. could have Slater over Sewell due to position versatility makes me wonder if USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker is higher up on the team’s draft board than Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw.

Vera-Tucker put together a solid season as the Trojans’ left tackle this past season and he has plenty of experience at guard, where many project him to play in the NFL due to his lack of arm length.

In my opinion, Vera-Tucker comes with highly impressive athleticism, movement skills and functional strength to match and stymie pass rushers, and I believe he could be a fine blindside blocker in this league.

Only one more day until we find out.

Social media blows up after faux draft trade between Chargers, Giants

It’s easy to fall for anything you see on social media around this time.

Like any other year, the anticipation for the NFL draft is at an all-time high as we are just days out now.

This is the time where rumors and storylines are made up by imposter accounts of actual reporters to have people believe anything and everything they see.

In this case, it was the “Chargers’ official Twitter account” that had the general population buzzing.

A fake announcement from what looked to be Los Angeles’ Twitter account said the team was packaging a third-round pick (No. 77 overall) with the No. 13 selection to the Giants in order to move up to No. 11.

The official account Pro Football Focus account quote-tweeted it out, writing, “Posted and deleted by the Chargers,” with the side-eye emoji.

Then, Twitter user Max Merten claimed he was the one who created the tweet with a photo editor and responded to PFF.

“I actually use them (the graphics) for a mock draft of mine, so it looks more realistic, but I thought I could also try and bamboozle some people,” Merten said.

In reality, draft trades do happen before the actual event, but only moving two spots had people scratching their heads all while believing it, considering we don’t know who will be on the board at the time.

Los Angeles could certainly make a trade on draft night, especially if they’re heavily targeting a player like Penei Sewell, Rashawn Slater or Jaycee Horn. Only time will tell.

4 Chargers primed to make first Pro Bowl

The Los Angeles Chargers have a handful of players that could represent them in the 2021 Pro Bowl for the first time.

Every year, the Chargers send a few players to the Pro Bowl.

Sure, awards are the more highly coveted recognition for players, but Pro Bowl selections do matter. The game isn’t as popular to watch anymore, but in a league with over 1,600 players, being in that top 5 percent is an honor.

There is a lot of talent on this year’s roster and the Bolts will likely send some to the annual all-star game that hasn’t been there before.

Here are four that could find their way to Orlando, FL at the end of the season:

RB Austin Ekeler

The fact that Ekeler didn’t make the Pro Bowl this past year is still absolutely shocking. Each year since coming into the league, he showed promise. But he bursted onto the scene in 2019 as he was used all across the formation. Even after Melvin Gordon returned from his holdout, the former Western Colorado product was still productive. Ekeler finished the year with 557 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 92 catches, 993 receiving yards, and eight receiving scores. As a result, he earned a four-year contract extension earlier this offseason. The former Western Colorado product should only continue to be a focal point as a do-it-all skill player moving forward.

WR Mike Williams

After being banged up during his rookie season in 2017, Williams has been the model of consistency since then. In 2018, Williams surpassed the 10-touchdown mark. In 2019, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. His 20.4 yards per reception ranked first in the league. Whether it’s Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert under center, more deep ball opportunities should be there for the big-bodied target this upcoming season.

LB Drue Tranquill

Tranquill, the fourth-round selection of the 2019 NFL draft, made an impact upon arriving. As the season went on he grew into an integral part of the defense. In the 15 games played, three of which he started, Tranquill racked up 64 tackles (50 solo), four tackles for loss and one pass defended. On top of that, he finished with the most special teams tackles by any rookie (11). The former Notre Dame product could start the season as the starting Mike linebacker, while rookie Kenneth Murray plays the Will linebacker.

TE Hunter Henry

In four seasons, Henry has proven to be one of the league’s complete tight ends. The only issue is injuries. He has yet to play a full 16-game slate, all due to injury. However, when he is on the field, he is a matchup nightmare. Henry has a career average of 8.9 yards per target, which was among the top nine last year. In 2019, Henry managed to still put up 652 yards on 55 receptions with five touchdowns in only 12 games. Even though there will be a change at quarterback, Henry should flourish both on deeper routes and short crossing patterns, as well as in the red-zone. Staying healthy will be key, though.

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