Category: Chargers training camp

Updates on Chargers’ special teams position battles

Find out which kicker has the leg up and which return specialist is emerging.

Improving the special teams is one of the Chargers’ priorities ahead of the regular season after finishing as the league’s worst last year.

The team brought in a few players in hopes of aiding the department, and now they’re in the midst of position battles to solidify starting spots.

The most compelling is the competition for the starting kicker between the returner, Michael Badgley and the newcomers, Tristan Vizcaino and Alex Kessman.

The past two days at camp the team has kicked field goals, and it has been neck and neck.

Badgley made all five of his attempts — 32 yards, 36 yards, 55 yards, 49 yards and 52 yards. He did not kick on Tuesday.

Vizcaino is currently 9-for-10 — hitting from 33 yards, 41 yards, 45 yards, 49 yards and 52 yards yesterday. Today, he made his kicks from 40 yards, 44 yards, 48 yards and 51 yards and missed from 33 yards.

Kessman did not kick on Monday. On Tuesday, he went 4-for-5, hitting from 33 yards, 40 yards, 48 yards and 51 yards, with his miss coming from 44 yards.

Vizcaino appears to have the strongest leg out of the bunch.

Entering camp, the return specialist spots were wide open, but Austin Proehl appears to be moving the needle. Not only has he done well with the special teams unit, Proehl is proving himself as a pass-catching option.

Proehl, the free agent acquisition, has consistently been open, has caught nearly everything thrown his way and has found the end zone on multiple occasions.

Today at media availability, special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II named Larry Rountree III, K.J. Hill and Proehl as other options at kick returner aside from Nasir Adderley.

Sights and sounds from Chargers training camp: Day 6

Some footage from Chargers training camp on Day 6.

The Chargers continued training camp on Tuesday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

Training camp can be attended for free if you are able to snag some tickets here while they last, but if you’re unable to attend, you will still be informed of all the action throughout the course of it.

I will have coverage of training camp with updates from practice below, courtesy of media members in attendance along with fan posts.

Chargers training camp: CB Asante Samuel Jr. starting to stand out

The Chargers second round pick has back-to-back solid outings.

As the Chargers are in the midst of situating the secondary, big contributions have started to be made by rookie Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel, the team’s second round pick, began training camp working with the second and third team as an outside cornerback, but the past couple of days has seen him with the first team in the slot.

The former Florida State product’s performances have been compiled of multiple passes defensed and an almost interception that would have been taken back to the house.

While the majority of his work has come inside up to this point, the plan is for Samuel to have the versatility to play on the outside and slot, similar to how head coach Brandon Staley used Rams’ Troy Hill last season.

Samuel has the ability to thrive in multiple looks, which Staley loves to deploy. He’s comfortable in various coverage schemes and can make plays on the ball from any alignment.

“He’s going to play outside plenty whether we’re in four DBs or five or six,” Staley said. “But we’re trying to cross-train him inside so that you’re putting your best combination out there. The fact that ‘Sant has that type of skill set just increases our ability to flexible, multiple.”

Sights and sounds from Chargers training camp: Day 5

Some footage from Day 5 of Chargers training camp.

The Chargers continued training camp on Monday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA, marking the first time in full-pads.

Training camp can be attended for free if you are able to snag some tickets here while they last, but if you’re unable to attend, you will still be informed of all the action throughout the course of it.

I will have coverage of training camp with updates from practice below, courtesy of media members in attendance along with fan posts.

Chargers’ Alohi Gilman making most of his opportunity at training camp

Chargers safety Alohi Gilman has been proving his worth to the coaching staff.

Chargers safety Alohi Gilman, the sixth-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, was primarily a special teamer and didn’t receive playing time on defense until the final weeks of the season.

Heading into his sophomore campaign, Gilman is looking to assert himself into a role, and through a week at training camp he has been proving his worth to the coaching staff.

Playing with the first team at safety when the unit goes with six defensive backs (dime package), Gilman has displayed a sense of “calmness,” which is why he has earned that role in the early going.

“He communicates well with those guys,” defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill said about Gilman. “Those guys feel comfortable with him right now.”

Earlier this offseason, head coach Brandon Staley said that the team is “really excited” about Gilman.

Up to this point, he and rookie Mark Webb have been showing that they can be relied on outside of starters Derwin James and Nasir Adderley.

At a group that’s lacking depth, they’re both in prime positions to make the 53-man roster.

Chargers training camp: Uchenna Nwosu vs. Kyler Fackrell an underrated battle

As the Chargers are set to throw on the pads, this will be one of the more monitored position battles.

Heading into Chargers training camp, Uchenna Nwosu was the presumed starting edge defender opposite Joey Bosa. However, the job is not guaranteed for him.

Instead, Nwosu is in the midst of a battle for the spot with Kyler Fackrell, who has been playing with the first-team defense up to this point.

Nwosu has still been rotating in with the 1s, but the coaching staff believes that Fackrell is just as capable to man an expanded role.

Signed this offseason, Fackrell has primarily served as a rotational player in his career, but he has made the most of his opportunities.

Fackrell has 20.5 sacks in five seasons, with his most productive season coming in 2018 when he had 10.5 sacks during his time with the Packers.

Fackrell is long, flexible, savvy with his hands, rangy, and competitive, with the proven skillset as a run defender, pass-rusher and coverage backer.

“I saw a guy in Green Bay who was a sack monster. Then, you turn back and go to New York, and now you have a guy playing in coverage and picking the ball off,” defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill said.

His experience and versatility are coveted by the coaches, and they believe he’s going to be a good piece for the defense.

Nwosu, on the other hand, is in the final year of his contract with his eyes set on breaking out after being misused and given limited snaps in former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s system.

Despite his snaps being under 40% in 45 career games, Nwosu has still totaled 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback pressures and 44 hurries, showing the upside to be a solid starter.

As the Bolts are set to practice in pads for the first time starting on Monday, this will be one of the more monitored position battles the rest of the way out.

“We’re gonna let those guys go and fight it out,” Hill said.

Hill added that no matter who comes out with the starting job, both players are expected to still play often during the season because of the many different packages.

Chargers training camp: Derwin James back ‘healthier than ever’

Chargers safety Derwin James is back and hitting the ground running.

After missing the entire 2020 season, Chargers safety Derwin James is back and hitting the ground running.

“I feel healthy, healthier than I have ever felt the past three to four years,” James said. “I’m ready to put the energy behind me and just play football.”

At practices James has been the primary play-caller on the defensive side of the ball, which is the role he will have during the regular season.

As expected, he has been wearing multiple hats, moving all across the defensive formation in Brandon Staley’s diverse defense.

“You’re going to see me everywhere,” James said.

It wasn’t long until James quickly established himself as one of the league’s best safeties. Unfortunately, injuries kept him from demonstrating dominance, playing in just 21 games while missing 27 since 2018.

When the former All-Pro safety is on the field, there’s no denying the team’s chances of success go up. The hope for this season is that James can stay on the field for the full 17-game slate and provide that big spark in 2021.

“This team is a lot different with him on the field,” Staley said about James.

Chargers training camp: WR Josh Palmer has impressive showing

Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer looks the part on Day 4 of training camp.

Tyron Johnson earned the spotlight on Friday at Chargers training camp and while he put together another solid outing on Saturday, it was rookie Josh Palmer who drew the majority of the attention with a few eye-popping plays.

The first one was a catch made along the boundary from a pass thrown by quarterback Chase Daniel, as Palmer showed tracking and leaping ability and body control to reel the football and stay in bounds.

The next came during 11-on-11, as Palmer got open on a crossing route and QB Justin Herbert found him wide open down the field and he was able to run loose for a few more yards before being touched.

Aside from Keenan Allen, Palmer and Johnson have been the most impressive out of the receiver group thus far.

Given the fact that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi goes through a lot of different personnel packages depending on the defense they’re up against, Palmer will have his fair share of opportunities.

With his ability to separate at all levels of the field and reliable hands, Palmer could quickly establish himself as a viable target this upcoming season.

Sights and sounds from Chargers training camp: Days 3 & 4

Some footage from Chargers training camp on Friday and Saturday.

The Chargers continued training camp on Friday and Saturday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

Training camp can be attended for free if you are able to snag some tickets here, but if you’re unable to attend, you will still be informed of all the action throughout the course of it.

I will have coverage of training camp with updates from practice below, courtesy of media members in attendance along with fan posts.

Chargers rookie Chris Rumph II worked out with one of NFL’s best pass rushers in offseason

Chris Rumph II is a student of the game.

Upon being drafted by the Chargers, edge defender Chris Rumph II wasted no time to begin working on his craft to make the transition from college to the NFL.

According to head coach Brandon Staley, Rumph turned to Bears star pass rusher Khalil Mack to workout with prior to the start of training camp.

During his time as the outside linebackers coach with Chicago, Staley had a big impact on Mack’s game.

Staley added that he’s been impressed with Rumph, but he wants him to continue to gain weight.

Adding mass will be vital to his development in this league, but despite being undersized to league’s standards at the moment, Rumph’s knack for living in opposing backfields on a consistent basis should still be put to good use.

Rumph has an excellent feel for getting heat on the quarterback with pure athleticism, explosiveness, length and body flexibility.

Rumph won’t surpass Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu or Kyler Fackrell in snaps, but he should still have a role as a situational pass rusher where he will be used on twists and stunts to get home.

Given the success that Staley has had with players at the position coupled with his current skillset and upside, Rumph should see some production in his rookie season.