Category: Latest Chargers news

Chargers in attendance to scout Ohio State vs. Penn State

Los Angeles Chargers well-represented at the showdown between Ohio State and Penn State.

The Los Angeles Chargers are one of several teams in attendance for the big matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions. In fact, the team will have two representatives to scout the game.

There are a few players worthy of scouting attention in this game.

Ohio State

WR Binjimen Victor (#9)

WR K.J. Hill (#14)

RB J.K. Dobbins (#2)

NT Davon Hamilton (#53)

LB Malik Harrison (#39)

CB Shaun Wade (#24)

CB Jeffrey Okudah (#1)

CB Damon Arnette (#3)

Penn State

WR KJ Hamler (#1)

DT Robert Windsor (#54)

DE Yetur Gross-Matos (#99)

LB Cam Brown (#6)

CB Tariq Castro-Fields (#6)

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5 potential Chargers prospects to watch in Week 13

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out the college prospects you should be watching on Saturday.

It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for another edition of The Scouting Notebook.

The Scouting Notebook features prospects to keep an eye on when the majority of the college games take place. While some think it’s too early to talk about the 2020 NFL draft, there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of the Chargers.

With that being said, here are five prospects to watch for in Week 13.

CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State, #24, 9:00 a.m. PT, FOX

The Chargers haven’t added a true playmaker at the cornerback position since signing Casey Hayward back in 2017. While Michael Davis has been decent this season, the team could look to replace him with a long-term solution, who has plenty of talent.

Wade, the 6-foot-1 and 190 pounder, primarily plays in the slot for the Buckeyes. For someone of his size, it’s a little unusual but he has the speed and athleticism to thrive on the outside in the NFL. The redshirt sophomore has the read and react skills from zone coverage that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley would covet.

Today, Wade will be under the microscope of many NFL evaluators as he and Ohio State battle it out with the Penn State Nittany Lions in a top-10 matchup on Saturday morning.

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Who’s the Chargers’ most underrated player?

The Chargers have a handful of great players on both sides of the ball. But they have some great ones that still don’t get the credit that they deserve. Pro Football Focus recently recognized the most underrated player on each team in the league …

The Chargers have a handful of great players on both sides of the ball. But they have some great ones that still don’t get the credit that they deserve.

Pro Football Focus recently recognized the most underrated player on each team in the league this season.

For Los Angeles, you could make the case for a few, but to them, running back Austin Ekeler was the clear-cut player that is worthy of having that label.

Here is what PFF’s Anthony Treash had to say about Ekeler.

The best running back on the Chargers’ roster, Austin Ekeler has been just as good as the so-called MVP candidate, Christian McCaffrey. Ekeler has seen 70 targets and has produced a PFF receiving of 94.1 on those, leading all running backs. His production on a per-route basis has been astounding, as he’s averaged the most yards per route run (2.61) and generated the position’s highest passer rating (129.0). No running back has produced more explosive receiving plays than Ekeler (14), and there’s only one other running back tied with him in broken tackles after the catch (17 – tied with Dalvin Cook).

Since showcasing his big-time playmaking ability upon entering the league as an undrafted player out of Western Colorado in 2017, Ekeler raised eyebrows from the get go.

Playing behind running back Melvin Gordon in 2017 and 2018 and still thriving on a weekly basis, Ekeler was given the opportunity to get the spotlight after Gordon decided to holdout due to contract disputes.

There were concerns that he wouldn’t be able to flourish in the bell cow role, primarily due to his lack of size. But he shined in that role for the first six weeks of the season before Gordon returned and has still been dominant since then as the No. 2 RB.

Through 11 games, Ekeler has rushed for 364 yards on 95 carries, but he has earned his money as a pass-catcher, whether that be out of the backfield or lined up out wide, showcasing his speed and elusiveness when he gets the ball in his hands. Ekeler has amassed 65 receptions for 667 yards and six touchdowns.

It took a few weeks to get into a rhythm for Gordon, but he has finally found his flow and because of it, Ekeler and Gordon have regained their status as one of the best backfield tandems in the league.

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Chargers CB Michael Davis suspended two games

The Chargers will be without cornerback Michael Davis for Weeks 13 and 14.

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Michael Davis has been suspended two games without pay for a violation of the substance abuse policy, the league announced Friday.

Davis took over the permanent starting role after the team released CB Trevor Williams on Oct. 7. In nine starts for the Chargers, Davis has amassed 27 tackles and an interception.

With Davis missing the next two contests, CB Brandon Facyson will get the start opposite of Casey Hayward. Facyson started in two games while Williams and Davis were both dealing with injuries near the beginning of the season.

Davis is eligible to return after Week 14.

General manager Tom Telesco released an official team statement in regards to Davis’ suspension:

Michael is a good person who made a significant mistake this past offseason for which he must be held accountable. He will grow from this experience and, once back, continue to represent Chargers and NFL in a positive manner.

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Expert panel says Chargers have most difficult future QB situation in NFL

The Chargers will have their toughest decision to make when the 2019 season comes to an end.

The Chargers will have their toughest decision to make when the 2019 season comes to an end. The team will have to decide whether or not they will move forward with their quarterback of the past 16 seasons.

Our good friends at Touchdown Wire spoke with a panel of experts (one former head coach, two former general managers and one current general manager) and asked what they thought of the future quarterback situation for each team in the league.

Here is what they thought about the situation in Los Angeles:

This is perhaps the league’s most difficult quarterback situation to assess at this moment. Philip Rivers, 37, is in the last year of his contract. Backup Tyrod Taylor is signed through 2020, but he’s not a long-term answer as the starter. The Chargers likely will try to re-sign Rivers. But it’s time to find his heir apparent. Easton Stick, a fifth-round choice this year out of North Dakota State, is viewed as nothing more than a backup. The Chargers may use an early-round pick on a quarterback with the potential to be a starter. “Keep Rivers if he wants to keep playing. But it’s time to draft a quarterback for the future,” a panelist said. “They’re not going to have a top pick, but they still should be high enough to get a good quarterback.”

Rivers, who will turn 38 in December, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Rivers is coming off a 2018 season, where he threw for 32 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. But it’s been the exact opposite in 2019.

Rivers has thrown 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, which ranks as the second-most in the league. The reason for his poor play has been resulted from an inconsistent offensive line, as well as his own signs of regression, including mental miscues and lack of velocity on his passes.

It’s unfortunate to see a decline in play from a player that has carried the team for such a long time, and it has been done with a below average offensive line for the majority of his professional career.

The Chargers have not addressed the quarterback position in the first four rounds of the draft since Rivers became the full-time starter since 2006.

Los Angeles has Tyrod Taylor and rookie Easton Stick behind Rivers, but there isn’t anything that suggests one of those guys will be the long-term solution, which means that the team could heavily consider one in the 2020 NFL draft.

The way we see it, there are one of three things that will happen.

The Chargers will re-sign Rivers to a short, but large contract and address the offensive line heavily this offseason. They re-sign Rivers and still draft his successor early on. Or, the team lets Rivers walk, they draft a quarterback in the early rounds and let Taylor be the bridge in 2020.

The bottom line is that Los Angeles will have a big decision to make when this offseason rolls around and it will be one of the heftier headlines when that time comes.

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Ranking Chargers’ 5 remaining regular-season opponents

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez ranks the Chargers’ remaining opponents from the toughest to the weakest.

The Los Angeles Chargers have five opponents to face before their 2019 season comes to an end.

Sitting at 4-7, their playoff chances aren’t mathematically diminished, but they will still have a tough road ahead, and they will likely have to get some help from other teams if they wish to keep playing in January.

With that, we decided to rank the Bolts’ remaining regular season opponents from the toughest to the weakest to show what they will be tasked with in the final stretch of the year.

1. Week 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)

The Vikings are looking to be crowned NFC North champs, and they have certainly been playing like it in all facets of the game.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins is having one of his best seasons yet, passing for 2,020 yards, 18 touchdowns and one interception since Week 5. Running back Dalvin Cook has been a threat out of the backfield. Wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs are still one of the most dynamic duos.

Meanwhile, their defense continues to be impactful on a weekly basis, particularly the front seven, who’s allowing 94.2 yards per game on the ground and has gotten to the quarterback 31 times.

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Chargers TE Hunter Henry lights out since returning from injury

Hunter Henry is making his case to get a nice paycheck after the season.

It’s like he never lost a step.

Since returning from a knee injury that sidelined him on the season-opener for four weeks, tight end Hunter Henry has been remarkable. Henry has caught 39 passes for 487 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 12.5 yards per reception and has caught 72.2% of his targets.

With the injuries that hit the wide receiver position within the time he was out, it only allowed for his opportunities to increase. That has been the case and it has been evident that Henry has been quarterback Philip Rivers’ main man, as he’s received nearly eight targets per game since his return.

Henry has either racked up 80+ yards or a touchdown in four of his six games back to the lineup.

Like former Chargers great Antonio Gates once was as Rivers’ go-to guy, Henry appears to have filled the shoes in the former Arkansas product’s first season as the featured tight end.

Henry, 24, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Los Angeles will have a slew of players that they will have to re-sign and he is atop of the list. Even though staying healthy has been an issue throughout his professional career, he is easily one of the league’s best tight ends and the production is there to back it up.

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Chargers’ Joey Bosa among top vote getters in early Pro Bowl voting

Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa is getting the recognition he deserves.

Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa currently leads all players at his position in the AFC conference in early Pro Bowl voting.

With one week of voting now complete, the NFL released the first set of Pro Bowl voting Wednesday and they show Bosa at the top with 62,029 votes.

Right underneath him is his brother, Nick, who’s leading the NFC conference in votes among all defensive ends with 72,506 votes.

It’s not all that surprising that Bosa is leading in votes. This season, he’s been a force in the trenches once again. Whether it’s getting after the quarterback or defending the run, his presence is known on a weekly basis.

Bosa has amassed 50 tackles (33 solo), 21 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks through 11 games.

The former Ohio State product has benefited from having his partner-in-crime, Melvin Ingram on the field. When both Ingram and Bosa are aligned on the same side, opposing offensive tackles are simply outmatched.

To solidify Bosa, along with your other favorite Chargers, you can go vote for them here.

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3 Chargers players that have exceeded expectations in 2019

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists three players that have rose to the occasion, which many may have not anticipated.

Despite being hampered by injuries this season, the Chargers still possess one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. While there are players that had high expectations heading into the year, there were a few that weren’t talked about as much and have exceeded many people’s expectations.

With that, here are three Chargers players that have been good in a surprising manner in 2019.

C Scott Quessenberry

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Starting center Mike Pouncey was a hit with a season-ending injury in October, which forced the Chargers to turn to the former UCLA product to fill the void.

Quessenberry, the La Costa native, grew up as a Chargers fan. He wears the number that former Charger great Nick Hardwick wore in No. 61 in hopes to have a big impact on the team that he’s always supported.

In five games played, he’s made an impact on the offensive side of the ball that many may have not been expecting from him when filling in for a four-time Pro Bowler.

But you can tell that the second-year player has used that time learning from one of the best at the center position.

Quessenberry has kept pressure away from quarterback Philip Rivers on the inside by using his high football IQ to recognize blitzes and execute his blocks, along with opening up running lanes for running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.

Pouncey is slated to become a free agent after the 2020 season, which means that if the Chargers feel like they have something in Quessenberry, they could move on from Pouncey and make Quessenberry the long-term center.

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Chargers offensive line not to blame for Philip Rivers’ woes vs. Chiefs

The Chargers offensive line had their best performance last Monday against the Chiefs.

The Chargers offensive line has taken a hit all season for being the reason why quarterback Philip Rivers has underperformed.

Following the Monday night game, the narrative that Rivers’ four-interception performance was because he didn’t trust his offensive line, thus making him feel rushed to make throws was still arisen.

The truth is, the offensive line wasn’t the issue. In fact, the unit that boasted two backup tackles and center had their best outing of the 2019 season against a stout Chiefs front.

After re-watching the game, there were only a couple plays in which Rivers was under duress. The first came when defensive end Frank Clark beat offensive tackle Trey Pipkins with speed and a dip move to force Rivers into throwing the interception.

The second came in the third quarter. Clark beat Pipkins with power off the line of scrimmage and caught him off guard with a chop-dip move to disrupt Rivers’ throw.

Outside of those plays, along with a couple others, the protection for Rivers was rock solid.

Trent Scott holds his own against Clark’s long arm move, giving him no ground.

Here, Pipkins latches on to Clark, resetting his hands and giving Rivers enough time to throw. On this play, you can see Hunter Henry is open in the middle of the field, but Rivers is locked on Austin Ekeler, which shows he isn’t going through his reads.

Very clean pocket here, as running back Melvin Gordon and fullback Derek Watt pick up the defenders attempting to blitz.

Again, Pipkins and Scott give there block no time to get into the backfield. Rivers has a clean pocket, but panics and opts to roll to the right when it’s too late.

Rivers has a clean pocket, but he steps up in a panic matter and is picked off by safety Tyrann Mathieu in a pass intended to wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Guard Michael Schofield is called for illegal hands to the face on this play, but look at Scott and Pipkins eliminate their blocks to give Rivers time. Just a very poor decision and great play by the Chiefs.

The offensive line isn’t as stout as others across the league, but they showed major improvement from the previous week against the Raiders, where they allowed five sacks.

With a lot of the focus being put on the line because of Rivers’ 14 interceptions this season, it is fair to say they weren’t the problem this past Monday.

Rivers’ issues are due to misreads, lack of anticipation and poor pocket awareness. It may not seem like it, but the Chargers offensive line has done well with their initial protections of Rivers with what they have after the slew of injuries to the position.

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