Category: San Diego Chargers

Rookie Ladd McConkey proving to be the top receiver for Chargers

Rookie Ladd McConkey proving to be the top receiver for the resurgent Los Angeles Chargers

There was a lot of flack that came from the new regime of Jim Harbaugh for the Los Angeles Chargers when he opted to forego one of the elite pass-catching options in the 2024 NFL Draft and instead went with an offensive lineman. To offset their losses at the receiver position, the Chargers instead decided to invest in the position at the top of the second round with the selection of former Georgia Bulldog Ladd McConkey, and that investment is paying off in a big way.

McConkey had himself a day in an offensive shootout against the Cincinnati Bengals, hauling in 6 catches for 123 yards and being the most consistent explosive threat within the Chargers’ passing game. McConkey looked every bit the explosive route technician we saw in college, and as he starts to connect with quarterback Justin Herbert he will become that much more productive.

 

Given McConkey’s production as of late it’s possible he could leap frog all the other rookie receivers and be the league’s top rookie pass catcher should he keep up his current pace. McConkey has quickly transitioned into the NFL game and given what he is showing in just his first season, McConkey is going to be a force for a long time.

2024 Rookie preview: Joe Alt, OT, Los Angeles Chargers

2024 Rookie preview: Chargers first-round pick Joe Alt, who projects to play right away at offensive tackle

There was heavy speculation that the 2024 NFL Draft actually started with the fifth overall pick where Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers sat after all the quarterbacks and the top wideout had been selected as predicted. The decision for Harbaugh & Co. was widely discussed, as potentially another one of the top receivers on the board or the best offensive tackle in the class and who they actually ended up taking, former Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.

Alt is in a good situation out in Los Angeles as he should operate as the opposite bookend to established veteran Rashawn Slater in their protection of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. Alt was as dependable as they come out of Notre Dame and has proven to be a plug and play starter in the NFL given the level that he played at during his time in college.

Expect Alt to be one of the more refined rookies from day one as he should experience few bumps in the road as a key piece of a newly formed Chargers’ offense that should rely in part on him to anchor the run.

Stat projection: 2 sacks allowed 

This Chargers rookie understands the game ‘like he’s been a four- or five-year vet’

Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey understands the game ‘like he’s been a four- or five-year vet’ according to QB Justin Herbert

In recent years the NFL fanbase has been a bit spoiled by stellar performances from rookie players who come in and make immediate impacts that help lift their teams way up in the standings. From Puka Nacua to CJ Stroud, expectations couldn’t be higher for an incoming rookie class than they are right now. What people may be taking for granted is just how tough it is for most players to walk in and adapt to the speed and playbook of the NFL game.

Apparently, Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey could be one that adapts as fast as anyone, according to his new quarterback Justin Herbert.

“He’s just picked up the offense so easily,” Herbert said, via ESPN. “It’s like he’s been a four- or five-year vet. He understands the game.”

This is unsurprising if you followed McConkey during his time at Georgia where he was always a crafty and intelligent player that took full advantage of the defense in front of him and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time for a big play. His physical skill already translated well at the next level, and if his mental game transfers all the same, he could be one of those rookie difference makers we have seen as of late.

New Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh tips off which position he views most important

Harbaugh stressed how critical the offensive line is for a team’s success, perhaps tipping off the Chargers’ plans with the No. 5 overall pick

The Los Angeles Chargers and new head coach Jim Harbaugh currently hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. With the team set at quarterback with Justin Herbert but major questions at several other roster spots, projections for what the Chargers do with that valuable pick are varied.

After listening to Harbaugh talk this week, it’s pretty clear which position the coach wants to use. The former Michigan coach left little doubt which position he values the most.

“If I asked you the question, ‘What position group depends on no other position group to be good, but every other position group depends on them to be good, what position group is that’?”, Harbaugh stated at the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando this week.

“Offensive line,” was his quick answer. “They’re not relying on any other position group to be good. But yet every other position group relies on the offensive line to be good.”

 

 

Notre Dame OT Joe Alt has been one of the most frequently projected players to Los Angeles with the fifth pick. After listening to Harbaugh, expect that player/team/slot marriage to become even more popular.

What Jim Harbaugh coming to Los Angeles could mean for the Chargers draft plans

What new coach Jim Harbaugh coming to Los Angeles could mean for the Chargers draft plans

In new that sent shockwaves across the NFL, national champion and former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is making his way back to the big leagues as he was announced as the newest head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. This is obviously exciting news for Chargers fans, but what could it mean for their draft strategy moving forward?

In his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers we caught a glimpse of how Harbaugh likes to build his teams and what makes a “Harbaugh type” of player. With the drafting of players like Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, LaMichael James, Aldon Smith, and Jimmie Ward over his tenure with the 49ers it is clear that Harbaugh values collegiate success as well as versatility within a scheme.

Along with his drafting of young and versatile players came with savvy veteran signings that enforced a physical mentality and brought a strong identity. Being able to adapt to these veterans and grow fast within the scheme will be key for whatever rookie lands with the Chargers.

With needs littered on both sides of the ball, the Chargers could lean towards best player available on either side of the football. It’s unlikely Harbaugh will target his former Michigan quarterback, but he could potentially target someone like Michigan running back Blake Corum in the second round to help bring some of that physical style to the team.

There are many versatile players who could fit the bill with the Chargers’ fifth overall pick, and Harbaugh will need to work with whichever general manager is hired to try and flip the identity of this team.

The Chargers are eliminated from the playoffs, vault into top-5 draft slot

The Chargers have a lot of needs in the 2024 NFL draft and now have a top-5 pick to help fill them

The postseason dream is over for the Los Angeles Chargers. Bills kicker Tyler Bass ended them with a 29-yard field goal with under a minute to play, lifting Buffalo to a 24-22 win in SoFi Stadium.

For all intents and purposes, the dream died long ago for the Chargers. They fired their coach and GM a couple of weeks ago, after all. But now the mathematical chances are done, meaning it’s now officially draft season for the Chargers.

Saturday’s loss dropped L.A. to 5-10 on the season. Entering Sunday’s action, the Chargers hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. They could be joined at the 5-10 mark by a few teams on Sunday, but the Chargers have the lowest strength of schedule in their wins of any of those teams.

Figuring out what the Chargers will do with a top-5 pick is very difficult; they don’t have a GM or a head coach. They have pressing needs at offensive tackle opposite Rashawn Slater, tight end (Gerald Everett and Nick Vannett are pending free agents), running back (Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley are free agents), cornerback and pass rusher.

AFC West Rookie Impact: Each team has talented pass catchers that could play major roles

All four of the AFC West teams have talented pass catchers who could make big impacts as rookies

The start of the 2023-2024 NFL season is right around the corner and with it a batch of new rookies are ready to make their mark. Over the next couple of days, we will take a look at what rookies could make the most impact for each team. Let’s get started with the AFC West Division.

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Rookie stat projections: Los Angeles Chargers

Projecting the rookie stats for WR Quentin Johnston and the Los Angeles Chargers draft class of 2023

With the NFL draft over and rookie camps underway, it is a good time to evaluate the draft picks and see what kind of impacts the projected contributors will make.

Let’s take a look at the Chargers draft picks and project some stats for the team’s early draftees:

Eli Manning reveals why he didn’t want to play for Chargers

The truth is finally out.

For 17 years, one of the most puzzling questions in the world of sports was why Eli Manning didn’t want to play for the Chargers after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the franchise in the 2004 NFL draft.

The question was recently answered by Manning himself on the “10 Questions with Kyle Brandt” podcast Thursday.

“It was my decision having talked with my agent, coaches, [general managers] and owners,” Manning told Brandt.

“Going through the draft process, I was just worried about the Chargers organization at the time. I felt it was the right decision and I had a little pull. I quietly tried to say ‘Hey, please don’t draft me, it can be our secret,’ and they didn’t keep the secret part of it real well.”

Up until the draft, rumors swirled that Manning would sit out the 2004 season if he was drafted by the Bolts and many debated whether it was his dad, his agent, or the quarterback himself who felt that the Chargers were not the right team to play for.

“My dad just tried to take some heat off of me,” Manning said. “He knew I’d get criticized, he didn’t love the idea of it at first just because it was going to cause a lot of drama.”

Less than an hour after he was drafted by the Chargers, Manning was traded to the Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers and three draft picks. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

“The Chargers turned it around and they got Shawn Merriman, Drew Brees started playing great, Philip [Rivers] played great and they went to the AFC championship game, they’re making playoffs and turned things around and played really well,” Manning said.

Manning finished his professional career with the Giants with 57,023 passing yards, 366 touchdown passes, and 4,895 completions. He is only one of five players in NFL history with at least two Super Bowl MVPs.

Between 16 seasons with the Chargers and his lone stint with the Colts, Rivers posted 63,440 passing yards, behind only Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre. The eight-time Pro Bowler also is fifth in league history with 421 touchdown passes.

During the entirety of his career, the two-time Super Bowl champion never revealed why he didn’t want to play for the Chargers; however, now that he is retired, it may be a reason for his decision to open up about the rumor.

Why Chargers fans should be excited about Kenneth Murray

The Los Angeles Chargers made a bold move on draft day to land Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray

The Los Angeles Chargers quietly made one of the better picks of the first round when they selected former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray with the 23rd overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft.

Playing his college ball at Oklahoma allowed Murray to compete against some of the best talent around the nation. In 2019 alone, Murray was part of a Sooners defense that was tasked with playing against talented offenses such as LSU, Texas and Baylor just to name a few. Despite the high level of competition, Murray was one of the most productive defenders in all of college football. He totaled a ridiculous 325 tackles in three years at Oklahoma. It’s tough to find that sort of tackle production.

Murray is a patient, smart player. He understands how to read his keys and times his attack well. Murray has flashed a skill-set that fits what teams are looking for in today’s linebacker. He possesses sideline-to-sideline range and loves to attack offenses on the perimeter. He’s a four-down player that can play both against the run and in pass coverage. That’s the type of versatility teams are looking for from the linebacker position in today’s NFL.

The Chargers would like to see him do a better job of getting off blocks at the next level, but Murray has the wits and ability to develop this area of his game.

Murray is joining a very talented defense that already features game-wreckers such as Joey Bosa, Linval Joseph, Derwin James, Melvin Ingram III and Casey Heyward Jr just to name a few. Murray’s versatility and play-style should fit right in with the Chargers’ talented group of defenders.

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