Tag: Bolts

Which players did Chargers get in Pro Football Focus’ NFL re-draft?

The Los Angeles Chargers got two of the best players at their perspective positions.

An exercise started by ESPN is re-drafting the entire NFL and shuffling all the top players to new teams. There was a lot of feedback, so Pro Football Focus decided to carry the trend.

Based on the Super Bowl odds, the Chargers had the No. 6 overall selection. With that pick, they drafted quarterback Matt Ryan. In the second-round (No. 59 overall), Los Angeles took defensive end T.J. Watt.

There was a run on quarterbacks early on in the re-draft. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and Kyler Murray were the signal-callers before Los Angeles was up.

With a handful of top quarterbacks still on the board like Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Ryan was ultimately the selection.

The 35-year old Ryan has amassed 32,229 passing yards, 194 touchdowns and 87 yards in seven seasons with the Falcons.

The Chargers’ second pick came in the back end of Round 2, where they went with the dynamic edge defender.

In three seasons with the Steelers, Watt has proven to be among the top players at his position, where he’s posted 125 tackles, 51 tackles for loss, 34.5 sacks and 18 passes defensed.

For the full results from both rounds, you can find them below:

Which Charger is on the hot seat in 2020?

The former Miami product might be looking for a new home after this season.

Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman has been the man in the middle of the defense for the past few seasons. However, 2020 could mark his last in the blue and gold.

Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton named a member of each franchise in the league whose job could be in jeopardy this upcoming season, and Perryman was listed for Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Chargers have a deep linebacker unit with multiple players capable of handling decent workloads. While that’s a positive for the team, Denzel Perryman may lose significant snaps.

In 2019, Perryman lined up for just 358 defensive plays, partially because of a knee injury, which is a common theme throughout his five-year career. The veteran linebacker has missed 24 games since entering the league.

Last season, Drue Tranquill played 380 defensive snaps. Kyzir White, who has the versatility to line up in different spots across the second level of the defense, logged 372 snaps. The Chargers traded up to select linebacker Kenneth Murray with the No. 23 overall pick.

At 6’2″, 241 pounds, Murray can man the middle, as he did at Oklahoma, or line up on the outside.

With all the talent at linebacker and Perryman’s extensive injury history, his job security seems a bit shaky.

The Chargers took a huge leap in the 2020 NFL Draft, trading up 14 spots to select linebacker Kenneth Murray.

The selection of Murray all but signified that Los Angeles sees a bright future with the tandem between the rookie out of Oklahoma and former fourth-round pick Drue Tranquill.

With the emergence of Tranquill last season, Perryman’s playing time decreased as the weeks went on even after managing to stay healthy for nearly the full 16-game slate.

However, the early draft pick used on Murray solidified how the coaching staff feels about the position group moving forward.

This season, Perryman may start, but Tranquill will come onto the field in passing situations. Eventually, the team’s goal could be to make Tranquill and Murray the permanent starters.

2020 also marks the final year of Perryman’s contract, and knowing L.A. will have some notable free agents like defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, wide receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Hunter Henry, the former Miami product may be the odd man out.

Chargers coaches return to team facility

The Los Angeles Chargers coaches are back in business.

Chargers coaches returned to Hoag Performance Center, the team’s facility, on Tuesday, four days after the league allowed them to start working at the office.

The team’s official Twitter account released a few photos of head coach Anthony Lynn back in business. Lynn was spotted supporting the Bolts’ face mask.

It has been three months since they last stepped in due to the coronavirus pandemic that has taken the world by storm.

Players haven’t been approved to return and begin working out on site unless they’re rehabbing an injury. But there’s a possibility that they will be allowed back before the end of June.

In the meantime, coaches and players will continue to work remotely until permitted by the league that they have a full go to do everything in-person.

Who is the Chargers’ ‘most promising building block’?

The Los Angeles Chargers look to build around the fourth-year wide receiver.

The Chargers are starting a new era at the quarterback position. When having a new signal-caller, having a strong supporting cast is quite beneficial.

Luckily, Los Angeles is equipped with a slew of promising skill players for Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, which consists of Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, Hunter Henry and the ascending Mike Williams.

Williams was named the “most promising building block” by Bleacher Report.

The Los Angeles Chargers are turning the page after moving on from Philip Rivers in the offseason. Whether it’s veteran Tyrod Taylor or rookie Justin Herbert, the Chargers’ new quarterback is going to need all the help he can get from the team’s weapons.

Weapons such as fourth-year wide receiver Mike Williams.

Williams has been on something of a steady ascent over the past three seasons. After an injury-marred rookie year, Williams became a big-time red-zone threat for the 12-4 Chargers in 2018, reeling in 10 touchdowns. He scored just twice in 2019, but he averaged 20.4 yards per reception—tops in the league—and topped 1,000 yards for the first time.

Williams isn’t the No. 1 wide receiver for the Chargers—that title still belongs to Keenan Allen, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three years. But if Williams keeps it up, it won’t be that long before he receives a Pro Bowl nod of his own.

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.

The team saw the production throughout the past couple of seasons, which is why Williams had his fifth-year option picked up by the Chargers earlier this offseason which will keep him under contract through the 2021 season.

Whether it’s Taylor or Herbert under center, plenty of deep ball opportunities should be there for the big-bodied target this upcoming season, as he looks to unlock his full potential in hopes of making his Pro Bowl.

Poll: How many games will Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor start in 2020?

Do you feel confident in Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor?

A new era at the quarterback position begins this upcoming season as Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert take over.

One of the biggest questions entering training camp is who will start under center.

While the coaching staff has stated that there will be a competition between Taylor and the first-round pick this summer, it’s more than likely that the 30-year old will start, allowing Herbert to get acclimated to the offense and his teammates.

“We’re going into this thing: Day 1, Tyrod Taylor’s going to be starting it off,” coach Anthony Lynn told Albert Breer of the MMQB. “He’s earned that right. His teammates respect the hell out of him, he’s a leader on this football team. Our young quarterback’s gonna learn a lot from Tyrod Taylor.

With the offense in Taylor’s hands, the anticipation to see what he could do is at an all-time high. While there are concerns of him as a passer, Taylor is familiar with the system, protects the ball well, has the mobility to outpace defenders and most importantly, a strong supporting cast of skill players.

Taylor is capable of leading the Chargers to wins this upcoming season. His success will allow Herbert to continue to develop. The only way we see the former Oregon product take over is if Taylor flops or gets hurt.

With that being said, do you think Taylor has what it takes to flourish this season? To get an idea, we want to know how many games you think he will remain as the team’s starter in 2020.

Vote in the poll below:

[polldaddy poll=10564577]

Projecting the Chargers’ safety depth chart

The Los Angeles Chargers will have a healthy Derwin James back for the 2020 regular season.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Defensive line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Today, we examine and project the safety room for Los Angeles heading into the 2020 season.

FS: Rayshawn Jenkins

The battle for the free safety job last season was between Jenkins and 2019 second-round pick Nasir Adderley. Adderley showed some immense flashes of earning the starting role. However, injuries kept him off the field, which left Jenkins as the starter.

In his first season as a full-time starter after making the transition from strong safety to the single-high role, Jenkins had an up-and-down season. Even though he led the team in interceptions (3), blown coverages and missed tackles were scattered throughout Jenkins’ campaign.

According to Pro Football Focus, among safeties that played at least 80% of their team’s snaps in 2019, Jenkins was 30th among 37 safeties with a 63.1 overall grade.

Despite the inconsistent results, Jenkins was still highly praised by the coaching staff. Earlier this offseason, coach Anthony Lynn said that he believes Jenkins will breakout in 2020.

Since Jenkins earned the trust of the coaching staff, it may seem like an uphill climb for Adderley earn snaps, but a systematical change might make it easier than originally expected.

The Chargers are expected to show more two-deep looks and man coverage and less Cover 3. This will mean that both Adderley and Jenkins would be on the field. But Jenkins will get the majority of the snaps.

According to defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Adderley, Jenkins, along with Desmond King are candidates for the dime linebacker role, the position formerly played by Adrian Phillips, which is the sixth defensive back in dime packages.

Backup(s): Nasir Adderley

SS: Derwin James

The Chargers are getting the dynamic defender back for a full state after his sophomore season was short lived to a foot injury that he sustained prior to the regular season.

James is not only being inked as a prime Comeback Player of the Year candidate in 2020, but projected as Defensive Player of the Year.

The former Florida State product will go back to being a difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball, where he will resume his duties as a coverage player, run defender and additional blitzer.

James should see the field for nearly every snap, which will make it extremely difficult for his backups to earn playing time.

Roderic Teamer, who started in James’ absence last season, should make the roster. He will primarily serve as a special teamer, but he could earn some playing time as the dime linebacker.

The Chargers’ sixth-round pick Alohi Gilman should also be among the final 55, but nearly all of his playing time will be on special teams, where he will have to prove his worth in order to draw consideration of being on the field as a dimebacker.

Backup(s): Roderic Teamer, Alohi Gilman

3 underdog players who could make Chargers roster

The Los Angeles Chargers have a talented roster, but there are a few under-the-radar players who could crack the 55-man roster.

With the rosters being expanded to 55 players now, the competition to make the squad becomes even more heated. Every year we see a few make the team which no one projected.

With that being said, here are three players, not including undrafted free agents, that could find themselves on the roster heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Bengals.

OT Storm Norton

The Chargers didn’t sign a proven veteran left tackle in free agency or draft one, which means they are banking on their in-house options to fill the void. Norton, Pro Football Focus’ highest graded XFL offensive lineman, joins Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins and Trent Scott as members fighting for the job.

Norton possesses a towering frame at 6-foot-8 and 307 pounds with excellent athleticism and movement skills in pass protection and the run-blocking department. He is suited best for a zone scheme, which is what the offense is expected to shift to.

Even though he doesn’t have much starting experience at the NFL level, he is the model that Campen would love to work with and develop just like how he did in Green Bay with their offensive linemen. Norton is capable of serving as a depth piece with high upside to start over time.

DT PJ Johnson

The nose tackle position was addressed after the departure of Brandon Mebane with the signing of Linval Joseph and re-signing of Damion Square. That doesn’t mean the work ends there. Last season, the Chargers carried three on the roster, which means one could be up for grabs.

Johnson was selected by the Lions in the seventh-round of the 2019 NFL draft. He was with the team throughout the preseason, but was released on cutdown day. The former Arizona product was signed to Los Angeles’ practice squad last December.

Johnson, the enormous defensive lineman, has great upper body strength to dispose blockers and make an impact against the pass and run. The 6-foot-4 and 335 pound nose tackle finished his collegiate career with 31 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

CB Quenton Meeks

It was thought that the Chargers were going to bring in a cornerback this offseason to compete with Michael Davis and Brandon Facyson on the outside opposite side of Casey Hayward. However, they came away empty-handed.

After a successful collegiate career with Stanford, Meeks was signed by the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He spent some time on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster. There, he amassed eight tackles and two passes defensed.

Prior to the 2019 season, Meeks was released by Jacksonville. A month later, he signed to Los Angeles’ practice squad.

Meeks, the 6-foot-2 and 197 pound corner, plays with reaction skills, intelligence and toughness, projecting best in a Cover 3 system. He skillset, on-field demeanor and hustle are all traits that should be highly coveted by the coaching staff to make the team as a depth piece and special teams ace.

2020 expectations for Chargers’ newest free agent signings

A handful of them will play a significant role in the upcoming season.

With the need to bring in more veterans to an already talented roster, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco didn’t shy away from adding a few earlier this offseason.

With that in mind, here is what fans can expect from each of Telesco’s acquisitions heading into the upcoming season:

WR Darius Jennings

The special teams department has been a major concern for the Chargers the past few seasons, and it’s clear that they made it a priority to shore up after the Jennings along with rookie Joe Reed. Over the past two seasons, he returned 31 kickoffs for 894 yards, including a 94-yarder for a touchdown. Jennings has a chance of making the roster. And while he will unlikely see the field on a consistent basis on offense, but he will be in contention for the starting kick returner job. At most, he will be a special teamer in 2020.

LB Nick Vigil

The Bolts released Thomas Davis prior to the start of the new league year and they lost a few key special teamers in free agency, which left some spots that needed to be filled. Vigil offers positional versatility, which is highly coveted in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s defense. With Denzel Perryman, Kenneth Murray and Kyzir White projected to be the starters, Vigil will provide depth, and would likely see the field on obvious passing downs since he has earned a strong reputation for his play in coverage. Despite not being a starter, Vigil will make his money on special teams right out of the gate.

DT Linval Joseph

Joseph projects as the Day 1 starter in the middle of the defensive line. It remains to be if he will play all three downs, given the fact that he played only 553 snaps last season which was just over 50%. Known for his ability to defend the run, Joseph will be on the playing field on rushing situations, while Damion Square rotates in or Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery slide in on obvious passing situations. However, Joseph has the capability of staying on the field in those situations as he finished top-4 on the team in quarterback knockdowns in three of his first four seasons with the Vikings, recording 41 in total along with 11 sacks.

CB Chris Harris, Jr.

According to NFL.com research, the Chargers allowed nine yards per slot target last season, which was the fifth-highest average in the league. They also ranked No. 30 in completion percentage to slot targets. Harris Jr., 30, is one of the NFL’s polished cornerbacks in that he can play outside corner and shadow a No. 1 wide receiver but also excel as a slot cornerback. Harris projects as the starting slot corner, overtaking Desmond King in that role. Harris is capable of playing on the outside along with some safety, but we can expect to see him primarily on the inside. His coverage skills and open space tackling will be key as the team looks to stop the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.

OT Bryan Bulaga

The right tackle position produced inconsistent results for the past few seasons, but that will quickly change after the signing of Bulaga, who will start from Week 1. Bulaga reunites with former offensive line coach James Campen from their playing days with the Packers, which is a nice to have familiarity on the roster. One of the better pass protecting tackles in the league, and very capable in the run game, Bulaga provides the trenches with a huge boost. If all goes well and he stays healthy, the 10-year veteran could earn a trip to the Pro Bowl, finally.

Los Angeles Chargers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Chargers making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +180 | No: -223

The Chargers officially cut ties with longtime QB Philip Rivers this offseason, as he left via free agency to join the Indianapolis Colts. QB Tyrod Taylor will serve as the ‘bridge’ quarterback, holding down the fort until 2020 first-round draft pick QB Justin Herbert is ready to be trusted with the keys to the car in either 2020 or 2021. Taylor has been in this spot before.

The Chargers also bid farewell to RB Melvin Gordon, who signed a two-year deal in free agency with the division-rival Denver Broncos. So it’s a bit of a transition season for the Bolts, who will move into their new shared home with the Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium.

The best bet here is NO (-223) where a $10 winning bet returns a profit of just $4.50.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +1400
5-8 Wins -209
9-12 Wins +185
13-16 Wins +10000

The BetMGM bookmakers expect this to be a losing season for the Chargers, as do most talking heads. There isn’t a lot of faith in Taylor turning this club into a winning team, and the schedule doesn’t set up very well for them, either.

We’ll learn a lot about the Chargers in Week 1 when they travel to meet the Cincinnati Bengals. It might be their most winnable road game on the entire schedule. A loss there would get them off on the wrong foot. They travel to the Eastern Time Zone for four of their eight road games this season, and of course, they will have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs twice.

The Bolts will welcome the new-look New England Patriots to town, as well as traveling to battle the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 12 in their only scheduled Monday Night Football appearance. It’s an ugly schedule for a Chargers team likely to endure a second straight losing season.

The Chargers are worth a small-unit bet at 5-8 WINS (-209), although it will cost you. They’re not going to be a winning team, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see even fewer than five wins with this mishmash roster.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS fetches a profit of only $4.80.

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Exact number

It’s expected the Bolts will be swept by the Chiefs, while perhaps splitting with both the rival Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. Road trips to Cincinnati and Miami are very winnable, but outside of those games it’s unlikely the Chargers will return home with many road victories.

Looking at the home slate, a win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 is certainly very possible, and it might be their first in their new digs. Games at home against the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t be terribly daunting, either.

Target 6 WINS (+400) as the play on exact victories, and you can quadruple your investment if they’re to suffer double-digit losses yet again in 2020. UNDER 7.5 WINS (-115) is a very good bet, too.

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Projecting the Chargers’ post-draft depth chart at running back

Austin Ekeler is RB1. Then who?

The marriage between the Chargers and Melvin Gordon came to an end earlier this offseason as the franchise chose not to re-sign him. Gordon won’t be too far from his former team since he was picked up by AFC West rival – Denver Broncos.

How will the backfield look heading into this upcoming season?

Below, I take a crack at predicting Los Angeles’ depth chart at running back for the 2020 season:

RB1: Austin Ekeler

From undrafted free agent to one of the league’s most dynamic weapons. Ekeler is coming off his best season, which included 92 catches for 993 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Only Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey had more receptions (116) among running backs. After Gordon’s departure, the former Western Colorado sits atop of the depth chart. Ekeler will get a decent amount of carries, but the coaching staff still wants to use his pass-catching abilities, which will see him line up in the slot and outside aside from just the backfield.

RB2: Justin Jackson

The second running back spot is where it becomes interesting. This will be a competition between Jackson and fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley. The former Northwestern product gets the nod heading into the season, given his experience, production in a limited capacity and the fact that the team is still “high on him”. In 20 games played, Jackson averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 79 touches. Eager to make his mark last season, Jackson was limited to just seven games due to an injury. If he can stay healthy, Jackson is primed for a breakout season.

RB3: Joshua Kelley

Kelley is capable of rising up the depth chart as the season goes on and I am a firm believer that he will. The only reason I have him listed as RB3 is primarily due to the lack of exposure at camp and I believe the coaching staff really covets Jackson despite the injury concerns. However, Kelley has a well-rounded skillset and the production in a significant role to be effective as the feature back down the road. Over 43 games in college, Kelley rushed 647 times for 3,442 yards and 31 touchdowns. His injury history is nonexistent, too.

FB: Bobby Holly

The Chargers lost Derek Watt, who signed with the Steelers earlier this offseason. Following his departure, coach Anthony Lynn said that the team would be bringing in a fullback to fill the void. The competition to do so will be between Holly and Gabe Nabers. I recently gave Nabers the nod over Holly due to positional versatility. But I believe that Holly brings more upside as a blocker.