Tag: Bradley Bozeman

Former Panthers WR DJ Chark reportedly signing with Chargers

Former Panthers WR DJ Chark is about to swim out west.

Do you think Bradley Bozeman and Hayden Hurst might’ve put a good word in for an old Carolina Panthers teammate?

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, receiver DJ Chark is set to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million. The 27-year-old wideout played the 2023 campaign in Carolina.

Prior to landing in the Queen City, Chark spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A second-round pick from the 2018 draft, the LSU product went on to amass 147 receptions for 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns over 43 games in Duval.

Chark then signed on with the Detroit Lions in 2022, where he caught 30 balls for 502 yards and three scores over just 11 outings.

The Panthers reeled in Chark last March, to the tune of a one-year, $5 million pact. He appeared in 15 games for Carolina—totaling 11 starts, 35 catches, 66 targets, 525 receiving yards (second-most on the team) and five touchdowns.

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Former Panthers WR DJ Chark reportedly visits Chargers

The Chargers are reportedly trying to zero in on yet another former Panther.

Bradley Bozeman and Hayden Hurst might have themselves from familiar company out west pretty soon.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, wideout DJ Chark visited the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. The former Pro Bowler spent the 2023 campaign as a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Prior to landing in the Queen City for a year, Chark spent four of his NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A second-round pick from the 2018 draft, the Louisiana State University product went on to amass 147 receptions for 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns over 43 games in Duval.

Chark then signed on with the Detroit Lions in 2022. His lone season there resulted in just 11 outings, in which he caught 30 balls for 502 yards and three scores.

The Panthers reeled in Chark last March, to the tune of a one-year, $5 million pact. He appeared in 15 games for Carolina—totaling 11 starts, 35 catches, 66 targets, 525 receiving yards (second-most on the team) and five touchdowns.

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Jersey numbers for Chargers’ free agent signings

Here’s a look at the numbers new players will wear in 2024.

The Chargers signed a few free agents over the course of the past few weeks, and now we know what numbers they will wear.

Here’s a look at the numbers new players will wear in 2024 and number changes for players on the roster.

Gus Edwards: 4

TE Will Dissly: 81

TE Hayden Hurst: 88

LB Troy Dye: 43

C Bradley Bozeman: 75

DL CJ Okoye: 69 (Number change)

A strong offensive line is a priority for Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh talks about the importance of the offensive line.

Going into the 2024 season, a strong offensive line is crucial for Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. He believes the offensive line is directly related to the success of the entire offensive unit. 

“The offensive line to me is important,” Harbaugh said, per the team’s official website. “If I asked you the question like, ‘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?’. Offensive line

“They’re not relying on any other position group to be good. They go out, yet every other position group relies on the offensive line to be good,” Harbaugh added.

The offensive line struggled last season, which led to several problems for quarterback Justin Herbert. Instead of helping him, the offensive line often became a burden. 

Several starters return from last season, including Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, and Trey Pipkins III. The Chargers also acquired center Bradley Bozeman in free agency. 

Harbaugh believes the key for a strong offensive line is for the group to work together—as one. 

“I think they’re really good, I think they’re really willing and then just the mentality of that group, that’s like a fist, there’s five of them,” Harbaugh said. “There’s one, two, three, four, five, playing as one on that offensive line.

“Just can’t wait to get in the room, get in the weight room, get on the field and coach guys and be around them and build that group. Excited about that as well.”

Joe Hortiz speaks on Chargers’ free agency additions with ties to Ravens

Almost half of the free agents the Chargers added to their roster for the 2024 season have come from the Ravens.

Almost half of the free agents the Chargers added to their roster for the 2024 season have come from the Ravens. General manager Joe Hortiz recruited running back Gus Edwards, center Bradley Bozeman, and tight end Hayden Hurst, all of whom played under him during his tenure with Baltimore. 

“All three of those guys, I know what we’re getting with them,” Hortiz said.

They were inevitably ‘a natural fit,’ according to Hortiz. 

Edwards is slated to be the Bolts’ top running back. He’s a physical addition to the offense. In 2023, he ran for 810 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. 

“I think specifically with Gus, l’ve seen him deal with the adversity of the [ACL] injury two years ago and come back from it,” Hortiz said. “Grind, be physical, continue to play the same brand of football he’s always played. Really excited to have him.

“He’s the bell cow, the goal line [guy], the finisher,” Hortiz added. “The right mentality for what we’re looking to do here. I told you we wanted to be bigger, play a physical style of football on both sides of the ball and he helps us do that.”

The connections to the Ravens continue with the Chargers acquiring Hurst and Bozeman who were part of the same 2018 draft class in Baltimore.

“Bradley and Hayden are the same way [as Edwards],” Hortiz said. “I do my best to get to know the players and those are two I knew pretty well from my time in Baltimore.

“Feel very fortunate that the situation presented itself to get both those guys,” Hortiz added. “You get two quality players that know our scheme, that fit our scheme and that fit the mentality.”

Former Panthers C Bradley Bozeman signing with Chargers

Bradley Bozeman will be joining Hayden Hurst out in LA.

Hayden Hurst is going to have some familiar company out west.

As first reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Monday, former Carolina Panthers center Bradley Bozeman is expected to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers. The deal, per, Rapoport, is a one-year agreement.

The Panthers first inked Bozeman back in the spring of 2022. He’d eventually earn starting duties in Week 7 of that campaign, taking over for an injured Pat Elflein.

Bozeman played an integral part in Carolina’s turnaround to close out the season, helping establish a hard-nosed, ground-and-pound rushing attack for what was previously a listless offense. His impressive work led to a fresh three-year, $18 million contract last spring.

That pact, however, would only last through 2023—as Bozeman was officially released by the Panthers at the start of the new league year this past Wednesday. The team also parted ways with safety Vonn Bell and Hurst, who joined the Chargers last week.

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Bradley, Nikki Bozeman post heartwarming farewell message

Bradley and Nikki Bozeman bid farewell to the city of Charlotte.

They weren’t here for a long time, but Bradley and Nikki Bozeman made a lasting impression on the city of Charlotte.

At the start of the new league year this past Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers officially announced the release of the man fans have come to know as “The White Rhino.” While the beloved center contributed quite a bit during his two-year run with the organization, he and his wife Nikki did even more off of it.

Through The Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation, the couple began the SYNC (Serving Your Neighbors and Communities) Snack Program to provide food and academic support to children in the community. Between 2022 and 2023, they packed over 17,000 boxes of food as part of the initiative.

For that work, Bozeman was named the team’s nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Nikki posted the following on behalf of herself and Bradley this past weekend:

Godspeed, Bozeman family!

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Chargers sign OL Bradley Bozeman

The Chargers fill a void at center.

The Chargers are signing offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman.

With Corey Linsley headed toward retirement due to medical issues, Los Angeles needed a starting center. Bozeman will fill that void.

The Bolts are emphasizing the running game, and Bozeman’s strength is paving the way on the ground. His 71.6 run-blocking grade since 2021 is 11th among all Centers over that period.

Selected by the Ravens in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft, Bozeman started 49 games across four seasons, with most being at left guard.

Bozeman joined the Panthers ahead of the 2022 season, and he re-signed with the team on a three-year, $18 million contract last offseason. He started 28 of his 34 appearances.

This past season, Bozeman was chosen as the Panthers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee.

Panthers officially announce releases of 3 players

The releases of Bradley Bozeman, Hayden Hurst and Vonn Bell were made official on Wednesday.

Not only did the start of the new league year bring the official announcement of some fresh additions, but it also brought the official announcement of a few departures.

On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers officially announced the releases of tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman and safety Vonn Bell. The releases come before March 16, when each would’ve been able to collect on 2024 roster bonuses.

Hurst saw through just one year of the three-year, $21.7 million deal he signed last offseason. Derailed by a concussion, his lone campaign in Carolina resulted in just 18 catches, 184 yards and one touchdown.

Like Hurst, Bell is also a one-and-done for the Panthers. He started in each of his 13 games, posting 69 combined tackles and an interception.

Bozeman’s release comes a year to the day he signed his new pact to return to the team. He spent two seasons in Carolina and represented the organization as their 2023 Walter Payton Man of Year nominee.

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Panthers LB Shaq Thompson: ‘It’s a sad day’

Shaq Thompson summed up a pretty rough day for Panthers fans.

Shaq Thompson was all of us on Monday.

The opening of this year’s legal tampering period brought some punishing blows for the Carolina Panthers and their fans. We started the eventful and exhausting afternoon by taking the expected release of safety Vonn Bell on the chin and went on to eat two gut punches with the loss of linebacker Frankie Luvu and the trade of pass rusher Brian Burns.

With the defense losing three key members, one of its leaders tweeted this in the painful aftermath:

 

Thompson then went on to see another fellow backer in Yetur Gross-Matos find a new home, as he reportedly has a two-year, $18 million deal in place with the San Francisco 49ers. The dearly departed will also include tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman and cornerback Donte Jackson—all of whom are expected to be let go before March 16.

Sadly enough, the second-longest tenured Panther may be next. Thompson, who turns 30 years old in April, is entering the final season of a reworked pact.

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