Tag: Chargers draft

Chargers OT Joe Alt officially signs rookie contract

The Chargers’ top draft pick has put pen to paper.

The Chargers continue to sign their 2024 rookie class.

Offensive tackle Joe Alt agreed to a four-year deal with a fifth-year option on Monday prior to the team’s minicamp. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the contract is worth $33.2 million in its first four years with a signing bonus of $20.9 million.

Alt’s contract as the fifth overall pick of the draft is largely predetermined in value, outside of some pay structure negotiables. His $20.9 million signing bonus is in line with what Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon got as 2023’s No. 5 overall selection.

Eight of the Chargers’ nine draft selections have now agreed to their rookie deals. Second-round wide receiver Ladd McConkey has yet to agree to terms. However, McConkey remaining unsigned to this point is par for the course with second-rounders recently. Tuli Tuipulotu was similarly the last Chargers’ rookie to sign of the 2023 draft class in late June.

Attention now turns to minicamp and training camp, where Alt will look to assert himself as the Chargers’ starting right tackle. With a conversion to a position he has not yet played, LA’s new rookie will look to set the tone early. Alt worked with Alex Boone in the predraft process to cross-train at both tackle spots for whichever team would end up drafting him.

Chargers lock up six rookies to contracts, three remain unsigned

The Chargers officially signed six members of their 2024 NFL draft class to four-year contracts.

The Chargers officially signed six members of their 2024 NFL draft class to four-year contracts.

Linebacker Junior Colson, cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, running back Kimani Vidal and wide receivers Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson inked their rookie deals.

The players who remain unsigned are offensive tackle Joe Alt, wide receiver Ladd McConkey and defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe.

Coaches saw their draftees at work this past week, as Los Angeles held its rookie minicamp at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

NFL executive heaps praise on Chargers’ Day 3 selections

An NFL executive feels like Joe Hortiz had an all-around great draft.

The Chargers were lauded for their draft selections in the first two days, but their Day 3 selections were just as deserving of praise.

An NFL executive, per The Athletic’s Mike Sando, said that Los Angeles used to draft well in the first round and would then reach in the middle to late rounds, but that didn’t seem to be the case in Joe Hortiz’s first draft.

“Time will tell, but I think (Tarheeb) Still is going to be a good nickel, Cam Hart has a chance to start and the running back (Kimani Vidal) has a chance to be a three-down starter,” the executive said.

At the time of the selection, Still was a head-scratching pick for many fans based on the unfamiliarity. But he is a confident ball magnet, having posted six interceptions last season. He should push for a starting job early on.

Hart was seen as a top-100 pick but took a slide due to injury concerns and limited ball production. Nonetheless, he has elite traits at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds and has proven to shut down good competition, including Marvin Harrison Jr.

Vidal is a great and productive player with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to contribute early on in his pro career.

Chargers and Ladd McConkey, Kimani Vidal among draft’s best scheme fits

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar laid out his favorite scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft on the offensive side of the ball.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar laid out his favorite scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft on the offensive side of the ball and mentioned two players the Chargers selected: Ladd McConkey and Kimani Vidal.

Starting with McConkey, Farrar highlighted his route-running prowess and ability to get open to all areas of the field, adding that he will quickly become Justin Herbert’s best friend because of his skill set.

Love the speed, 4.38 [40-yard dash], but he plays to it. Harbaugh said of McConkey. He plays to that 4.38 every single play. You can see it in the way that he rages off of the ball, and once he has the ball in his hands.

Me and Joe [Hortiz] were talking about him, he’s very [Raiders TE] Brock Bowers-like with the way that he gets yards after the catch,” Harbaugh added. “Competitor, big-time. Those things. He catches the ball. A terrific route-runner. He has the quickness, he has the speed that is going to be great for our offense. I love the guys that can run in the 4.3s.

The Chargers want to run the ball at a high level under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

They began the building process with the signings of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins and Vidal, the team’s sixth-round selection.

Troy’s Kimani Vidal is one of my favorite backs in this class, and the Chargers got him with the 181st overall pick in the sixth round. Greg Roman loaded up on Pocket Hercules runners in Baltimore when he was the OC there, and Vidal is exactly that type of guy. Last season, the 5′ 7⅞”, 213-pound Vidal gained 1,661 yards and scored 14 touchdowns on 295 carries, with 94 forced missed tackles (by far the most among all backs in this class), and 19 carries of 15+ yards. He’s a do-it-all back in a package the Chargers seem to like.

Vidal will have to fend off Isaiah Spiller. But he has the skillset with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to do so and contribute early on.

Where Chargers’ 2024 undrafted free agent class ranks among rest of NFL

Fantasy Pros’ Thor Nystrom isn’t too high on the Chargers’ undrafted free agent class.

The NFL draft is behind us, and most of the talk has been primarily about the nine selections made by general manager Joe Hortiz, while the undrafted free agents that he signed have been swept under the rug a little bit.

The Chargers inked 20 undrafted free agents to a contract after the draft. So how does the haul stack up to the rest of the league?

Fantasy Pros’ Thor Nystrom ranked Los Angeles’ UDFA class, reviewed some of the signees, and then showed how all 32 organizations’ signings compared to one another.

L.A. ranked No. 31, second-worst out of all the teams in the league.

Here is what Nystrom said:

Following a strong draft, the Chargers had a sleepy UDFA process.

HC Jim Harbaugh reunited with Michigan iOL Karsen Barnhart. For the Wolverines, Barnhart got plenty of experience at both guard and tackle. In 2022, he was the starting RT. But for last year’s title team, he was a full-timer with 831, but he ended up making 186 snaps at LT and 194 at RG, with the rest coming at RT. I projected him as an OG, but Barnhart chips in added value as a break-glass-in-case of emergency OT.

FSU S Akeem Dent, at No. 353, was the highest-ranked prospect signed off my pre-draft board. Dent continues the Chargers’ Florida State West bent in the secondary – he’s joining up with former Seminole stars Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. If Dent is to make the Week 1 roster, it’s probably through special team work.

TE Zach Heins might be the more intriguing prospect to keep an eye on. Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman load up on tight ends in their 12-personnel, power-run system. Heins is one strong summer away from an NFL job – the opportunity is there.

Despite believing that the Chargers had a solid haul in the draft, Nystrom wasn’t too fond of their undrafted free-agent signings. One of the players he highlighted was safety Akeem Dent, who Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler believes could make the 53-man roster.

Los Angeles has had some success finding diamond-in-the-rough players in the past, so here’s to hoping that trend continues.

Chargers projected to receive 3 compensatory picks in 2025

The Los Angeles Chargers could have seven Day 3 selections next year.

With the Jim Harbaugh era underway, the Chargers retooled their roster over the past couple of months, letting go of former players. However, there is a chance that they could be compensated for their losses.

According to Over The Cap, Los Angeles is projected to receive three compensatory picks for the departure of Kenneth Murray (Titans), Austin Ekeler (Commanders) and Gerald Everett (Bears).

The league gives out 32 compensatory picks from the third through seventh rounds of the draft each year based on a selected pool of free agents lost. Among that, the largest 32 contracts signed by free agents based on average per-year value will net a team compensation.

A formula considers salary, playing time and postseason accolades to value players and determine whether teams should be compensated for those players leaving in free agency. However, the compensation for players is also determined by a formula dictated by individual teams’ gains and losses of unrestricted free agents each year.

The picks won’t be determined until after the 2024 season, but here’s to hoping that L.A. is able to end up with a total of ten picks.

Bill Belichick heaps high praise on Joe Alt after being drafted by Chargers

Bill Belichick had nothing but high praise for Joe Alt.

Joe Alt was the first tackle taken off the board when the Chargers selected him No. 5 overall.

One of the greatest coaches, Bill Belichick, who was a guest analyst on the live stream of the Pat McAfee Show during the draft, had nothing but high praise for Alt. 

“This guy is ready to go,” Belichick said. “I think he’ll be able to play right away for them.”

As the analysts reviewed Alt’s highlight reel, Belichick immediately noted his length, athleticism and awareness on the field. 

“There’s a lot to like about him; he’s a quality guy,” Belichick stated. 

With Alt being a rookie, there is always something to work on and Belicheck believes the young tackle can improve on his balance. 

Nevertheless, the Chargers snagged a player who competes at a high level. 

“You’ll like having him on your football team,” Belichick added. “There’s no question about that. 

For a team looking to be more physical, Alt will be a key cog with his ability to shut down edge rushers and create running lanes.

2024 NFL draft: Chargers pick WR Cornelius Johnson with No. 253 overall selection

The Chargers added their third wide receiver in the draft with the selection of Cornelius Johnson.

The Chargers wrapped up their 2024 draft class with the selection of former Michigan wide receiver Cornelius Johnson with the No. 253 overall pick.

Johnson was the third wideout that Los Angeles took in this draft, with the other two being Ladd McConkey and Brenden Rice.

Johnson is also the second former Wolverine, joining linebacker Junior Colson in Los Angeles.

Johnson, who played for Michigan for five seasons, had career highs in receptions (47) and receiving yards (604) this past season. He finished his college career with 138 receptions for 2,030 yards and 14 touchdowns.

At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Johnson is a big-bodied deep threat with raw athleticism and good playmaking ability to make contested catches. He is also physical in the run-blocking department.

Tracking the Chargers’ 2024 undrafted free agent signings

Keep up with who the Los Angeles Chargers sign from the undrafted free agency pool.

The 2024 NFL draft has wrapped up, and teams will now begin filling their 90-man offseason rosters. After selecting nine players in the draft, the Chargers will now turn their attention to signing undrafted free agents.

While there’s no guarantee that any of this year’s UDFAs will turn into big contributors, Los Angeles has had an excellent track record of finding hidden gems throughout the years.

We’re going to be tracking all of the team’s college free-agent signings here. So please refresh this page because the list of players will be updated every time we learn of a new signing.

Here is a list of the UDFA’s Los Angeles has signed thus far:

 

 

 

 

2024 NFL draft: Chargers pick WR Brenden Rice with No. 225 overall selection

The Chargers added their second wide receiver in the draft with the selection of Brenden Rice.

The Chargers selected former USC wide receiver Brenden Rice with the No. 225 overall pick.

Los Angeles selected Ladd McConkey in the second round, but they seemed to be one player away from having a complete receiver room.

Brenden, the son of Hall of Fame NFL receiver Jerry Rice, caught for 791 yards and a team-leading 12 touchdowns during the 2023 regular season.

Before his two seasons with the Trojans, Rice played for Colorado. For his four-year collegiate career between the Buffalos and USC, Rice had 1,812 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns.

At 6 feet 2 inches and 208 pounds, Rice is a big-bodied and long-striding wideout with decent route-running skills. His game is predicated on physicality and his use of his strong hands to engulf passes thrown to him.

Rice also has experience returning kicks.