Tag: Chargers NFL

Chargers general manager candidate profile: Ian Cunningham

Examining who Ian Cunningham is, where he comes from and why he’d be a good choice to be the GM of the Chargers.

For the first time in a decade, the Chargers are searching for a new general manager.

Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley were fired on December 15, ushering in a new era of football in one half of SoFi Stadium. Telesco, hired in 2013 as the youngest general manager in franchise history, brought the team to just three playoff appearances and two wins.

So, who could be next?

Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham

The son of a basketball agent and cousin of tennis player Arthur Ashe, Cunningham started 31 games at Virginia as a center and guard before signing with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. As a Cavalier, he played under coach Al Groh, who had spent time as an assistant under Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, and Nick Saban, among others. Groh put Cunningham in touch with Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, who hired the 23-year-old as a player personnel assistant in 2008, the same year Baltimore hired John Harbaugh.

Over the next eight years, Cunningham climbed the ranks in Baltimore, becoming the Southeast area scout for the team in 2013 and adding the Southwest area starting in 2015. A move to Philadelphia in 2017 earned him a promotion to director of college scouting and a second Super Bowl ring while working under Howie Roseman. Cunningham was promoted to assistant director of player personnel in 2019 and director of player personnel in 2021, a position he held for just a year before being hired as the assistant general manager for the Bears under Ryan Poles.

The 38-year-old Cunningham also declined the Cardinals GM opening that eventually went to Monti Ossenfort last season. In Tennessee, Cunningham was the runner-up to new general manager Ran Carthon during the Titans’ search in 2023. Earlier this week, Cunningham also lost out on the Commanders front office opening to 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters. Later that day, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported that Cunningham would interview with the Chargers on January 14th.

In 2020, while serving as assistant director of player personnel in Philadelphia, Cunningham was named to The Athletic’s 40 Under 40 list, which tabbed him as one of the “few minority candidates in the GM pipeline.” In a 2022 interview with the Bears media team about his role as assistant GM, Cunningham said that his responsibilities included “free agent meetings, draft meetings, operations, sports science, strength, and conditioning.”

With those responsibilities in mind, it’s reasonable to evaluate Cunningham to some degree on what Chicago has done in the draft and free agency over the past two seasons. In 2022, Chicago found a starting offensive tackle, Southern Utah’s Braxton Jones, in the fifth round. They supplemented that choice with ten other selections, including starting secondary members Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker. This year, the Bears found their other starting tackle, first-rounder Darnell Wright, and Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson at cornerback and Texas running back Roschon Johnson.

Chicago has had a rocky record in the trade market, however. The Bears sent Roquan Smith to Baltimore for draft capital, only to see Smith continue his All-Pro level play as one of the best linebackers in the league. They traded the 33rd overall pick in 2022 for Chase Claypool. But they’ve also shown a willingness to move around on draft night, sliding down a spot from 9 to 10, likely thanks to Cunningham’s connections in Philadelphia. They traded up in the second for Stevenson, then sent another second later in the year for Montez Sweat, who immediately took Chicago’s defense a step forward.

Around the league, Cunningham is seen as one of the foremost general manager candidates on the market. The Athletic reported in relation to the Commanders job that he and Peters were considered the most sought-after candidates this cycle. That report also cites Cunningham’s “ability to marry traditional player evaluation with analytics” as a major draw. That should be especially appealing to a Chargers organization that often felt constrained by Telesco’s traditional vision for how to build a team.

When reporting Cunningham’s interview scheduled for Sunday, Popper wrote that “interest on both sides” was in Chicago’s assistant general manager coming to Los Angeles as the headman. The 38-year-old would break Telesco’s record as the youngest GM in franchise history, with an influx of new ideas about how to win in the modern NFL. He also has ties to oft-rumored Chargers head coaching target Jim Harbaugh through his brother John, the head coach of the Ravens while Cunningham was working his way up the ladder.

4 Packers players to watch vs. Chargers

The Packers have a couple of standout players on offense and defense.

The Chargers and Packers face off on Sunday as Los Angeles looks to bounce back from their loss to the Lions and get back into the playoff mix.

While Green Bay might be 3-6, they have some players that could pose a challenge for the Bolts.

Chargers adding DT Nick Williams, according to Chase Daniel

The Chargers are adding depth to the defensive line.

The Chargers are signing defensive tackle Nick Williams to a one-year deal, according to former Bolts quarterback Chase Daniel.

Daniel tweeted a photo of him with Williams with the news of the signing, adding, “I’m the source!!”

Last season, Williams played eight games, seven of which were starts for the Giants, before suffering a biceps injury that landed him on IR.

Taken by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft, Williams spent time with the Chiefs, Dolphins, Bears and Lions before signing with New York last year.

Williams is familiar with defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, as Rodgers served in the same role with Chicago when Williams was there in 2018 and 2019.

Williams has played 83 games with 42 starts and has amassed 125 tackles with 14 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits.

The Chargers’ roster currently sits at 89 players, which means they can add one more to hit the 90-player threshold.

Chargers trade back, stack deck on both sides in 4-round mock draft

In our latest 4-round mock draft, the Chargers trade back, get an additional second-round pick and bolster both sides of the ball.

The Chargers are currently slated to pick No. 21 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, which is just over three weeks away, at least for now.

In a recent media availability, general manager Tom Telesco hinted at the possibility of a trade back.

“Certainly, when you’re in that late first, there’s probably a little bit more of a thought,” said Telesco. “Essentially, at that point, you’re taking a player that at least you have graded as a second-round player.

That’s all really subjective. But if you can trade back a little bit and pick up a pick and still get maybe even the same player or close to the same player, then it’s a pretty good deal to do.”

If they were to trade back, this would mark the first time that Telesco has done it in his tenure as Los Angeles’ GM.

So what if Telesco pulls the trigger? I did a mock draft that saw the Chargers trade the 21st pick for the Bengals’ 28th and 60th selections.

Let’s dive into the haul.

Chargers sign OT Trey Pipkins to three-year extension

The Chargers are locking in their right tackle for the long term.

The Chargers are locking in their right tackle for the long term by signing Trey Pipkins to a three-year extension, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.

Pipkins’ deal is worth $7.25 million per season, according to NFL Media’s Adam Caplan.

This extension is well-deserved following Pipkins’ standout 2022 campaign.

Pipkins entered last training camp in a battle with Storm Norton for the starting right tackle spot and won the job. Before that, Pipkins spent the last offseason with offensive line developer Duke Manyweather, which benefited his game immensely.

Drafted as a project in 2019 out of Sioux Falls and struggling to find his footing in the NFL in his first few seasons, Pipkins looked like a capable NFL tackle in his contract year.

Despite battling through an MCL sprain he first suffered in Week 5, Pipkins played at a high level. He only allowed two sacks on 586 pass-block snaps. He was also solid as a run blocker.

Chargers remain positive despite tough loss to Ravens

Despite the shutout loss to the Ravens, the Chargers are still in great shape.

The Chargers endured their toughest loss of the season against the Ravens on Sunday. What was supposed to be an entertaining matchup between two good teams turned into a 34-6 blowout.

As Los Angeles heads into the bye week, the overall attitude of head coach Brandon Staley’s squad is a positive one. Quarterback Justin Herbert spoke on what the upcoming week off will look like for the Bolts.

“I think it comes at a good time,” Herbert said. “Allows our guys up front to get their legs back and to have a week of rest and enough weeks to watch the film and get back over it. There’s a lot of good film…there’s a lot to learn from so it’s going to be a good teaching lesson for us.”

Instead of letting the blowout be a narrative for the remainder of the season, the Chargers are hoping to learn and grow from the loss. Safety Derwin James Jr. also shared his thoughts on the loss to Baltimore.

“Today let us know everything we need to work on,” James said. “Being 4-2, we’re not mad at the world, the world is not over, there’s a lot of football still left to be played. I feel like we learned a lot from this game and we’re going to be better for sure.”

Los Angeles’ two losses are against the Ravens and the Cowboys, two really good teams that will likely be in good playoff position. But be careful not to forget the four wins the Bolts have under their belt against the Chiefs, Washington, the Raiders, and the Browns.

The Bolts managed to beat an undefeated Las Vegas team at the time, as well as Cleveland, who made a playoff appearance last season. Furthermore, the Chargers earned a win against quarterback Patrick Mahomes and company in one of the most hostile environments, Arrowhead Stadium.

Staley echoed the positive attitude of his players heading into the bye week.

“I know that we’ve played six really good teams, we’re 4-2,” Staley said. “We’ve beat four really good teams; we’ve lost to two really good teams. That’s what I told the team, I think that’s where the truth is, and I think where we need to go is we need to learn from this game because there’s plenty in this game that we need to learn from. I think that the bye is coming at a good time for us. Get rested up and then come back and be ready to go against a really good New England team.”

As the Chargers enter the bye week, the run defense, special teams, and early-down play-calling should be atop of the coaches’ priority list when they reflect on what adjustments need to be made before entering the last half of the season.

Set to have one of the easiest schedules remaining, Los Angeles should be in great shape if they can make the proper adjustments, especially considering that they will get Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, Nasir Adderley, Justin Jones, and potentially Bryan Bulaga back.

Check out Chargers’ home-field advantage in ‘Madden 22’

Find out what EA Sports did in attempt to enhance their gameplay with Madden NFL 22.

EA Sports’ Madden NFL 22 is going to hit the shelves soon.

This year, one of the biggest additions to the gameplay will be the home-field advantages for each NFL stadium.

With this feature, each of the 32 stadiums will have a unique effect on gameplay in the video game.

While the Chargers have yet to experience fans in SoFi Stadium yet, their home-field advantage is called “Bolt Up.” With this, Los Angeles gains bonus momentum for yardage gains when the offense has the ball.

It may seem generic, but at least the developers of the game are attempting to enhance the gameplay.

Here’s a look at Los Angeles’ AFC West rivals’ home-field advantages:

Broncos – “Mile High” (Away team has less stamina for plays)

Raiders – “Just Win Baby” (When winning, home team has increased momentum gain/fatigue recovery)

Chiefs – “Home of the Chiefs” (Away team’s audibles have a chance of failing)

Those purchasing the MVP or Dynasty Edition of Madden 22 will have the opportunity to play the game on Aug. 17 while the standard version will be released three days later on Aug. 20.

4 factors that could make or break the Chargers in 2020

What needs to happen in order for the Los Angeles Chargers to have a successful season?

After a 12-4 season and a trip to the playoffs in 2018, the Chargers followed that up with a dud of a year in 2019, finishing 5-11 and last place in the AFC West.

There were a few reasons for their decline, and they’re hoping that 2020 will result in a different outcome. The first steps of that included bolstering the roster with a few veterans and rookies who should contribute.

With that being said, here are four factors that could make or break Los Angeles this upcoming season:

Quarterback play

The Philip Rivers era is officially over. Taking over is Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert. The Chargers benefited from Rivers’ experience and familiarity with the offense, along with a keen sense for the game and a unique skillset as a passer. Taylor and Herbert don’t possess many of those traits. While there are a slew of play-makers to spread the wealth to, there’s no guarantee that they will flourish. While Taylor and Herbert have the athleticism to beat defenses with their legs, there are still questions surrounding their abilities as passers. Even though he doesn’t throw a lot of interceptions, Taylor struggles with accuracy and seeing the middle of the field well, which is where tight end Hunter Henry and wide receiver Keenan Allen shine. For Herbert, he still needs time to develop his eye discipline, progressions and overall feel for the NFL before being taking the reins.

Offensive line

This has been an area where the Chargers have struggled for years, finishing near the bottom in pass protection efficiency. However, the team is hopeful that the group could become a strength with the acquisitions of tackle Bryan Bulaga, guard Trai Turner, the return of center Mike Pouncey and hiring of offensive line coach James Campen. While the necessary moves were made, the left side of the lines remains a slight concern on paper as the left tackle spot was not upgraded. Instead, Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton and Forrest Lamp will be in competition for the job. This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing because Campen has a knack for developing offensive linemen and the deficiencies could be masked with a more mobile quarterback, but it’s a boom or bust situation. In a league where pass-rushers are becoming more and more elite, efficient offensive line play is a necessity.

Lack of pressure

The Chargers ranked No. 6 in total defense, but they finished second-worst in takeaways with a -17 turnover differential. A big reason why Los Angeles was unable to produce more turnovers was because of the lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. L.A. finished 26th in quarterback pressures with 125. The number doesn’t come as a surprise as the unit blitzed only 75 times, which ranked last in the league. It’s a bit of surprise when you have a handful of players that should be used more in that role, but Bradley’s scheme from previous seasons, a Cover 3 system that involves a lot of zone coverage, forced them to play conservative and not allowing many opportunities to attack downhill. To ensure they’re getting more quarterback pressures moving forward, Bradley is going to start incorporating more man coverage. The reason why this is so critical is because the Bolts had a lot of close games where they were unable to stop their opponents on final drives due to conservative play, and lack of heat on the quarterback.

Injuries

Many analysts had the Chargers pegged as Super Bowl contenders prior to the 2019 seasons as they were coming off the outstanding 2018 year. Equipped with one of the best rosters from top to bottom heading into training camp, it started to take a downward spiral after they lost Russell Okung and Derwin James, both before Week 1. The injury bug stayed around throughout the season as notables like Hunter Henry, Adrian Phillips, Mike Pouncey, Nasir Adderley, Dontrelle Inman, Forrest Lamp, among others were forced to miss significant playing time. In total, 14 players were placed on the injured reserve. It became clear that they couldn’t overcome their losses. When they started to get key players back, it was way too late. Going into 2020, the Bolts are in a similar position. They have a talented roster, one that includes new faces like Chris Harris Jr., Bryan Bulaga, Linval Joseph, Trai Turner and draftees Justin Herbert, Kenneth Murray, Joshua Kelley, Joe Reed and K.J. Hill. But it comes down to player availability that could determine the outcome of their season.

4 offensive players the Chargers need to step up

It all starts with the most important position on the field.

The Chargers offense will have a slightly new look now that Philip Rivers won’t be the one under center anymore.

Even though the unit could benefit from the scheme change, there are certain individual players that need to do well in their roles to help the team succeed.

Whether they had a down year last year or simply have a new job going into the 2020 season, there are four offensive players that need to step up this upcoming year.

QB Tyrod Taylor

Even though the Chargers drafted Justin Herbert in the first-round, I believe that Taylor will be starting the majority, if not, every single game this upcoming season. Taylor will have big shoes to fill after having Rivers man the position for over the past decade. The 30-year old Taylor is not Rivers by any means, but there are a few things going for him that could put him in position to succeed. Taylor is familiar with coach Anthony Lynn’s philosophy, which has always been a run-heavy approach. That leads to his biggest strength, which is his athleticism and ability to win with his legs. As a passer, Taylor is one of the best at not turning the ball over. Taylor should also benefit from the position players around him, as well. Things that could get him in trouble consists of his accuracy and not seeing the middle of the field well, which is why he tends to take the cautious route and limits his chances of being picked off. Everything is tailored for him to succeed, but now it will be a matter of putting it all together to thrive in the starting role with a team that’s capable of contending for the postseason.

OT Sam Tevi

Not only does a new era begin at the quarterback position – it does at the left tackle position after Russell Okung was traded to the Panthers. Rather than signing or drafting one to replace Okung, the team is banking on their in-house options to fill the void. The signing of Bryan Bulaga indicates that the right tackle spot is filled for the next three seasons, which means one of two things for Tevi – he will be a swing tackle or move over to the left side. Recently, offensive coordinator Shane Steichen mentioned Tevi as options at left tackle. Given his experience in the starting role, I believe he is the frontrunner for the job. It won’t be an easy task going from the right side to protecting the blindside, especially after finishing 2019 as the 61st highest graded offensive tackle in 2019, per Pro Football Focus. Since coming into the league, Tevi has fared well in the run-blocking department, but has struggled as a pass protector. The thought process could be that since the offense is shifting to having a mobile quarterback, it could mask the deficiencies with Tevi’s game. They could be hoping that the hiring of Campen will help with it, too. Nonetheless, if Tevi is indeed the starting left tackle, he will have to do a lot better job than his previous seasons.

OT Trey Pipkins

There’s no guarantee that Tevi has the starting job locked up. Instead, I expect it to be a tight competition between him and Pipkins. Selected in the third-round of the 2019 NFL draft, it wasn’t expected that he would see the field in his rookie season. However, Pipkins was forced into the action when Okung was sidelined. In the games he played, he did experience some growing pains, but he also flashed as a solid blindside blocker, especially against some stiff competition like the Chiefs. Campen said he’s watched tape on Pipkins dating back training camp last summer. “He’s a very intelligent young man. He gets what you’re asking him to do. I think he has a lot of potential.” There is a plan in place for Pipkins, but he will have to still take the necessary steps on his own to succeed, which include getting stronger and developing his technique, particularly with his hands. Like Tevi, Pipkins should benefit from a zone scheme, where his athleticism is put to good use.

RB Justin Jackson

Melvin Gordon is no longer a Charger, which leads to the opportunity for someone in the backfield to take on a larger role. Joshua Kelley was drafted in the fourth-round to fill out the backfield, but the ball is in Jackson’s court as he has two years of experience with the team. In 20 games played, Jackson averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 79 touches. Jackson was held back by an injury, limiting him to just seven games in 2019. Entering his third campaign, the team is still “very high” on Jackson despite the durability concerns. With the offense expected to shift to a run-heavy approach, Jackson needs to take a leap. If he can stay healthy, the former Northwestern product can be dangerous.