Tag: Chargers offseason

Chargers WR Quentin Johnston impressing at OTAs

Quentin Johnston has looked sharp early on.

The Chargers are hopeful that wide receiver Quentin Johnston can provide a boost for their offense. And early on, as the team is amid their OTAs, Johnston has shown glimpses of being able to do that.

One of the areas of improvement for Johnston coming into the NFL was his route running, which has looked impressive.

Johnston has been sharp in his routes and quick in and out of his breaks, including on a rep where he beat cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.

Throughout the pre-draft process, Johnston was knocked for his hands, catching balls with his body and not meeting throws with ideal arm extension. But he has shown refinement in that department.

Keenan Allen heaped high praise on Johnston. Allen has been impressed with and said his “athletic ability” is through the roof.

While it’s only been in practice, the Chargers hope he can continue to develop his game and be more explosive at wide receiver and on offense, coming in the form of Johnston.

Kellen Moore not letting Austin Ekeler’s absence affect Chargers offseason prep

Kellen Moore said that Austin Ekeler’s absence isn’t getting in the way of his unit’s preparation for the Chargers’ minicamp.

The Chargers are still at an impasse in negotiations with star running back Austin Ekeler but aren’t letting the situation surrounding his availability impact their 2023 off-season program.

When queried about whether Ekeler’s absence was affecting the Chargers’ preparation in minicamp, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore make it clear that the team is moving ahead without him as they focus on fundamentals.

“Right now, we’re just so focused on really the foundation of the system, of offensive football,” Moore explained. “Just kind of building a really solid foundation focusing more on the bigger picture, the big picture from a scheme standpoint.

Then, as you get into Phase Three of OTAs, training camp and as you get into the season, we start narrowing that thing, getting specific from player-specific responsibilities and what not. Right now, we’re at such a wider lens that we’re really teaching for everyone.”

Ekeler is an important piece, but his positional value does not seem to be crucial enough for Los Angeles to be worth paying him more. However, the case for Ekeler is that he has been not only productive but healthy, which is something rare at the position; he has missed only one game in the past two seasons.

Ekeler has 38 total touchdowns in the past two seasons, the most among NFL skill players.

Incremental improvement will be key for Los Angeles if they intend to change their luck in the playoffs next season, and the team can’t afford to let one holdout de-rail the progress being made at this point in the offseason.

Ekeler’s current contract qualms surely aren’t working in the Chargers’ favor. Still, if they can get him back on the field in time for the regular season, Los Angeles’ offensive attack shouldn’t skip a beat given the additions they made to the unit in free agency and the draft.

Chargers begin 2023 offseason workout program

The Chargers began their offseason training program on Monday.

The Chargers’ 2023 offseason program is officially underway in Costa Mesa, CA.

Phase 1 of the nine-week voluntary offseason program is two weeks, with the activities strictly meetings, strength and conditioning and rehab work.

Players are not required to attend this portion of the program.

While the team isn’t yet in its final form, these workouts will provide invaluable experience for the players participating in it and should foster unit cohesion as the offseason progresses.

A more complete picture of what the team might look like at the start of the regular season will come into view after the NFL draft as the Chargers look to get their rookies in the fold on both sides of the ball during minicamp and training camp.

Chargers announce 2023 offseason workouts, OTA dates

Find out when the Chargers will start their offseason workout program.

The start of the 2023 regular season is still four months away, but preparation for it is set to get underway soon.

The NFL released the schedule for each team’s offseason workout programs, including the Chargers’ dates.

Below is the team’s official news release on the program schedule.

  • First Day: April 17
  • Organized Team Activities (OTAs): May 22-23, May 25, May 31-June 2, June 3, June 6-7, June 9
  • Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-14

Key dates for Chargers fans to know for 2023 offseason

Here are some important dates for Chargers fans to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months.

The 2022 NFL season has officially come to an end, and the Chargers are headed into their offseason.

With that, here are some important dates for Chargers fans to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months.

February

  • February 28-March 6: NFL Scouting Combine (Indianapolis, IN)

March

  • March 7: The deadline for teams to designate franchise or transition tag players
  • March 7: College pro days begin
  • March 13-15: Teams are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents
  • March 15: At 1 p.m. PT, the 2023 league year and free agency begin; trades can be executed
  • March 26-29: Annual League Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)

April

  • April 17: Offseason workout programs begin
  • April 21: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
  • April 27: Deadline to time, test and interview draft-eligible players
  • April 27-29: NFL Draft (Kansas City, MO)

May

  • May 1: Deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2020 Draft
  • May 5-8 or May 12-15: Teams may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft

Chargers’ 2022 year-end awards: Picking MVP, Breakout Player of the Year and more

Handing out awards to the Chargers players who stood out in the 2022 regular season.

The Chargers finished 10-7 and lost their first playoff game since 2018 in a season where they faced many injuries on both sides of the ball.

While many fans are ready to put this season to bed and focus on the offseason, it’s only right to reflect and hand out the season awards to certain players for their efforts on the field.

Chargers 2023 offseason preview: Pending free agents, cap space, team needs, draft picks

Examining the Chargers’ offseason, including team needs, pending free agents, and salary-cap space.

After finishing 10-7 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2018 in Brandon Staley’s second season as head coach, the Chargers are set to enter the offseason.

Los Angeles is still a couple of months away from the new league frenzy commencing, but it’s not too early to look at what to expect then, starting with 15 players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

  • S Nasir Adderley
  • CB Bryce Callahan
  • WR Deandre Carter
  • C Will Clapp
  • DT Christian Covington
  • QB Chase Daniel
  • DT Tyeler Davison
  • DL Morgan Fox
  • OT Trey Pipkins
  • LB Troy Reeder
  • TE Richard Rodgers
  • P J.K. Scott
  • QB Easton Stick
  • LB Drue Tranquill
  • LB Kyle Van Noy

Cap space

The Chargers are projected to be $19.4 million over the salary cap in 2023, the fifth-worst situation in the NFL.

Team needs

Edge defender: Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack’s time on the field in their first year together was short-lived after Bosa sustained a groin injury that kept him out for most of the season. While Bosa was out, the pass-rush production from the position group left a lot to be desired. Mack will be 32 when the 2023 season starts. Kyle Van Noy will be a free agent. Chris Rumph has not had much of an impact. In a pass-happy league, you need players to disrupt quarterbacks consistently. The Chargers would benefit from a premier pass rusher, especially as they start preparing for life after Mack.

Wide receiver: Mike Williams made an impact when he was on the field, as did Keenan Allen. But when they weren’t due to their respective injuries, their absences were felt significantly. Joshua Palmer made strides from his rookie to sophomore season. There is a possibility that Allen could be a cap casualty, whether that be releasing or restructuring him. But the bottom line is that the Chargers lack speed at receiver, and they must address it to create more explosive plays in the passing game, something they lacked this season.

Tight end: Gerald Everett supplied the offense with a consistent piece in the passing game, finishing with career-highs in receptions (55) and receiving yards (555). But the other guys in the tight end room were astray. Donald Parham appeared in six games after dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained in training camp and a concussion. Tre’ McKitty was drafted in 2021 to be an inline blocker, but he was underwhelming in that department and did not offer much value as a receiver. With Parham’s injury concerns looming and the stagnant status of McKitty, the Chargers would benefit from a complete player at the position to complement Everett in 2023 and take over as the No. 1 when Everett hits the free agency market after the upcoming season.

Safety: Nasir Adderley struggled down the final stretch of the season, which resulted in Alohi Gilman getting more playing time than Adderley, including the playoff game against the Jaguars when Gilman got the start. The Chargers not playing Adderley in the most important game of the season could be telling for his future status with the team since he will be a free agent in March. 2022 third-round pick JT Woods was taken with the idea of playing him as the deep safety to allow Derwin James to move all over the field. But that never came to fruition as Woods struggled as a tackler in the limited defensive snaps he played, and he was a non-factor defensively.

Linebacker: Drue Tranquill was one of the Chargers’ best defenders this season, leading the team in tackles and making an impact not just against the run but as a pass rusher and in coverage. Tranquill is a free agent, and even though he proved that he should be a priority re-signing, it would not surprise if the team let him go, considering they let Kyzir White walk in free agency last year despite him coming off a really solid season in 2021. Kenneth Murray still has not lived up to his first-round billing. Troy Reeder is a free agent. Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongmeniga have been solid, just on special teams. While it’s not a premium position in Brandon Staley’s defense, Los Angeles could use another player that is prolific at stopping the run.

Draft picks

The Chargers possess the No. 21 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft, and they are projected to have seven total picks.

10 biggest cap hits for the Chargers heading into 2023 offseason

Taking a look at the Chargers’ 10 biggest salary cap hits ahead of 2023.

The Chargers’ 2022 season is over. After finishing 10-7 in the regular season and losing in the Wild Card round to the Jaguars, their attention shifts to the offseason, where they will look to reconstruct the roster.

Los Angeles will have roughly $10 million over the cap for the 2023 season, the fifth-worst situation in the NFL. This number is before a potential contract extension for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Therefore, L.A. will likely need to cut or restructure the contracts of players on the team to make space for that and any additional free agents.

With that, let’s look at their top 10 cap hits for 2023 (numbers via Spotrac):

2022 Chargers training camp, preseason awards: MVPs, positive surprise, and more

It’s time to unseal the envelope for the 2022 Los Angeles Chargers training camp awards.

The Chargers are done with training camp and the preseason, and they will now finalize their 53-man roster by 1 pm PT on Tuesday.

With that, it’s a good time to hand out some awards.

I cover different bases, from the best offensive and defensive players to the biggest disappointments.

The envelopes, please…

Projecting the Chargers’ tight end depth chart in 2022

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers tight end room will look like in the 2022 season.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Next, I project what the tight end room will look like heading into the 2022 season.

TE1: Gerald Everett

After a one-year stint with Jared Cook as the Chargers’ top tight end, the team the younger route with the signing of Everett this offseason. Everett played on the Rams the same year (2020) that Brandon Staley was their defensive coordinator. Last season with the Seahawks, Everett caught 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns. Everett will provide the offense with someone who can move all over the formation, with vertical and horizontal field-stretching capabilities, yards-after-the-catch ability, and the toughness to make contested catches.

TE2: Donald Parham

Parham made strides in his second season with the Chargers, improving his blocking to follow his pass-catching prowess. He finished with 20 receptions on 27 targets for 190 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games before his year ended when he suffered a devastating concussion in Week 15 against the Chiefs. Parham should resume his role as the secondary pass-catching tight end to Everett.

TE3: Tre’ McKitty

McKitty was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft to supply the room with a reliable blocker, which he proved capable of in his rookie season. As a result, he should resume his duties in the in-line spot. However, McKitty has the athleticism, the frame, great hands, and impressive power and contact balance to gain yards after the catch to be more of an asset in the passing game.