Tag: Chargers preseason

With a healthy roster, Chargers leave training camp as winners

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley made the health of the team a top priority.

After being decimated with injuries in prior years, the Chargers made it throughout the course of the summer with a relatively healthy roster ahead of the 2021 season.

The five starters along the offensive line, safety Derwin James, linebacker Drue Tranquill, among other players at key positions will be ready for the season opener against The Washington Football Team next weekend.

Knowing it was a serious problem in the past, head coach Brandon Staley made the health of the team a priority and it paid off.

“I think our camp is a validation,” Staley said. “I know that I’m very pleased. But I’m very happy because I know that (the players are) in a good place. And I know that they’re fully invested in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.

In practices, Los Angeles had an activation time, which included stretching, and a lot of recovery time after. The volume of practice would fluctuate to ensure players were getting the right amount of work, yet tapering down to allow for proper restoration.

Staley also sidelined and minimized playing time of a handful of the key starters during the preseason.

Another big component of their durability was the hiring of Anthony Lomando as the director of sports performance.

Lomando spent the past nine years with the Broncos as their assistant strength and conditioning coach. Prior to that, he spent three seasons working on the strength and conditioning staff for the Jaguars.

Lomando also worked with the Qatar National and Olympic Soccer teams in 2007 and was responsible for preparing them for the World Cup and Olympic qualifying matches.

With Lomando’s expertise, he oversees a staff that provides elite strength and conditioning practices, while better protecting the players from injuries and helping them develop and perform at a higher level.

The Chargers have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, but player availability is going to play a big role in determining their success.

If and when the Bolts can stay healthy, they can make some serious noise this season.

Chargers 53-man roster prediction after second round of cuts

Projecting the Chargers 53-man roster ahead of the preseason finale against the Seahawks.

With two games of the preseason in the books, the Chargers sliced their roster from 85 to 80 players ahead of their final contest this weekend.

Following the second round of cuts, here’s our updated 53-man roster prediction for Los Angeles.

Quarterbacks (2): Justin Herbert, Chase Daniel

Misses the cut: Easton Stick

Running backs (4): Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree III

Misses the cut: Darius Bradwell

Fullbacks (1): Gabe Nabers

Misses the cut: Hunter Kampmoyer

Wide receivers (6): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson, Josh Palmer, K.J. Hill

Misses the cut: Joe Reed, Jason Moore, John Hurst

Tight ends (3): Jared Cook, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty

Misses the cut: Stephen Anderson

Offensive linemen (9): Rashawn Slater, Matt Feiler, Corey Linsley, Oday Aboushi, Bryan Bulaga, Trey Pipkins, Brenden Jaimes, Storm Norton, Scott Quessenberry

Misses the cut: Tyree St. Louis, Nate Gilliam, Ryan Hunter

Defensive linemen (6): Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington, Breiden Fehoko, Cortez Broughton

Misses the cut: Joe Gaziano, Willie Yarbary, Forrest Merrill

Edge defender (4): Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyler Fackrell, Chris Rumph II

Misses the cut: Jessie Lemonier, Emeke Egbule, Davin Bellamy

Linebackers (5): Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, Kyzir White, Nick Niemann, Cole Christiansen

Misses the cut: Amen Ogbongbemiga

Defensive backs (10): Michael Davis, Asante Samuel, Jr., Chris Harris, Jr., Brandon Facyson, Tevaughn Campbell, Kemon Hall, Derwin James, Nasir Adderley, Alohi Gilman, Mark Webb

Misses the cut: John Brannon, Ryan Smith

Specialists (3): Tristan Vizcaino, Ty Long, Matt Overton

Misses the cut: Michael Badgley, Cole Mazza

Kyler Fackrell signing paying dividends for Chargers

The Chargers appear to have a gem in Kyler Fackrell.

To add depth to the edge defender room, the Chargers signed Kyler Fackrell earlier this offseason.

Originally seen just as a rotational piece, Fackrell has solidified himself as an integral player at the position.

While Joey Bosa has been sidelined from the preseason action, Fackrell has taken advantage of his playing time – not only making an impact at rushing the passer but defending the run.

In two games, Fackrell has amassed six quarterback pressures, three hurries, two QB hits and a sack. In the run department, he has been disciplined and patient to stack the edge and cut off carries to the outside.

In five seasons in the league, Fackrell has 20.5 sacks, with his most productive season coming in 2018 when he had 10.5 sacks during his time with the Packers.

This summer, he and Uchenna Nwosu have been battling it out for the No. 2 spot opposite Bosa, and it’s been Fackrell who has proven himself as the more superior player.

Regardless of who wins the job, both players are expected to still play often during the season because of the many different packages in head coach Brandon Staley’s defense.

“I want to play as much as possible,” Fackrell said. “I know Uchenna and Joey are great players. It’s hard to go 100 percent playing every snap, but we will have a decent rotation. I will be looking to contribute any way I can.”

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ preseason loss to 49ers

It’s only the preseason, but many still voiced what they thought of the Chargers’ loss to the 49ers.

In the second preseason matchup of the year, the Chargers fell short to the 49ers by the score of 15-10.

Even though it was a preseason bout, Bolts and football fans alike still had their opinion on game, which they went to social media to voice.

Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted:

Everything we know about Chargers’ loss to 49ers in preseason Week 2

Recapping the Chargers’ preseason loss to the 49ers.

In a relatively low-scoring affair, the Chargers were unable to come out on top over the 49ers, losing by the score of 15-10.

To recap Sunday’s preseason matchup, here is everything we know:

It was over when….

49ers quarterback Trey Lance found wide receiver Travis Benjamin in the end zone with six minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Chargers had five opportunities after the score to take the lead again but were unable to.

Keys of the game

The two teams combined for 25 penalties.

The Chargers forced three turnovers, but only managed to capitalize off of one of them.

The offense was only 2-of-11 on third-down situations.

The offensive unit only combined for 171 yards of total offense.

3 stars of the game

QB Easton Stick: 10-of-14, 85 passing yards, one touchdown, three carries for 15 yards

EDGE Kyler Fackrell: Two tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, three quarterback hits

LB Nick Niemann: 8 total tackles, one tackle for loss

Quick-hitters

With his performance, Stick made the battle for Justin Herbert’s backup a lot more interesting. Chase Daniel, on the other hand, didn’t help his cause, only amassing 60 yards passing on 21 attempts, in addition to an interception.

Stick and Daniel were sacked five times and pressured on multiple occasions, which particularly speaks for the lack of offensive line depth, including Trey Pipkins or Storm Norton, who have not proven themselves as reliable swing tackles.

Neither Joshua Kelley or Larry Rountree III separated themselves in the battle of the backfield, as the two only combined for 21 yards on 15 carries. However, they both made some nice plays in the passing game.

The interior part of the defensive line was strong in the pass-rush department, but they weren’t as effective in the run game, as the Niners averaged four yards per carry.

Luckily for the guys in the trenches, the second line of defense was nearly always there to clean things up, including Niemann and Cole Christiansen, who combined for 15 tackles.

There wasn’t much to take away from the kicking battle, considering there was only one field goal attempt, which was executed by Michael Badgley from 50 yards out.

Speaking of special teams, the coverage wasn’t all that great. San Francisco averaged 20 yards on their kick returns and 18 yards on their punt returns.

What’s next?

The Chargers close out the preseason slate on the road against the Seahawks on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7:00 pm PT.

Chargers vs. 49ers: Takeaways from first half of preseason, Week 2

Highlighting the first half of the preseason battle between the Chargers and 49ers.

The Chargers currently lead the 49ers in the second preseason exhibition by the score of 10-8.

Here are a few quick takeaways from the first half of play:

Uneven performance for Easton Stick

Stick has the chance to show that he’s worth sticking around, but hasn’t done much. The majority of Stick’s completions were check downs to running backs Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III. Stick looked to connect with tight end Stephen Anderson a few times but the two have only linked up once. These games are vital for the evaluation of the team’s wide receivers, but there was not much to go off of aside from a 39-yard completion to wide receiver Jalen Guyton.

Right place at the right time

The Chargers posted two interceptions and while they’ve been solely off of dropped passes by the wide receivers, it speaks to head coach Brandon Staley’s ability to put his defenders in a consistently optimal position to make plays on the football.

Signing Kyler Fackrell was a great move

Up to this point, there might not be another defender that’s been as consistent as Fackrell. Looking to solidify a role this season, Fackrell has looked the team’s second-best edge defender to Joey Bosa, with his ability to generate pressure on quarterbacks and set the edge in the run game. He has three quarterback hits and a sack.

Trey Pipkins has struggled

With the opportunity to prove himself as a reliable swing tackle, Pipkins has been unable to step up to the plate. He gave up a sack last weekend and allowed another one today to 49ers EDGE Jordan Willis. In addition, Pipkins was penalized for holding Willis.

K.J. Hill has not moved the needle as a return specialist

Finding a reliable return man is at the top of Los Angeles’ priority list, and Hill has not done anything to make his case. Starting the game as the first kick and punt returner, Hill only managed to pick up 18 yards on his kick return and three yards on his punt return.

Lots of beef in the backfield

We knew that Staley’s system would benefit a lot of players by allowing for more one-on-one matchups, but the interior part of the defensive line in particular has taken advantage of it. Cortez Broughton, Christian Covington, Breiden Fehoko and Joe Gaziano have all brought the juice in the pass rush department.

Live tweet updates from Chargers vs. 49ers

Get the absolute latest updates from the Chargers and 49ers’ preseason exhibition.

Kickoff is nearly moments away, as the Bolts will host the 49ers for the second preseason matchup of 2021. You can find all the information you need to know here.

Get the latest updates from the game with our live tweets below:

Chargers 53-man roster projection ahead of 2nd preseason game

Predicting who makes the Chargers 53-man roster ahead of their second preseason game against the 49ers.

This past week, the Chargers trimmed their roster down from 90 to 85 players.

There’s a little bit of time until the team has to finalize the 53-man roster, but we have gotten a good idea of which players might have advantages after 17 practices and a preseason game.

Using the insight we learned up to this point, here’s a look at the players that I believe make the roster.

Quarterbacks (2): Justin Herbert, Chase Daniel

Misses the cut: Easton Stick, K.J. Costello

Running backs (4): Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree III

Misses the cut: Darius Bradwell

Fullbacks (1): Gabe Nabers

Misses the cut: Hunter Kampmoyer

Wide receivers (6): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson, Josh Palmer, Austin Proehl

Misses the cut: Joe Reed, K.J. Hill, Jason Moore, John Hurst

Tight ends (3): Jared Cook, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty,

Misses the cut: Stephen Anderson

Offensive linemen (9): Rashawn Slater, Matt Feiler, Corey Linsley, Oday Aboushi, Bryan Bulaga, Trey Pipkins, Brenden Jaimes, Storm Norton, Scott Quessenberry

Misses the cut: Tyree St. Louis, Nate Gilliam, Ryan Hunter, Kyle Spalding

Defensive linemen (6): Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington, Breiden Fehoko, Joe Gaziano

Misses the cut: Cortez Broughton, T.J. Smith, Forrest Merrill

Edge defender (5): Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyler Fackrell, Chris Rumph II, Emeke Egbule

Misses the cut: Jesse Lemonier

Linebackers (5): Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, Kyzir White, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga

Misses the cut: Cole Christiansen

Defensive backs (9): Michael Davis, Asante Samuel, Jr., Chris Harris, Jr., Kemon Hall, John Brannon, Derwin James, Nasir Adderley, Alohi Gilman, Mark Webb

Misses the cut: Tevaughn Campbell, Brandon Facyson, Ryan Smith

Specialists (3): Tristan Vizcaino, Ty Long, Matt Overton

Misses the cut: Michael Badgley, Cole Mazza

Chargers’ Michael Badgley gets leg up in kicking competition

Chargers kicker Michael Badgley capitalizes off of Tristan Vizcaino’s uneven performance.

After releasing Alex Kessman ahead of the mandatory roster cut deadline, the Chargers now have themselves a two-man battle for the starting kicking duties between Michael Badgley and Tristan Vizcaino.

Leading up to the preseason opener against the Rams, it appeared to be Vizcaino in the driver’s seat. But now, Badgley is giving him a run for his money.

Today at the first joint practice with the 49ers, Vizcaino had his worst outing of the summer, finishing 3-for-6, with his successful attempts being from 38, 42 and 46 yards and his misses coming from 33, 50 and 52 yards out.

Badgley, meanwhile, capitalized off of his woeful performance, making 5-of-6 field goals from the same distances that Vizcaino kicked from.

Earlier this week at practice, Vizcaino was a perfect 6-of-6 while Badgley only missed one of his six attempts.

I still believe Vizcaino is the front-runner based on overall consistency and given the fact that he was the first kicker on the field for both the kickoff and field goal of the first preseason game.

However, the roles may change this upcoming Sunday when Los Angeles takes on San Francisco.

Chargers injury updates: Chris Rumph II, Bryan Bulaga, Nasir Adderley

Checking in on the status of a few of the Chargers players.

The Chargers finished up their first of two practices with the 49ers on Thursday.

Los Angeles had the majority of their key players out on the field, but there were still a few that were non-participants.

Here’s a look at some of the notables that did not practice:

RT Bryan Bulaga (hip flexor)

S Nasir Adderley (migraine)

EDGE Chris Rumph II (heel)

OT Rashawn Slater (lower back)

WR Mike Williams (hip)

WR Joe Reed (ankle)

Head coach Brandon Staley said that Bulaga would be able to play if they were preparing for a real game.

Staley said Rumph is dealing with a little bone bruise on his heel. The injury is not considered serious, and they’re hopeful he’s able to back at practice next week.

Staley said Slater is “feeling good” and decided to play it safe by not having him practice today.

Staley said Williams is “trending positive” and the team is hopeful they will have him back soon.

While all of the updates from the non-participants appear to be positive, they’re unclear of the severity of Reed’s injury.