Tag: chargers special teams

Chargers’ Nasir Adderley named front-runner as primary kick returner

In 2020, Nasir Adderley averaged 28.9 yards per kick return.

The Chargers’ remodeled special teams department is taking shape.

According to head coach Brandon Staley, safety Nasir Adderley has the lead to serve as the team’s primary kick returner.

During the preseason, it was Justin Jackson, Larry Rountree, K.J. Hill and Adderley who were all in competition for the job.

Last season, Tyron Johnson and Joe Reed and Adderley returned kicks and it was the former second-round pick who was the most superior out of the trio.

On 11 attempts, Adderley totaled 318 yards, with an average of 28.9 yards per return.

Staley also added that Hill will be the punt returner to begin the season.

Chargers’ 53-man roster shows a strong commitment to fixing shaky special teams

After finishing with the worst special teams in 2020, the Chargers are expecting a major turnaround.

A combination of poor coverage and return skills, bone-headed penalties and  kicking woes led to the Chargers having the worst special teams in the NFL last season.

The first step to fixing the department came with the hiring of Derius Swinton II, who is entering his 14th season as a special teams coach.

While the change in the coaching staff was one thing, the players that make up the 53-man roster shows how a great of an emphasis head coach Brandon Staley and company put on the unit.

“We want to elevate the standard of performance,” Staley said. We’re looking for guys to separate and create roles for themselves. We expect them to do things a certain way.”

The first act of service was finding a starter kicker, which they did by keeping Tristan Vizcaino over Michael Badgley. Staley highlighted Vizcaino as a player who they believe has “real talent,” lauding his leg strength.

The next came when the team established one of their return specialists. Instead of keeping the talented Tyron Johnson, it was K.J. Hill who they decided to roll with as the fifth and final receiver because of his ability to return punts.

Keeping guys that they felt would make an impact on the coverage units was also strongly taken in consideration, which is why bubble players like undrafted rookie Amen Ogbongbemiga, Kemon Hall, Tevaughn Campbell and Stephen Anderson made the cut.

Like the puzzling decision to move on from Johnson, the Chargers didn’t shy away from letting notable names go that they felt didn’t bring much special teams value. That includes Brandon Facyson, who was released on Wednesday in favor of Trey Marshall and eventually Ryan Smith.

The reasoning? Staley called Marshall an “outstanding special teams player.”

Los Angeles wants to be a playoff team in 2021, but they need to see improvement in their special teams unit to make that happen. With the staff and players the team boasts, there is hope this department will be much more competent.

Updates on Chargers’ special teams position battles

Find out which kicker has the leg up and which return specialist is emerging.

Improving the special teams is one of the Chargers’ priorities ahead of the regular season after finishing as the league’s worst last year.

The team brought in a few players in hopes of aiding the department, and now they’re in the midst of position battles to solidify starting spots.

The most compelling is the competition for the starting kicker between the returner, Michael Badgley and the newcomers, Tristan Vizcaino and Alex Kessman.

The past two days at camp the team has kicked field goals, and it has been neck and neck.

Badgley made all five of his attempts — 32 yards, 36 yards, 55 yards, 49 yards and 52 yards. He did not kick on Tuesday.

Vizcaino is currently 9-for-10 — hitting from 33 yards, 41 yards, 45 yards, 49 yards and 52 yards yesterday. Today, he made his kicks from 40 yards, 44 yards, 48 yards and 51 yards and missed from 33 yards.

Kessman did not kick on Monday. On Tuesday, he went 4-for-5, hitting from 33 yards, 40 yards, 48 yards and 51 yards, with his miss coming from 44 yards.

Vizcaino appears to have the strongest leg out of the bunch.

Entering camp, the return specialist spots were wide open, but Austin Proehl appears to be moving the needle. Not only has he done well with the special teams unit, Proehl is proving himself as a pass-catching option.

Proehl, the free agent acquisition, has consistently been open, has caught nearly everything thrown his way and has found the end zone on multiple occasions.

Today at media availability, special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II named Larry Rountree III, K.J. Hill and Proehl as other options at kick returner aside from Nasir Adderley.

Projecting the Chargers’ specialist depth chart in 2021

Predicting the specialists the Chargers will roll with into the 2021 season.

Over the past month, I have been breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Offensive Line

Edge Defender

Interior Defensive Line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Safety

To round things up, I project what the special teams room will look like heading into this season.

Kicker: Alex Kessman

It doesn’t sound as intriguing as other position battles, but this will be one of the most polarizing in Chargers training camp. This will be a three-way competition between Michael Badgley, Tristan Vizcaino and Kessman. In my opinion, the undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh comes away with the job. Kessman hit a career long and school record 58-yard field goal this past season and converted 12 of 18 kicks of 50 yards or longer in his collegiate career, which is the best rate in NCAA history. It’s not an easy task to fend off two veterans, but given the new coaching staff, Kessman might have the upper hand as they could be looking to start the special teams unit from scratch.

Punter: Ty Long

Long enters camp in competition with Lachlan Edwards, who was signed earlier this offseason. Even though the special teams department needs some remodeling, Long didn’t do anything last season that should put his spot in jeopardy. Despite having three of his attempted punts blocked, Long still managed to average 47 yards per punt on the season.

Long Snapper: Ryan Langan

Like the kicker position, I project that the Chargers roll into the season with the undrafted free agent. Langan, the former Georgia State product, will be fighting for the job with the third-year Cole Mazza. Over four seasons in college, Langan was a two-time All-Sun Belt player and was a finalist for the Patrick Mannely Long Snapper of the Year Award. Mazza, on the other hand, will be entering the final year of his deal that would owe him $850k. In a stat less position, Los Angeles decides to go with the cheaper option.

Chargers rookies understanding value of special teams

The first-year players get that jobs are won based on how they do on special teams units.

First-year players enter the NFL with the expectations of seeing the field at their perspective positions early on. However, the chances of that occurring are slim. Instead, they must prove their worths on special teams.

Special teams is important because it’s a stepping stool which works to help young players get acclimated to the speed of the game, one of the biggest adjustments to coming into this league.

For the Chargers, it’s especially vital after finishing as the worst special teams unit last season. The team is optimistic that this year’s rookie class will be able to aide in that department moving forward.

“All of the rookie class, they’ve really been good at absorbing the things that we’ve been putting in,” special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II said. “I think that they can all contribute at some point.”

In particular, two players highlighted by Swinton that have grasped the concepts quickly are Chris Rumph II and Nick Niemann due to their collegiate experiences at Duke and Iowa.

An undrafted rookie who is looking to earn a spot on the 53-man roster is Amen Ogbongbemiga, who has also caught the eye of Swinton.

While the majority of the rookies may not get snaps early on, that could change at any given time based on how they perform at simply covering a kick.

Chargers undrafted rookie draws praise from special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II

The Los Angeles Chargers could have a special teams standout on their hands.

One of the areas that the Chargers will need to make sure they are equipped with this upcoming season is special teams competency after finishing as the worst unit in 2020.

Los Angeles has steadily brought in players this offseason that they’re confident will aide in that department, and one of them could be an undrafted rookie.

At Tuesday’s media availability, special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II said former Oklahoma State linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga has been a player that has stood out thus far during rookie minicamp and OTAs.

Ogbongbemiga finished as the second-leading tackler for the Cowboys in 2019 and 2020, making a combined 181 stops. Prior to working his way to the field, he was a special teams standout his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Ogbongbemiga, who amassed over 500 special teams snaps in college, would unlikely get snaps at linebacker, but his range and solid tackling ability would make him a valuable asset on coverage units from Day 1.

Bleacher Report tabs Chargers’ most important training camp battle

Special teams will go a long way to determining the Los Angeles Chargers’ success in 2021.

Strengthening the special teams department is one of the biggest priorities for the Chargers ahead of the 2021 season after finishing as the league’s worst in 2020.

Los Angeles did a fine job of adding players to aide with the coverage units, but now the team must determine who will be their starting kicker.

That is why Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes that kicker is the most important position battle in training camp.

The Los Angeles Chargers lacked a reliable kicker last year, a glaring issue that must be rectified if this team is to emerge as a contender in 2021.

L.A. can’t afford to leave points on the board again, so having a competitive camp during which a quality long-distance kicker can emerge will be a major boon.

L.A. has three kickers on the roster who will be fighting for the starting job: Michael Badgley, Tristan Vizcaino and Alex Kessman.

Badgley had one of his worst seasons yet in 2020, as he converted just 24 of 33 field goal attempts for L.A., with all nine misses coming from beyond 40 yards. His inconsistencies did not go unnoticed.

Before signing with Los Angeles, Vizciano bounced around a few different practice squads – Cowboys, Vikings and Bills. He made his NFL debut this past season for the 49ers, in which he made all three field goals.

Kessman, an undrafted rookie, hit a career long and Pittsburgh school record 58-yard field goal and converted 12 of 18 kicks of 50 yards or longer in his collegiate career in 2020, which is the best rate in NFL history.

It doesn’t sound as enticing of a position battle compared to others, but it will be vital to the Chargers’ success rate in 2021.

6 prospects Chargers could target to upgrade special teams

The Los Angeles Chargers will be looking to improve their special teams unit this offseason.

The majority of the attention is shifted to who the Chargers will draft on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, but the special teams unit is just as important, especially for a team that finished dead last in the league last season.

With that being said, let’s take a look at a few prospects that I believe general manager Tom Telesco would like to add who could benefit new special teams coordinator Derius Swinton’s group.

Avery Williams, CB, Boise State

The Chargers are already confirmed to have met with Williams. Named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year and a first-teamer for the conference in 2019, Williams amassed nine career touchdowns off returns and 1,990 career return yards. Along with his outstanding return numbers, Williams was incredible on the other side of the ball, finishing with three blocked punts, a blocked field goal, a blocked point after attempt and a forced fumble on a kickoff. Williams could make an impact both returning and in coverage.

Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma

Starting 33 out of 51 games, Brown made his impact as the Sooners’ outside cornerback. In four seasons, he posted 141 tackles, 31 passes defensed, 8.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions. On top of that, he shined as the teams’ kick returner, where he returned 55 kicks for 1,207 yards (21.9 yards per return). Despite having a shorter stature, Brown is an excellent athlete who possesses speed, explosiveness and quickness. With the Chargers, Brown could be a versatile corner who plays both inside or outside. His special teams experience would serve him well in a variety of roles whether it’s as a returner, gunner or jammer.

Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas

Rochell had 10 interceptions and 38 passes defensed over the course of his collegiate career. Standing at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, Rochell boasts elite athletic traits, having reportedly posted a 4.38 40-yard dash, 41-inch vertical, 140-inch broad jump, 3.98 short shuttle, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Rochell checks a lot of boxes: speed, ball skills, length, fluid mirroring skills, and toughness against the run. With Los Angeles, he has the versatility to play inside or out. His speed and physical traits could go a long way on special teams.

Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota

St-Juste, a transfer from Michigan to Minnesota, didn’t necessarily fill up the stat sheet. Over 18 games played between the two schools, he only logged 62 total tackles, 11 passes defensed with zero interceptions. However, the numbers don’t necessarily replicate his actual impact on the field. Hailing at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds with over an 80-inch wingspan, St-Juste uses his length and strength to his advantage to jam receivers at line of scrimmage and at the catch point to disrupt throwing lanes. With L.A., St-Juste could be a versatile defensive back who plays on the outside and some safety. His deep speed, length and strength would carry over well as a gunner or jammer.

Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina

In his Gamecock career, Smith appeared in 42 games, posting 171 receptions for 2,176 yards and 13 scores. Smith is a crafty route runner who has the speed, quickness, and yards after the catch ability. Those traits translated well as a kick returner, where he finished with 448 yards on 21 returns (21.3 YPR). With the Bolts, Smith could be a backup slot receiver. But he would make the majority of his money as a returner and in coverage.

Racey McMath, WR, LSU

LSU has done a fine job of dishing out phenomenal wide receivers that have gone on to play in the NFL. While McMath might not be on the level as some of the others, he has the ability to his presence known as a key special teamer at the next level. He completed his career with only 33 receptions for 522 yards and four touchdowns. However, he finished with a whopping 507 special teams snaps. The 6-foot-2 and 225 pounder has the rare combination of size and speed (4.40 40). His speed and toughness should allow him to contribute as a gunner or returner on special teams for Los Angeles.

Chargers in search of special teams proficiency this offseason

The Los Angeles Chargers have areas they need to address this offseason and special teams sits near the top of the list.

As the Chargers reflect what they need to accomplish this offseason, one of the things that the team needs to make sure they are confident they come away with is special teams competency.

A combination of poor coverage and return skills, bone-headed penalties, kicking woes and a coaching change led to Los Angeles having the worst special teams unit in the NFL last season and the third-worst special teams unit ever tracked by DVOA.

The first step to fixing the broken special teams department was head coach Brandon Staley hiring Derius Swinton II as the new coordinator.

Swinton has 13 years as a special teams coach under his belt. He previously served as the Cardinals’ assistant special teams coach. Swinton has worked as the 49ers’ special teams coordinator in addition to coaching with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs and Rams.

Swinton is confident that he will be able fix what went wrong with the players that were a part of the disastrous product. But the team can’t solely rely on that. Instead, they must target experienced players via free agency and the draft to give Swinton to work with.

Among the acquisitions L.A. could make is another kicker to compete with Michael Badgley. Things were looking good for Badgley at the beginning of the 2020 season, but things got shaky as the year went on. He missed a combined 12 kicks between field goals and extra points.

Another thing is establishing consistent return specialists. Joe Reed, Tyron Johnson and Nasir Adderley each received reps as the team’s kick returner while Desmond King (before he was traded) and K.J. Hill served as the punt returners, where he only averaged 6.92 yards per return.

Finding quality depth players that are physical, aggressive and most importantly, proven tacklers is also another key part of the team’s evaluation process to help upgrade their coverage unit on kick and punt returns.

Improving this department can go a long way to having a successful season in 2021 and beyond.

Report: Derius Swinton II joining Chargers as special teams coordinator

The Los Angeles Chargers hired a new special teams coordinator.

In 2020, the Chargers finished with the third-worst special teams unit ever tracked by DVOA.

To make sure that the unit is in better shape moving forward, Los Angeles is putting the trust in Derius Swinton II.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, L.A. is hiring Swinton as the team’s new special teams coordinator, marking head coach Brandon Staley’s first coordinator acquisition.

Swinton has an extensive background as a special teams coach. He previously served as the Cardinals’ assistant special teams coach. Swinton has worked as the 49ers’ special teams coordinator in addition to coaching with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs and Rams.

There’s some familiarity between Staley and Swinton, as the two were on Chicago’s staff together in 2017.

Swinton played college football at Hampton University in Virginia from 2003 to 2006, where he tallied 103 tackles, 19 passes defensed and eight interceptions.