Tag: Chargers training camp

Chargers’ Derwin James leaves practice with hamstring injury

This would mark the Pro Bowler’s second consecutive severe injury.

The Chargers present one of the top secondaries heading into the 2020, but they could be without one of their key pieces.

Safety Derwin James left practice on Sunday after suffering a hamstring injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

James came up limping after a play during Los Angeles’ scrimmage, and threw one of his gloves in frustration, according to Sports Illustrated’s Fernando Ramirez.

He stayed in the tent the remainder of the practice, and the severity of the injury remains to be seen.

If he’s out for quite a bit of time, this would mark his second consecutive injury. James suffered a stress fracture in his foot in 2019, limiting him to just five games.

If James is to miss some action, the Chargers could move Rayshawn Jenkins to strong safety while Nasir Adderley plays free safety. Or, the team could roll with rookie Alohi Gilman.

L.A. is already expected to start the season without wide receiver Mike Williams.

We will continue to update as more information rolls out.

Who has the advantage at every key position battle for Chargers?

The position battles are heating up at Chargers training camp.

Training camp is nearing an end for the Chargers as the team just 15 days until the regular season opener against the Bengals.

With only a few practices left, players are working hard to solidify one of the starting spots or simply a spot on the roster.

After two weeks has gone by, let’s take a look and see who has the advantage at every positional battle thus far.

Quarterback

Advantage: Tyrod Taylor

This should come as no surprise. Despite coach Anthony Lynn saying that there would be a quarterback competition between Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, Taylor was always going to be the starter. The coronavirus pandemic did Herbert no favors, as the first-round pick didn’t have a full spring of practices to work with his teammates. Now, he’s playing catch up. Taylor has developed a great chemistry with his skill players. It will be the 30-year old’s job to lose. If he plays well this season, he will remain the starter. If he fails to win games, the team will likely be forced to throw Herbert into the fire.

Starting left tackle

Advantage: Sam Tevi

The Chargers had the opportunity to fill the void left by Russell Okung this offseason, but chose to roll with their in-house options. According to coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position. Tevi’s experience in the starting role gets the nod. He has been praised by the coaching all camp, highlighting his athleticism and quick feet. Meanwhile, second-year Trey Pipkins was thought to be the projected starter entering camp, but he has been playing with the second-team for the most part.

RB2

Advantage: Joshua Kelley

The Chargers are planning to run the ball more as the team transitions from a pass-heavy offense. Austin Ekeler is slated to be the first running back, but the team plans to use his versatility as a pass-catcher, which is why they need to figure out who is capable of getting a bulk of the carries throughout the season. Kelley, the fourth-round pick, has broken off several long runs against the first team defense, and has shown enough as a runner and a receiver to be a threat in the backfield. Justin Jackson has ran the ball well in practices, but the rookie has strung together more of an eyebrow-raising camp. As Kelley gets more accustomed to the playbook, he could make a significant impact.

Wide receiver

Advantage: Push

The Chargers originally entered training camp with a competition for the third wide receiver spot, but Mike Williams’ injury opened up another spot. Jalen Guyton was the front-runner for WR3, but Tyron Johnson and Darius Jennings have pushed him in practices. Jason Moore is a candidate to replace Williams in the time being due to his 6-foot-3 frame. He started to receive first-team snaps this past week. Rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill have been performing at a high level, too. Reed has seen first-team reps as a running back and been impressive in the role. He is a candidate for the speed role on the outside. Meanwhile, Hill has consistently been making enough plays to warrant playing time. Los Angeles could consider a starting trio with Keenan Allen and Reed on the outside, while Hill plays in the slot. Either way, they need to figure out how they’re going to go about the group.

TE3

Advantage: Stephen Anderson

Hunter Henry is the starter and Virgil Green is the backup because of his ability as a run-blocker. Anderson, who was picked up last season and primarily served as a practice squad player, has raised some eyebrows as a pass-catcher, showing some chemistry with rookie Justin Herbert. Meanwhile, former XFL star, Donald Parham, has also stood out in the passing game. But Anderson earned some reps with the first team on special teams this past week, which gives him the slight advantage. This will be a tough decision for the coaching staff.

Linebacker

Advantage: Kenneth Murray & Drue Tranquill

The future is now. The Chargers made it clear that they envisioned a starting linebacker duo with Tranquill and Murray after the team traded up for the former Oklahoma product in this year’s draft. Tranquill has been working as the starting weakside linebacker (WILL), while Murray surpassed Perryman as the starting middle linebacker (MIKE) this past week in practice after returning joining the team after he sat out the first week due to a hamstring injury. This may suggest that Perryman will serve as a depth piece after being a starter the past few years. He will be a free agent after this season.

Dimebacker

Advantage: Push

A key role on defense is the dimebacker role, which is a hybrid between a safety and a linebacker, formerly played by Adrian Phillips. Nasir Adderley, the second-year player, who was hurt the majority of his rookie season, has been making plays all over the field. The team is eager to get him on the field, whether it’s there or at free safety, which could then force Rayshawn Jenkins moving from free safety to dime backer at times. Desmond King is also a candidate for the job. King has look solid in coverage, against the run and as a pass-rusher. There’s a possibility of King sliding into the slot at times, but it may be difficult as Chris Harris Jr. has been playing in the slot, while Casey Hayward and Michael Davis have been on the outside with the first-team. I expect Gus Bradley to move his defensive backs all over the place early in the season to decide what’s his best secondary rotations. Rookie Alohi Gilman has also looked good in practices.

Chargers cancel scrimmage in response to Jacob Blake shooting

The Chargers are among the NFL teams not practicing Thursday in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.

The Los Angeles Chargers joined a handful of NFL teams not practicing Thursday in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.

The Chargers were expected to hold a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium before coach Anthony Lynn announced that they were going to cancel today’s practice after holding an hour long meeting with the team.

Lynn said the team is “committed to winning a championship and also fighting for social justice.”

While Lynn was speaking players of the team walked up to stand behind him.

A handful of other players, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor, defensive tackle Damion Square, running back Justin Jackson and punter Ty Long, then, put on a headset to express their thoughts to the nation.

Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times by police Sunday. Blake was shot as he attempted to enter the driver’s side door of his vehicle with three of his children inside. Video of the shooting was distributed on social media, sparking more protests and causing more athletes to speak out or take action.

Justin Herbert receives advice from former Chargers quarterback

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert looks to lead the team to many years of success.

Expectations are set high for Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert as he looks to become the long-term answer at the position after the team had the luxury of Philip Rivers under center the past 14 seasons.

As Herbert makes the leap from the collegiate to the professional level, he sought out advice to help make the most of his career from someone who has played in the NFL.

That person is former Oregon and Chargers QB, Kellen Clemens.

“One of the guys that I actually ended up talking with was Kellen Clemens who played here a couple years ago,” Herbert said. “He’s one of those Oregon guys that has been so helpful and is a mentor of mine and I’ve really looked up to him. He had some great things to offer, a bunch of advice to give, so it was really good to speak with him.”

Clemens played backup to Rivers for four seasons. So what did Clemens tell Herbert?

“He told me your career is never going to be always uphill,” Herbert reflected. “There are going to be ups and downs and at the end of the day, you need to get better. You’re going to make mistakes along the way. It’s not about how high it gets or how low it gets. It’s always about climbing back up and doing better the next day, and never letting your past mistakes affect your future. So he really helped me with that.”

Through two weeks of training camp, Herbert has had some highlight moments, while also experiencing some growing pains.

When it’s the 22-year old’s turn to take the reins, he will have a specific mentality.

“Being a good quarterback does not come down to every single little play,” Herbert said. “It’s much bigger than that. It’s always about putting your team in a position to win. You might throw an incompletion, you might throw an interception, but it’s always about coming back on the next one and putting your team back in a position and making up for it and never getting down on a bad play or negative play. But it’s always about limiting those and refocusing.”

Chargers’ Kenneth Murray focused on one spot at linebacker position

The Chargers see Kenneth Murray as the long-term answer at middle linebacker.

The Chargers traded up and selected linebacker Kenneth Murray in the first-round of this year’s draft with the hopes of him adding dynamic element to the position.

Originally, the thought was that Murray was going to overtake the WILL (weakside linebacker) spot that was played by Thomas Davis last season. But it appears that the team wants him to hone in on learning the MIKE (middle linebacker) spot before the team can move him around more.

The MIKE role has been held by Denzel Perryman for the past few years. But second-year Drue Tranquill played there in his rookie season, as well, where he excelled.

Los Angeles knows that they need to have Tranquill on the field as much as possible, which is why his primary position has been at WILL thus far at camp, and it appears that he will be the permanent starter.

Meanwhile, Murray and Perryman have been competing in training camp for the starting MIKE role.

Perryman worked with the first-team while Murray dealt with some soreness that kept him out during the first week of practices.

But Murray has been back in team drills the past two days, and during walkthrough 11-on-11s on Tuesday, Murray replaced Perryman as the MIKE linebacker with the starting defense, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

The team still covets Perryman for his ability against the run, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he enters Week 1 as the starting middle linebacker. But if Murray catches on quickly, he could overtake his job, especially because he has more of a complete skillset than Perryman does.

Looking towards the future, Murray and Tranquill are the future at the linebacker position. This could mark Perryman’s last year with the team, knowing he is slated to become a free agent after 2020.

Chargers WR Mike Williams ‘out for a while’ with shoulder injury

Someone will have to step in for the injured Mike Williams.

Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams was listed as week-to-week on Monday after hurting his shoulder at practice the day before.

But Williams’ absence could be a bit longer than anticipated.

On Tuesday, coach Anthony Lynn said Williams will be “out for a while,” adding that he’s not certain if he will be ready for Week 1 against the Bengals.

With Williams out, someone will have to step up. Lynn says he likes the competition between the young wide receivers who are having to fill in with Williams sidelined indefinitely.

Jaylen Guyton, Darius Jennings, Jason Moore, Tyron Johnson and rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill will have opportunities to prove they can step in for the absent Williams during the last couple weeks of practices.

Chargers WR Joe Reed, K.J. Hill’s return abilities praised

Joe Reed and K.J. Hill could be the solution to the Los Angeles Chargers’ special teams woes.

The Chargers drafted Joe Reed and K.J. Hill to add more pieces to the wide receiver room. But the team is hopeful that the two can help a special teams unit that has been underwhelming for consecutive seasons now.

Special teams coordinator George Stewart had high praise for Reed, the fifth-round pick, hoping that he could be a great kick returner for the Bolts down the road.

Stewart said Reed is a strong returner with great vision, along with highlighting his size. “My goodness he’s a big return man,” Stewart said.

Reed holds school records at Virginia for career kick return yardage (3,042) and kick return touchdowns (five). Last season, he was named an All-American kick returner.

Along with his role at wide receiver and on special teams, Reed also started working with the running backs on Monday.

The Chargers will be moving Reed all over the offensive formation.

Meanwhile, Hill, the team’s seventh-round pick, is looking to earn some playing time in the slot. But he could also find his way as the main punt returner.

“His smarts and his initial quickness. He’s fast enough to be very, very productive in our league, but the thing is he’s a strong runner, he’s very intelligent and he’s very quick,” Stewart said.

Hill had experience as a punt returner at Ohio State. He finished his collegiate career as the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in catches (201), breaking David Boston’s 21-year old record.

Reed and Hill will be battling for the return jobs with Darius Jennings – who was signed this offseason – cornerback Desmond King and Tyron Johnson.

Former XFL stars making cases for Chargers’ 53-man roster

Storm Norton and Donald Parham have a good shot of making the Los Angeles Chargers’ 53-man roster.

The XFL drew the attention of the Chargers this past spring, as the team signed two former players from the league – tight end Donald Parham and offensive tackle Storm Norton.

Eager to make the 53-man roster, Parham and Norton helped themselves with solid showings at the first week of practice.

Norton, the 6-foot-8 and 306 pounder, primarily played right tackle for the second team, but earned some reps with the first-team at right tackle while Bryan Bulaga had a day off.

“He stacks some bricks. He’s showing consistency here,” coach Anthony Lynn said about Norton.

With the Los Angeles Wildcats, Norton was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded XFL offensive lineman.

Meanwhile, Parham, the towering tight end, is fighting for the third tight-end spot with Stephen Anderson. He shined in the passing game and run-blocking department.

Entering training camp, Parham was thought to bring mismatch and catching ability, while his blocking deficiencies would show due to his lanky frame and lack of lower body strength. But he has done well in this area.

“Donald is a much better blocker than I thought he was gonna be,” Lynn said.

Hunter Henry also had high praise for Parham.

“He’s got a lot of talent. He’s a big kid. Can move very well too for how big he is. I’m excited for him. He’s definitely made some plays out there already,” Henry said.

With the Dallas Renegades, Parham caught 24 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in five games.

Chargers NT Linval Joseph drawing praise at training camp

The 11-year veteran’s presence will be huge in the trenches for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers had a void to fill after splitting ways with veteran nose tackle Brandon Mebane this offseason.

To do so, Los Angeles signed two-time Pro Bowl selection Linval Joseph to a two-year deal back in March.

Joseph, the 6-foot-4 and 329 pounder, has stood out to his new teammates for his gigantic size at training camp.

Joseph, who’s been walking interior offensive linemen back with ease in practices, was called “probably the strongest human I’ve ever came across” by defensive end Joey Bosa.

Joseph is coveted for his ability to draw double teams due to his size and strength. That will make life easier for those on the edge, including Bosa and Melvin Ingram, as it allows more one-on-one matchups.

“He’s gonna occupy one or maybe two every single time he’s in there. He should demand a double team or he’s just gonna be walking people back,” Bosa said.

Other lines that Joseph has been referred to by his teammates include “a mobile home,” “a walking refrigerator,” and “a running Coke machine.”

Joseph’s presence will be huge in the trenches, as he looks to make an impact both as a pass-rusher and run defender.

In 2019, Joseph tallied 44 tackles (26 solos), six tackles for loss, and three sacks. He also earned a grade of 71.2 from Pro Football Focus, marking the eighth straight season he’s received a grade above 70.

Report: Chargers WR Mike Williams week-to-week with shoulder sprain

The third-year wideout could possibly miss the season opener.

Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams is considered week-to-week after suffering a shoulder sprain at practice on Sunday, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Williams was attempting to bring in a diving pass down the field, but he was unable to reel it in. He ended up falling on his right arm hard, which resulted in him having to leave practice early to get it checked out.

Rapoport added that his collarbone is currently intact. Per Orange County Register’s Gilbert Manzano, Williams was on the field watching practice on Monday.

With Los Angeles’ season opener against the Bengals in less than three weeks, Williams’ availability for the game is currently up in the air.

If the third-year player is unable to go in Week 1, it could lead to more opportunities for Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson and rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill.