Tag: Chargers training camp

4 Chargers who could become rising stars with strong 2020 season

The Chargers have done a fine job of grooming young stars.

The Chargers have done a fine job at adding young talent the past couple of years.

There have been some that have earned the status of stardom already like Derwin James, Austin Ekeler and Joey Bosa. But there are a few that could be among the crop with a strong 2020 season.

With a great showing in 2020, here are four Chargers who could enter the mix for that title:

WR Mike Williams

After being banged up during his rookie season in 2017, Williams has been the model of consistency since then. In 2018, the former Clemson product surpassed the 10-touchdown mark. In 2019, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. His 20.4 yards per reception ranked first in the league.

Williams has fallen in second and third tier of wide receivers, while his teammate, Keenan Allen, stacks up among the first tier by many pundits. That could quickly change with a stout campaign this upcoming season.

Some believe the change at quarterback may impact his production, but both Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert have shown to have success with the deep ball, which means there should be plenty of opportunities for the big-bodied target.

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Chargers WR Keenan Allen talks potential contract extension, impressions of Tyrod Taylor, Justin Herbert

Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen talked about the possibility of getting a contract extension before the season and the quarterbacks.

Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is entering the final year of his contract.

Allen, 28, has proven that he’s worth an extension, posting his third consecutive season with at least 90-plus receptions and 1,190 receiving yards.

At Monday’s availability, Allen was asked about the possibility of getting a deal done before the 2020 season.

“That would be nice,” Allen said. He doesn’t know if his agent and Los Angeles are engaged in contract negotiations at the moment.

Allen is among a handful of notables that are slated to become free agents after the season.

Rather than waiting until next offseason, the Chargers may elect to lock up the team’s primary threat in the passing game soon.

Allen, who said he is in the best shape of his life, will have someone different than Philip Rivers distributing the wealth to him this upcoming season.

Allen was able to get familiar with Tyrod Taylor, who joined the team last year. Taylor is now projected to be the Week 1 starter, and he Allen said the chemistry has been good.

He says Tyrod brings a new element to their game with being able to run the ball.

If Allen is retained, he will have rookie Justin Herbert throwing him the rock, hopefully for years to come. The wideout likes what he sees from Herbert thus far.

“He can throw the ball anywhere on the field,” Allen said. A lot of strength behind his arm. He obviously can run. He’s a big guy and he’s smart, too.” Herbert had a handful of impressive throws today.”

Chargers’ Chris Harris, Jr. expects to start as outside cornerback

Chargers cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. was expected to start in the slot.

The thought was that the Chargers signed Chris Harris Jr. to play in the slot. But things might have changed.

According to Orange County Register’s Gilbert Manzano, Harris said he expects to start on the outside, while also rotating on the inside.

“I’m starting on the outside for sure. I’ll do similar to what I’ve done my first eight years in Denver. I’ll do them both (inside-outside). My same thing I’ve done every year except last year,” Harris said.

If Harris is going to play on the outside, opposite of Casey Hayward, that would mean that Desmond King would keep his role as the slot cornerback.

As for Michael Davis, who was projected to be the other starting outside corner, that would mean he would likely come off the field.

Harris played on the outside last season with the Broncos. He struggled a bit  in that role, allowing 731 yards and four touchdowns as opposing quarterbacks had a 114.3 passer rating when targeting him.

Harris will likely still get playing time inside, where he’s been at his best during his professional career. But given the versatility of the members in the secondary, I expect there to be a lot of moving pieces throughout the season.

Chargers WR Jalen Guyton working with first-team offense

We might have a front-runner for the third wide receiver spot.

The battle for the third wide receiver spot is one of the most monitored training camp competitions for the Chargers.

Heading into camp, it was Andre Patton who was expected to have the leg up for the job. But in a surprising manner, Los Angeles released him.

Now that Patton is off the team, there are a few contenders for WR3. But it might be Jalen Guyton who could be leading the pack.

According to SB Nation’s Michael Peterson, Guyton was seen working with the first-team during the 11-on-11 portion of Monday’s practice.

Other wideouts in contention for the job include Jason Moore, Darius Jennings, Tyron Johnson and rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill.

The one element that Guyton has that separates himself from the pack is speed. When asked what the team is specifically looking for in terms of the evaluation process, coach Anthony Lynn highlighted “speed.”

Guyton, the 6-foot-1 and 202 pounder, ran a 4.35 40 at his college Pro Day at North Texas. He has the breakaway speed to be a threat on the outside.

It will be interesting the see the rest of the competition unfolds.

Chargers’ Melvin Ingram sidelined from practice on Friday

It will be interesting to monitor the situation between Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram and his contract status.

Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram showed up to training camp in style. But Ingram wasn’t in style on Friday, as the 31-year old was in sweats on the sideline.

After the team finished up with practice, coach Anthony Lynn was asked if Ingram was dealing with an injury as the reason why he wasn’t participating in practice.

“Melvin’s going to be fine,” explained Lynn. “He’s all in. He is in every meeting, and he’s out there coaching and helping the young guys.”

Lynn followed that up with an interesting remark, stating “I mean, just company business.”

Ingram is entering the final year of his four-year deal that he signed back in 2017. He saw his teammate, Joey Bosa, earn a monstrous contract extension, and he is likely desiring one, too.

Ingram’s status will be an interesting storyline to follow. Here’s to hoping that a holdout doesn’t stir up.

Chargers’ Sam Tevi ‘in driver seat’ to start at left tackle

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn covets the experience of Sam Tevi.

The battle for the starting left tackle spot is one of the most compelling position competitions for the Chargers this training camp.

After Los Angeles split ways with Russell Okung, the team chose to not find his replacement this offseason.

Instead, they decided to roll with their in-house options, leaving a competition between Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton and Trent Scott.

At the moment, Tevi appears to be the player with the leg up.

According to head coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position.

Tevi, the sixth-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, started at right tackle the past couple of seasons. But he also has a game at left tackle under his belt, which came back during his rookie season.

“Sam’s been in the system,” Lynn said. “He’s played both sides for us. He’s played more.”

Tevi’s competition, Pipkins – the team’s third-round pick of last year’s draft – has been pegged as the projected starter by some. But Lynn prefers the experience of Tevi.

Pipkins started three games at left tackle in 2019 while Okung missed some live game action. While the former Division II product may have been thrown into the fire a bit early, Lynn still likes what he saw from a small sample size.

“When Trey came in last year, I didn’t think it was too big for him,” explained Lynn. “I liked the look he had in the Oakland game. I thought he held his own. So, I am expecting Trey to compete as well.”

Another player who was thought to be in the competition for the starting left tackle spot was Forrest Lamp. Lamp played tackle in college, but he made the transition to guard since arriving to the NFL. The only issue is that he has struggled to stay healthy.

Based on Lynn’s remarks, he isn’t ready to throw him into the mix.

“We gotta make sure Forrest can compete at one spot before we start trying to teach him two spots,” Lynn said. “I know he played left tackle in college (at Western Kentucky), but that’s college. (It is) a little different game up here. I’m not saying that he can’t do it, but I like Forrest inside before he got hurt a few years ago. No doubt, he can be a starting guard in this league.”

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Tevi enter Week 1 as the starting left tackle. But it will be interesting to witness how the competition unfolds throughout the remainder of training camp.

Chargers FB Gabe Nabers making early impression in training camp

The fullback position is up for grabs.

A position for the Chargers that is up for grabs is the starting fullback spot after Derek Watt signed with the Steelers earlier this offseason.

Los Angeles brought in two undrafted free agents to compete for the job, and there is one that’s already stealing the spotlight as the team is in the midst of training camp.

Former Florida State product Gabe Nabers has made a positive early impression on coach Anthony Lynn.

“He is an H-back, fullback out of Florida State, and he looks really impressive,” said Lynn. If you are walking out of the door and picking teams, you pick Gabe. He looks pretty good.”

Nabers is a bit of a jack of all trades, having experience at both fullback and tight end. He blocks well, runs solid routes and has good hands – the versatility needed to do more. He finished his collegiate career with 19 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

His competition, Bobby Holly, blocks extremely well, but he doesn’t offer the same kind of athletic skillset that Nabers does.

In this league nowadays, there’s more to the fullback name now than there used to be.

Rather than being stuck in the backfield all the time, fullbacks are now motioned wide, where they can run routes as a slot, hybrid type of player, as well as their normal responsibilities of sitting back in the backfield, leading the way for running backs and picking up blitzes.

It’s a good indicator for a player that’s vying for a roster spot when they get high praise from their head coach. It’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the competition unfolds.

Chargers’ undrafted free agent who could turn heads at training camp

The Los Angeles Chargers could add more depth along the defensive line.

The Chargers have had a great amount of success when it comes to bringing in hidden gems that went undrafted in the past, including safety Adrian Phillips, tight end Antonio Gates and running back Austin Ekeler, among others.

Who could be the undrafted rookie that steals the show this year? Recently, Bleacher Report’s Chris Roling revealed his top UDFAs that will turn heads in training camp. According to Roling, former Northwestern defensive end Joe Gaziano is going to be the one who will impress.

Roling wrote:

Sometimes an undrafted player’s productivity is just too hard to ignore, and that’s the case with new Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Joe Gaziano.

He spent his college days at Northwestern in the Big Ten and put up 152 total tackles over four seasons, 49 of them for a loss, and posted a superb 30 sacks over the same span.

Which isn’t to say Gaziano will get himself in the lineup next to Joey Bosa in the near future. But he’s got the sort of versatility and motor that will help his efforts stand out, enabling him to stick around in a reserve role for what could be a long time.

In a league where pressuring the quarterback is crucial, you can’t have too many pass-rushers. The Chargers have a dynamic duo with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, but the team can afford to have some ammo behind them.

At 6-foot-4 and 281 pounds, Gaziano is the type of player that Los Angeles would covet – a productive and hard-nosed player who constantly makes his presence known at rushing the passer and defending the run.

Gaziano also has some alignment versatility, possessing the profile to work inside, too. In 52 games at Northwestern, he recorded 153 tackles, including 48.5 tackles for loss, 30 sacks (school leader), 15 passes defensed and eight forced fumbles.

Bleacher Report sets record prediction for Chargers in 2020

Will the Los Angeles Chargers have another underwhelming season?

As training camp is about to get underway, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox made his record predictions for all 32 teams in the NFL for the upcoming season.

For the Chargers, Knox believes they will win one more game than in 2019, finishing 2020 with a 6-10 record.

Here is a look at his reasoning as to why he believes Los Angeles will have another underwhelming year:

The Chargers need to figure out their goals for the 2020 season. If they’re eager to return to the playoffs after a 5-11 record in 2019, they may want to roll with journeyman quarterback Tyrod Taylor. If they’re hoping to develop rookie first-rounder Justin Herbert, the Oregon product will likely see the field sooner than later.

“We drafted him high to one day be our franchise quarterback, for sure,” head coach Anthony Lynn said, per Kevin Flaherty of 247Sports.com. “But I don’t want to put a timetable on this young man.”

While the Chargers may start out looking to chase a playoff berth, they may decide midway through the season that playing for the future is the right course of action.

Los Angeles has three tough games against the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers within the first five weeks of the season, and a rocky start is entirely possible. In a division with the Chiefs and improved Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos squads, the Chargers could find it tough to dramatically improve on their 2019 record.

I believe Los Angeles is capable of finishing 9-7 this season. My complete game-by-game predictions can be found here.

Quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert might not necessarily perform at a Pro Bowl level. But no matter how the quarterback play shakes up, the schematic changes on both sides of the ball and talent on the roster should be able elevate their success rate.

The biggest determining factor to their success will be the health of the team. The Chargers have shown that they can compete with any team in the league, but when the injuries to their key players start to stack up – just like last year – it will belittle them immensely.

What Chargers’ Anthony Lynn said at training camp media availability

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn talks about the quarterback competition, who has the advantage in the fullback position battle and more.

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn spoke to the media on Wednesday, as the team is now in the midst of training camp.

By no surprise, the first topic that was brought up was about the quarterback battle between Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert.

Lynn said that Taylor is still the front-runner to win the job, but Herbert still has a chance. Like I’ve said before, I believe Taylor will be and remain the starter unless he gets hurt or is not helping the team win games.

Taylor will have big shoes to fill, replacing Philip Rivers – who was the Bolts’ starter for the past 14 seasons. Lynn believes Taylor is capable of leading the locker room, citing him as “one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the game.”

“Tyrod, he’s a man who doesn’t say a whole lot but people respect the heck out of him,” Lynn said. He leads by example. I think that’s very powerful.”

Taylor brings an athletic element to the quarterback position. Even though he can win with his legs, many have questioned his ability as a passer. One of areas that needs improvement is his anticipation.

“There are some things I want to see him improve on. He knows that. We’ve never had an offseason together.”

Lynn highlighted his deep ball. “It’s the touch that the has. He can throw guys open. Accuracy down the field. I noticed when I had him he’s better than most. That hasn’t changed.”

Another position battle going down is for the starting fullback after Derek Watt was signed by the Steelers. Undrafted free agent Gabe Nabers is stealing the spotlight at the moment.

“Gabe, he looks really impressive. If you’re picking teams, you pick Gabe. He looks pretty good.”

Center Mike Pouncey was brought up, and Lynn said that he is looking real good. Pouncey was cleared for football activities after suffering a neck injury during the 2019 season.

On the other side of the ball, Lynn talked about the defensive line – particularly defensive tackles Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery.

Tillery, the former first-round pick, is coming off of an underwhelming rookie season. Lynn addressed his expectations going into Year 2.

“I want to see him continue to get better. He came in as a rookie with a lot to learn. He’s a big man with a lot of lean. Something we haven’t had inside.”

Tillery primarily played inside as a three-technique, but he has the size and athleticism to move outside, too.

Lynn said Tillery can play all four spots on the defensive line, including both end spots. But he wants him to get comfortable at three-tech before moving him around.

Jones, the Chargers’ third-round pick in 2018, made a huge leap from Year 1 to Year 2 after using the offseason to shed weight and become more quicker and agile. Jones was arguably one of the team’s best interior defenders.

The former North Carolina State product finished the season with 30 tackles, six quarterback pressures, two tackles for loss, one pass deflected and a forced fumble.

Lynn expects a breakout season for Jones in 2020.

How the team is going and will continue to go about training camp amid coronavirus pandemic was addressed.

Lynn said the Chargers won’t have any full-go scrimmages, but they will have some live practices where defenders wrap up and don’t bring the ball carrier to the ground.

Lynn said he’s considering having a team scrimmage at SoFi Stadium. It remains to be seen if fans will be allowed in during the regular season.