Tag: Chris Rumph II

Injury updates on Chargers’ Mike Williams, Chris Rumph II

Brandon Staley provided an update on Mike Williams and Chris Rumph on Monday.

The Chargers were hit with a few injuries during the Week 7 loss to the Seahawks.

The most notable was cornerback J.C. Jackson, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, and as a result, will miss the remainder of the season.

But Jackson wasn’t the only player who sustained an injury throughout the game.

Wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a high ankle sprain and will miss “weeks, not days,” according to Brandon Staley. Staley did not put a specific timeframe on Williams’ return.

Edge defender Chris Rumph II also got hurt late in the game and was diagnosed with an MCL sprain. As a result, Rumph will be out for weeks.

The Chargers are on a bye week this Sunday, allowing players who are banged up to heal. The injury bug has bit Los Angeles hard this season, so that time should be valuable.

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…

8 takeaways from Chargers’ preseason loss to Rams

Highlighting important storylines in the Chargers’ loss to the Rams in the preseason opener.

The Chargers’ first preseason game is officially in the books, as they fell to the Rams on Saturday night.

While most starters sat, this contest was about the players vying for some of the starting spots open and a spot on the 53-man roster.

There was plenty to take away from So-Fi Stadium, and with that, let’s dive into some things that stood out from the Bolts’ 29-22 loss to the Rams.

11 Chargers players who have stood out from first 11 days of training camp

Highlighting the Chargers players who have shined at training camp up to this point.

Now eleven practices in, the Chargers will begin to ramp things up even further when preseason play begins this weekend against the Rams.

As we approach the first of three games, now is a good time to highlight the players who have shined at training camp up to this point.

Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa acknowledges Chris Rumph’s offseason growth

Expect big things from Chargers EDGE Chris Rumph II in his second season.

Chargers edge defender Chris Rumph II flashed in his limited opportunities in his rookie season.

Rumph, the 2021 fourth-round pick, played 176 snaps, which he turned into 19 tackles, four quarterback pressures, two hits, and one sack.

Rumph showed off athleticism, lateral quickness, effort and range. However, his lean frame and lack of play strength led to him being engulfed at the point of attack by blockers far more often than not.

That is why Rumph prioritized the weight room and his nutrition to get bigger and stronger this offseason.

“He’s not a string bean anymore, he’s an asparagus stalk now,” Joey Bosa said on Rumph. “He’s gained some size and some strength. I think he’s going to be a big part of our defense and we’re going to need him.”

Entering the league, Rumph was 235 pounds, but on the team’s website, he’s now listed as 244 pounds.

In Year 2, Rumph will serve as a rotational piece behind Bosa and Khalil Mack while continuing to make the majority of his money on special teams.

With the additional weight and strength, the various pressure packages, and his athletic skillset, expect an uptick in production from Rumph.

Chargers’ Kenneth Murray runs into opportunity vs. Texans

Kenneth Murray will start opposite Uchenna Nwosu against the Texans.

The Chargers edge defender group will be short-handed against the Texans this weekend, as Joey Bosa and Chris Rumph II will be out with COVID-19.

Therefore, Kenneth Murray was deemed the starter opposite Uchenna Nwosu this Sunday. With extended playing time in sight, Murray will have the opportunity to show his worth.

Up to this point, the position change from linebacker to pass rusher has not been all sunshine and rainbows for Murray.

Since Week 10, he has accrued just two quarterback pressures and hurries, with the most recent production coming against the Giants when he played a season-high amount of snaps (25).

Murray’s struggles have been a combination of limitations in his counters and strength, lacking a plan of attack when rushing and simply running too wide of the arc.

However, there have been some glimpses of someone who can make an impact in the backfield, as seen in this play below.

The bottom line is that while being down Bosa and Rumph is not ideal, the extended playing time for Murray, who is still new at the position, should be beneficial.

Plus, it helps to have a favorable matchup, facing a Texans offensive line that has allowed the seventh-most sacks this season (37).

Brandon Staley talks Chargers’ game plan without Joey Bosa vs. Texans

The Chargers will be without their star pass rusher this weekend against the Texans.

The Chargers will be without one of their star defenders when they take on the Texans this Sunday, as Joey Bosa was ruled out with COVID-19.

This season, Bosa has been on a tear with 62 pressures, 44 hurries, 27 run stops, and nine sacks.

At Monday’s media availability, Brandon Staley was asked how the team is planning on adjusting without Bosa.

“It’s going to be a team operation. You’re going to be borrowing from a couple of places,” Staley said. “You’re just going to have to have a lot of hybrid-type groupings available.

It’s going to be all hands on deck. That’s what the NFL is showing right now, that you need to have depth this time of year, and you have to be able to figure it out. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

This wouldn’t mark the first time without Bosa this season. Three weeks ago, in the victory over the Bengals, the Bolts dominated upfront, minimizing opportunities on the ground while generating consistent pressure.

Uchenna Nwosu, who stepped up big time that game with seven pressures and two sacks, will be tasked with being the group’s engineer.

The starter opposite Nwosu remains to be seen, considering rookie Chris Rumph II is also on the COVID-19 list.

If Rumph is inactive, the Chargers will likely start Kenneth Murray. Murray has struggled since making the position switch from linebacker to edge defender.

Another option is Emeke Egbule, who has appeared in two games this season.

Los Angeles has also succeeded in getting to opposing quarterbacks by utilizing blitz/pressure packages with linebackers and defensive backs and twists/stunts, no matter the personnel.

Nonetheless, while the Bolts’ edge defender group may be thin this weekend, they have a favorable matchup, facing a Texans offensive line that has allowed the seventh-most sacks this season (37).

Chargers EDGE Kyler Fackrell undergoes procedure on knee, will miss Week 14 vs. Giants

Chargers edge defender Kyler Fackrell will miss this Sunday’s contest against the Giants.

Chargers edge defender Kyler Fackrell had to undergo a procedure on his knee to clean some stuff up. As a result, he will miss this weekend’s game against the Giants.

At Wednesday’s media availability, head coach Brandon Staley said he is hoping that it isn’t season-ending, and whether or not Fackrell is sent to the injured reserve is up in the air.

Signed this offseason, Fackrell has appeared in 12 games, logging 15 tackles, eight pressures, four quarterback hits, and two tackles for loss.

With Fackrell out at least this weekend, rookie Chris Rumph II should see an uptick in defensive snaps, and Los Angeles could look to promote from within the practice squad with someone like Emeke Egbule.

Chargers EDGE Uchenna Nwosu coming into his own

Chargers edge defender Uchenna Nwosu is coming off the best performance of his career.

Uchenna Nwosu spent the first three seasons with the Chargers in a rotational role behind Melvin Ingram.

Despite averaging just 35% of defensive snaps in 45 games, Nwosu still managed to make the most of his playing time – totaling ten sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback pressures, and 44 hurries.

Entering his fourth season, there were high expectations for Nwosu as the starter opposite Joey Bosa, knowing what Brandon Staley could possibly do with him when factoring in the breakout year of Leonard Floyd he contributed to a season ago.

While he showed flashes, Nwosu did not do anything to raise eyebrows. However, that was until the Week 13 win over the Bengals when the defense posted a season-high six sacks and four turnovers.

With Bosa sidelined with a head injury early on, Nwosu stole the spotlight. He finished with seven pressures, two sacks, a strip-sack which he recovered, and two quarterback hits.

Through 12 games, Nwosu has already topped his pressures (25), hurries (11), and is a sack away from his career-high in a single season (5).

Like Kyzir White, Nwosu is auditioning for a new deal. However, his play as of late is justifying that he’s worthy of garnering an extension, and now he will have to maintain that consistency the rest of the way out for it to come to fruition.

“I was talking to Brandon [Staley] back in OTAs, and he was telling me, ‘You can play in this system. You can do it. I believe in you.’ It’s all starting to come to fruition. I’m starting to trust the process more now, getting into a rhythm. Hopefully, we can keep this thing going,” Nwosu said.

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.