Tag: Damion Square

6 Chargers who could be key reserves in 2020

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists six players who could be key reserves in the upcoming season.

The Chargers have one of the most talented rosters from top to bottom, which will make it quite difficult for some players to see the field as frequently.

With that being said, here are six Chargers players who could be key reserves this upcoming season:

LB Uchenna Nwosu

Since entering the league in 2018, Nwosu has primarily backed up Melvin Ingram at LEO, getting snaps when Ingram would come off the field, which has not been very often. However, the former USC product has made his presence known on a consistent basis in the limited capacity. In two seasons, Nwosu has totaled 59 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Even though the 23-year old has only played a role as a rotational pass-rusher, his impact has gone a long way towards the team’s defensive success. Heading into the new year, Nwosu isn’t expected to have an expanded role due to the presence of Ingram and Joey Bosa, but if one were to go down, he could be counted on as the next man up.

DE Isaac Rochell

Another key piece to the Chargers’ dominant defensive line that may go unnoticed is Rochell, the team’s seventh-round selection from the 2017 NFL Draft. Rochell has served as Joey Bosa’s backup, which is why he rarely gets playing time. But he has made the most of his limited opportunities, posting 45 tackles, nine tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits and seven sacks within the past three seasons, with the majority of those coming in 2018, which is when he saw an uptick in snaps after Bosa missed some time due to an injury. Rochell has proven himself as a viable pass-rusher and run defender. In 2020, he will have the same role, but will see the field more should either Bosa or Ingram go down with an injury.

DT Damion Square

Square was re-signed last week, and for a very good reason. The 31-year old nose tackle has been a valuable rotational piece in the middle of the defensive line. In 2019, Square recorded 27 tackles (15 solo), a tackle for loss and two passes defended. Whether it’s rushing the passer or stopping the run, Square has almost aways been a part of the action. In six seasons with the Chargers, Square has posted 96 tackles, 15 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss and eight passes defensed. The former Alabama product will backup newly acquired Linval Joseph, but his playing time will increase if an injury occurred.

FS Nasir Adderley

Had Adderley not been injured during his rookie season, there’s a good chance that he could’ve been the starting free safety. But the coaching staff’s trust in Rayshawn Jenkins in that role likely indicates that it’ll be difficult for him to win the job this season. However, with the defense expected to show more two-deep safety looks and there being a hole at the dimebacker position, Adderley could see the field in Year 2. Should Adderley stay healthy and carve out a spot, the former Delaware product supplies the backend of the defense with another talented player, one of whom has the range, speed, tackling ability and ball skills to consistently make plays.

OL Scott Quessenberry

The offensive line wasn’t particularly a bright spot for due to injuries that occurred throughout the 2019 season. But when one man (Mike Pouncey) went down, another stepped up. Quessenberry made an impact early on that many may have not been expecting from him when handing him the starting duties. But you could tell that he benefited from learning from a four-time Pro Bowler. The former UCLA product was consistent in pass protection and in the run blocking department. If Pouncey experiences another injury or if one of the guards goes down this upcoming season, Quessenberry supplies the unit with a solid player that can be counted on at any of the interior slots.

WR K.J. Hill

The Chargers had no desire to pick a wide receiver in the seventh-round of the draft, according to general manager Tom Telesco. But when they saw Ohio State’s reception leader still on the board, they couldn’t pass up on him. Hill joins a talented wide receiver room, which features Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. He will be in contention for the No. 3 job with Andre Patton, Jason Moore, Darius Jennings and Joe Reed. I believe Hill could win the spot, but the coaching staff may bank on the experience with Patton at first. However, the route-running savvy and great hands of Hill should eventually enable him to carve up a role. If Allen was to go down with an injury, Hill would be the front runner to fill his shoes as the starting slot wideout.

Chargers re-sign DT Damion Square

The Los Angeles Chargers are bringing back a familiar face.

The Chargers re-signed defensive tackle Damion Square on Monday, per his official Instagram account.

After choosing not to draft a nose tackle, the depth at the position behind Linval Joseph was nearly nonexistent. Square proved his worth with the Bolts to garner another contract.

Square has been a valuable rotational piece along the defensive line, playing at least 300 defensive snaps for four consecutive seasons.

In 2019, Square recorded 27 tackles (15 solo), a tackle for loss and two passes defended. Whether it’s against the run or pass, Square has made his presence known.

In six seasons with the Chargers, Square posted 96 tackles, 15 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss and eight passes defensed.

3 remaining free agents who make sense for Chargers to sign

The Los Angeles Chargers could fill the offensive line, defensive line or secondary with one of these three options.

The Chargers added some key players in the 2020 NFL draft, followed by 19 undrafted free agents. Even though they don’t have many glaring holes on the roster, Los Angeles could look to add more talent for the upcoming season to increase their chances of making a deep run.

Unrestricted free agents no longer count toward the compensatory pick formula. This means that general manager Tom Telesco and company aren’t risking losing a potential draft pick, making it more enticing to look to the free agency pool.

With that, here are three veterans Los Angeles could bring in:

OT Jason Peters

The Chargers did a nice job adding two veterans earlier this offseason with guard Trai Turner and tackle Bryan Bulaga. While the right side of the offensive line is shored up, the left side could benefit from another proven player.

Peters, 38, would be the perfect solution. The nine-time Pro Bowler allowed just three sacks and 25 total pressures in 602 pass-blocking snaps for the Eagles. Peters said that he’d be willing to join a team to mentor a young tackle before he’s ready to take over.

With the team seeing Trey Pipkins as the long-term answer, Peters would be the ideal candidate to help enhance his game before he takes the reins. The price to acquire him shouldn’t be all that much, either.

CB Darqueze Dennard

The Chargers have a talented cornerback room which features Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. However, they could benefit from the service of another established corner opposite of Hayward to boast one of the league’s top secondaries.

Dennard, 28, was limited to only 290 coverage snaps in 2019, but he still put up a career-high and 15th best coverage grade on those snaps. Dennard allowed only four catches of 10-plus yards, as well, per Pro Football Focus.

Even though the majority of those snaps came from the slot, he has shown that he has the versatility to play on the outside. With six years of NFL experience, Dennard would be ideal for Gus Bradley’s defense.

DT Damion Square

Should the Chargers run it back with Square for another stint? I believe so. After choosing not to draft a nose tackle, the depth at the position behind Linval Joseph is nearly nonexistent. Square has proven his worth with the Bolts to garner another contract.

Square has been a valuable rotation piece along the defensive line, playing at least 300 defensive snaps for four consecutive seasons. In 2019, Square recorded 27 tackles (15 solo), a tackle for loss and two passes defended. Whether it’s against the run or pass, Square makes his presence known.

Poll: Which free agents should Chargers re-sign in 2020?

If you were the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers, who would you re-sign this offseason?

The Los Angeles Chargers have a ton of impending free agents when the new league year begins in March. It’s unclear how many of these players the team will be able to keep, but they will have to be selective during the process.

Even though they have the most salary cap available that they’ve had in years, they need to make sure that they have enough to bring in unrestricted free agents from other teams.

There are several of these players that will likely get attention on the open market because of their success in the blue and gold. Some are already being considered as top free agents by analysts.

Three Chargers’ players were listed in ESPN’s top-50 free agents in 2020: tight end Hunter Henry quarterback Philip Rivers and running back Melvin Gordon. There are other notables including guard Michael Schofield, safety Adrian Phillips, fullback Derek Watt and defensive tackle Damion Square.

If the decision was up to you, which free agents would you have the Chargers re-sign in 2020?

While our poll only lists seven, you can find the full list of Chargers free agents below.

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List of Chargers 2020 unrestricted free agents

Updated look at the 16 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents for the Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers still have five games remaining in the regular season. However, sitting at 4-7, their playoff chances are nearly diminished, which means that in a little over a month the front office will have some decisions to make.

With a few notable players on the roster that are set to become unrestricted free agents, general manager Tom Telesco and company will have to start thinking about who is worthy of returning for another stint with L.A. when they move into their new stadium with the Rams in 2020.

With that, here’s an updated look at the 16 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the beginning of the 2020 league year.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

QB Philip Rivers

RB Melvin Gordon

WR Travis Benjamin

G Michael Schofield

DT Damion Square

S Adrian Phillips

TE Hunter Henry

LB Nick Dzubnar

TE Lance Kendricks

WR Dontrelle Inman

WR Geremy Davis

S Jaylen Watkins

G Ryan Groy

DT Sylvester Williams

LB Jatavis Brown

FB Derek Watt

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3 Chargers players that have exceeded expectations in 2019

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists three players that have rose to the occasion, which many may have not anticipated.

Despite being hampered by injuries this season, the Chargers still possess one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. While there are players that had high expectations heading into the year, there were a few that weren’t talked about as much and have exceeded many people’s expectations.

With that, here are three Chargers players that have been good in a surprising manner in 2019.

C Scott Quessenberry

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Starting center Mike Pouncey was a hit with a season-ending injury in October, which forced the Chargers to turn to the former UCLA product to fill the void.

Quessenberry, the La Costa native, grew up as a Chargers fan. He wears the number that former Charger great Nick Hardwick wore in No. 61 in hopes to have a big impact on the team that he’s always supported.

In five games played, he’s made an impact on the offensive side of the ball that many may have not been expecting from him when filling in for a four-time Pro Bowler.

But you can tell that the second-year player has used that time learning from one of the best at the center position.

Quessenberry has kept pressure away from quarterback Philip Rivers on the inside by using his high football IQ to recognize blitzes and execute his blocks, along with opening up running lanes for running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.

Pouncey is slated to become a free agent after the 2020 season, which means that if the Chargers feel like they have something in Quessenberry, they could move on from Pouncey and make Quessenberry the long-term center.

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Chargers’ weakness becoming a strength

There’s one area that the Los Angeles Chargers have really made strides at improving this season.

The Chargers’ strong suit hasn’t always been stopping the run. Just three weeks ago, the team ranked No. 22 in the NFL, allowing 117.1 rushing yards per game.

Since then, the unit has made strides, giving up only 95 yards per game on the ground, which ranks them as the ninth-best in this category the past three weeks. Had they not allowed a couple big carries, this number would be significantly lower.

The running backs that Los Angeles has slowed down happen to be among the best at their position in the NFL — Titans’ Derrick Henry, Packers’ Aaron Jones and Raiders’ Josh Jacobs.

Their success all starts up front in the trenches. Despite missing starting defensive tackles Justin Jones and Brandon Mebane, Damion Square and recently acquired Sylvester Williams have done a phenomenal job filling in.

Williams, the 6-foot-2 and 313 pounder, was picked up to fill the role of Mebane. Whether it’s clogging holes or forcing double teams to allow other members of the front seven to make plays, Williams has shown to be a solid acquisition.

Last year it was Darius Philon who was the unsung hero in the trenches, but this year it’s been Square, who has been a huge contributor to the defense.

Defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram have been a dominant force at getting to the opposing quarterback, but running backs as well.

The rest of the front seven and backend of the defense was notorious for missing their assignments and missing tackles in the open field, but the group has really come into their own in those areas.

Whether it’s diagnosing where the football is going, avoiding blocks, or tackling with sound technique, they haven’t allowed many explosive plays like they used to in the past.

The Chargers will have to keep this same energy in this department the rest of the way out, as they will face Vikings’ Dalvin Cook, Jagaurs’ Leonard Fournette and Jacobs once more.

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