Tag: Drue Tranquill

Gregg Rosenthal predicts Chargers’ 2020 starters

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal makes his starting lineup predictions for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers have boasted a talented roster for years now. The results may have not reflected from that, but the issues arise from injuries and in-game woes that haunted them.

Los Angeles has shown that they can compete with the league’s best, and they’re hopeful that they can make a postseason run, like they managed to do two years.

After a slew of acquisitions this offseason, L.A. is once again equipped with talent from top to bottom. But how will the starting lineup shake up in order to get the best players on the field?

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal recently took a crack at projecting the Chargers’ starters for the upcoming season.

Here is a look:

Notes

  • By no surprise, Tyrod Taylor is listed as the starting quarterback. Barring any injury, I expect Taylor to be the Week 1 starter. For how long remains to be seen. If he gets hurt or the team isn’t having any success with him under center, then that’s when we can expect rookie Justin Herbert to take over.
  • Andre Patton is listed as WR3. While Patton will be among the competitors for the job, I expect either rookie Joe Reed or K.J. Hill to earn it when all is said and done.
  • In Rosenthal’s eyes, Sam Tevi wins the starting left tackle job. Many are expecting this to be Trey Pipkins’ role, including myself. However, the team could favor Tevi’s experience in the starting position.
  • I would be surprised if Kenneth Murray didn’t open up as the starting Will linebacker and Drue Tranquill didn’t start as the Mike linebacker.
  • The reason for their not being a third linebacker listed is because given the amount of nickel and dime packages the Chargers go in, that would normally be Adrian Phillips’ role. But not that he is no longer on the team, Desmond King is the frontrunner.
  • Rayshawn Jenkins is listed as the starting free safety. If and when the Chargers go into their two-deep looks, Nasir Adderley will be on the field at the same time.

Notre Dame to Re-Air 2018 Win over Michigan

Notre Dame vs Michigan was a huge way to open the 2018 season. Relive it Saturday-many national writers seemed to have missed it originally.

Some people, national football writers and media members specifically, almost want to refuse to believe that the biggest game of college football’s opening weekend in 2018 actually happened.

However, it did.  Notre Dame beat Michigan 24-17 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated.  You can relive that on Notre Dame’s YouTube channel this Saturday night starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

As the year went on Notre Dame kept winning, albeit not always in the most impressive of ways.  However, it was often treated as if that season opener was never actually played because Michigan would wind up being a team that much of the media wanted to treat as a legitimate championship contender, even with the Notre Dame loss.

Michigan would end up getting pummeled by Ohio State to close the regular season while Notre Dame would go 12-0 before getting run out of the Cotton Bowl by Clemson.

Maybe much of the college football world will actually watch it this time around because they seemed to have missed the boat on it originally.

4 Chargers primed to make first Pro Bowl

The Los Angeles Chargers have a handful of players that could represent them in the 2021 Pro Bowl for the first time.

Every year, the Chargers send a few players to the Pro Bowl.

Sure, awards are the more highly coveted recognition for players, but Pro Bowl selections do matter. The game isn’t as popular to watch anymore, but in a league with over 1,600 players, being in that top 5 percent is an honor.

There is a lot of talent on this year’s roster and the Bolts will likely send some to the annual all-star game that hasn’t been there before.

Here are four that could find their way to Orlando, FL at the end of the season:

RB Austin Ekeler

The fact that Ekeler didn’t make the Pro Bowl this past year is still absolutely shocking. Each year since coming into the league, he showed promise. But he bursted onto the scene in 2019 as he was used all across the formation. Even after Melvin Gordon returned from his holdout, the former Western Colorado product was still productive. Ekeler finished the year with 557 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 92 catches, 993 receiving yards, and eight receiving scores. As a result, he earned a four-year contract extension earlier this offseason. The former Western Colorado product should only continue to be a focal point as a do-it-all skill player moving forward.

WR Mike Williams

After being banged up during his rookie season in 2017, Williams has been the model of consistency since then. In 2018, Williams 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. Whether it’s Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert under center, more deep ball opportunities should be there for the big-bodied target this upcoming season.

LB Drue Tranquill

Tranquill, the fourth-round selection of the 2019 NFL draft, made an impact upon arriving. As the season went on he grew into an integral part of the defense. In the 15 games played, three of which he started, Tranquill racked up 64 tackles (50 solo), four tackles for loss and one pass defended. On top of that, he finished with the most special teams tackles by any rookie (11). The former Notre Dame product could start the season as the starting Mike linebacker, while rookie Kenneth Murray plays the Will linebacker.

TE Hunter Henry

In four seasons, Henry has proven to be one of the league’s complete tight ends. The only issue is injuries. He has yet to play a full 16-game slate, all due to injury. However, when he is on the field, he is a matchup nightmare. Henry has a career average of 8.9 yards per target, which was among the top nine last year. In 2019, Henry managed to still put up 652 yards on 55 receptions with five touchdowns in only 12 games. Even though there will be a change at quarterback, Henry should flourish both on deeper routes and short crossing patterns, as well as in the red-zone. Staying healthy will be key, though.

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Chargers, LB Kenneth Murray listed as ‘perfect fit’

The linebacker position for the Los Angeles Chargers is looking strong for the first time in a long time.

After the release of Thomas Davis earlier this offseason, the linebacker position was seen as a glaring need for the Chargers.

Los Angeles wasted no time finding his replacement by trading up into the backend of the first-round to select former Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray with the No. 23 overall pick.

Isaiah Simmons and L.A. were seen as an ideal pairing, but grabbing the quarterback of the future was more of a priority. At the end of the day, they were able to get their signal-caller and still nab a top-ranked linebacker.

Murray is not only a good player, he’s a good person. General manager Tom Telesco values both, which is why he was seen as a perfect fit in his eyes. But in the eyes of ESPN’s Matt Bowen, Murray is the perfect schematic fit for the Chargers.

Murray is a three-down linebacker with the traits to fit in Gus Bradley’s defensive scheme. The Chargers played zone coverage on a league-high 68.2% of opposing quarterbacks’ dropbacks last season, so expect lots of of three-deep coverage that meshes with Murray’s skill set in 2020. Drop as a hook defender, carry the inside verticals or roam the middle of the field to hunt down crossing routes.

Plus, with Murray’s second-level range and 4.52 40-yard dash speed, he elevates a defense that ranked 18th versus the run. Hit the gaps and use that sideline-to-sideline ability to make plays on the edge.

Murray, a hunter in the middle of the field, will add more speed, range and physicality to the defense. Like Bowen mention, Murray will limit yards after the catch and making plays in opponent’s backfields as a run-defender or additional blitzer.

Murray wasn’t tasked with a lot coverage responsibilities in college, so his zone awareness is an area of improvement. However, he has the speed and athleticism to to stay in stride with running backs and tight ends, which is something that was a glaring issues the past few seasons at the position.

In Year 1, look for Murray to start as the Will linebacker, playing all three downs, while Drue Tranquill will man the starting Mike linebacker. For once in a very long time, the positional group is looking quite stout.

4 Chargers takeaways following free agency and ahead of NFL draft

General manager Tom Telesco has loaded up with talent, but he’s not done yet.

Even though free agency is not necessarily over, the big-ticket players are all gone. The Chargers signed a few players before turning their full attention to the 2020 NFL Draft, which is just weeks away.

Los Angeles made some aggressive moves in the first week of the new league year, which will likely have an impact on their game-plan later this month as they continue to build the roster.

Here are four takeaways from the Bolts’ free agency and ahead of the upcoming draft.

Only a couple of pieces away from a competent line

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Heading into free agency, one of the Chargers’ biggest needs lied along the offensive line after finishing among the league’s worst last season. To address it, Los Angeles traded for five-time Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga.

The additions of Turner and Bulaga shored up the right side of the line, but there are still questions that need to be answered with the rest of the unit.

Uncertainty lies at the left tackle position as to whether or not the team believes in Trey Pipkins as the starter moving forward. Center Mike Pouncey has not been cleared to play yet after sustaining a severe neck injury. And it remains to be seen if Dan Feeney or Forrest Lamp can be reliable starters at left guard going forward.

The questions that loom large can and likely will be addressed in the upcoming draft. If the Bolts draft their quarterback of the future in Round 1, I expect them to follow that up with a tackle to compete for a starting job as well as an interior offensive lineman for more depth in case Feeney or Lamp don’t pan out or Pouncey isn’t able to play.

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Notre Dame in the NFL: Tranquill Named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

Wednesday the Pro Football Writers Association released their All-Rookie Team and Tranquill was named to it as the Special Teams Specialist.

It’s fitting that Drue Tranquill is making an impact on special teams his first year in the NFL as the first memory most Notre Dame fans have of him is a blocked punt he had against Stanford in his freshman year of 2014.

Tranquill went on to become a captain and a huge reason Notre Dame’s defense was lights-out in 2018, helping guide them to a 12-0 regular season.

Tranquill was drafted in fourth round of last year’s NFL Draft to the Los Angeles Chargers and has already turned heads across the league for his play there.

Wednesday the Pro Football Writers Association released their All-Rookie Team and Tranquill was named to it as the Special Teams Specialist.

Tranquill was the only Notre Dame product named to the team and finished 2019 with 71 tackles between special teams and on defense for the Chargers.

Chargers 2019 end of season awards

Taking a look at the Los Angeles Chargers’ most valuable player, biggest disappointment, most underrated, etc.

The Los Angeles Chargers came up short this season, failing to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

While many fans are ready to put 2019 to bed, it’s still only right to reflect and hand out the season awards.

Most Valuable Player: DE Joey Bosa

There wasn’t another player that was as consistent and made an impact on a weekly basis like Bosa. Bosa finished with 67 tackles, 11.5 sacks and a forced fumble this season, along with 51 quarterback pressures. Bosa earned his second trip to the Pro Bowl, finishing tied for second in the AFC in sacks while also racking up the fifth-most tackles of any defensive end in the NFL. Expect Bosa to be one of the highest-paid players at his position this offseason since the former Ohio State product has proven his worth since being drafted in 2016.

Honorable Mention: RB Austin Ekeler

Offensive Player of the Year: RB Austin Ekeler

Ekeler had one job heading into the season. That was to man the starting role while Melvin Gordon held out at the beginning of the season. Ekeler shined as the team’s No. 1 back. When Gordon came back, he was still productive, accumulating a handful of rushing and receiving yards. Ekeler lined up all over the formation, creating mismatches and making it impossible for defenders to predict what’s coming. When the ball was in his hands, he nearly always made something big happen. Ekeler, a Pro Bowl snub, ranked ninth in the NFL with 1,550 total yards from scrimmage and led the team and finished tied for eighth in the league with 11 total touchdowns.

Honorable Mention: WR Keenan Allen

Defensive Player of the Year: CB Casey Hayward

Had safety Derwin James been healthy all season, then there’s a strong chance that he would have been given this award. But in a larger sample size, Hayward made his mark week in and week out. After failing to record an interception in 2018, he managed to amass two this season. On top of that, he had eight passes defensed. Even though he finished with a career-low 32 tackles, it just goes to show how little opposing wide receivers that he covered were targeted. Hayward had a solid grade of 84.2, per Pro Football Focus.

Honorable Mention: DE Joey Bosa

Rookie of the Year: LB Drue Tranquill

General manager Tom Telesco has been notorious for finding gems on Day 3 of the draft, and he managed to hit a home-run with his fourth-round selection. Tranquill made his mark as a force in the middle of the defense, finishing with 75 tackles, four tackles for loss and a pass deflected. He was also a special teams ace, tied for fourth in the league in tackles (11). Tranquill’s future is bright and fans should be looking forward to him being the starting middle linebacker for years to come.

Honorable Mention: P Ty Long

Breakout Player of the Year: OC Scott Quessenberry

The offensive line wasn’t particularly a bright spot for the Chargers due to injuries that occurred throughout the season. But when one man (Pouncey) went down, another stepped up. Quessenberry, the 2018 fifth-round selection, made an impact early on that many may have not been expecting from him when handing him the starting duties. The former UCLA product was consistent in pass protection and in the run blocking department. Depending on what happens with Pouncey, Quessenberry could be in line to start as soon as next season.

Honorable Mention: FB Derek Watt

Biggest Disappointment: QB Philip Rivers

Coming off one of his best campaigns yet, it was expected that Rivers was going to match that during his contract year. But the veteran quarterback didn’t, finishing with 23 touchdowns to 20 interceptions and leaving many in question in regards to the future of the 38-year old. Rivers surely didn’t benefit from the injuries that occurred the offensive line, but it wouldn’t be fair to say it was all on the group. Poor decision-making and belittled arm talent was a result in a handful of the close games that the Chargers lost. Set to become a free agent, whether or not Rivers will play in the blue and gold for another season remains to be seen.

Honorable Mention: CB Desmond King

Most Underrated: WR Mike Williams

After losing Tyrell Williams to the Raiders, it benefited Williams immensely. Williams finished with 49 receptions for 1,001 yards and two touchdowns. Even though his production was down in the scoring department, we got to see his emergence as a deep threat. He finished second in the NFL with 20 yards per reception. This was all accomplished while dealing with a knee injury. The best is yet to come for the former Clemson product.

Honorable Mention: G Michael Schofield

Chargers LB Drue Tranquill named to PFF’s 2019 All-Rookie Team

Drue Tranquill was by far the most dominant from the Los Angeles Chargers’ 2019 draft class.

Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill was lights out in his first professional season.

For his efforts, Tranquill was named to Pro Football Focus’ All-Rookie team as a special teamer.

Tranquill, the fourth-round selection of the 2019 NFL draft, made an impact as early as last summer in camp, showing his high football IQ to quickly get adapted to the new playbook.

That translated to the field, where he was seen making plays on a consistent basis, whether that was at the linebacker position or on special teams. As the season went on he grew into an integral part of the defense.

In the 15 games played, three of which he started, Tranquill racked up 64 tackles (50 solo), four tackles for loss and one pass defended. On top of that, he finished with the most special teams tackles by any rookie (11).

With durability concerns continuing to loom around Denzel Perryman, Tranquill could very well be in contention to earn the permanent starting middle linebacker role in 2020.

Irish in the NFL: A look at Drue Tranquill’s growth in Year 1

At first a special teams contributor, former Notre Dame linebacker Drue Tranquill has excelled in a starting role for the Chargers.

When the Los Angeles Chargers plucked former Notre Dame linebacker Drue Tranquill in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, it was with the expectation that he would add depth to their linebacker position, while serving as a core special teams contributor in year one.

That was the case at the beginning of the season, with Tranquill immediately making an impact on special teams, including an excellent blocked punt in Week 9 against Green Bay.

However, Tranquill’s performance earned him more than just a special teams role, as he has shifted to take over as LA’s starting middle linebacker, a role he has excelled at in recent weeks.

Tranquill has now started each of the Chargers last four games at middle linebacker, recording 33 combined tackles in that time – including 14 against the Raiders in Week 10.

The Chargers have not lived up to expectations this season, but the emergence of Tranquill has been one of few bright spots for them this year.

His continued growth should allow him to develop into a star linebacker for years to come, and one Notre Dame fans can certainly be proud of.

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LB Denzel Perryman returns to starting lineup for Chargers

The move to bench arguably the best linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers is a bit puzzling.

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn announced that linebacker Denzel Perryman will start at middle linebacker this weekend against the Vikings.

Perryman missed the Week 14 matchup against the Jaguars after he and safety Roderic Teamer were sent home after missing a morning meeting prior to the game.

While Perryman missed out on the action, rookie standout Drue Tranquill got the start, where he led the team in tackles with eight.

“He’s been our starting MIKE all year. Last week we had a disagreement, so he went home. He understands, and now he’s back,” Lynn said.

The decision to start Perryman and resort Tranquill back to the bench isn’t surprising, but it’s a bit of a head-scratcher.

The fourth-round selection has arguably been the best linebacker this season, where he’s been a force against the run and has been the most superior in coverage.

There’s still a chance that we could see Tranquill on the field more than advertised. But at the moment, we can anticipate Perryman getting the majority of the snaps, while Tranquill serves as a sub-package linebacker.

Other notable updates:

  • Lynn said he will make a decision on whether defensive tackle Jerry Tillery will be active for Sunday later this week. Tillery was not active in Week 14 in favor of Sylvester Williams.
  • With his suspension over, Michael Davis will retake his starting job at corner. But Lynn said Brandon Facyson will still get time because of how well he’s played, particularly against the run.

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