Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Here’s why you should be worried about the Chargers dropping to 4-6.
At 4-5, the Chargers have fallen off the picture for the AFC playoff bracket. A win against the Packers on Sunday could put them back into the thick of things, but LA’s loss against the Lions reminded fans that the team has lingering issues they just can’t find a fix for.
Here’s why you should be worried about Los Angeles dropping to 4-6.
Brandon Staley spoke for the first time since J.C. Jackson was traded to the Patriots.
On Thursday, Brandon Staley spoke at the Chargers’ media availability for the first time since J.C. Jackson was traded to the Patriots last week. Staley opened his press conference by responding to the first question about Jackson by saying this:
We just felt like this was the best course for our team. There was a body of work to go off of. We felt like this direction was the best for our football team.
When asked to clarify if “body of work” meant on-the-field or off-the-field concerns, Staley said, “In all ways.”
The Chargers head coach was also asked about Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero’s report, which stated that Jackson had refused to enter the game against the Raiders when Michael Davis injured his ankle.
Staley refused to comment, saying, “I’m not talking anymore about J.C. We’re moving forward as a team, and that’s behind us.”
Staley also said that the Chargers fully believe in their secondary group without Jackson:
We believe in that group. That group is where we’ve played our best football as a team since we’ve been here. We have full trust in those guys. Those guys have played really well together. Now, they get to play together full time.
Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., and Ja’Sir Taylor will attempt to hold down the secondary as the Chargers move forward. Deane Leonard and newly signed cornerback Essang Bassey will be the depth players in the room.
The ramifications of the Jackson signing not working out will eventually loom large for the Chargers. Specifically, a dead cap charge over $20 million will hurt them in balancing the books for 2024.
But for now, a clean break is the main story in the interim. Staley and the team hope it leads to a bounce back for a secondary group that’s primarily underperformed this season.
J.C. Jackson has failed to live up to his big contract.
The Chargers surprisingly made cornerback J.C. Jackson a healthy inactive in their victory over the Vikings.
After the game, head coach Brandon Staley said the decision on Jackson was made because he felt that group of cornerbacks gave them their best chance to win today.
“Just we felt like going into this game that this was the group that we wanted to play with in this game,” Staley said. “Felt like it was going to give us the best chance. That’s what we did today. And I was really proud of the way our defense played today, especially the secondary.
Jackson worked his way back to live-game action after a ruptured patellar tendon ended his 2022 season. However, in what Staley called a “ramp-up period,” Jackson’s play left a lot to be desired in the first two games.
Jackson played just north of 60% of the defensive snaps against the Dolphins and Titans. In Week 1, Asante Samuel Jr. started in the slot and moved outside when Jackson came out of the game. Last week, Michael Davis rotated with Jackson when Jackson came out of the game.
Jackson was given a five-year, $82.5 million deal last offseason to lock down opposing team’s top wideouts, like Justin Jefferson. And it’s clear based on the decision to bench him for something non-injury related that the team doesn’t have faith in him to do so.
In Los Angeles’ win over Minnesota, they had Samuel and Davis on the outside and Ja’Sir Taylor in the slot.
Jefferson finished the game with seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown.
“Our guys really competed today against a good offensive group, and that group really brought us home at the end of the game,” Staley added.
The Chargers’ first preseason game was a win, but which players won (and lost) individually against the Rams in LA?
The Chargers’ first preseason game went a little differently than expected in many ways, but the powder blues of LA came out victorious in their annual exhibition against the Rams.
Here are the studs and duds from the first preseason game.
Here are five of the biggest competitions to watch when the Chargers take on the Rams this Saturday night.
After seven months of waiting, Chargers football returns on Saturday with a number of new storylines as the team embarks on a new season.
With a matchup against their SoFi Stadium roommates on the docket, which positions have the most on the line?
Ja’Sir Taylor should be a key contributor in his sophomore season.
The chances of a sixth-round pick carving a starting role in their rookie season are rare.
Chargers cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor, the former Wake Forest product, is under that category. Taylor went from a special teams ace to playing meaningful snaps on defense by the end of the 2022 season.
Now entering his sophomore campaign, Taylor is acclimated to the pace of the NFL and he feels like he’s in a more comfortable position.
“Coming out here as a rookie, things move fast,” Taylor said. “You’re on one field, another field, special teams, defense.
“Just being able to be comfortable, know where I’m going, get my feet set,” Taylor added. “That’s what’s easier.”
Taylor was outstanding in his role as a punt coverage gunner at the beginning. As injuries in the cornerback room piled up, it led to Taylor’s emergence in the secondary.
Taylor had some lapses in coverage, especially when he had to play as an outside corner. But his standout performance came in the primetime win over the Dolphins, where he locked down Jaylen Waddle. Additionally, he came on strong as a tackler in open space and a blitzer.
A more prominent role is set for Taylor in his second season. Even though he is in a battle with Asante Samuel Jr. for the starting slot corner, Taylor will still likely see the field depending on the matchup on a week-to-week basis. Plus, his ability to defend the run will be essential to have.
“I’m just trying to come in here and get better each and every day,” Taylor later added. “I’m not sure how the depth chart works. As long as I come here, do what I have to do to improve each and every day, I’m sure I’ll be in a position to help this team.”
Asante Samuel Jr. has been a bright spot for the Chargers in training camp.
zont called ball pic.twitter.com/H7l7w2Jg4Z
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 29, 2023
In the last game cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. played in, he finished with three interceptions as the Chargers were shocked by the Jaguars in the Wild Card game.
Fast forward a few months to training camp, and Samuel has not skipped a beat.
Samuel has been a bright spot on the defense, especially on Wednesday during the two-minute toward the end of practice. He broke up three passes on the final drive in the red zone to seal the deal for the defensive unit.
“I’m just trying to get better and make plays for this team,” Samuel said following Wednesday’s practice.
“I’m feeling good. I feel like our team is getting better each and every day,” Samuel added. “We’re just competing really hard. We’re making each other better.”
Samuel has been impressive in coverage in his first two seasons in the NFL. Those skills have been on display on the practice field, as he has made great plays through the air nearly every day.
Samuel has played both along the boundary and in the slot, having his versatility utilized. With J.C. Jackson returning from his knee injury and Michael Davis handling the other outside spot, Samuel will likely play inside to start out the season and kick out depending on the matchup.
“Asante in his first two years, he has started every single game of his pro career,” head coach Brandon Staley said. “There has not been one game that he has been active for that he has not been a starter. He has earned that. He has gotten better and better both years.
“Going into this training camp, we’ve been able to see the versatility that we know that he has, but because of our depth and quality, we feel like we can put him in there more,” Staley added.
“He’s really improved inside because it’s a position that’s difficult to master, especially the way we play. We put a lot on that position. It’s not an easy position to play for us. It’s a feature position in our defense.
While strong against the pass, one of Samuel’s areas of improvement is in run support. In his rookie season, Samuel had a 20% missed tackle rate. Even though it dropped last season, it was still at 10%. Staley, however, feels like he is getting better in that department.
“He’s playing, from a technique standpoint, a lot better because he’s in there a lot more. I think you’ve seen, throughout these practices, him making plays outside and inside. He has to cover the tough guys in both places. He’s also done a good job in run support. He just needs to keep improving.”
Here is what the Chargers’ cornerback room could look like heading into August.
As training camp continues, the Chargers will be making some difficult but necessary roster decisions moving into the pre-season.
Here is what the cornerback room could look like heading into August – and the rest of the season:
The return of Jackson is something that all Chargers fans have been waiting for. After an ankle surgery leading up to the 2022 season, Jackson was slow to settle into Staley’s defense before ultimately having his season cut short with a tear to his patellar tendon. Jackson underwent surgery and immediately set his mind on recovery, posting occasional updates on his personal social media. Jackson has been present at camp and participating in team drills but there is still a question mark looming over his head as we move into the season.
With Jackson’s return up in the air, Michael Davis might stay in his current starting position at the start of the season – as currently stated on the depth chart. Davis had an extraordinary 2022 season stepping in for Jackson after his injury. We should see Davis continue to excel and make a massive impact on the Chargers’ secondary either at the CB1 position or at the very least CB2.
A fascinating storyline to keep your eye on is the rise of Taylor. After a standout final game in the 2022 season, Ja’Sir solidified himself as a key element of the secondary. Chargers fans should watch out for a battle for this starting role between Taylor and Asante Samuel Jr. as head coach Brandon Staley has the utmost confidence in Taylor’s abilities.
Samuel currently hovers slightly lower down than expected as we head into training camp season. The young Chargers cornerback had a successful season and a miraculous first half in the Wild Card game against the Jaguars, snagging an impressive three interceptions. Samuel will be competing with Taylor for the final starting spot.
Leonard proved himself valuable on the Chargers’ special teams unit in 2022. His efforts helped secure a couple of games during the regular season and now he has the opportunity to fight for a starting position on defense. However, it is most likely that Leonard will continue his journey on special teams and just add some depth to the cornerback room.
Hall will continue his NFL career on the Chargers this season as a depth piece for the secondary unit and should occasionally see the field when needed or on special teams.
One of the most encouraging takeaways as the Chargers kicked off training camp was seeing J.C. Jackson participating in team drills.
more like jc backson pic.twitter.com/so7rWShIhR
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 26, 2023
One of the most encouraging takeaways as the Chargers kicked off training camp was seeing cornerback J.C. Jackson on the field.
Jackson participated in seven-on-seven on Day 1 before sitting out of team drills Thursday. He then participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time Saturday.
Head coach Brandon Staley commented on Jackson’s road to recovery, stating that it’s all part of the ramp-up plan as he continues to work his way back from his season-ending knee injury in October.
He got a little bit more work than he did the first couple of days. As long as he keeps progressing, then that’s going to be the plan. [Director of Player Health, Wellness and Performance] Marco Zucconi and [Head Athletic Trainer] Sal [Lopez] are doing a really good job working him back into practice. He has looked strong and healthy. He’s been on top of his assignments. We’re a much better team with him out there.
Before the injury, Jackson struggled in his first season with the Bolts, as he allowed a 149.3 passer rating when targeted through five games. They hope he can return to his 2021 All-Pro form when he was with the Patriots.
That year, Jackson finished with eight interceptions (second-most) and a league-leading 23 pass deflections.
If Jackson is healthy when the regular season starts, he will start on the outside alongside Michael Davis. Ja’Sir Taylor or Asante Samuel Jr. will play in the slot, depending on the matchup, on a week-to-week basis.
While many starting spots are locked up before the Chargers take the field, here are a few that will be contested throughout the next month.
The Chargers officially begin training camp Wednesday with their first practice of the season.
With two new coordinators in Costa Mesa, things could look much different than they did last season as LA looks to finally turn a talented roster on paper into a legitimate contender.
While many starting spots are locked up before the Chargers take the field, here are a few that will be hotly contested throughout the next month.
