Tag: Jesse Minter

Chargers 53-man roster projection: Final prediction before cutdown day

Here’s one final guess at what the initial Chargers 53-man roster will look like.

Training camp and preseason play are over, so now the Chargers coaching staff will use them as their resources to get the roster from 91 players to 53 ahead of the 2024 regular season.

The team will have until 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday to make their cuts.

With that being said, here is our final projection of what we believe the initial roster will look like.

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Stick had the opportunity all summer to show he’s a serviceable backup, but he failed to do so. I believe he will make the initial roster, but Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh will see which quarterbacks are available once cuts are made and end up signing one and letting go of Stick.

Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Kimani Vidal

No changes from my last projection. Despite being a mainstay on special teams, Isaiah Spiller did not do much on the ground. Patterson was a summer standout. Vidal was productive upon returning from his injury, rushing for 49 yards on 11 carries against the Rams in Week 2.

Wide receiver (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko

No changes. Fehoko capped off an impressive summer with a 78-yard touchdown against the Cowboys. Brenden Rice stood out in training camp, but the same thing can’t be said about his performances in the preseason, mainly due to the lackluster quarterback play. Rice is worthy of a spot. He is a sharp route runner who blocks his tail off. But I can’t see the Chargers rostering seven wideouts.

Tight end (3): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt

Sometimes the best ability is availability, and that does not apply to Donald Parham, who’s struggled to stay healthy. He has also not improved as a blocker, something the Chargers want from their tight ends. Meanwhile, Smartt has improved in this department. He will also make his money on special teams.

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

No changes.

Edge rusher (5): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, Tre’Mon Morris-Brash

I have the Chargers starting the season with five edge rushers. Chris Rumph II would’ve been given the nod after having a great summer. Unfortunately, he is dealing with a foot injury and I believe he will begin the season on the injured reserve. Morris-Brash showed some real juice as a pass rusher in training camp and preseason. He capped off his summer with a pick-six against the Cowboys.

Interior defensive line (6): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Scott Matlock, Otito Ogbonnia, Justin Eboigbe

No changes. Eboigbe was practically nonexistent during camp and preseason. But the team used a fairly high draft pick on him, and playing defensive tackle in this league as a rookie is a learning curve so I believe he is safe.

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

No changes.

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart

No changes.

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, JT Woods

Tony Jefferson had the best performance of the preseason against the Cowboys, finishing with 14 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble. But I believe it was a little too late to warrant a roster spot. I expect him to land on the practice squad as he is not subject to waivers if he’s released. Finley played his way to being the third safety. Woods makes the squad, as he showed signs of improvement and intrigued as an outside cornerback, the position he transitioned to toward the end of the summer.

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

No changes.

Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason win over Cowboys

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 26-19 win over the Cowboys.

The Chargers picked up a win to close out the preseason, defeating the Cowboys by the score of 26-19.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ victory.

It was over when…

Robert Kennedy intercepted Trey Lance in the end zone as time expired.

3 stars of the game

  1. S Tony Jefferson: Jefferson had a pretty quiet summer. But his performance on Saturday raised the eyebrows of the coaching staff to garner serious consideration of making the 53-man roster. The 10-year veteran led the team in tackles (14) and added two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble.
  2. WR Simi Fehoko: It’s going to be difficult to keep Fehoko off the roster. He showed out every day over the past month and capped it off with a 78-yard touchdown, beating Andrew Booth down the right sideline to haul Easton Stick’s deep pass.
  3. EDGE Tre’Mon Morris-Brash: Morris-Brash is another summer standout who capped off with an impressive showing. He picked off Lance and took it back to the end zone. His Pick 6 extended the Chargers’ lead late in the fourth quarter to put a stamp on the game.

Quick hits

  • Easton Stick played the whole game to try to prove to the coaching staff that he is a serviceable backup. And Stick’s performance left a lot to be desired. Aside from his pass to Fehoko for the 78-yard touchdown, Stick’s accuracy issues were still evident. Aside from that deep throw, he went 11 of 28 with 109 yards and an interception.
  • In the running back battle, Jaret Patterson continued to impress, rushing for 27 yards on six carries (4.5 YPC). Elijah Dotson posted 23 yards on four rushes. Isaiah Spiller was inefficient.
  • I mentioned how Fehoko further made his case to make the roster. The same can’t be said about rookie Brenden Rice, who finished the game with just 11 yards on one catch. Rice was targeted seven times. Stick and Rice could not get on the same page for the third straight week despite Rice consistently getting open.
  • The other seventh-round pick, Cornelius Johnson, finally made his presence felt after being fairly quiet this summer. Johnson had three catches for 34 yards.
  • Derius Davis’ speed is going to be a problem for opposing defenses this season. Davis scored the first touchdown on the Chargers’ first offensive play, scampering 70 yards on an end-around.
  • Jesse Minter’s defense finished with six turnovers, five being interceptions.
  • The unit held the Cowboys to 1-of-4 in the red zone.
  • JT Woods’ tackling in the open has improved tremendously. That was one of his issues since coming out of college.

What’s next?

The Chargers will have until 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday to reduce their roster to 53 players before they open the regular season against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1:05 p.m. PT.

JT Woods embracing position change as safety transitions to cornerback

JT Woods has the tools to excel as an outside cornerback.

The Chargers drafted JT Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft in hopes of him being a play-making deep safety.

That did not materialize, however.

Now, Woods is taking on the cornerback position, with the new coaching staff hoping it will unlock his true potential.

“They wanted to try me out to see how I felt and how I looked,” Woods said about playing cornerback. “I felt pretty good.”

Woods moved to the position last week and has played there since then, including in last weekend’s preseason game against the Rams, where he logged 23 of 28 snaps at outside corner.

Since making the transition, he feels like it’s been smooth.

“Everyone in the organization has shown confidence in me with the position change,” Woods said. “So, I’m just trying to use each day to better myself and my craft.”

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds and having run a 4.36 40-yard dash, Woods possesses elite traits as a defensive back.

“I think when you do stuff like that, it’s for multiple reasons,” Jesse Minter said on Woods’ profile. “It’s to increase his value and see if that’s a good fit for him. “I’m excited about how he’s developed as a man coverage guy.”

While he has the tools to excel at the position, honing in on the technical aspect of it is even more crucial.

“The technique is completely different,” Woods said. “It’s a whole different world out there. There are going to be plays where you’re on an island, but I’m confident I can handle it.”

If Woods can continue to stack up good days at cornerback, he could be a guy they count on this upcoming season.

“There are a multitude of ways we can use him down the road to help us,” Minter said.

Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason loss to Rams

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 13-9 loss to the Rams.

The Chargers fell to the Rams in the second of three preseason games on Saturday.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 13-9 loss.

It was over when…

The Chargers failed to capitalize on two offensive possessions after the Rams scored their only touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

3 stars of the game

  1. RB Kimani Vidal: After missing the preseason opener, Vidal made his debut and showed why he deserves a roster spot. He finished with 49 yards on 11 carries (4.5 yards per rush) and two catches.
  2. WR Simi Fehoko: Fehoko led all receivers with 52 yards on two catches. But aside from his work as a pass-catcher, he made a big tackle on kickoff coverage and showed great effort as a blocker on offense.
  3. CB Deane Leonard: The defense continued to make plays, and Leonard led the way, finishing with two passes defended and an interception.

Quick hits

  • For the second straight game, the Chargers did not find the end zone. They were 0-3 in the red zone.
  • The offense turned the ball over three times, including a lost fumble at the Rams’ one-yard line.
  • Quentin Johnston finished the game with one catch for 19 yards. But he still showed some encouraging things. In the first quarter, he ran a double move to draw an illegal contact penalty. He was open down the field, but Easton Stick overthrew him. In the third quarter, he made an eye-popping catch near the sideline, but he came up out of bounds.
  • The defense was consistently around the football, breaking up seven passes.
  • However, the unit struggled to generate pressure throughout most of the game, only recording one sack and a quarterback hit.
  • The linebacker room was a bright spot. NaVorro Bowman’s group has made a handful of plays these past couple of games.
  • Cameron Dicker’s dominance continued as he made all three of his field goal attempts, including one from 55 yards out.

What’s next?

The Chargers close out the preseason next Saturday, Aug. 24, at 1:05 p.m. PT, when they will face the Cowboys at SoFi Stadium.

Chargers training camp: Safety AJ Finley making case for roster spot

AJ Finley has been playing exceptionally well with the first-team defense.

The Chargers have an open competition for the third safety spot, and second-year AJ Finley has been making a strong case to seize it.

Finley has mixed in with the first-team defense in certain packages when Derwin James moves around to different positions.

He also played with the starters on Monday and Tuesday while Alohi Gilman was absent to be present for the arrival of his new baby.

But not only has he mixed in with the 1s, Finley has made the most of his opportunities, most recently nabbing an interception and pass defended on Wednesday.

 

“AJ is guy that guys have confidence in,” defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “He’s a guy who has made some plays in practice, communicates really well. He has a comfort out there.”

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, Finley primarily served as a special teamer in his rookie season. He forced a fumble against the Bills.

Over the course of his collegiate career, Finley recorded 245 total tackles, 13 passed defended, eight interceptions, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Chargers defensive depth chart projection ahead of training camp

Our very early prediction for who will make the Chargers’ 53-man roster on the defensive side of the ball

The Chargers begin training camp in a couple of weeks to prepare for the start of the 2024 season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

There, roster spots will be won and lost at The Bolt, the team’s brand-new training facility in El Segundo, CA.

That said, here is my very early prediction for who will make the 53-man roster on the defensive side of the ball.

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

Misses the cut: Chris Rumph II, Ty Shelby, Andrew Farmer,

Interior defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Chris Hinton

Misses the cut: CJ Okoye, Jerrod Clark

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

Misses the cut: Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Shane Lee

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still

Misses the cut: Chris Wilcox, Matt Hankins

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, Tony Jefferson, Akeem Dent

Misses the cut: AJ Finley, JT Woods

Projecting the Chargers’ safety depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers safety room will look like entering the 2024 season.

With training camp nearing, I finish breaking down the depth chart for each Chargers position with the safety group.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge rusher

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Derwin James

James finished the 2023 season with 125 tackles, seven passes defensed, two sacks and one interception across 16 games. He made his most appearances since his 2018 rookie campaign, but he wasn’t quite the same playmaker as he had in seasons prior when he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods. Despite the down year, James is still a dynamic player who can cover, play the run and blitz. Rather than moving him all over the field, Jesse Minter plans to put him in positions where he can best utilize his skills to get him back on track.

Alohi Gilman

The Chargers brought back Gilman this offseason after proving his worth in his first season as a full-time starter. He amassed career-high numbers in tackles (73), interceptions (2), and forced fumbles (3). With Gilman sticking around, he will play a key role alongside James.

Tony Jefferson

After retiring following the 2022 season, Jefferson returned to the NFL. After trying out at mandatory minicamp, he landed a contract with the Chargers. Jefferson has a decade of experience in the league, playing for four different teams. For his career, Jefferson has 492 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 24 passes defended in 113 games (67 starts). He has the versatility to play in the box, as a deep safety and in the slot.

Akeem Dent

Dent is the only undrafted free agent I have making the 53-man roster. Dent is an experienced player, appearing in 54 games (40 starts) for the Florida State Seminoles. He is versatile, as he has seen playing time at cornerback, safety and nickel. His athleticism, explosiveness, and physicality would also serve well on special teams. Across four seasons in college, Dent totaled 187 tackles, 16 passes defended, five tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Projecting the Chargers’ cornerback depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers cornerback room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge rusher

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

Next, I project what the cornerback room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel is coming off his best season in coverage, finishing with a 75.6 overall grade in that department. He posted a career-high 13 passes defended and has nabbed two interceptions in each of his three seasons. Samuel will play a vital role in Jesse Minter’s defense, as they will be counting on him as the No. 1 corner. He must continue to shine in coverage while showing improvements in run defense.

Kristian Fulton

The Chargers signed Fulton to a prove-it deal after he battled injuries during his four-year tenure with the Titans. He has showcased the coverage skills to stick with starting wide receivers, but due to the injuries, the sample size isn’t large. He is the front runner to start at outside corner opposite Samuel, but Fulton must stay on the field to hold down that spot.

Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor is coming off his first full season as a starter after his rookie campaign was primarily spent on special teams, with some starts towards the end of 2022, including a masterful performance against the Dolphins that year. His sophomore season was a mixed bag of results. While he was solid in coverage for the most part, Taylor struggled as an open-field tackler. Entering Year 3, Taylor has the opportunity to really break out under Minter. He will have to fend off rookie Tarheeb Still for the starting slot corner spot.

Deane Leonard

Primarily a core special teamer, Leonard was called on to start in three games last season. He showed some good things, forcing three incompletions. An ankle injury prevented him from finishing out the year. Heading into his third season, Leonard will make money on special teams, but he could also push for meaningful playing time.

Tarheeb Still

Still was selected in the fifth round out of Maryland. He finished his final collegiate season with five picks, tied for the fifth-most in the FBS. Still has already raised eyebrows, as he was a summer standout at minicamp. He can play outside or inside but will likely play in the slot and compete with Taylor for the starting job.

Cam Hart

After drafting Tarheeb Still, Los Angeles dipped at the position by adding Hart, who was a great value pick. He fell because of limited ball production and some shoulder injury concerns. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, Hart is a big corner with good speed to carry receivers downfield and plus zone coverage skills to read, react and make plays on underneath routes. He has the traits to push for playing time early on.

Projecting the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers linebacker room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge rusher

Interior defensive line

Next, I project what the linebacker room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Denzel Perryman

The Chargers needed a veteran presence in the linebacker room, so they signed Perryman. Perryman donned the powder blue and gold for the first six seasons of his career before playing with the Panthers, Raiders, and Texans. He has dealt with injuries throughout his NFL career, but when he is on the field, he provides the defense with a physical and hard-hitting presence when coming downhill.

Junior Colson

Jim Harbaugh got his guy in the third round of the draft. Colson was one of the leaders of Michigan’s defense last season. Now, given his talent and familiarity with Jesse Minter’s defense, he is expected to be the starting Mike linebacker. Colson is a rangy and explosive linebacker whose coverage skills are high-quality NFL traits. He has the speed to stay in phase with tight ends and running backs and is also effective in the run game.

Daiyan Henley

Henley was selected in the third round of last year’s draft. During his rookie campaign, Henley was primarily a special teamer. Heading into Year 2, he should push for playing time, as he offers reliability in coverage, something that Perryman isn’t equipped to do. The team likely envisions Henley starting alongside Colson.

Nick Niemann

While serving as a core special teamer, Niemann had the opportunity to start three games last season when former Chargers Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray were injured. He finished the year with 40 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a fumble recovery. Niemann will make his money on special teams this season and can start in a pinch.

Troy Dye

Dye, a fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, spent the past four seasons with the Vikings. Dye reunites with Ryan Ficken, who was Minnesota’s assistant special teams coach (2020) and special teams coordinator (2021). With the Chargers, Dye will provide a special teams ace and depth at linebacker following the departures of Amen Ogbongbemiga and Tanner Muse.

Projecting the Chargers’ interior defensive line depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge rusher

Next, I project what the interior defensive line room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Morgan Fox

Fox joined the Chargers ahead of the 2022 season, where he had a career year. He recorded 40 pressures, 6.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. For his efforts, Fox was re-signed last offseason. He continued to be an impactful interior pass rusher, finishing with 37 pressures and five sacks. Fox is in the final year of his contract.

Poona Ford

The Chargers lacked veterans in the positional room aside from Fox, so they went out and signed Ford on a cheap deal. Like Fox, Ford will be able to come on as a pass rusher from the middle of the defensive line. He can play on early downs. While he hasn’t been as a good defending the run the past couple of seasons, he has shown the ability to put on strong in this department in his early playing days with the Seahawks.

Justin Eboigbe

After signing Ford, the Chargers still needed more reinforcements up front so they selected Eboigbe in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Eboige is an interior defender who is tough and well-built with the strength to anchor at the point of attack and eat up double teams. While his strong suit is in run defense, he showed the explosiveness and technicality to get after the quarterback last season.

Otito Ogbonnia

After being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Ogbonnia made a name for himself in his rookie season. While he may not have stood out on the stat sheet, with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss in seven games, Ogbonnia was a reliable run defender by penetrating the backfield to cause havoc and occupying double teams. Unfortunately, a ruptured left patellar tendon during Week 7 cut his season short. Ogbonnia worked his way back and appeared in eight games last season, totaling 21 tackles and two QB hits.

Christopher Hinton

I expect the Chargers to roster five interior defenders, which means this will be a battle between a handful of players, including Hinton, Scott Matlock and Jerrod Clark. Hinton, the former five-star recruit, gets the nod because of his familiarity with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Hinton has shown flashes of being a nice rotational piece.