Tag: Matt Feiler

Projecting the Chargers’ offensive line depth chart in 2021

The Los Angeles Chargers have a solid starting five up front. But what about the depth?

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Next up, I project what the offensive line room will look like heading into the 2021 season.

LT: Rashawn Slater

Many, including myself, did not expect Slater to see a slide to where the Chargers were selecting at No. 13. After he did, it was a no-brainer for the team who needed a franchise left tackle. While there are some who still believe he will be a better guard in this league due to his lack of height and arm length, given how he fared against Chase Young along with other elite edge defenders in college and his traits at the position, I think Slater will be just fine at protecting the blindside.

Backups: Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton

LG: Matt Feiler

One of the best value moves made by Los Angeles was signing Feiler. He started 40 games for the Steelers since joining them in 2016, including 29 games in the last two seasons – 26 at right tackle and 13 at left guard. During his time with Pittsburgh, he was a contributor to holding opponents to the fewest sacks in the NFL over the past three seasons. His consistency and durability and ability to fill in at multiple spots along the line will go a long way at maintaining competency up front.

Backups: Brenden Jaimes, Scott Quessenberry

C: Corey Linsley

Among the plethora of offseason acquisitions made by the Chargers, arguably the best one was signing the All-Pro center. Named first-team All-Pro and rated Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 center from 2020, Linsley didn’t allow a sack or a tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage vs. the run. He allowed just four total pressures last season on 437 pass-blocking snaps — the lowest pressure total in the NFL. With Linsley, L.A. now has a dependable and consistent presence to anchor the offensive line.

Backups: Scott Quessenberry

RG: Oday Aboushi

The team released Trai Turner and went out and signed Aboushi in correspondence. Aboushi stepped into a starting role in the second half of the year for the Lions in 2020 and thrived. On 1,875 total snaps, he has only blown 33 blocks (19 pass, 14 run). Aboushi will have some competition in training camp with fifth-round pick Brenden Jaimes. But given the fact that he is coming off his best season yet and is more experienced, Aboushi should lock up the starting spot.

Backups: Brenden Jaimes, Scott Quessenberry

RT: Bryan Bulaga

Bulaga is the only returning member on the offensive line. After signing with the Chargers last offseason, the 34-year old was hit with a variety of injuries, limiting his time on the field to just 10 games. According to Sports Info Solutions, Bulaga surrendered 10 pressures (7 pass, 3 run) on 418 total snaps. If Bulaga is dinged up again, the team could move Feiler to right tackle and slide Jameis into the left guard spot or vice versa.

Backups: Trey Pipkins, Brenden Jaimes, Storm Norton

What we learned about Chargers rookie OT Rashawn Slater during spring practices

The Los Angeles Chargers’ first-round pick made a good early impression.

The Chargers landed a gem in offensive tackle Rashawn Slater with their first-round pick in this year’s draft.

How did Slater do during the offseason workouts the past couple of months? ESPN’s Shelley Smith was in attendance for the team’s organized team activities, where she was able to see him firsthand.

Slater is solid, if not a bit smaller than you would expect. Nicknamed “The Wall,” he opted out of the 2020 season at Northwestern, but in 2019 he allowed zero sacks and was awesome against Ohio State’s star pass-rusher Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick last year. There were some pre-draft questions about Slater’s arm length, which didn’t seem to pose a problem in shorts and cleats.

Smith highlights Slater’s physical traits, which were seen as a potential issue for him to stick at the tackle at this level throughout the pre-draft process. However, he has appeared to defy the odds in the early going.

While there may still be concerns with Slater’s long-term outlook at tackle, he is technically sound, very intelligent, physical and consistent which shows both in the pass- and run-blocking department to stick around there.

During OTAs, Slater was with the first-team offense, with the rest of the line consisting of Matt Feiler at left guard, Corey Linsley at center, Oday Aboushi at right guard and Bryan Bulaga at right tackle.

Even though there wasn’t any contact, it’s good to hear that Slater did well this spring. Onto training camp next month, where he will really get to show his worth in one-on-ones against edge defender Joey Bosa.

OL coach Frank Smith’s experience with Saints should pay dividends with Chargers

Chargers offensive line coach Frank Smith had the pleasure of working with four Pro Bowlers.

Part of the Chargers’ revamp of the offensive line included hiring new offensive line coach/run game coordinator Frank Smith.

Smith most recently served as the Bears and Raiders’ tight ends coach, but prior to that, he was an assistant offensive line coach for the Saints from 2010-14.

Smith worked the likes Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs and Carl Nicks, all of whom were named to the Pro Bowl during his time with New Orleans.

Smith benefited from coaching in a system that will be similar to the one offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is enforcing.

He talked about his experiences in that role, elaborating that he was able to get a “Ph.D. in football.”

“What a lucky guy I was,” Smith said. “To step back now —I always kind of look at, ‘What did you learn from every experience?’ If you don’t learn and grow and affect your next day, I think that’s our failure, whether it’s a coach, player, or really anyone. I was lucky.

I got there two months after they had just won the Super Bowl —the pinnacle of football. I learned the why. [Saints Head Coach] Sean Payton has that big-picture vision of how to build a Super Bowl-caliber winning team, and then how you build a team, again, that got as close as you can get.

I was lucky to develop a relationship with Joe [Lombardi] in my time there. He taught me a lot of things. I was young in the NFL. Just how things worked and why, and how the systems worked.

[Former Saints coach] Aaron Kromer was there my first couple of years. He’s a top-level line coach. I can’t say enough. I’m so lucky that I was able to work for him. He taught me how the NFL works.”

Smith joins Los Angeles alongside assistant offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and a great group of players, Corey Linsley, Matt Feiler, Oday Aboushi, Bryan Bulaga and Rashawn Slater.

Chargers’ Corey Linsley talks state of offensive line

The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best offensive lines they’ve had in years.

The Chargers completely remodeled the offensive line this offseason after finishing as one of the worst positional groups in the league last season.

Among the crop of players that Los Angeles brought in was All-Pro center Corey Linsley, who became the highest-paid player at his position.

At his media availability, Linsley was asked what he thought of the group as a whole in the early stages of being together.

“Great group of dudes, man,” Linsley said. “A great room. Coach Frank Smith is a great coach. He’s extremely intelligent. He knows the game and has been around a little bit, so he’s seen a lot of guys.

The room is awesome. I know [T] Bryan [Bulaga]. I knew what I was getting there. He’s a great dude. Everybody else, we’ve been jelling pretty good so far. Hoping to take that into camp and keep this thing rolling.”

Linsley was joined by veterans Matt Feiler and Oday Aboushi, as well as rookies Rashawn Slater and Brenden Jaimes. In addition, the unit is aided by new offensive line coaches, Frank Smith and Shaun Sarrett.

The starting five is pretty much set in stone, with Slater, Feiler, Linsley, Aboushi and Bulaga engineering the line, while the backup spots will be determined in training camp.

On paper, they have the talent to give quarterback Justin Herbert plenty of time to throw and generate consistent movement in the run game. However, ensuring the core of the group stays healthy throughout the entire season will be pivotal.

2021 expectations for Chargers’ newest free agent signings

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out the roles that the free agents from this offseason will have in 2021.

In part of the roster reconstruction, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco didn’t shy away from adding a few earlier this offseason.

With that in mind, here is what fans can expect from each of Telesco’s acquisitions heading into the upcoming season:

C Corey Linsley

The acquisition of Linsley fills the void at center in a big way, as he is a former All-Pro player and perhaps the best center in football. Linsley will help both in the passing game, especially with stunts up the middle, and the running game, as well as aid quarterback Justin Herbert in his pre-snap assessments and protection adjustments. A proven veteran like Linsley is a massive upgrade to the offensive line.

G Matt Feiler

After acquiring Linsley, the Chargers picked up Feiler to serve as the starting left guard, despite having experience at both tackle and guard. His primary position from Day 1 will be along the interior, but if an injury occurred to Bryan Bulaga, Feiler is capable of playing right tackle. He will be a key piece in both the passing and running game. In 1,499 pass-blocking snaps, Feiler only blew 31. In 903 run-blocking snaps, he only blew eight, per Sports Info Solutions.

G Oday Aboushi

The Chargers failed to get consistency at the right guard position from Trai Turner last season. The team released Turner and went out and signed Aboushi in correspondence. Aboushi was a great value signing at one year, $1.6 million. He will have some competition in fifth-round Brenden Jaimes this summer, but given the fact that he is coming off his best season yet as a pro with the Lions, Aboushi should lock up the starting spot. Aboushi gives the team a physical blocker in both departments as well as a gritty presence in the room.

TE Jared Cook

With Hunter Henry signing with the Patriots, the Chargers needed to acquire a starting tight end. Cook was that guy. More experienced as a receiver than a blocker, Cook will provide a big frame in the middle of the field and down the seam for quarterback Justin Herbert. Cook is familiar with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and the scheme he will try to run, so it will help in the learning curve.

CB Ryan Smith

While he has experience as a starter in the secondary, Smith’s money with the Chargers will be made on special teams, where he will aide in the coverage units. Last season, Smith appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the Buccaneers and played 78 percent of the special teams snaps (360). He also played at least 73 percent of the special teams snaps in each of the team’s four postseason games.

EDGE Kyler Fackrell

The Chargers entered the offseason with a need at the position knowing that the depth was thin, with the only other players they had were Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu and Jesse Lemonier. With Bosa and Nwosu slated to start, Fackrell will come in as rotational pass-rusher, with the majority of his work coming on special teams, having played over 1,000 special teams snaps in his career.

DT Christian Covington

The Chargers did not address the position in the draft, despite it being a group that needed additional depth. To fulfill it, the team signed Covington. Covington possesses versatility up front as he has experience playing anywhere from nose tackle to outside of the tackles. Similar to Damion Square, Covington will likely back up Jerry Tillery and Justin Jones. He is a guy who is capable of disrupting the backfield due to his great lateral quickness and burst to jump off the snap as well as length and strength to take on double teams.

Ranking the Chargers’ 6 best offseason acquisitions

Chargers WIre’s Gavino Borquez ranks general manager Tom Telesco’s best moves this offseason.

The Chargers’ offseason moves are essentially over.

Looking to make some noise this upcoming season, general manager Tom Telesco made a handful of moves to reconstruct an already talented roster.

To get a feel for my thoughts on Telesco’s free agency and draft haul, I ranked the six best moves that he made.

Ranking the Chargers offensive units ahead of 2021 NFL draft

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez ranks the offensive side of the ball, from the strongest to the weakest.

The 2021 NFL draft is just four days away.

To get a feel for what the Chargers might do on the offensive side of the ball, I ranked each position group, starting from the strongest working down to the weakest.

Better or Worse: Evaluating Chargers offense ahead of NFL draft

The Los Angeles Chargers offense will have a different look, primarily in the trenches.

The Chargers lost a few of their starters from last season, but added some in correspondence via free agency.

But how do they compare now to after the 2020 regular season?

Let’s break it down by position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback

Offseason moves: Signed Chase Daniel as an unrestricted free agent from the Lions. Lost Tyrod Taylor as a UFA from the Texans.

Summary: The Chargers are locked in with their quarterback of the future, Justin Herbert. After losing Taylor to Houston, they turned their attention to Daniel, who’s familiar with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system. Daniel isn’t as enticing as a player as Taylor, but he has been considered an ideal veteran mentor for young quarterbacks, which is what he will be, a preceptor to Herbert. Easton Stick, meanwhile, has gotten the short end of the stick, as he has limited experience after not having a preseason last year due to COVID-19. He will battle it out this year for a spot, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he is on the outside looking in, relegated to practice squad role or being released.

Verdict: Slightly better

Running Back

Offseason moves: Lost Kalen Ballage as an unrestricted free agent to the Steelers.

Summary: Ballage was serviceable when he was on the field last season, but despite the loss, the group remains in good shape. Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson are a solid one-two punch when they’re healthy and Joshua Kelley just needs to find his mojo. Ekeler will remain a do-it-all back. Jackson can be a threat in both the running and passing game as long as he can stay on the field. Kelley was a bright spot in training camp last year, but he dealt with fumbles and just couldn’t find a groove. I expect him to bounce back. The team might look to draft one late or bring in an undrafted free agent for competition.

Verdict: Same

Wide Receiver

Offseason moves: N/A

Summary: This group remains the same. The Chargers did the right thing by paying Keenan Allen last offseason after proving himself as a top-10 wideout yet again. Mike Williams is entering the final year of his contract. The team chose not to let him play on the fifth-year option because he’s thought highly of, both as a person and a player. Jalen Guyton and Tyron Johnson are ascending deep threats. Guyton is the No. 3 but after experiencing spurts of drops, Johnson could emerge in that role. After quiet seasons from Joe Reed and K.J. Hill, their contributions remain to be seen. Hill is the fifth wideout and Reed is hoping to establish himself as the kick returner and gadget piece offensively. Los Angeles could address the position in the draft, bringing in an explosive element.

Verdict: Same

Tight End

Offseason moves: Signed Jared Cook as an unrestricted free agent from Saints. Lost Hunter Henry as a UFA to the Patriots. Re-signed Stephen Anderson.

Summary: It wasn’t long before Henry was gone, being picked up by head coach Bill Belichick. In correspondence, the Chargers got Cook, who’s another guy familiar with Lombardi’s offense. Cook’s best playing days are behind him, but he stills offers a reliable option for the time being. While he’s more of a liability as a run blocker, he will offer some upside as a pass-catching option. Even before the signing of Cook, Parham likely wasn’t seen as someone capable of manning the full-time starting role. While he’s an intriguing receiving option and a mismatch in the red zone, his blocking still leaves a lot to be desired. That’s why the team re-signed Anderson, who’s the most superior blocker out of the bunch. Los Angeles could use one of their two third-round picks to take a guy like Notre Dame’s Tommy Tremble, Miami’s Brevin Jordan, Duke’s Noah Gray or Georgia’s Tre McKitty.

Verdict: Slightly worse

Offensive line

Offseason moves: Signed Corey Linsley from Packers, Matt Feiler from Steelers and Oday Aboushi from Lions. Lost Dan Feeney to Jets, Sam Tevi to Colts, Cole Toner to Texans.

Summary: The Chargers knew their offensive line ranked near the bottom in both the pass and run-blocking departments and a good amount of their success lies in the hands of Herbert, which is why they made the point to build it from the ground up. Linsley was the most expensive signing, but he was the most vital as he is one of the best centers in the league. They have two new starting guards in Feiler and Aboushi. Bryan Bulaga is back to man the right tackle position. All that’s left is filling the left tackle void. Trey Pipkins is penciled in as the starter. Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick of 2019, has shown flashes but he’s still quite a bit away from being relied on in that role. Los Angeles also has Storm Norton on the roster, but he I believe he is nothing more than a swing option. In my opinion, it’s going to come down to Christian Darrisaw, Rashawn Slater, Alijah Vera-Tucker and potentially Teven Jenkins with their first-round pick.

Verdict: Much better

A look at Chargers’ cap space, remaining needs

Breaking down the Los Angeles Chargers’ roster moves, cap space and positions of need.

We are two weeks into NFL free agency, and the Chargers’ roster under head coach Brandon Staley is taking shape.

Here’s a look at Los Angeles’ roster moves:

Gained

OL Corey Linsley

OL Matt Feiler

OL Oday Aboushi

TE Jared Cook

OLB Kyler Fackrell

QB Chase Daniel

Retained

CB Michael Davis

CB Brandon Facyson

TE Stephen Anderson

Lost

TE Hunter Henry (Patriots)

LB Denzel Perryman (Panthers)

QB Tyrod Taylor (Texans)

OL Dan Feeney (Jets)

OT Sam Tevi (Colts)

DL Isaac Rochell (Colts)

LB Nick Vigil (Vikings)

OL Cole Toner (Texans)

L.A. roughly has $25.7 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap. This does not reflect the signing of QB Chase Daniel and re-signings of TE Stephen Anderson and CB Brandon Facyson.

What are the team’s remaining needs?

Left tackle

If the Chargers wish to get the most out of quarterback Justin Herbert, they need to protect him at all costs. At the moment, Trey Pipkins is penciled in as the starter. Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick of 2019, has shown flashes but he’s still quite a bit away from being relied on in that role. Los Angeles also has Storm Norton on the roster, but he I believe he is nothing more than a swing option.

Cornerback

One of the biggest priorities for L.A. was re-signing Michael Davis, which they took care of. But even after making the move, the team still has a void to fill after releasing Casey Hayward. The Bolts still have Chris Harris, Jr. as the other starter and even though they re-signed Brandon Facyson, I don’t think he’s ready to step in as a permanent starter. Given how vital the position is in Brandon Staley’s system, they need more talent.

Safety

After the loss of Rayshawn Jenkins, there are only three safeties on the roster: Derwin James, Nasir Adderley and Alohi Gilman. The Chargers might be banking on Staley maximizing Adderley’s skillset in 2021 after a rough sophomore season, but given the fact that Staley likes to roll with three-safety looks, the team will be looking to add another one or two.

Guard

Los Angeles found their two probable starters in Matt Feiler and Oday Aboushi. However, the depth behind them is practically nonexistent. For a team that has dealt with the injury bug up front, they could benefit from adding a couple to solidify the group for the upcoming season.

Interior defensive line

The Chargers have a solid foundation with Linval Joseph, Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery. While it’s not the most pressing need, Staley will look for guys that fit his mold, with that being explosive and versatile players with length. Cortez Broughton is a player that fits that shape, but look for them to upgrade.

Chargers’ Matt Feiler has not been told what guard spot he will play

Matt Feiler will be an upgrade on the interior part of the offensive line.

The Chargers signed Matt Feiler earlier this week as a part of the reconstruction of the offensive line.

Feiler came in having played both tackle and guard with the Steelers. With Los Angeles, he will play on the interior. But the thing that remains to be seen is whether or it will be on the left or right side.

With Pittsburgh, Feiler played left guard this past season after starting at right tackle in 2019.

At Friday’s media availability, Feiler said he’s open to playing both guards spots.

I believe that L.A. is better off playing Feiler at left guard.

One, he has experience playing there. Two, all signs are pointing to the Chargers drafting a left tackle and having a veteran like Feiler next to him could benefit him in the early going of his career.

Los Angeles would then have to find a right guard to replace the void left by Trai Turner, which I addressed how they can do so.