Tag: max duggan

WR Quentin Johnston needs to be more involved for the Chargers

Quentin Johnston has not been used much on offense and the Chargers need to change that quickly.

Back in April, the Chargers used their first-round pick to select TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston. Los Angeles had not used a first-round selection on a receiver since Mike Williams was drafted out of Clemson six years ago.

Johnston’s college career was defined by his freakish YAC ability. He made consistent highlight reel plays once he got in the open field. Plenty of missed tackles were forced as TCU found ways to display his versatile, gazelle-like athleticism. His draft stock skyrocketed during his team’s College Football Playoff season.

Johnston showed out in Chargers training camp with plenty of explosive moments. And yet, since the beginning of the regular season, the Chargers’ first-round receiver finds himself primarily sidelined.

Of course, it’s worth pointing out that the Chargers have a loaded receiver room at the top. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Joshua Palmer are all receivers who have had 750+ yard receiving seasons for the team. Getting Johnston on the field would not be as easy as the situations fellow rookies Zay Flowers or Jordan Addison walked into.

Still, it’s hard to feel that the Chargers have done their best when looking at his usage. Johnston played 22 snaps in Week 1 out of a possible 81. In Week 2, that number dropped to 10.

The most effort the Chargers have put toward designing a play for their first-round pick so far was a pitch toss that got blown up in the backfield by Miami’s Christian Wilkins. Through two weeks, Gerald Everett, Mike Williams, and Derius Davis have all run jet sweeps/end-arounds.

Against the Titans, his former TCU teammate Davis played more snaps than Johnston. The coaching staff is finding a more consistent role for their fourth-round kick returner than their first-round receiver.

That’s not to say Davis isn’t worthy of those snaps. He’s impressed when he’s been on the field. But not utilizing Johnston on sweeps, end-arounds and screens feels like a misunderstanding of what got him to where he is. The YAC threat the Chargers drafted isn’t meant to overtake Allen or Williams in year one, but he cannot be as much of an offensive afterthought on the smaller stuff.

It’s traditional for the Chargers to bring on their rookies slowly. But adding Johnston’s open-field abilities would make the offense more dynamic than it already is. With his frame and skill, he provides something that no other Chargers’ offensive player can. It’s up to Moore to seek out those looks more consistently than he has.

Chargers sign 12 players to 2023 practice squad

The Los Angeles Chargers announced 12 players that will begin the 2023 season on the practice squad.

The Los Angeles Chargers began announcing members of their practice squad on Wednesday, signing the following players:

EDGE Brevin Allen

RT Zack Bailey

WR Terrell Bynum

DT Jerrod Clark

DT Christian Covington

QB Max Duggan

WR Keelan Doss

EDGE Andrew Farmer

CB Matt Hankins

TE Hunter Kampmoyer

DT CJ Okoye (IPP)

G/T Austen Pleasants

Teams can have up to 16 players on their practice squad, but for the Bolts, they can have up to 17 players because they have an exemption to add Okoye as an extra player through the International Player Pathway Program.

Therefore, five more players will be added to round out the group.

Stay tuned for more information.

Which 2023 draft picks failed to make the initial rosters

Tracking which 2023 NFL draft picks did not make the initial 53-man rosters, including a Heisman finalist and the nation’s leading rusher in 2022

The NFL draft is an inexact science. Every year there are rookie draft picks who can’t make the initial roster for the teams that selected them months earlier. This year’s draft class is no exception.

A total of 17 rookie 2023 draftees didn’t make the cut, not counting players who went on injured reserve.

Perhaps the biggest name is Colts CB Darius Rush. Indianapolis quickly gave up on the fifth-rounder from South Carolina. Baltimore also cut a fifth-round cornerback in Kyu Blu Kelly.

Jacksonville had three 2023 draftees that didn’t make the cut. Sixth-round CB Erick Hallett II and seventh-rounders FB Derek Parish and DT Raymond Vohasek didn’t make it.

Chicago waived two of its picks, DT Travis Bell and S Kendall Williamson. Both were seventh-round picks. Miami waived sixth-round TE Elijah Higgins and seventh-round OL Ryan Hayes, two of the Dolphins’ four selections in the 2023 draft.

The nation’s leading rusher in 2022, Dewayne McBride at UAB, couldn’t crack the Vikings roster despite being a seventh-round pick. The same was true for TCU QB Max Duggan, a Heisman finalist for the Horned Frogs. The Chargers waived Duggan, a seventh-rounder.

Other 2023 picks who got waived:
Jets TE Zach Kuntz (7th round)

Bills DB Alex Austin (7th round)

Bills OL Nick Broeker (7th round)

Texans S Brandon Hill (7th round)

Packers WR Grant Dubose (7th round)

Buccaneers EDGE Jose Ramirez (6th round)

The original post had an omission and has since been edited

Projecting the Chargers’ 17-man practice squad

The Chargers can start constructing their practice squad on Wednesday. Here is who we think will make it.

The Chargers trimmed their roster to 53 on Tuesday, but the work in building the roster is not yet done. More moves will come before the opening of the season, beginning with the construction of LA’s practice squad on Wednesday afternoon.

While the NFL has a limit of 16 players on the practice squad, Los Angeles has an exemption to add defensive lineman CJ Okoye as a 17th player through the International Player Pathway Program. For that reason, this projection includes 17 players.

Chargers waive rookie QB Max Duggan

The roster cuts continue to roll in for the Chargers.

The roster cuts continue to roll in for the Chargers on Monday. 2023 draft selection, Max Duggan was released in favor of Los Angeles keeping two quarterbacks for now.

The Chargers spent most of the preseason and training camp process giving reps to Easton Stick at QB2. Unlike last offseason, there was never a competition between QB2 and QB3. Duggan was a distant third throughout the process. It was only a matter of whether the Chargers would keep two or three quarterbacks.

Considering the draft investment, the Chargers are most likely hoping that Duggan isn’t claimed on waivers so he can be placed on the practice squad. As Tom Pelissero indicated in his original tweet, though, Duggan isn’t necessarily a lock to clear waivers given his national status. He was a Heisman finalist amid TCU’s run through the College Football Playoff last season.

Barring another move or waiver claim, the Chargers are preparing to keep two quarterbacks on the main roster. 2018 was the last time there were just two signal callers on the final roster. Philip Rivers and Geno Smith made up the main quarterback room that year.

Duggan was a mixed bag this preseason. While he showed off his athletic ability as a scrambler, his processor was still as delayed as on the TCU tape. Several passes, even completions, were left relatively short of their initial targets. Hopefully, if he does return to the practice squad, Duggan can start developing his NFL repertoire for next preseason.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ 23-12 win over 49ers

The Chargers concluded their preseason with a 23-12 win over the Niners. Most of the 90-man roster made their last impressions.

The Chargers concluded their preseason with a 23-12 win over the Niners. Most of the 90-man roster got to make their last impressions for roster spots, with cutdowns on Tuesday.

Here are the guys who stood out (positively and negatively) in the preseason finale.

Stud: CB Deane Leonard

Deane Leonard had been pretty solid in the first two preseason games but stood out more against San Francisco. Leonard was active in making pass break-up attempts and was sticky without being grabby in coverage. It also felt like an excellent tackling night for him outside of the first big Brandon Aiyuk play.

On one of the drives in the second quarter, Leonard got beat by Conley after the Niners’ receiver pushed off for a big diving catch. A few plays later, Leonard rebounded and drew an offensive pass interference call that eventually ended the drive for the Niners.

Leonard had been a top defender for the Chargers in the preseason, but seeing him execute while being tested more often was nice.

Dud: QB Max Duggan

Perhaps it was nerves for the rookie, but Max Duggan looked like he was seeing ghosts when throwing the football tonight. He ran some zone-read concepts pretty well, which saved the Chargers’ offense at points. But the erratic, delayed processing on display probably didn’t do much to solidify a QB3 spot.

Duggan should’ve been intercepted on the play above, but it wasn’t the only miscue. Several short to intermediate passes nearly hit the ground for his receivers, and the first drive was a mess. Two dangerous screen passes that were almost picked and a high toss to Elijah Dotson almost ruined his night from the start.

He saved himself with his legs, but I’m just struggling to see what value Duggan brings to the roster besides being the team’s seventh-round pick.

Stud: RB Joshua Kelley

Joshua Kelley had the play of the night with a 75-yard scamper to the house:

It’s been a good training camp and preseason for Kelley. That play felt like his declarative stamp on the RB2 job behind Austin Ekeler. Isaiah Spiller will still get his touches, but Kelley has shown a more refined approach with good balance and speed.

Dud: WR John Hightower

John Hightower was the star of training camp, but he didn’t stand out in a meaningful way in the preseason. Keelan Doss has outplayed him in the last two games, and it felt like Hightower was too easily washed out of routes. On his one target of the game, he got blanketed in coverage after Duggan released the throw.

He’ll still have a role on the practice squad, and his dominance in camp can’t be undersold. The coaching staff certainly values it. But the path towards a 53-man roster spot seems much less feasible than before.

Stud: TE Stone Smartt

Stone Smart has had back-to-back great weeks as a blocker. Last week, it was letting Easton Stick run outside for the score. Against the Niners, he made a block that created the hole for Joshua Kelley’s 75-yard score. On a separate play, he also sprung Max Duggan free on the outside for a 3rd down conversion.

Box score watchers will see one reception for six yards, but Smartt’s impact on the blocking game and the flow of the offense was evident. In a preseason where Tre’ McKitty and Donald Parham have struggled in that capacity, Smartt has strung together some good performances.

5 takeaways from Chargers’ 23-12 win over 49ers

Here’s what stood out from the Chargers’ preseason finale of 2023.

The Chargers wrapped up their preseason on Friday night with a 23-12 win over the 49ers.

Los Angeles rushed for more yards against San Francisco (267) than they had in either of the last two preseasons in their entirety (208 and 227, respectively).

Here are the main takeaways from the Bolts’ performance.

Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason victory over 49ers

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 23-12 victory over the 49ers.

The Chargers defeated the 49ers in the final preseason game on Friday.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 23-12 victory over San Francisco:

7 Chargers players to watch vs. the 49ers in preseason finale

The final Chargers’ preseason game takes place on Friday. Four days after, LA will announce their final 53-man roster.

The final Chargers’ preseason game takes place on Friday in San Francisco as they take on the 49ers. Just four days later on the 29th, Los Angeles will announce their final 53-man roster after final cuts.

For a lot of roster bubble Chargers, this will be their last chance to make an impression on the coaching staff with training camp wrapped up.

Here are seven players to watch:

RB Elijah Dotson

Dotson burst onto the scene in Week 1 of the preseason with nearly 100 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. Against the Saints, he didn’t manage to keep that momentum. The physicality in his runs still showed, but Dotson finished the game with just 21 yards on six carries. On the final drive, Dotson also had two critical drops on passes from Easton Stick.

I’d maintain that Dotson still has a shot at the final 53-man roster, but the outlook isn’t quite as rosy as it was after Week 1. The question for the Niners game is if the North Colorado product can put a performance that makes the Chargers keep a fourth running back as opposed to placing him on the practice squad.

QB Max Duggan

According to Brandon Staley, “the flow of the game” was what kept Easton Stick on the field for all four quarters last week. Duggan did not get a chance to play against the Saints.

Considering that the tradition of the third preseason game tends to be playing fewer of the second-string starters than in the first two games, Duggan should get some significant run in this one. My guess is that the Chargers will stick with what they did in the first preseason game and play both quarterbacks in separate halves.

Staley also inferred that keeping three quarterbacks is not set in stone with his “every year is a new year” comment. While I’m not sure that there’s much of a chance of Duggan actually being left off the roster given the new quarterback rule, a standout performance from the TCU product wouldn’t hurt him.

TE Stone Smartt

The Chargers had three tight ends in the bottom five of their PFF offensive grades last week. Stone Smartt was not one of them. While Tre’ McKitty and Donald Parham have both underperformed in the preseason, Smartt has played fairly well.

Smartt did get significant enough playing time last year to infer that the coaching staff could give him a look for one of their final roster spots if he impresses on Friday. The Chargers certainly need all the help they can get behind Gerald Everett as it currently stands. How safe McKitty’s seat is and how much they want to test the tight end market will be pivotal questions for Smartt.

WR John Hightower

Hightower had a rather disappointing preseason debut last week. Hightower had just one reception for ten yards and came up short on some of the routes that Stick intended to throw. Some of the deep shots weren’t there because of the pass protection with the offensive line, but it was still a far-from-ideal performance even with that consideration.

Hightower will probably remain a favorite for the practice squad regardless of his performance simply because he’s been in the system. He does have irreplaceable speed. But it feels like his chances of making the roster are dwindling with a rough preseason game and Jalen Guyton getting ready to return. Let’s see what he does in San Francisco.

S Raheem Layne

JT Woods took advantage of his “prove it” game as lead safety last week with a good effort. Against San Francisco, I’d figure we see less of him and more of Layne in a starting role. So far, Layne has been an improved tackler on both defense and special teams.

In particular, I’d like to see Layne get some reps where he gets tested in coverage a few times.

RT Zack Bailey

Bailey has shown up with good performances for multiple weeks in the preseason now at right guard. The question for the final preseason matchup at San Francisco is whether the Chargers could kick him back outside for some reps at right tackle.

Foster Sarell has been up and down at points and Austen Pleasants has been largely unplayable when it comes to the tackle spots. Perhaps the Chargers believe Bailey’s long-term NFL future is inside, but I’d like to see some semblance of good competition for the swing tackle spot.

DT CJ Okoye

Friday will probably represent the last chance for Chargers fans to see CJ Okoye in 2023 given the nature of the International Player Program. He’ll likely be stashed on the practice squad as an extra body for the purposes of the regular season.

Every time Okoye has played this preseason, it’s just hard to believe it’s his first time playing professional football. Okoye followed up the sack against the Rams with another pressure, two tackles, and a run stop vs. New Orleans. He seems to only be gaining more confidence in himself as a football player and he’ll get quality playing time vs. the Niners.

Brandon Staley on Chargers keeping 3 quarterbacks: ‘Every year is a new year’

Brandon Staley responded to a question about the new three quarterback rule.

Head coach Brandon Staley responded to a question about the new three-quarterback rule at his press conference on Wednesday:

It’s going to be interesting to see what teams in the league do with that third spot. We’ve discussed it. We’ve kept three quarterbacks in the past, but every year is a new year. I think in the next five to seven days, that’s when a lot of these decisions are going to be made. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

The Chargers have kept three quarterbacks on the final roster in eight of Tom Telesco’s ten seasons as general manager. In the 2023 NFL draft, the team took former TCU quarterback Max Duggan with their seventh-round pick. Duggan played in the second half of the first preseason game against the Rams. He did not get to play against the Saints, as Staley and Moore rolled with Easton Stick for the entirety of the game.

The NFL’s new emergency quarterback rule can be slightly complicated on the surface. Duggan would count against the final 53-man roster for the Chargers if they kept three quarterbacks. However, he would not count against the active 48-man roster on NFL game days. Essentially, Duggan would keep someone else off the final roster, but the Chargers to use an “extra” player on gamedays.

Despite Staley not committing to keeping two or three quarterbacks, it’s hard to believe the Chargers would cut Duggan given the new rule. The organization has always liked keeping a scout team quarterback under Telesco. They also used the seventh-round selection to keep the TCU star from hitting undrafted free agency.

The new rule only gives more credence to Telesco’s scout quarterback philosophy of keeping three on the roster. That philosophy held true when the Chargers drafted Stick in 2019 with Philip Rivers and Tyrod Taylor already rostered. Eventually, the time will probably come to promote Duggan to QB2 as they did with Stick’s development over the past four years.