Tag: max duggan

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.

6 storylines to follow in Chargers’ preseason finale vs. 49ers

Be sure to keep an eye on these six storylines as the Chargers square off with the 49ers on Friday night.

The Chargers face off against the 49ers on Friday night before head coach Brandon Staley and company begin their trimming of the roster to 53 players next week.

Here are six storylines to watch for during Los Angeles’ final preseason matchup against San Francisco:

Studs and duds from Chargers’ 22-17 loss to the Saints

After they dominated the Rams last week, the Chargers just couldn’t keep up with the Saints this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.

The Chargers did get a chance to play some preseason football despite some initial fears about the weather. After they dominated the Rams last week, the team just couldn’t keep up quite the same pace this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.

Let’s start with a stud of the game first:

Stud: S JT Woods

After good reports out of camp for JT Woods’ performance in joint practices, I was excited to see if he could back that progress up in a preseason game. He did. Woods had good quality coverage that resulted in a few pass breakups and was generally a good tackler.

Woods did miss one tackle on the big play to Lynn Bowden, but he kept his composure and kept playing with good intensity.

Dud: QB Easton Stick

Easton Stick landed in my studs category last week after his effort against the Rams. This outing was not as favorable for the Chargers’ backup. Stick went 21/41 with two interceptions and a sub-50 passer rating.

There were some good moments for him. His two-minute drive toward the end of the first half did show off some legitimate improvisation and creativity. But the moments of occasional improvisational brilliance were outweighed by the decision-making. Stick became a little overly reliant on using his legs to bail him out of plays and just made some perplexing throws. Why was a two-yard pass thrown to Stone Smartt on 3rd and 9?

The scanning of the field through his reads was poor and it felt like he was still sailing the ball wide even when he did make a good read.

Stud: LB Daiyan Henley

It felt like Henley was active from the get-go in this one. He ended up leading the team in tackles with nine and had an explosive sack where he shot the gap to clean up with Carlo Kemp. Henley also blew up some runs in the backfield.

While Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will be the starting duo, today was the first time that Henley’s overall athleticism won me over on the field. He has to get some defensive playing time early. The speed and motor he has could be used in an almost Drue Tranquill gadget-like way in spots during the season.

Dud: RB Elijah Dotson

Elijah Dotson honestly started the game off pretty well. There weren’t any huge runs early, but it felt like he was running downhill and physical with some confidence. But the production tapered off during the game. Dotson finished the game averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.

More important than the rushing production was the situational football from the Northern Colorado product. Two bad drops from Dotson on the last drive of the game would almost immediately lead to Easton Stick throwing his final interception.

Stud: WR Quentin Johnston

Tonight’s effort from Quentin Johnston was exactly what fans wanted to see in Week 1. Johnston had three catches for 37 yards with no drops. In terms of a skill that was demonstrated in this game, the route running was what really stuck out.

Overall, it felt like the game slowed down a lot for Johnston after he caught that touchdown against the Rams last week. The route-running fluidity and body control were a few strides better tonight.

Dud: Austen Pleasants and Foster Sarell

Both of them deserve a dishonorable mention tonight. Part of why Stick had so much trouble early on in the game was the nonstop pressure he was getting. The interior offensive line shares its role in the blame as well, but Pleasants was especially bad tonight. He was slow off of the line and got beat in the backfield.

And from Sarell, it’s more of the same as last week. This game may have been *slightly* better for him from a pressure standpoint, but it’s of no matter. They’ve both thoroughly proven that neither of them can be trusted to be the swing tackle.

A 41-year-old free agent tackle Jason Peters doesn’t seem that bad now actually.

Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason loss to Saints

Here’s our recap from the Chargers’ 22-17 loss to the Saints.

The Chargers fell to the Saints in the second of three preseason games on Sunday.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 22-17 loss to New Orleans:

 

Chargers’ Easton Stick blossoming into reliable backup quarterback

The Chargers should feel good with Easton Stick as their backup quarterback.

The Chargers saw something in Easton Stick to be the primary backup to Justin Herbert, leading to them re-signing him this spring. This past Saturday, in the victory over the Rams, it was all on display.

Stick got the start under center while Herbert and most of the starters were sidelined and pieced together the best performance of his career.

While known for his athletic ability, Stick’s accurate arm is what stood out in his showing. He made a handful of beautiful throws, including his lone touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston right before halftime.

Before that scoring play, Stick put together a masterful two-minute drill. He guided the offense 75 yards down the field on ten plays to give the Bolts’ their first touchdown of the game.

Along the way, Stick looked composed in the pocket, even in the face of pressure, and delivered darts. He kept the drive alive with a third-down scramble in the red zone.

“I thought his two-minute drive was phenomenal,” Kellen Moore said. “Picking and choosing when to use his legs, made good decisions with the ball, aggressive when he needs to be and then take some completions. I just loved the way he operated the whole thing.”

Stick finished 14-of-21 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown while adding two rushes for 12 yards.

After being the No. 3 quarterback on the roster the past few seasons, Stick has shown this summer that he is more than capable of being reliable in a backup role.

Where Chargers can improve in their 2nd preseason game

Despite the win over the Rams, there are still some things that Chargers players can improve on.

The Chargers kicked off the preseason with a 34-17 victory over the Rams. Despite the win, there are still some things that players can improve on, as their time to make impressions on the coaching staff is dwindling.

Here are the things I observed from Saturday that Los Angeles needs to improve.