Chargers don’t make any waiver claims after roster cuts

The Los Angeles Chargers appear to be confident with their players after making roster cuts.

After NFL roster cuts, the Chargers elected to not claim any available players off waivers.

Los Angeles is looking pretty with their 53-man roster after cutdown day. However, the team could afford to add one more safety after the loss of Derwin James, who was placed on the injured reserve.

General manager Tom Telesco reiterated that they chose not to make any claims, signifying their confidence in the safeties that they have on the roster right now.

This isn’t to say the safety group of Rayshawn Jenkins, Nasir Adderley, Desmond King and Alohi Gilman isn’t reliable. But for the sake of depth, the Bolts could have added one with experience.

The most notable free agent safeties are Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Tony Jefferson, among others. But for a team that covets scheme familiarity, I thought Jaylen Watkins and Jahleel Addae, who are both free agents, would’ve garnered attention.

Other positions that could afford to have depth added are at wide receiver and left tackle.

We will monitor to see if Los Angeles makes any roster moves ahead of the season opener against the Bengals.

Chargers’ Nasir Adderley set up for strong sophomore season

Chargers safety Nasir Adderley is looking to make an impact in Year 2.

The Chargers are maneuvering some of the pieces in their secondary after the big loss of Derwin James, who is expected to be out for the entire 2020 season due to a torn meniscus.

One of the most reasonable options is sliding Rayshawn Jenkins from the free safety position to strong safety, and letting second-year Nasir Adderley play the single-high role.

Prior to James’ injury, Adderley had been practicing at multiple spots. But now, the former Delaware product could be set up to start at the position that he was originally drafted to play.

Adderley, who missed the majority of his rookie season with a hamstring injury, is now healthy and is practicing with the same energy that he brought to the preseason finale last year where he posted three passes defensed and an interception.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said that Adderley has caught the coaching staff’s attention, and mentioned he’s taken a big step from this time last year to now.

The team is looking at all options on how their secondary will shape up without their star safety. But it appears that Adderley will be involved one way or another, and he could be due for a impactful season in Year 2, if he stays healthy.

Chargers’ Alohi Gilman ready if called upon to start at strong safety

The Los Angeles Chargers’ 2020 sixth-round could be the team’s starting strong safety.

Chargers rookie safety Alohi Gilman was strictly seen as a player who would be a special teams player and sub-package defender in Year 1.

But now, Gilman has the opportunity to play a role much larger in his rookie season. After the big loss of Derwin James, there’s a possibility that Gilman could be the starting strong safety for Los Angeles.

“This is a great opportunity for me to step into a role where I can play a little more early on in my career,” Gilman said. I got a lot of room to grow. A lot of room to work at. But that’s a day-by-day process. When my number is called, I’ll be ready for sure.”

Gilman had been working as the backup strong safety the past couple of weeks of training camp prior to James’ injury, while having the luxury of learning from one of the best safeties in the league.

James lauded Gilman as “one of the best athletes that he’s been around.”

Even though it’s always a bit worrisome to throw a rookie into the fire, Gilman has the skillset to do fine at the position.

The former Notre Dame product is stout as run defender and he can blanket tight ends, showing the competitive skills to be disruptive at the catch point.

It remains to be seen if that’s the direction L.A. will go to fill James’ void.

The team could move Rayshawn Jenkins to strong safety, let Nasir Adderley or Desmond King play free safety while Gilman plays the dimebacker role.

They could also sign a free agent like Jahleel Addae.

There isn’t much time to figure out how the Chargers will replace the star safety, but they must act quickly as there is only 13 days until the season opener against the Bengals.

HC Anthony Lynn shuts down idea of Chargers signing safety Earl Thomas

It doesn’t appear that the Chargers will dip into the free agency pool to sign the seven-time Pro Bowler.

The Chargers are figuring out how they’re going to go about playing without safety Derwin James after he injured his right meniscus in practice on Sunday.

Among the ways that Los Angeles could address the situation, which has garnered a lot of attention, is by signing free agent Earl Thomas.

However, coach Anthony Lynn put those assumptions to bed when asked by a reporter at today’s media availability, stating he has confidence with the players that are on the roster.

“Since you guys are constantly telling me how stacked my secondary is, why the hell would I be looking anywhere else?” Lynn told reporters Monday, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

The murmurs started because Thomas played for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley with the Seahawks years ago.

This was said before a report came out that said there is mutual interest between L.A. and safety Jahleel Addae, whom played with the team for six seasons.

If the Chargers choose to go into the season with their in-house options, I laid out a few options on how they can line up the defensive backs in the absence of James.

Report: Chargers’ Derwin James to miss significant time with meniscus injury

The Chargers will be without their star safety.

The Chargers will start their regular season without safety Derwin James for the second straight year.

James is likely to miss significant time with a meniscus injury he suffered during today’s practice, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

James was coming up to make a tackle, but stayed on the ground for a little bit. He walked off under his own power and grabbed his hamstring. He walked to the medical tent with trainers with his head down and right before getting there, threw his gloves to the ground.

Last season, the All-Pro safety missed 11 games with a foot injury that he sustained during training camp.

With James out of the action, Los Angeles will now have to figure out how they can replace him in the meantime.

A couple of possibilities include starting his backup, rookie Alohi Gilman. The team could also move down Rayshawn Jenkins from the single-high role while placing Nasir Adderley at free safety.

With exactly two weeks until the season opener against the Bengals, the Chargers will have to act very quickly.

How Chargers can fill Derwin James’ void

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists what Los Angeles can do to replace Derwin James while he misses time.

The Chargers will be without one of their top defensive playmakers for a significant amount of time.

Derwin James sustained a severe meniscus injury at practice on Sunday, and will miss a good chunk of time because of it.

Los Angeles will once again be in a position to fill the void of James. They were forced to do it last season after he suffered a stress fracture in his foot.

Given the fact that he’s one of the best safeties in the league, it won’t be an easy task to get the same amount of production, but the show must go on.

So how will L.A. go about it? There are a few options.

The first is starting sixth-round pick Alohi Gilman. Gilman has been working as the backup strong safety throughout camp after Roderic Teamer was cut from the team.

I wrote about Gilman earlier, stating that he could make an impact in his rookie season. This was before James’ injury, but now the door is open for him to claim a starting role.

The next reasonable option is moving Rayshawn Jenkins from free safety to strong safety, and letting 2019 second-round pick Nasir Adderley play the single-high role.

Jenkins is familiar with the strong safety position, and the coaching staff covets his versatility to be bounced around in the secondary. Prior to the injury, he was a candidate to play the dime linebacker role.

Los Angeles could get Desmond King, who’s the mystery man in the secondary, involved. They could keep Jenkins at strong safety and let King play free safety. King has been working there with the second-team.

If the Bolts aren’t confident with any of these options, they could dip into the free agency pool.

One of the top options is Earl Thomas, who was released by the Ravens last week. Thomas has some familiarity with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, as the two were together with the Seahawks for a few seasons.

Thomas has primarily played the free safety position, but Bradley could get creative with the other members of the secondary to still have him on the field.

Other free agents that could garner the attention of the Chargers include Tony Jefferson, Reshad Jones and Eric Reid.

The Chargers will have to act quickly to fill James’ void as they are two weeks away from the season opener against the Bengals. It will be interesting to see how the team goes about it.

Chargers’ Derwin James leaves practice with hamstring injury

This would mark the Pro Bowler’s second consecutive severe injury.

The Chargers present one of the top secondaries heading into the 2020, but they could be without one of their key pieces.

Safety Derwin James left practice on Sunday after suffering a hamstring injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

James came up limping after a play during Los Angeles’ scrimmage, and threw one of his gloves in frustration, according to Sports Illustrated’s Fernando Ramirez.

He stayed in the tent the remainder of the practice, and the severity of the injury remains to be seen.

If he’s out for quite a bit of time, this would mark his second consecutive injury. James suffered a stress fracture in his foot in 2019, limiting him to just five games.

If James is to miss some action, the Chargers could move Rayshawn Jenkins to strong safety while Nasir Adderley plays free safety. Or, the team could roll with rookie Alohi Gilman.

L.A. is already expected to start the season without wide receiver Mike Williams.

We will continue to update as more information rolls out.

Who has the advantage at every key position battle for Chargers?

The position battles are heating up at Chargers training camp.

Training camp is nearing an end for the Chargers as the team just 15 days until the regular season opener against the Bengals.

With only a few practices left, players are working hard to solidify one of the starting spots or simply a spot on the roster.

After two weeks has gone by, let’s take a look and see who has the advantage at every positional battle thus far.

Quarterback

Advantage: Tyrod Taylor

This should come as no surprise. Despite coach Anthony Lynn saying that there would be a quarterback competition between Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, Taylor was always going to be the starter. The coronavirus pandemic did Herbert no favors, as the first-round pick didn’t have a full spring of practices to work with his teammates. Now, he’s playing catch up. Taylor has developed a great chemistry with his skill players. It will be the 30-year old’s job to lose. If he plays well this season, he will remain the starter. If he fails to win games, the team will likely be forced to throw Herbert into the fire.

Starting left tackle

Advantage: Sam Tevi

The Chargers had the opportunity to fill the void left by Russell Okung this offseason, but chose to roll with their in-house options. According to coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position. Tevi’s experience in the starting role gets the nod. He has been praised by the coaching all camp, highlighting his athleticism and quick feet. Meanwhile, second-year Trey Pipkins was thought to be the projected starter entering camp, but he has been playing with the second-team for the most part.

RB2

Advantage: Joshua Kelley

The Chargers are planning to run the ball more as the team transitions from a pass-heavy offense. Austin Ekeler is slated to be the first running back, but the team plans to use his versatility as a pass-catcher, which is why they need to figure out who is capable of getting a bulk of the carries throughout the season. Kelley, the fourth-round pick, has broken off several long runs against the first team defense, and has shown enough as a runner and a receiver to be a threat in the backfield. Justin Jackson has ran the ball well in practices, but the rookie has strung together more of an eyebrow-raising camp. As Kelley gets more accustomed to the playbook, he could make a significant impact.

Wide receiver

Advantage: Push

The Chargers originally entered training camp with a competition for the third wide receiver spot, but Mike Williams’ injury opened up another spot. Jalen Guyton was the front-runner for WR3, but Tyron Johnson and Darius Jennings have pushed him in practices. Jason Moore is a candidate to replace Williams in the time being due to his 6-foot-3 frame. He started to receive first-team snaps this past week. Rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill have been performing at a high level, too. Reed has seen first-team reps as a running back and been impressive in the role. He is a candidate for the speed role on the outside. Meanwhile, Hill has consistently been making enough plays to warrant playing time. Los Angeles could consider a starting trio with Keenan Allen and Reed on the outside, while Hill plays in the slot. Either way, they need to figure out how they’re going to go about the group.

TE3

Advantage: Stephen Anderson

Hunter Henry is the starter and Virgil Green is the backup because of his ability as a run-blocker. Anderson, who was picked up last season and primarily served as a practice squad player, has raised some eyebrows as a pass-catcher, showing some chemistry with rookie Justin Herbert. Meanwhile, former XFL star, Donald Parham, has also stood out in the passing game. But Anderson earned some reps with the first team on special teams this past week, which gives him the slight advantage. This will be a tough decision for the coaching staff.

Linebacker

Advantage: Kenneth Murray & Drue Tranquill

The future is now. The Chargers made it clear that they envisioned a starting linebacker duo with Tranquill and Murray after the team traded up for the former Oklahoma product in this year’s draft. Tranquill has been working as the starting weakside linebacker (WILL), while Murray surpassed Perryman as the starting middle linebacker (MIKE) this past week in practice after returning joining the team after he sat out the first week due to a hamstring injury. This may suggest that Perryman will serve as a depth piece after being a starter the past few years. He will be a free agent after this season.

Dimebacker

Advantage: Push

A key role on defense is the dimebacker role, which is a hybrid between a safety and a linebacker, formerly played by Adrian Phillips. Nasir Adderley, the second-year player, who was hurt the majority of his rookie season, has been making plays all over the field. The team is eager to get him on the field, whether it’s there or at free safety, which could then force Rayshawn Jenkins moving from free safety to dime backer at times. Desmond King is also a candidate for the job. King has look solid in coverage, against the run and as a pass-rusher. There’s a possibility of King sliding into the slot at times, but it may be difficult as Chris Harris Jr. has been playing in the slot, while Casey Hayward and Michael Davis have been on the outside with the first-team. I expect Gus Bradley to move his defensive backs all over the place early in the season to decide what’s his best secondary rotations. Rookie Alohi Gilman has also looked good in practices.

Chargers’ Derwin James tabs Nasir Adderley to have breakout season in 2020

The Chargers’ former second-round pick could have a breakout season in 2020.

The Chargers had the expectations that they were going to have a dynamic safety tandem with Derwin James and Nasir Adderley, whom they drafted in the second-round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Los Angeles caught glimpses of it a little bit during the preseason, but it was short lived after Adderley was unable to stay on the field due to a lingering hamstring issue.

After having the rest of the 2019 season and the entire offseason to get back to full health, Adderley has the opportunity to live up to the hype in 2020.

James, the former All-Pro safety, sees Adderley as completely healthy, and he believes he is poised for a strong sophomore season based on what he is seeing in training camp so far.

James said Adderley is “finally healthy” and “looks fast, explosive” in workouts, despite the fact the Chargers won’t practice in pads for the first time until next week.

It might be more of an uphill for Adderley to see the field at his natural position, the single-high role, with the emergence of Rayshawn Jenkins.

However, a systematical change might make it easier than anticipated.

The Chargers are expected to show more two-deep looks and man coverage and less Cover 3. This will mean that both Adderley and Jenkins would be on the field.

Adderley will also get a look as the team’s dime linebacker, and even possibly cornerback. Los Angeles is confident that Adderley has the physicality and versatility to play the positions.

If Adderley can stay healthy and is able to find his way onto the field, his ball skills could lead to breakout production this upcoming season.

4 defensive storylines to watch at Chargers training camp

The Los Angeles Chargers look to finish as a top-5 unit in 2020.

Here are four defensive storylines to watch for the Los Angeles Chargers during training camp.

Deciphering crowded secondary

The Chargers have one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL, but the unit is jam packed with players vying for playing time.

Nasir Adderley, Los Angeles’ second-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, had high expectations heading into the summer, as many thought that he would make a nice tandem alongside safety Derwin James. But he was derailed by a lingering hamstring issue that had been ongoing even before he was drafted.

Meanwhile, Rayshawn Jenkins emerged in 2019 as a long-term solution at that position. This offseason, they signed Chris Harris Jr. to play in the slot, which has also left Desmond King with limited options to find playing time.

One possibility is playing Adderley at dimebacker — the sixth defensive back in the dime packages. Or he could play free safety in those packages, with Jenkins moving to dimebacker. In either of those scenarios, King likely wouldn’t be able to see the field.

The bottom line is that having a crowded secondary is a good problem to have. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.

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