Tag: NFL 2020 season

Could the Cardinals find a way to sign Jadeveon Clowney?

Cardinals’ Chandler Jones and DeAndre Hopkins took to Instagram Saturday afternoon to express their interest in the Cardinals signing free agent DE Jadeveon Clowney.

Breaking news broke Saturday afternoon that All-Pro safety Jamal Adams had been traded from the New York Jets to the Seattle Seahawks. Adams is the third blockbuster trade in the NFC West in the past eight months, following the deals the L.A. Rams made for cornerback Jalen Ramse and the Arizona Cardinals made for receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

The Seahawks fanbase has primarily kept their focus on re-signing pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney this offseason, who has still yet to sign with a team.

With the inevitable massive contract extension for Adams now on Seattle’s plate, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the door is all but closed on Clowney returning to the Seahawks.

Clowney has been linked to a few teams this offseason, among them being the Browns and the Titans. It has been mentioned that at this point in the year, Clowney is open to a one-year deal.

While there have been no reports that the Cardinals have been in contact with Clowney, two star players expressed their interest in bringing him to the desert.

DeAndre Hopkins took to Instagram following the Jamal Adams trade to express his desire to reunite with his former Houston teammate.

The Cardinals’ defensive superstar in Chandler Jones also expressed interest in lining up across from Clowney this season on a post from @cardinalselite on Instagram.

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I mean…

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Jones commented “LMK” on the post, and while fans can speculate as to exactly what he meant by that, it is evident he wants to see Clowney sign with the Cardinals.

So with the players vouching for Clowney, is it realistic for the team to make the move?

The Cardinals currently have only between $5-$6 million in available cap space, which isn’t near enough to meet Clowney’s contract demands. However, with Clowney now potentially seeking a one-year deal, the Cardinals could make it work.

Jess Root detailed ways in which the Cardinals could create more cap space back in March. All of the options are still available aside from trading David Johnson, which obviously already happened.

Given Jones’ enthusiasm for signing Clowney, the Cardinals may be able to extend or restructure his contract to raise their available cap.

Two viable options listed include trading OLB Haason Reddick and extending CB Patrick Peterson, the latter of which the Cardinals have already begun the negotiating process.

Another obstacle is the Cardinals having already signed OLB Devon Kennard to be their starter. While this doesn’t rule out adding another pass-rusher, it’s worth noting due to the fact that the Cardinals technically don’t have a need at edge rusher.

It would benefit Clowney to play across from Chandler Jones in a contract year, as he could put up great numbers to secure a long-term deal in the spring.

There are certainly obstacles, but should the Cardinals truly want to sign Jadeveon Clowney, they could do so.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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and

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Chargers’ Trai Turner named ninth-best traded player in 2020

General manager Tom Telesco struck gold with the acquisition of the five-time Pro Bowl guard.

The Chargers made a slew of acquisitions this offseason, including trading for guard Trai Turner from the Panthers to upgrade the interior part of the offensive line.

Even though they had to ship away tackle Russell Okung, a key piece of the line the past few seasons, Los Angeles was still pegged as the clear cut winner of the trade.

NFL Media’s Gil Brandt went through all of the trades this offseason and the addition of Turner was ranked among the top-10, coming in as the ninth-best.

With the Panthers and new coach Matt Rhule remaking the roster in Carolina, the Chargers were able to grab this five-time Pro Bowler to shore up their offensive line, which also stands to receive a boost from veteran free agent Bryan Bulaga. Getting stronger up front is paramount if this team is going to give rookie quarterback Justin Herbert a good shot at developing, whenever he ultimately takes the field.

Turner, the former third-round draft pick, has developed into one of the premiere interior offensive lineman in the league, making five straight Pro Bowls, missing the accolade in only his rookie season. Turner’s played in 84 games (80 of which he started) since entering the league in 2014.

Even though there are concerns with the left side of the offensive line, the right side with Turner, center Mike Pouncey and tackle Bryan Bulaga will help in pass protection for Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert and the running game for Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson and rookie Joshua Kelley.

3 reasons for optimism as Chargers prepare for training camp

The Los Angeles Chargers may have a different look in 2020, but they are capable of making some noise.

Despite the ongoing worldwide outbreak that the coronavirus has caused, all signs are pointing to there being football this fall with the news that training camp will begin as originally planned.

With Chargers football near, there is plenty of excitement surrounding the team. But there is some concern as well, as Los Angeles is set to embark on a new era without the heart and soul of the team, Philip Rivers.

With that being said, I take a look at three reasons why fans should remain optimistic for L.A. in 2020.

New offensive identity

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

“It’s going to be different,” coach Anthony Lynn said when asked about the offense. With Rivers gone, the offense will be led by a quarterback with a completely skillset – whether it’s Tyrod Taylor, rookie Justin Herbert or Easton Stick.

With the new system in place, there will be more pistol formation, more play-action and more run-pass option. The offense is going to look a lot more like the Ravens offense last season. Coach Anthony Lynn and Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman coached together in Buffalo in 2015 and 2016.

Taylor and Herbert have the skill sets to run the concepts the Ravens do, like zone read and other quarterback option runs, which was hardly ever the case when Rivers was under center for Los Angeles.

We can expect to see more plays occur on the ground than in the past with Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley. But it will open things up to still involve Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry, Andre Patton, Joe Reed and K.J. Hill in the passing game.

The bottom line is that the offense will hardly be recognized from what it looked like over the past decade. But with the creative signal-callers and vigorous skill players on the field, it could be a threat for opposing defenses.

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Chargers players could be wearing this to help fight spread of COVID-19

The NFL is doing everything in their might to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

With the 2020 NFL season right around the corner, the league is doing everything in their might to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The NFL unveiled an idea on Monday, the Oakley Mouth Shield, which would be worn on the field to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The league’s chief medical officer hasn’t formally mandated the use of face masks for players just yet, but he is uplifting the concept.

“That’s certainly what we’re going to encourage,” Dr. Allen Sills told ESPN. “And we hope that we’re going to land on a product design that’s something that everyone would want to wear, because they’ll see the value and want that additional protection without any detriment to performance.”

The masks already are being put into practice with the Rams and Chargers, two teams who train nearby Oakley’s international headquarters.

Bucs players could be wearing this in 2020 to help fight the spread of COVID-19

With the NFL looking for ways to combat the coronavirus in 2020, a new mouth shield could be an answer.

NFL teams are set to report to training camp in the coming weeks under a cloud of uncertainty as the country continues to see surges in cases of COVID-19.

For now, the NFL plans to act like the 2020 season will start without a problem, but if and when players do take the field this season, the league will need to find a way to help protect them on the field as much as possible.

And this mouth shield by Oakley may be one of the ways to do so.

Starting a season in the midst of a global pandemic is new territory for everyone involved. It’ll be interesting to see what further measures the league takes. They’ve already banned postgame jersey swaps for this upcoming season.

All we know for certain is that 2020 will be a season unlike any other.

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Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s initial ‘Madden 21’ rating revealed

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is the fourth-highest rated rookie quarterback in Madden 21.

The highly anticipated video game, EA Sport’s Madden 21 is a little over month away from being released.

Leading up into the launch, player ratings will be unveiled. On Thursday, rookie quarterbacks ratings were released by former NFL quarterback and Hall of Famer Steve Young.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will have a 70 overall rating in his first season, marking the fourth-highest rated rookie quarterback, trailing Joe Burrow (78), Tua Tagovailoa (73) and Jordan Love (71).

Here’s a glance at Herbert’s other significant ratings:

· 82 speed

· 87 acceleration

· 71 strength

· 80 agility

· 70 awareness

· 69 carrying

· 92 throwing power

· 59 tackle breaking

· 82 jumping

· 88 injury

· 86 stamina

· 88 toughness

· 58 trucking

· 72 change of direction

· 80 ball-carrier vision

· 62 stiff-arm

· 58 spin move

· 72 juke move

· 71 sack breaking

· 78 throwing under pressure

· 83 short accuracy

· 78 medium accuracy

· 76 deep accuracy

· 84 play-action

· 81 throw on the run

Herbert has the size, athleticism and arm things, but there are some things needed to be worked on, including his decision-making and instincts under pressure, before he takes the reins.

Herbert, along with the rest of the team’s draft class, have yet to sign their rookie deals.

NFL analyst predicts 2020 season awards for Chargers

Who will be the Los Angeles Chargers’ MVP in 2020?

Adam Rank’s name will be remembered after he pegged the Chargers to go 3-13 this upcoming season. While Rank’s record prediction might be atrocious, a handful of fans will agree with his projected individual awards he gave out.

In his latest edition of State of the Franchise, Rank looked at where Los Angeles stands going into the new decade. Included in his piece, he predicted who he believes will be the team’s most valuable player along with who he thinks is going to breakout.

Both players that were given the honors are on the defensive line, with the projected MVP award going to none other than defensive end Joey Bosa.

You have to feel for Joey Bosa here. He’s been one of the best football players on the planet, recording 10-plus sacks in three of his four pro seasons thus far — and he’s been usurped on the national stage by his brother Nick Bosa, who helped lead San Francisco to the Super Bowl as a rookie last season. But make no mistake, Joey is the original and just as important to his team as Nick is to the Niners. I watched in awe as Joey took apart a pretty good Packers offensive line last year, sacking Aaron Rodgers twice and haranguing him on seemingly every dropback. The Chargers are going to end up having some fluidity at the quarterback position, but the one player they are not going to be able to do without is Bosa.

Heading into the final year of his contract, Bosa is eager to be one of the highest paid defensive ends. The 24-year old earned his second trip to the Pro Bowl after finishing tied for second in the conference in sacks (11.5) while also tallying up the fifth-most tackles (67) of any at his position in the NFL in 2019.

His quarterback pressures have made life easier on the secondary, and will continue to have a positive impact as they look to bring the heat even more this upcoming season. Another candidate to be the team’s MVP when all is said and done is third-year safety Derwin James after being hampered by a foot injury last season.

Rank’s projected breakout player lies inside of Bosa and Melvin Ingram, with that being defensive tackle Jerry Tillery.

The former first-round pick didn’t do much during his rookie season, recording just two sacks and basically sitting behind Justin Jones and Damion Square (Tillery was on the field for less than half of the team’s defensive snaps). But this is a new year. He’s got the opportunity to make that second-year leap in a defense brimming with studs, including their second first-round pick of 2020.

Tillery, the 2019 first-round pick, didn’t have a great rookie season, but he did show glimpses of potentially becoming the dominant interior pass-rusher he was drafted to be. With an offseason under his belt to get stronger, bigger and work on his technique, we could see a significant jump in production in 2020.

Chargers at lower end in Peter King’s latest power rankings

The questions about the quarterback position hinder the Los Angeles Chargers’ spot.

It was only a year ago when the Chargers were being viewed as Super Bowl contenders after an outstanding 2018 season. But after a disappointing 5-11 2019 season, there’s a lot of uncertainty with the team from Los Angeles as they march into the upcoming season.

Despite boasting one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, there’s a lot of doubt with the most important position on the field. With the marriage between the Chargers and Philip Rivers coming to an end, Tyrod Taylor and rookie Justin Herbert take over.

The fact that no one knows how the quarterback play will shake up due to the lack of experience in the starting role, it has had a significant impact on the team’s positioning in preseason power rankings.

NBC Sport’s Peter King was the latest and most notable to put one out. King slotted the Chargers in No. 24 overall slot, citing that the team is capable of being a lot higher, but it all depends on how Taylor, who is projected to be the Week 1 starter, does.

“The Chargers could be eighth in these rankings and they could be 24th . . . so much depends on how Tyrod Taylor (31 on opening day) plays early,” King said.

King highlighted Taylor’s regular season success, but his play from the postseason and the fact that Los Angeles drafted Herbert draws some doubt with him under center.

“Let’s reflect on Taylor’s three-year run as Buffalo’s starter after backing up Joe Flacco in Baltimore for four years. A 63-percent passer, not a risk-taker, 51 touchdowns, 16 picks, 92.5 rating, rushed for between 420 and 580 yards each year, let go after leading the Bills to the playoffs in 2017 but scoring just three points in the postseason loss at Jacksonville.

Always well-liked by his mates. “The players here respect the hell out of him,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. But when you draft a quarterback (Justin Herbert) sixth overall, it’s pretty clear your team retains doubts about the incumbent.”

Outside of the questions with the quarterback position, the rest of the roster is loaded with talent which should be able to help keep them in positions to win throughout the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

“The defense should keep the Chargers in games. The free-agent signing of cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who can fill at both slot and outside corner, is a good one, and first-round linebacker Kenneth Murray, should anchor the front seven from day one.”

You can find the rest of King’s rankings here.

Chargers’ Mark Ridgley talks state of running backs

The Chargers running back group will have a slightly new look heading into 2020.

The Chargers backfield will have a slightly reconstructed look heading into the upcoming season.

Returning is Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson. Not returning is Melvin Gordon. Coming in is fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley.

Running backs coach Mark Ridgley spoke with the media on Wednesday to talk about the remodeled positional group.

Now that Gordon is gone, who will serve as the feature back remains to be seen. Ridgley says the roles of the running backs will develop as they go through practice and training camp. He called it a “group by committee.”

He pointed to Ekeler and Jackson adjusting to Gordon’s absence last September as the type of change he’s looking for.

Ekeler, who’s coming off an outstanding 2019 season, is expected to keep his same duties as a ball carrier and pass-catcher in the slot and out wide. The former Western Colorado product defied the odds by working his way up from an undrafted free agent to one of the league’s top offensive weapons.

Ridgley said Ekeler is an example for the younger players who are looking to make the 53-man roster. He said he tells players about his story and how he made the team, calling him a “great young man”.

Jackson is looking to step up after being hindered by an injury last season. The former Northwestern product showed flashes of dominance, but he will have to show he can stay healthy.

“I’m excited about the potential of Justin,” Ridgley said. “First time I met him was at the East-West Shrine Game. This year is a big year for Justin. We have to get him on the field and contributing.”

The excitement is high for the addition of Kelley, the former UCLA product. Kelley is seen as a short-yardage and goal line back, but he has the skillset to become the feature back if all goes well.

Ridgley said Kelley has a personality that compliments Ekeler and Jackson. He said Kelley has had a great journey to get to the league and that he can’t wait to see him play.

Ekeler’s versatility will likely want to be put to good use still. In order to allow him to manage those tasks, there will be a lot of two-running back sets. Like Ridgley said, training camp and preseason will tell who gets the bulk of snaps between Kelley and Jackson for RB2.

Analysts predict Chargers’ record for 2020 season

The Los Angeles Chargers’ record predictions are a mixed bag of opinions.

The 2020 NFL schedule is out, and the win-loss column predictions have begun.

I’m predicting the Chargers to finish with a 9-7 record, and fans have the opportunity to make their predictions, as well.

But what do other analysts and writers think of the upcoming season for Los Angeles?

Let’s take a look:

ESPN’s Lindsay Thiry: 10-6

“The Chargers open the season on the road facing the Bengals and No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Burrow, then must turn around for their SoFi Stadium debut to host Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, whom they won’t play again until Week 17. In Weeks 4 and 5, the Chargers’ defense will be tested against two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks when they travel to Tampa Bay to face Tom Brady, then to New Orleans to play against Drew Brees and the Saints. Weeks 6 through 8 are more than manageable as the Chargers face the Jets, Dolphins and Jaguars. They’ll play the Raiders, then will continue division play at Denver after a bye week. The Chargers then play a trio of games outside the division before ending their season with a three-game stretch of division matchups, including their inaugural trip to Las Vegas in Week 15.”

USA Today’s Nate Davis: 9-7

“All things considered, and assuming their key performers are healthy, they look fairly stout across the board – though it remains to be seen how well the offensive line protects either veteran QB Tyrod Taylor or first-rounder Justin Herbert … and whether either can successfully pilot a squad Rivers couldn’t elevate a year ago. The Bolts will play two prime-time games on the road but aren’t scheduled to be featured at SoFi Stadium, their new home building.”

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport: 5-11

“Two years ago, the Los Angeles Chargers won 12 games and a playoff contest. After a wildly disappointing 2019 campaign, the Bolts are now starting over.

With Philip Rivers set to throw passes in Indianapolis, the Chargers have turned over the reins at quarterback to a combination of veteran Tyrod Taylor and rookie Justin Herbert. The Melvin Gordon era is over as well; the ground game now belongs to Austin Ekeler.

The Chargers will benefit from the weakest schedule in the AFC West in 2020. Their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .492, and they face only four teams that made the playoffs a year ago.

But unless Herbert proves to be an exceedingly quick study, the Chargers have the look of a last-place team.”

Touchdown Wire’s Barry Werner: 7-9

“Anthony Lynn will have to decide when to test Justin Herbert as a starter when the Bolts fail to light it up in the first part of the season. Forgive Tyrod Taylor if he has seen this script before.”

FS1’s Nick Wright: 6-10

NFL Media’s Cynthia Frelund: 8-8