What grade would you give Chargers general manager Tom Telesco’s offseason up to this point?
It’s been a little over two weeks since the NFL’s free agency period opened, and as it seems to be every year, the bulk of the madness happened in the first few days.
So how have the Chargers done?
This year’s offseason has been more intriguing than others in the past. It has seen Los Angeles bring in a handful of notables, including Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson, and lose some, including Kyzir White and Uchenna Nwosu.
Here’s the list of L.A.’s ins and outs so far in free agency, along with the team(s) that they went to and came from:
Out
DL Justin Jones | Bears
EDGE Kyler Fackrell | Raiders
C Scott Quessenberry | Texans
LB Kyzir White | Eagles
EDGE Uchenna Nwosu | Seahawks
In
CB J.C. Jackson
EDGE Khalil Mack
DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
DT Austin Joseph
TE Gerald Everett
LS Josh Harris
P J.K. Scott
Retained
QB Chase Daniel
DT Christian Covington
K Dustin Hopkins
Released
OT Bryan Bulaga
Unsigned
DT Linval Joseph
CB Chris Harris Jr.
TE Jared Cook
G Oday Aboushi
CB Ryan Smith
G Michael Schofield
G Senio Kelemete
LS Matt Overton
TE Stephen Anderson
S Trey Marshall
OT Storm Norton
RB Justin Jackson
P Ty Long
There are still some players available that the Chargers could sign before or after the draft, but their positions of needs are quite evident.
So what kind of grade do you give general manager Tom Telesco for his work thus far? Vote in the poll below.
Fans at SoFi Stadium were left disappointed by the kickers on Sunday.
With the Chargers starting kicker job up for grabs, no one was able to move the needle on Sunday.
In fact, the showings were so underwhelming that they received boos from fans who were in attendance for the team’s Fan Fest at SoFi Stadium.
Michael Badgley went 4-for-7, with his misses coming from 41, 49 and 51 yards. Badgley did manage to make one from 55 yards out to end a two-minute drive.
Tristan Vizcaino finished 4-for-6, missing kicks from 38 and 49 yards. Undrafted free agent Alex Kessman’s day wasn’t any better, ending his session 2-for-6.
Sunday’s performance didn’t offer much to be optimistic about for those watching, considering incompetent special teams is what cost Los Angeles some games last season.
All kickers have split the uprights from beyond 50 yards up to this point, but no one has separated themselves from the pack when it comes to consistent accuracy.
Still, with a handful of practices and three preseason games, there is plenty of time for someone to prove themselves to the coaching staff.
USA Today’s Nate Davis sees the Chargers finishing over .500 in 2021.
As we continue to inch closer to the 2021 regular season, predictions for how the year is going to shake up for all 32 NFL teams continue to flood the web.
The latest comes from USA Today’s Nate Davis, who predicts the Chargers to finish 11-6 and earn a wild card spot.
In the wild card matchup against the two-seeded Titans, Los Angeles defeats them only to get knocked out by the Browns, who lose to the Buccaneers in Super Bowl 56.
Here is why Davis is so optimistic about L.A. heading into the upcoming season:
Mixing the Bolts and optimism is often a toxic combination – they’ve zapped me more than once – but one can’t unsee QB Justin Herbert’s boundless potential coming off an offensive rookie of the year performance that wrapped with four consecutive wins. This season commences with a brutal six-week stretch before the bye that includes Washington, the Cowboys, Chiefs, Browns and Ravens. But new coach Brandon Staley is already highly regarded for defensive wizardry that should be augmented by S Derwin James’ return. Don’t be surprised if the Chargers are LA’s best team in 2021.
The Bolts receiving plenty of hype and having high expectations by the media comes by no surprise. The last couple of seasons the team has failed to live up to them, but there’s plenty of reasons to believe that they will be able to match this year.
First off, the Chargers are stacked on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, Los Angeles will be led by rookie sensation Justin Herbert. With the revamped line that’s in place, and weapons around him; Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, Tyron Johnson, Jalen Guyton, rookie Josh Palmer and Jared Cook, he should be set up for sophomore success.
Defensively, engineered by Derwin James and Joey Bosa, the group that boasts Michael Davis, Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, Linval Joseph, Chris Harris Jr., rookie Asante Samuel Jr., among others should flourish under the defensive mind of head coach Brandon Staley.
While unproven, Staley has presented himself like he’s coached in this league over a decade since coming onboard, as he has connected with each individual on the team and developed a fine-tuned culture.
On top of that, he has addressed that he will look to overcome failures that cost the team a lot of close games the past few seasons, with those being game management, strategy in crucial situations and special teams competence.
For a team that has dealt with injuries to key players in the past, they will have to stay healthy to have success in 2021. But if they do, there’s no reason why Davis’ prediction won’t come to fruition.
As for the rest of the AFC West, Davis sees the Chiefs winning the AFC West with a 12-5 record while the Broncos and Raiders both go 8-9.
Would the potential head coach vacancy be too good to pass up on for Josh McDaniels?
The Chargers could be head coach hunting this upcoming offseason.
Sitting at 3-8, Anthony Lynn’s consistent poor game management has put him on the hot seat.
If Los Angeles decides to pull the plug on Lynn, there will be a handful of coaches that could be intrigued by the vacancy, including Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer explained in his latest mailbag that he believes McDaniels would be a compelling option, if the team decides to make the change.
“One early name I’ve heard, along those lines, is Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who’s developed non-first-rounders like Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Cassel into starting quarterbacks.
Interestingly enough, in an interview with our old buddy Peter King before the draft, (Justin) Herbert raised McDaniels’s name.
“Asked by King who he was excited to meet at the combine, he answered, ‘Coach McDaniels with the Patriots. That’s a guy I’ve always watched, always looked up to. I love their offense.’ (They did wind up meeting.)”
McDaniels is well coveted around the league. In 2018, he rejected the head coach position with the Colts job to stay with the Patriots. He interviewed for the Packers job after the 2018 season, then for the Browns the year after.
Combining McDaniel’s offensive mindset and proven track record with quarterbacks with a young talented signal-caller that has a slew of gifted skill players around him could be a match made in heaven for years to comes.
McDaniels will get a close look at quarterback Justin Herbert this upcoming Sunday as the Chargers are set to host the Patriots.
The defense has become a large problem for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Led by rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, the Chargers offense is doing everything they can to win games. Los Angeles’ offense ranks No. 2 in the NFL, but somehow the results do not replicate that.
That’s when the attention gets shifted to the defensive side of the ball, where a common trend of starting hot but struggling to close out games has been the primary reason for the team’s meltdowns.
The defense ranks in the middle of the pack in the league from a statistical standpoint, but the issues lie much deeper.
Despite injuries to key players like safety Derwin James, linebacker Drue Tranquill and cornerback Chris Harris Jr., the team has enough talent to stymie the best offenses, which has been illustrated. But once the second half comes around, the unit goes into a shell.
So what’s going on? That’s when the spotlight shines on defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Bradley, the man who deploys a heavy dose of zone coverage and very little blitzing, found himself having his infamous defense exploited and having issues with ball security and not so many takeaways, primarily in critical situations.
Playing zone comes at a risk. The zone defense limits big plays but provides windows for quick throws, and it doesn’t help when the pass rush is exhausted at the end of games.
Therefore, he’s mixed it up with more man defense, called a few more blitzes and utilized the defensive backs in different spots.
But the results have still been lackluster, and it became even more evident when the Chargers lost a 21-point lead last Sunday against the Broncos. Los Angeles remained in prevent defense, which allowed quarterback Drew Lock and company to dink and dunk their way back to a comeback victory.
It has gotten to the point where fans are calling for Bradley to be fired. The woes are clear, and that’s why while he might not be let go of right now, coach Anthony Lynn said that he may take a more “hands-on” approach with the defense going forward.
Prior to the season, Lynn but a big emphasis on winning the turnover battle, and defensively, it’s not where he would like it to be. Los Angeles has only forced six turnovers this season, which ranks second to last in the NFL.
The team has the reinforcements to get job done, but now we will find out if they can piece it all together the rest of the way out. If not, somebody will likely be out of a job.
The former Tulane product will be sidelined for the first four games of the 2020 season.
Chargers safety Roderic Teamer has been suspended the first four games of the 2020 season without pay for a violation of the substance abuse policy, the league announced Monday.
Teamer joined Los Angeles in 2019 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Tulane, finishing his first season with 40 tackles, an interception and a sack.
Filling in while Derwin James and Adrian Phillips were sidelined, Teamer appeared in seven games, making six starts, last season.
With Teamer slated to miss the first four games of the regular season, sixth-round pick Alohi Gilman will likely serve as the backup strong safety in the meantime.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ secondary is going to be very sharp in 2020.
Michael Davis was recognized as one of the best zone coverage cornerbacks in the NFL by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar. Recently, Farrar compiled the best slot defenders, and his new teammate, Chris Harris Jr., was among the list.
Harris Jr. came in as the 10th-best slot defender in the league. Farrar cited his awareness and intelligence in coverage as his main strengths.
Now with the Chargers after nine years in Denver, Harris has said that he will spend most of his time in the slot as part of one of the NFL’s most potentially dominant secondaries. What makes Harris the personification of the slot defender throughout his career? His short-area speed, change of direction ability, and toughness are all prototypical, but it’s his intelligence and awareness to discern what’s happening in the passing game before it happens that gives him a considerable advantage. The Chargers got a real bargain in Harris’ two-year, $20 million contract, but it’s interesting to see how Harris and Desmond King (who just missed this list) will co-exist in a defense that put more than five defensive backs on the field just 19% of the time in 2019.
Harris Jr. stayed in the AFC West, leaving the Broncos after nine seasons for the Chargers. The acquisition of the four-time Pro Bowler bolstered a defense that ranked No. 6 in the league last season.
However, according to NFL.com research, the Chargers allowed nine yards per slot target last season, which was the fifth-highest average in the league. They also ranked No. 30 in completion percentage to slot targets.
Harris Jr., 30, is one of the NFL’s polished cornerbacks in that he can on the outside and shadow a No. 1 wide receiver but also excel as a slot cornerback. Harris projects as the starting slot corner, overtaking Desmond King in that role.
Harris is capable of playing on the outside along with some safety, but we can expect to see him primarily on the inside. His coverage skills and open space tackling will be key as the team looks to stop the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.
The best thing about it all is that getting him for two years at $17 million was a heck of a bargain.
General manager Tom Telesco has done a fine job at acquiring players on great deals.
The Chargers present one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. A handful of those players were obtained by general manager Tom Telesco on great deals, too.
With that being said, here is a look at three of the best bargain contracts that Los Angeles has on the roster for the upcoming season:
OT Bryan Bulaga
Average salary: $4,833,333
In need of solid play along the offensive line, the Chargers were able to land one of the best players at the right tackle position for a heck of a deal. Bulaga was signed to a three-year deal worth $30 million. There are 37 tackles in the league that will make more than him this upcoming season, some of which are backups. The 10-year veteran should accelerate the transition process for new offensive line coach James Campen who coached him during their shared time with the Packers. But most importantly, protect Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert and aide in paving the way for the members of the backfield.
S Derwin James
Average salary: $3,378,806
It only took a season for James to make his mark as one of the league’s best safeties. His 105 tackles (75 solo), six quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in his rookie campaign hardly showed how phenomenal he was, as the do-it-all defender helped take the defense to another level. Had he not been hurt in Year 2, the former Florida State product would have been a prime candidate for Defensive Player of the Year honors. There are 37 safeties who are set to make more than James during the 2020 season. If James cranks it up another notch this season, a contract extension could be in discussion.
CB Desmond King
Average salary: $2,202,998
The Chargers boast a strong secondary, but one player who hasn’t gotten as much recognition as he should is King. He has been tabbed as Second-Team All-Pro (2018), snubbed from a couple of Pro Bowls and has the second-highest three-year Pro Football Focus grade on defense from the 2017 NFL Draft (90.7). There 62 cornerbacks set to make more than the former Iowa product this upcoming season. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, it would be difficult to see a key defensive back leave, but the signing of Chris Harris Jr. might leave him out of a job with the team after 2020.
Spoiler: The Chargers are going to have the best-looking uniforms in the NFL.
We are just two days away from the Chargers releasing their new and highly anticipated uniforms for the upcoming season.
While fans gear up for the new threads, the teasers continue to flood social media.
We’ve seen the tweets from current and former players, but now the team released a compilation video of members from Los Angeles reacting to the new uniforms.
Spoiler: They’re going to be the best-looking uniforms in the NFL.
Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez releases his scouting reports and rankings for the top-20 offensive tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft.
To get you guys ready for the 2020 NFL Draft, I’ve been hard at work at putting together a draft guide that will serve as a one-stop shop as to how hundreds of college prospects fit with the Chargers and how I think they will project at the next level all together.
I’m putting the final details to the guide and am aiming to release it in the next few days. But while I do that, I wanted to give you all a sneak peak as to what’s inside.
With that, here are my rankings and reports for the top-20 offensive tackles in the upcoming draft:
Ranking
Player
College
Round
OT1
Jedrick Wills
Alabama
1
OT2
Tristan Wirfs
Iowa
1
OT3
Mekhi Becton
Louisville
1
OT4
Andrew Thomas
Georgia
1
OT5
Josh Jones
Houston
1-2
OT6
Ezra Cleveland
Boise State
1-2
OT7
Austin Jackson
USC
1-2
OT8
Ben Bartch
St. John’s
2
OT9
Lucas Niang
TCU
2
OT10
Isaiah Wilson
Georgia
2-3
OT11
Matt Peart
UConn
3
OT12
Prince Tega Wanogho
Auburn
3
OT13
Saahdiq Charles
LSU
3-4
OT14
Hakeem Adeniji
Kansas
4
OT15
Jack Driscoll
Auburn
4-5
OT16
Tyre Phillips
Mississippi State
5-6
OT17
Charlie Heck
North Carolina
6
OT18
Alex Taylor
South Carolina State
6
OT19
Trey Adams
Washington
6-7
OT20
Yasir Durant
Missouri
7
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
1. Jedrick Wills Jr. | Alabama | #74 | Junior | Lexington, KY | 6042 | 312
40-Yard Dash: 5.05 seconds
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: 34.5 inches
Broad Jump: 113 inches
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.84 seconds
Career: Strictly played right tackle for the Tide. Started 29 games for Alabama in three years with the program.
Red Flags: N/A
Strengths: Uses a quick kick step to get into his sets. Displays sound footwork to mirror outside speed rushers. Slides laterally and moves feet in all directions with ease. Bends the knees and sinks hips. Maintains leverage and positioning throughout the play. Patient, coordinated movements. Shoots hands with tenacity, controlling opponents’ movements. Sets up run blocks with a quick first step out of his stance. Keeps pads low and can deliver some movement on first contact. Can pick up blocks on the move and stun with a striking punch. High football IQ and aware blocker. Recognizes stunts and blitzers. Nasty competitor.
Weaknesses: Base can get too wide in pass protection. Hands can wonder, leaving his chest open at times. Tries to go for the home run punch at times. Susceptible to inside moves.
Final Word: Wills is a good athlete who is light on his feet with impressive play strength and a competitive demeanor in the running game to overwhelm his opponents, but will need to continue to refine his hands in pass protection, projecting as a starting right tackle with All-Pro upside.
Fit Likelihood: Medium
2. Tristan Wirfs | Iowa | #74 | Junior | Mount Vernon, IA | 6047 | 320
40-Yard Dash: 4.85 seconds
Bench Press: 24 reps
Vertical Jump: 36.5 inches
Broad Jump: 121 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.65 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.68 seconds
Career: First true freshman starter in Kirk Ferentz era. Started 33 games (28 at right tackle, 5 at left tackle).
Red Flags: Arrested for DWI in 2018 and suspended for a season opener. Cited for being underage at a bar in 2019.
Strengths: NFL caliber build and very impressive movement skills. Shows a high football IQ at tackle. Powerful finisher and shows impressive toughness on the edge against power moves and in the run game. Light on his feet—a dancing bear—and is able to slide laterally or get depth with his kick-step. Balance and length are pluses to his game, and he can get low and play with leverage in the run game as needed. Heavy hands and punches with great placement at the chest. Athleticism and nasty streak at the second level.
Weaknesses:Doesn’t always bend naturally at the knees, and he tries to use his length to reach and often overextends at his base, leading to a lunge against speed rushers. Can use his head and shoulders to absorb contact.
Final Word: Even though his lack of length has some projecting him to kick inside, Wirfs is a freakish athlete who possesses solid movement skills, lower-body strength to move bodies in the run game, refined hands and very good competitive toughness projecting as a long-term starting tackle or guard.
Fit Likelihood: High
3. Mekhi Becton | Louisville | #73 | Junior | Highland Springs, VA | 6073 | 364
40-Yard Dash: 5.10 seconds
Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Career: Started as a true freshman for the Cardinals. Started over 30 games during his college career.
Red Flags: N/A
Strengths: A long, massive, unbelievably huge person. Wins with power and athleticism. Can beat defenders up with his size and will get low to push through defenders and bulldoze them out of the play. Exceptionally nimble feet to get depth when moving laterally. He uses his size well and can win with length on the corner. Mauler in the run game, will eat up defenders when climbing to the second level.
Weaknesses: Needs to monitor weight over professional career. Weight control over the course of his career. Does carry it and move well, but you want that number to continue to creep lower, not higher for the sake of conditioning purposes. Can lean into contact, forcing him to lose balance. Doesn’t consistently use proper hand techniques.
Final Word: Becton is a large blocker who is an excellent pass protector and run-blocker, possessing a rare combination of power and athleticism, but he will need to refine his hand technique in pass protection and clean up some overaggressive tendencies, projecting as a solid starter at left or right tackle.
Fit Likelihood: High
4. Andrew Thomas | Georgia | #71 | Junior | Lithonia, GA | 6051 | 315
40-Yard Dash: 5.22 seconds
Bench Press: 21 reps
Vertical Jump: 30.5 inches
Broad Jump: 109 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.58 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.66 seconds
Career: Started 41 career games while garnering all-American honors in 2018 and 2019. Stepped in as a true freshman at right tackle for the Bulldogs.
Red Flags: Dealt with a minor ankle injury in 2018 but hasn’t missed time on the field.
Strengths: Solid size and athleticism. Good initial quickness. Can get to and block effectively at the second level. Flashes violence in his initial hand punch to control defenders. Good recoil and settle in pass protection. Can absorb the bull rush and anchor effectively. Flashes foot quickness and balance on the perimeter and in space.
Weaknesses: Oversets in pass block, inconsistent knee bend. Hands can get too wide. Flashes nastiness, but needs to play with more consistency. Overextends at times, often losing balance.
Final Word: Thomas is a high-end athlete who possesses adequate footwork, heavy hands, intelligence and toughness to make an impact as a pass protector and run-blocker, but he needs to clean up the balance and mechanical issues, projecting as a starting tackle in a zone scheme.
Career: Started 45 games during his career. Stepped into the starting job as a redshirt freshman.
Red Flags: Dealt with minor injuries in 2017 and 2019 but never missed significant time.
Strengths: Gifted athlete. Effortless lateral quickness with light feet. Rarely allowed a rusher to wrap his outside shoulder, shutting down the corner on tape. Flexible hips to react to inside moves. Uses his length to meet rushers mid – shuffle. Aggressive run blocker, latching and running his feet. Mean streak and plays with an attitude. Doesn’t give up much ground. Athletic and does an adequate job getting into the second level.
Weaknesses: Clunky technique and often finds himself out of position. Needs to get stronger at the point of attack. Flat steps in his kick slide. Caught leaning and doesn’t have a firm grasp on timing. Needs to tighten up his punch and handwork, leaving his chest open for rushers and sustaining in the run game.
Final Word: Jones is a quick-footed blocker who possesses reactive athleticism, good body control, flexibility and the range and mobility to block in the open space, but there are concerns with his anchor and sustaining in the run game, projecting as a starting left tackle in a zone scheme.
