Tag: Nick Niemann

LB Damon Lloyd drawing attention at Chargers training camp

Damon Lloyd has been flashing since the start of Chargers training camp.

Linebacker Damon Lloyd has been making noise at Chargers training camp.

While Kenneth Murray, who is recovering from ankle surgery, and Drue Tranquill, who is dealing with a groin issue, have been out of the action, Lloyd has made the most of his reps.

During Tuesday’s session, Lloyd made back-to-back plays in 11-on-11. First, a sack and then a tackle for loss on running back Larry Rountree.

Lloyd has made positive plays daily since the start of camp, consistently living in the backfield.

With Murray, Tranquill, Troy Reeder, and Kyle Van Noy near locks, Lloyd is competing with second-year players Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga to fill out the depth chart.

Even if he does not make the team, Lloyd will be a strong candidate to be kept around on the practice squad this year.

A signee out of The Spring League, Lloyd spent all of the 2021 season on the practice squad.

Lloyd set a record for tackles in a single season from 2017 to 2019 at Indiana (Pennsylvania), racking up more than 110 tackles in all three seasons.

Projecting Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2022

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers’ linebacker room will look like in the 2022 season.

Over the next week, we will break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Interior defensive line

Edge defender

Today, the focus is on how the linebacker room will look heading into 2022.

Kenneth Murray

Murray’s sophomore season was not all sunshine and rainbows. Murray dealt with ankle issues since training camp last year, and that stunted his development. He spent six weeks on the injured reserve and some time on the COVID-19/Reserve list. When on the field, Murray struggled with missed tackles, over-pursuing ball carriers, and struggling to shed blocks and work off contact. Murray ended up experiencing a new position as an edge defender late in the season when the team was limited with players at the spot, which was a challenge. Murray had ankle surgery in early April, and Brandon Staley said the hope is the former first-round pick will be ready for training camp.

Drue Tranquill

After a promising rookie season in 2019, expectations were high for Tranquill. Unfortunately, a broken ankle in Week 1 of his sophomore campaign forced him to miss the entire 2020 season. Last year in Staley’s system, Tranquill finished with 79 tackles, five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks and a pass defended in 14 games. When healthy, Tranquill is solid against the run and used to rush the passer in pressure packages.

Troy Reeder

Reeder was signed before the draft. Reeder is familiar with Staley’s defense, having played under him when he was the Rams’ defensive coordinator during the 2020 season. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Rams in 2019, Reeder produced 230 tackles, fives sacks, eight passes defended, and two interceptions over the past three seasons. Last season marked his most productive, as Reeder totaled 91 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.

Nick Niemann

The Chargers’ middle-of-the-pack special teams did not have a lot of veterans; instead, they rolled with their rookie class as the main core last season. Among the crop, Niemann ended up being a bright spot, finishing with 14 special teams tackles on coverage units, which tied for fourth-most in the NFL. While expected to be a major contributor on special teams, Niemann could earn some snaps on defense if he performs in camp.

Amen Ogbongbemiga

Ogbongbemiga was thrust into the action in his rookie season when injuries occurred. In the two games that he started, Ogbongbemiga produced 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. Like Niemann, Ogbongbemiga will primarily be a contributor on coverage units, but he could earn snaps if he shows up at camp or players go down with injuries.

4 under-the-radar Chargers players to watch during training camp: Defense

Here are four players on defense who should bring some intrigue as the Chargers look to build the 53-man roster.

The Chargers boast one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, with notable players at every position.

However, a few have gotten little press coverage that will be worth keeping an eye out on when the team reports to training camp in a couple of weeks.

Here are four names on defense that should bring some intrigue as Los Angeles looks to build the 53-man roster.

EDGE Jamal Davis II

The Chargers boast one of the league’s most talented edge defender duos in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Chris Rumph is entering his second season and is in a prime position to make a leap. Kyle Van Noy was signed to add another pass-rush presence off the edge, but he should also see time at inside linebacker. This group would benefit from another player for depth, and Davis could make a strong push to earn it. Davis possesses the athletic ability, physical profile, and tools to be a nice rotational rusher. He recently played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes, where he recorded 17 tackles, four sacks, and a defensive touchdown through nine games.

DT Breiden Fehoko

The Chargers are excited about the additions of Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in hopes they can improve their porous run defense from last season. But on the back end of the unit, there will be a battle for one of the final spots and Fehoko presents an intriguing candidate that would also help against the run, as he made an impact in the trenches in his limited opportunities. On 65 run snaps, he had a stop percentage of 16.1, which ranked fourth, according to Pro Football Focus.

LB Nick Niemann

The Chargers’ middle-of-the-pack special teams did not have a lot of veterans; instead, they rolled with their rookie class as the main core last season. Among the crop, Niemann ended up being a bright spot, finishing with 14 special teams tackles on coverage units, which tied for fourth-most in the NFL. Los Angeles let their best linebacker, Kyzir White, walk in free agency and while they added Troy Reeder, the talent at the position still lacks talent. However, Niemann could prove to earn playing time on defense if he performs in camp.

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

The Chargers have a solid cornerback group after the additions of J.C. Jackson and Bryce Callahan to complement Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis. But in an ever-revolving secondary in Brandon Staley’s system, the team’s sixth-round pick could be a nice depth piece. Taylor has the versatility to play in the slot and outside, has experience as a return man, and the speed to serve as a gunner. At Wake Forest, Taylor logged 184 tackles, six interceptions, 24 passes defended, one sack, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries in 62 career games. He also returned kicks in his final season, averaging 26.3 yards per attempt, including one touchdown, on eight attempts.

3 Chargers who flew under the radar in 2021

Highlighting the Chargers players whose contributions did not receive the recognition they deserved.

The Chargers had a lot of star power that made their presences known consistently, but there were a few players whose contributions did not receive the recognition they deserved.

With that being said, here are three players who flew under the radar in 2021:

TE Stephen Anderson

Jared Cook and Donald Parham spotlighted the tight end room. But the unsung hero of the group was Anderson. While he made the most of his opportunities in the passing game – catching 16 of his 19 targets for 165 yards and a touchdown – what stood out the most that may have gone unrecognized was his work as a blocker. Anderson helped open up holes in the run game as a lead blocker and in pass protection.

LB Nick Niemann

The Chargers’ middle-of-the-pack special teams did not have a lot of veterans, and instead, they rolled with their rookie class as the main core. Among the crop, it was Niemann who ended up being a bright spot, finishing with 14 special teams tackles on coverage units, which tied for fourth-most in the NFL.

DT Breiden Fehoko

It was no surprise that the Chargers’ weakness was defending the run. They did not have the talent with their starters to consistently hold their own in this department. However, Fehoko made an impact in the trenches in his limited opportunities. On 65 run snaps, he had a stop percentage of 16.1, which ranked fourth, according to Pro Football Focus.

Chargers S Nasir Adderley ruled out vs. Ravens

The Chargers made some roster moves ahead of Sunday’s showdown with the Ravens.

The Chargers ruled out safety Nasir Adderley for the Week 6 bout against the Ravens.

Adderley, who is dealing with a hip injury, was listed as questionable on the final injury report after not practicing on Thursday and Friday.

Head coach Brandon Staley said that Adderley has been dealing with a hip pointer and it flared up last weekend against the Browns.

With Adderley out, Alohi Gilman and rookie Mark Webb will be in line to receive extended playing time.

In addition, Los Angeles promoted nose tackle Breiden Fehoko and linebacker Cole Christiansen to the active roster.

Since Drue Tranquill will not be playing, Christiansen adds depth behind Kyzir White, Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga.

Chargers LB Drue Tranquill could miss game vs. Ravens

The Chargers might be down another linebacker heading into Week 6.

The Chargers already lost Kenneth Murray to an injury, and now the team could be without another one of their starting linebackers.

Drue Tranquill is dealing with a pec injury he sustained in last Sunday’s victory over the Browns, and his status for this weekend’s matchup against the Ravens is up in the air.

Following practice on Wednesday, head coach Brandon Staley said the team is still gathering information, but the expectation is that it’s “nothing long term.”

Tranquill showed up on the practice report as a non-participant.

Since taking over as a full-time starter, he and Kyzir White have been integral pieces in the middle of the defense.

Through five games, Tranquill has 28 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

If he cannot go, rookie Nick Niemann would likely receive an extended amount of playing time. Niemann has yet to log a defensive snap.

We will continue to monitor the status of Tranquill as the week goes on.

Chargers LB Kenneth Murray ruled out Monday night vs. Raiders

The severity of Kenneth Murray’s injury remains to be seen.

Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray will not play on Monday night against the Raiders.

Murray, who was initially listed as questionable with an ankle injury, has been downgraded to out for the prime matchup.

Murray had to be carted off the practice field Saturday after grabbing his leg in a good amount of pain. Trainers rushed over, and it took him a few minutes before being taken off.

Murray re-injured the same ankle that knocked him out of the Cowboys game briefly in Week 2.

The amount of time Murray will miss remains to be seen.

With Murray out of Monday night’s action, Drue Tranquill and Kyzir White will get the majority of the workload. For additional depth, we could see rookie Nick Niemann make his NFL debut.

Chargers HC Brandon Staley comfortable with calling on LB Nick Niemann

Nick Niemann could fill in if Kenneth Murray can’t play against the Raiders.

On Saturday, the primary storyline was the ankle injury to linebacker Kenneth Murray, which forced him to be carted off the practice field.

According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, Murray re-injured the same ankle that knocked him out of the Cowboys game briefly in Week 2.

Even though he is questionable for Monday night’s game against the Raiders, the severity of the injury is still up in the air, and there’s a chance that he could be sidelined for it.

If so, Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill will likely receive the bulk of the workload. However, rookie Nick Niemann could find his way into the linebacker rotation this week.

Following practice, head coach Brandon Staley was asked how Niemann has been coming along with his development, and if he felt the former Iowa product could be counted on with some defensive snaps.

“What he’s done a nice job of doing is carving out a four-core role on special teams,” Staley said. “I just feel that he’s been an impactful player in that way, and on defense, you’re able to see him go against a premium offense every day and see that type of athleticism.

This guy just sees the game. He is a gym rat. He is long and he’s there’s still so much development in his body. I think one year from now his body is going to look a lot different. But he’s working hard at his game and we really like coaching him. I would have no problem putting him in a game.”

While Murray, White, and Tranquill spent nearly all of the three-game preseason slate out of the action, it was Niemann who took advantage of his extended playing time.

Niemann showed the tackling ability and instincts to impact the run game and the athleticism to show up in coverage. As a result, he finished with the most tackles (28) in the NFL in preseason play.

We should know more about Murray’s status in the coming day. But if he’s unable to go, the coaches are confident that Niemann could play a role in his absence.

Everything we know about Chargers’ loss to Seahawks in preseason finale

Recapping the Chargers’ preseason finale against the Seahawks.

To cap off the preseason, the Chargers were shut out by the Seahawks by the score of 27-0.

To recap Saturday’s matchup, here is everything we know:

It was over when….

Cody Barton got to Chase Daniel untouched to knock the football loose, and Marquise Blair was there to catch it in the air and take it back for six. Following that, the Chargers had no answer on both sides of the ball.

Keys of the game

It was another lackluster performance by the offense, as they only totaled 157 yards.

The offensive line gave up five sacks.

Only one field goal was attempted, coming in the second quarter by Tristan Vizcaino, which was missed from 47 yards out.

The two teams combined for 19 penalties, some of which were unnecessary.

3 stars of the game

LB Nick Niemann: 13 total tackles, 1 sack, tackle for loss

EDGE Chris Rumph: 4 tackles. 3 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits, 1 sack

RB Larry Rountree III: 6 carries, 27 yards, 2 catches, 8 yards

Quick-hitters

Neither Easton Stick or Chase Daniel did anything standout to separate themselves from one another. Both quarterbacks had their highs and lows, but they weren’t given any favors as the offensive line was manhandled for the majority of the night. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team carry three signal-callers.

When he fully recovers, Justin Jackson will likely resume his role as the second running back to Austin Ekeler but Rountree is the one who did enough to be given a decent-sized role with his performances. Joshua Kelley, on the other hand, was inefficient running the football. Kelley could very well be on the chopping block.

The offensive line struggled as a whole to give both quarterbacks time to throw and create any lanes in the running game. However, it was Trey Pipkins who struggled the most, as he gave up a sack and a few pressures, along with committing a pair of false start penalties. Pipkins didn’t do anything in the summer to help himself to be the swing tackle, which is why he could very well be on his way out.

Looking to solidify the final wide receiver spot, it was Michael Bandy who made his case, catching five of his seven targets for 27 yards. K.J. Hill, Joe Reed and Jason Moore did not suit up for the game.

There wasn’t anyone from the interior part of the defensive line who separated themselves. Undrafted free agent Forrest Merrill flashed here and there, but we didn’t see much action from the other guys up front. Linval Joseph, Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones and Christian Covington but who fills the other two spots remains to be seen.

The lack of push from the defensive line led to the Seahawks having plenty of success on the ground, but neither did the slew of missed tackles from the second and third level.

Speaking of missed tackles, Brandon Facyson had a couple in the open field, as well an underwhelming performance in coverage. Facyson was slated to serve as the main backup, but his showing left a lot to be desired.

Kemon Hall, on the other hand, was a bright spot in the secondary.

The kicking battle was one of the main storylines, but given the lack of offensive production there wasn’t a lot of action in that department. Michael Badgley had the slight leg up entering the game, but Vizcaino’s missed field goal in the second quarter might’ve solidified the coach’s decision.

The score in preseason games does not matter. However, you’re able to evaluate team’s depth charts and for the Chargers, they’re lacking that at vital positions, specifically along the offensive line. It’ll be interesting to see if they dip into the free agency pool.

What’s next?

The Chargers will need to have their 53-man roster finalized by this upcoming Tuesday. Los Angeles opens the regular season against The Washington Football Team on Sept. 12 at 10 am PT.

Projecting the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2021

Forecasting how the second-level defense will look like for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Offensive Line

Edge Defender

Interior Defensive Line

Next up, I project what the linebacker room will look like heading into the 2021 season.

Kenneth Murray

Selected in the first-round of the 2020 NFL draft, Murray showed flashes in the run game, but he was a liability in coverage since he was tasked with a large load with both safety Derwin James and Drue Tranquill, two of the team’s best coverage defenders, out with injuries in Gus Bradley’s zone-heavy defense. Despite having a mixed bag of a rookie season, Murray still managed to finish the 2020 campaign with 107 total tackles (most by rookie since 2000), one sack, five tackles for loss and one quarterback hit. Looking ahead to this upcoming season, head coach Brandon Staley’s defense will play more to his strengths, which are as a run defender and a blitzer, playing more downhill.

Drue Tranquill

Drafted in the fourth-round of the 2019 NFL draft, Tranquill became a key piece on the defensive side of the ball. In 15 games played, three of which he started, Tranquill racked up 64 tackles (50 solo), four tackles for loss and one pass defended. On top of that, he finished tied for the most special teams tackles by any rookie (11). After enjoying his solid rookie season, it was expected that he was going to take another step in Year 2, but an ankle injury in the first game of the season put everything to a halt. Now heading into his third year, Tranquill will be one of the starting linebackers alongside Murray. His strengths as a run defender and coverage player will be dividends with what he will be asked to do.

Kyzir White

A fourth-round pick of the 2018 NFL draft, White flashed as early as his rookie season. The sample size was small because he was hindered by an injury that year. In 2019, he didn’t play that much because he struggled in the role as the starting middle linebacker, relegating him to a SAM linebacker, and in Bradley’s nickel-heavy defense, the playing time for the position is limited. Last season, White started in 10 games in which he amassed 77 tackles, four tackles for loss and three passes defensed. This upcoming season, White could be in for his best year yet in Staley’s defense. White has the versatility to be flexed in the slot (Star) and fill a sub-package safety-linebacker hybrid role (Money), and he is strong against the run and pass.

Nick Niemann

Niemann was drafted in the fifth-round of this year’s draft out of Iowa with the intentions of him aiding a special teams unit that finished last in the league last season. Even though that will be his primary role in Year 1, Niemann could be a reliable option if an injury was to occur. Niemann is a talented player who looks to fit the mold of the NFL’s new-age linebackers. He has the ability to make stops inside and outside the tackles and the coverage instincts and athleticism to stay on the field on third down.

Amen Ogbongbemiga

Ogbongbemiga, the undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, has already caught the attention of special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II. Ogbongbemiga was a promising linebacker for the Cowboys, but his calling card right off the bat would be on special teams. He amassed over 500 ST snaps in college, and his range and solid tackling ability would make him a valuable asset on coverage units for the Bolts from Day 1.