Tag: Raheem Layne

Chargers’ Raheem Layne making splash plays early in training camp

Raheem Layne could push himself up the safety depth chart if he continues to make plays.

There is a battle in Chargers training camp for the fourth spot at the safety position, and second-year Raheem Layne is making his case early on to secure it.

Layne logged a pass deflection and the first turnover of camp in team drills. He was covering tight end Michael Ezeike and as quarterback Easton Stick passed, Layne read it perfectly and came away with the football.

Around this time last year, Layne was also making plays. The former undrafted free agent out of Indiana made the most of his opportunities while Derwin James and Mark Webb were out, earning him a roster spot.

Layne rarely saw the defensive side of the ball in his rookie campaign, but he made his money on special teams.

As it stands, Derwin James and Alohi Gilman are slated to be the starting safeties, with last year’s third-round pick JT Woods as the third safety coming on in dime (six defensive back) packages.

Woods struggled in his rookie season, but the coaches expect him to make a leap. However, if Layne continues to make plays, he could end up warranting that third spot, which is a vital role in Brandon Staley’s defense.

A cornerback-to-safety convert, Layne has excellent instincts in coverage, experience in multiple alignments and good run defense to be a solid contributor on defense.

Sights and sounds from Chargers training camp: Day 2

A quick roundup of the highlights from Day 2 of Chargers training camp.

The Chargers continued training camp on Thursday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

Training camp can be attended for free, but if you cannot be there, you will still be informed of the action throughout it all.

I will have training camp coverage with updates from practice below, courtesy of media members and fan posts.

5 position battles to watch during Chargers training camp

While many starting spots are locked up before the Chargers take the field, here are a few that will be contested throughout the next month.

The Chargers officially begin training camp Wednesday with their first practice of the season.

With two new coordinators in Costa Mesa, things could look much different than they did last season as LA looks to finally turn a talented roster on paper into a legitimate contender.

While many starting spots are locked up before the Chargers take the field, here are a few that will be hotly contested throughout the next month.

Chargers 2023 roster review: S Alohi Gilman

Alohi Gilman is headed into training camp as the starter alongside Derwin James.

Training camp is approaching and with a few more weeks of dead time in the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is documenting each of Los Angeles’ players before it kicks off.

Safety Alohi Gilman is entering his four year on the Chargers and has much more responsibility on defense than in seasons previous.

With the retirement of Nasir Adderley after the 2022 season, Los Angeles was expected by many to pick up another starting caliber safety in free agency to pair with Derwin James Jr.

Instead, they opted to rely on their current group behind James of Gilman, JT Woods, and Raheem Layne.

Woods will be battling Gilman for the 2nd starting spot, but after a fairly decent season in 2022 it is likely Gilman will be the safety who gets the number 2 position in week one.

Gilman finished off his 2022 season with 58 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception for 18 yards.

Contract (2023): $1,010,000 base salary, $46,969 prorated bonus, $1,056,969 cap hit.

Acquired: Gilman was selected by the Chargers with the 186th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Highlight:

Chargers 2023 roster review: Safety Mark Webb Jr.

If Mark Webb can stay healthy, he should make a strong push for a roster spot.

Training camp is approaching and with a few more weeks of dead time in the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is documenting each of Los Angeles’ players before it kicks off.

A collegiate stud at Georgia, safety Mark Webb has spent his entire three-year professional career with the Chargers but hasn’t gained much traction since the team selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft.

A big reason why has been his inability to stay healthy. In his rookie season, Webb missed nine games due to a knee injury. He dealt with the same issue in his sophomore campaign and remained on the practice squad.

Nonetheless, Webb has flashed when on the field, getting first-team reps on defense last training camp at money backer while Derwin James sat out while the team negotiated a contract extension.

Now fully healthy, Webb will have to fend off the likes of second-year Raheem Layne and undrafted free agent A.J. Finley for a roster spot.

If he doesn’t make the cut, Webb will likely be a practice squad stash if he isn’t waived and signed by another team in late August.

Contract (2023): $870,000 base salary, no prorated bonus, $870,000 cap hit.

Acquired: Webb was selected by the Chargers with the 241st overall pick in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Quote: Defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley on the Chargers’ depth at safety:

“Good competition. We have competition at every spot in the secondary, especially safety. You have Derwin James [Jr.], who can play multiple spots. You have Alohi [Gilman] that has played a lot of ball around here. You have JT [Woods], we have a lot of expectations for him this year. It’s going to be a really competitive group. Mark Webb [Jr.] is in that mix, Michael Jacquet, Raheem Layne. That group is very competitive. A lot of different skill sets in that group, which is what you need at safety.”

Highlight:

Chargers 2023 roster review: Safety A.J. Finley

A.J. Finley is an undrafted free agent looking to make some noise this summer.

Training camp is nearing, and with a few more weeks of dead time during the quietest part of the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is endeavoring to document each of Los Angeles’ players before it kicks off.

The Chargers signed former Ole Miss safety AJ Finley as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL draft.

Over the course of his collegiate career, Finley recorded 245 total tackles, 13 passed defended, eight interceptions, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Finley has the desired range, instincts and ball skills in coverage. Additionally, Finley is a good run defender, something Los Angeles lacked on the back end of the defense last season.

Behind Derwin James and Alohi Gilman, the depth is thin. JT Woods, who struggled in his rookie season, is being counted on to make strides. Raheem Layne showed promise but is still young. Mark Webb has been hamstrung by injuries.

Therefore, Finley should not be counted out to earn a roster spot if he shows out in training camp and preseason. At the very least, he could be a candidate for the practice squad.

Contract:

  • Value: $2,715,000 ($805,000 APY)
  • Fully Guaranteed Money: $90,000

Acquired: The Chargers signed Finley as an undrafted free agent.

Highlight:

Chargers 2023 roster review: Safety JT Woods

The Chargers are hoping that JT Woods can make strides in Year 2.

Training camp is nearing, and with a few more weeks of dead time during the quietest part of the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is endeavoring to document each of Los Angeles’ players before it kicks off.

The Chargers selected former Baylor safety JT Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Woods recorded 157 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, two sacks, five passes defended, eight interceptions, and a touchdown through his four collegiate seasons.

Woods was taken to play him as the deep safety to allow Derwin James to move all over the field. But that never came to fruition. Woods struggled as a tackler in his limited defensive snaps and was a non-factor defensively.

Los Angeles is hopeful that Woods’ play will improve. The chances of him beating out Alohi Gilman, who played well in 2022, are slim. So he will have to show growth to be trusted as the third safety.

Contract:

  • Value: $5,276,440 ($1,319,110 APY)
  • Fully Guaranteed Money: $1,017,412

Acquired: The Chargers drafted Woods with the No. 79 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.

Quote: Brandon Staley on Woods:

“We’re going to find out a lot more about him when the pads come on. He’s had a good offseason. He’s working hard. He has definitely improved his body. He has become the professional that we expected him to be. But we’re going to find out a lot more during training camp. But, we love working with him, for sure.”

Highlight:

Derrick Ansley expounds on the Chargers’ depth at safety

Derrick Ansley said that he is still bullish on the team’s depth in the positional room.

The Chargers addressed multiple positions this offseason, but safety remains a need. However, defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley said that he is still bullish on the team’s depth in the positional room.

In comments made during a press conference at the Chargers’ rookie minicamp, Ansley made his confidence in the unit clear.

[We have] good competition. We have competition at every spot in the secondary, especially safety. You have Derwin James [Jr.], who can play multiple spots. You have Alohi [Gilman] that has played a lot of ball around here. You have JT [Woods], we have a lot of expectations for him this year. It’s going to be a really competitive group. Mark Webb [Jr.] is in that mix, Michael Jacquet, Raheem Layne. That group is very competitive. A lot of different skillsets in that group, which is what you need at safety.

2022 third-round pick JT Woods was taken with the idea of playing him as the deep safety to allow Derwin James to move all over the field. But that never came to fruition as Woods struggled as a tackler in his limited defensive snaps and was a non-factor defensively.

The Chargers are hopeful that Woods’ play will improve and that he can become the starter. But he will have to beat out Alohi Gilman, who played well in 2022. Additionally, they liked what Raheem Layne brought as a rookie last season so he could be in the mix.

Ansley’s faith in the talent currently available to him is a good sign that the team is in a good position moving forward.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ victory over Colts

Highlighting the good and bad from the Chargers’ win over the Colts.

The Chargers officially booked their playoff ticket on Monday night with a 20-3 mercy killing of a Colts team starting their third different quarterback of the season.

Here’s who got Los Angeles there and who should count themselves lucky to be on the ride.

Stud: Kyle Van Noy

Van Noy built upon his last two weeks of stellar performances with a near-game-breaking one on Monday. The veteran edge rusher/linebacker hybrid was everywhere against Indianapolis, making Nick Foles’ life harder by chasing after him, blowing up screens, and shutting down the run game. From the jump, Van Noy got pressure on Foles, including a QB hit in the first half that he followed up with a tackle for a loss of 9 on a screen to Deon Jackson. A fourth-quarter sack got him on the board, capping a fabulous game from one of the Chargers’ best players over the last few weeks.

Dud: Third quarter execution…again

It feels like beating a dead horse at this point, but this felt like the week LA could break out of their third-quarter slump, given the state of the Colts team. Instead, the Chargers extended their streak of third quarters without a touchdown to 10 games, the longest streak in any quarter this season in the NFL. A Trey Pipkins holding penalty negated a 30-yard pass to DeAndre Carter. LA turned an Asante Samuel Jr. interception into a 21-yard field goal after failing to punch the ball in. Carter muffed a punt, which didn’t result in a change of possession thanks to Deane Leonard touching the ball while out of bounds, but it was followed by a Justin Herbert fumble on which all four Colts defenders got pressure on the QB. As soon as the fourth quarter started, the defense got a fourth down stop that the Chargers turned into a touchdown. It’s bizarre!

Stud: Keenan Allen

Allen was feasting against Gus Bradley’s zone defense all night, frequently finding gaps in the coverage on his way to an 11-reception, 104-yard performance. Allen was targeted 14 times out of Herbert’s 31 pass attempts, a reflection of how he was individually cooking the Colts’ defenders. If there’s one gripe to be had, Allen couldn’t keep his feet in bounds on the double pass bullet from Herbert. Had he done that, he would’ve gotten his elusive touchdown; instead, he only got another 25 yards. Still, it was a performance that made one thing clear: no matter how athletically gifted Allen is in any given week, his savvy will get him the ball.

Dud: Offensive playcalling

Let’s do a visualization exercise real quick. Pretend you’re Joe Lombardi. Your offensive line has given up 21 sacks in their last five games, while the Colts just had seven sacks last week. Herbert generates the third-best quarterback rating in the league when throwing the ball on the move, while the Colts give up the second-worst QBR to quarterbacks on the run. So, what would you do?

If you said, “drop back like normal and watch Herbert get hit seven times”, congrats! You’ve truly channeled the spirit of Lombardi.

Okay, second question. You have a 6-foot-4 receiver (Mike Williams) and a 6’8” tight end (Donald Parham Jr.) who have made a career off of high-flying red zone touchdowns. You haven’t been calling those plays and the red zone efficiency is cratering. In theory, something needs to change. So, what do you do?

If you said, “nothing. Throw a screen to Keenan Allen and a two-yard route to Austin Ekeler on third and goal from the 10”, please find a mirror immediately. I think you might be Joe Lombardi.

Stud: Pass rush

The Chargers racked up seven sacks on Monday: two from Morgan Fox and one from Drue Tranquill, Kenneth Murray Jr., Kyle Van Noy, Khalil Mack, and Chris Rumph II. That’s practically every front-seven player who has generated any pocket pressure all season for LA. (Sorry, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Breiden Fehoko. Great run defense game tonight, though!) The Chargers didn’t even blitz very much in this one, evidenced by the lack of pressures generated by secondary players. Rather, the defensive line was able to win one-on-one matchups consistently and get home to Nick Foles.

Dud: Conservation of momentum

Remarkably, the Chargers are on this winning streak while flatly refusing to capitalize on any momentum-tilting plays or events at any point in any game. Tonight, the defense forced the Colts into a three-and-out, interception, interception, and three-and-out in their first four drives. LA responded in those instances with a three and out, interception, three and out, and then a touchdown to go up 7-0. A third Nick Foles interception yielded an eight-play drive that gained less than 3 yards a play and resulted in a field goal. At an even more granular level, the Chargers frequently went away from the hot hands on offense as they started to get into a rhythm. This is a team that is actively making things harder for themselves at every junction, and yet, they’ve clinched a playoff spot with their third straight win.

Stud: Kickoff coverage

Indianapolis came in with one of the hottest kick returners in the league, as Dallis Flowers had averaged 34.1 yards per return coming into tonight’s contest. While Flowers averaged 28 yards a return on his three chances this week, the starting field position on those opportunities was as follows: Indianapolis 28, Indianapolis 13, and Indianapolis 26. So, even though Flowers was taking it nearly 30 yards, he never got more than 3 yards beyond the 25, where the ball would’ve been spotted on a touchback. Credit to Ryan Ficken and his unit, which this week plugged in Raheem Layne for the injured Kemon Hall just for Layne to lay the wood on that return that ended at the 13.

Dud: Justin Herbert

Herbert had his moments of brilliance – he always does – but this was far from his best game. It was also his second straight game without a touchdown pass, compared to four turnovers in that same timeframe. His two turnovers today followed a familiar pattern. On the interception, he’s trying to force a third down throw into a tighter-than-tight window because the play call has all five eligible receivers within eight yards of the line of scrimmage on the same side of the field. On the fumble, the Chargers allow pressure from all four Colts rushers, and Herbert gets the ball bullied out of his hands. That’s not to absolve the star from any blame: he’ll be the first to tell you he needs to be better, and he said as much in his postgame interview on ESPN. That the Chargers can win games with him playing this way is. However, a good sign from now on, assuming Herbert can find his stride as the playoffs begin.

Chargers activate TE Donald Parham from injured reserve

The Chargers are getting some help back on offense.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”3vssd2iPPe-2423256-7498″]

The Chargers are getting some help back on offense.

Tight end Donald Parham was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday. In correspondence, the team waived wide receiver Jason Moore Jr.

In addition, Los Angeles elevated defensive lineman Christopher Hinton and safety Raheem Layne from the practice squad.

Parham went on injured reserve on Nov. 5 with a hamstring injury, the same issue that forced him to miss most of training camp and the first four games to start the season.

Parham has played only two games this season, making three catches for 53 yards. He finished the 2021 season with 20 receptions on 27 targets for 190 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games.