Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 26-19 win over the Cowboys.
The Chargers picked up a win to close out the preseason, defeating the Cowboys by the score of 26-19.
Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ victory.
It was over when…
Robert Kennedy intercepted Trey Lance in the end zone as time expired.
3 stars of the game
S Tony Jefferson: Jefferson had a pretty quiet summer. But his performance on Saturday raised the eyebrows of the coaching staff to garner serious consideration of making the 53-man roster. The 10-year veteran led the team in tackles (14) and added two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble.
WR Simi Fehoko: It’s going to be difficult to keep Fehoko off the roster. He showed out every day over the past month and capped it off with a 78-yard touchdown, beating Andrew Booth down the right sideline to haul Easton Stick’s deep pass.
EDGE Tre’Mon Morris-Brash: Morris-Brash is another summer standout who capped off with an impressive showing. He picked off Lance and took it back to the end zone. His Pick 6 extended the Chargers’ lead late in the fourth quarter to put a stamp on the game.
Quick hits
Easton Stick played the whole game to try to prove to the coaching staff that he is a serviceable backup. And Stick’s performance left a lot to be desired. Aside from his pass to Fehoko for the 78-yard touchdown, Stick’s accuracy issues were still evident. Aside from that deep throw, he went 11 of 28 with 109 yards and an interception.
In the running back battle, Jaret Patterson continued to impress, rushing for 27 yards on six carries (4.5 YPC). Elijah Dotson posted 23 yards on four rushes. Isaiah Spiller was inefficient.
I mentioned how Fehoko further made his case to make the roster. The same can’t be said about rookie Brenden Rice, who finished the game with just 11 yards on one catch. Rice was targeted seven times. Stick and Rice could not get on the same page for the third straight week despite Rice consistently getting open.
The other seventh-round pick, Cornelius Johnson, finally made his presence felt after being fairly quiet this summer. Johnson had three catches for 34 yards.
Derius Davis’ speed is going to be a problem for opposing defenses this season. Davis scored the first touchdown on the Chargers’ first offensive play, scampering 70 yards on an end-around.
Jesse Minter’s defense finished with six turnovers, five being interceptions.
The unit held the Cowboys to 1-of-4 in the red zone.
JT Woods’ tackling in the open has improved tremendously. That was one of his issues since coming out of college.
What’s next?
The Chargers will have until 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday to reduce their roster to 53 players before they open the regular season against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 13-9 loss to the Rams.
The Chargers fell to the Rams in the second of three preseason games on Saturday.
Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 13-9 loss.
It was over when…
The Chargers failed to capitalize on two offensive possessions after the Rams scored their only touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
3 stars of the game
RB Kimani Vidal: After missing the preseason opener, Vidal made his debut and showed why he deserves a roster spot. He finished with 49 yards on 11 carries (4.5 yards per rush) and two catches.
WR Simi Fehoko: Fehoko led all receivers with 52 yards on two catches. But aside from his work as a pass-catcher, he made a big tackle on kickoff coverage and showed great effort as a blocker on offense.
CB Deane Leonard: The defense continued to make plays, and Leonard led the way, finishing with two passes defended and an interception.
Quick hits
For the second straight game, the Chargers did not find the end zone. They were 0-3 in the red zone.
The offense turned the ball over three times, including a lost fumble at the Rams’ one-yard line.
Quentin Johnston finished the game with one catch for 19 yards. But he still showed some encouraging things. In the first quarter, he ran a double move to draw an illegal contact penalty. He was open down the field, but Easton Stick overthrew him. In the third quarter, he made an eye-popping catch near the sideline, but he came up out of bounds.
The defense was consistently around the football, breaking up seven passes.
However, the unit struggled to generate pressure throughout most of the game, only recording one sack and a quarterback hit.
The linebacker room was a bright spot. NaVorro Bowman’s group has made a handful of plays these past couple of games.
Cameron Dicker’s dominance continued as he made all three of his field goal attempts, including one from 55 yards out.
What’s next?
The Chargers close out the preseason next Saturday, Aug. 24, at 1:05 p.m. PT, when they will face the Cowboys at SoFi Stadium.
Shaq Quarterman doesn’t see the field often, but he delivered a thunderous hit when the Jaguars needed it most in 2022.
The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.
When the Jacksonville Jaguars traveled to Nashville late in the 2022 season for a matchup against the Tennessee Titans, their postseason hopes were hanging by a thread. Fresh off a blowout loss to the Detroit Lions, the 4-8 Jaguars were three games behind the 7-5 Titans with five games left for each team.
Late in the first half, it was the Titans up 14-13 and driving into Jaguars territory to extend their lead and potentially drive a stake into Jacksonville’s playoff chances. That’s when reserve linebacker Shaquille Quarterman provided a highlight that turned the tide of the entire season.
The third-year linebacker chased Titans bulldozer Derrick Henry across the field and delivered a hit that sent the running back flying and the ball straight into the arms of the Jaguars’ Josh Allen.
Jacksonville took advantage of the momentum swing and scored a touchdown six plays later. The Jaguars never looked back, winning five straight to earn the AFC South title. And it’s entirely possible that none of it would’ve happened if not for one thunderous hit from Quarterman.
Contract (2023): $1.01 million base salary, $123,600 prorated signing bonus, $1,133,600 cap hit.
Acquired: Jaguars drafted Quarterman with the No. 140 overall selection in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
It sounds like the Jags’ staff like what they’ve seen out of Jacksonville native, Shaq Quarterman, in training camp. He may even be a name to watch for a starting role.
Jacksonville made a potentially risky decision during the preseason when it traded projected starting middle linebacker Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round pick. The return for a starting-caliber player wasn’t great, but it allowed the Jaguars to ditch a pricey deal on a player that the coaching staff didn’t think was a great fit in the defensive scheme.
Without him, Jacksonville will largely turn to Damien Wilson, a free-agent acquisition who started for Kansas City last season, and Shaq Quarterman, a second-year player who appeared in 12 games last season but had a limited impact, totaling only six tackles.
Defensive coordinator Joe Cullen had positive things to say about the play of both in the preseason opener against Cleveland.
“Well, we have got Damien [Wilson] who’s been a two-year starter with Kansas City at MIKE linebacker,” Cullen said. “And then we drafted Shaq [Shaquille Quarterman] a year ago and there wasn’t much tape to evaluate him other than college, he didn’t play much. But the thing that we saw from him and the thing that we some from those young linebackers is speed, downhill thump in terms of knocking the run out. Damien, that’s his strength. And you know, obviously, it was a decision, we moved forward and [we wish] the best for both the organization and Joe, he’s going to Pittsburgh. So, I think when you saw 50 the other night, [Shaquille Quarterman], he was flying around hitting people.”
Quarterman’s impact was indeed noticeable against the Browns, as he finished tied for second on the team in tackles with four. It has been expected that Damien Wilson, who is considered a better fit than Schobert in Cullen’s defense given his run-stopping ability, would win the starting job, but Quarterman may not go away quietly.
Cullen even said his previous team, Baltimore, considered selecting him in the 2020 class.
“Well, we looked at [Quarterman] when we were in Baltimore and we liked him in Baltimore and [we] just like his plus-two mentality, his physicality, and he’s got one speed and that’s a plus-two, 100 miles an hour,” Cullen said.
The battle for the starting inside linebacker job next to Myles Jack will likely continue on throughout the preseason and possibly into the regular season, but it seems the Jacksonville staff is pleased with the talent at the position even after trading away a projected starter.
The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled four players out for Week 12’s game against the Cleveland Browns, many of which were starters. On offense the starting players ruled out were receiver D.J. Chark (ribs) and guard Andrew Norwell (forearm). Receiver …
The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled four players out for Week 12’s game against the Cleveland Browns, many of which were starters. On offense the starting players ruled out were receiver D.J. Chark (ribs) and guard Andrew Norwell (forearm). Receiver Chris Conley (hip) will also be joining them after not practicing Friday.
On defense, starting cornerback Sidney Jones IV (Achilles) was the lone player ruled out, leaving Tre Herndon as the Jags’ lone starter at the position.
Chark, Norwell, and Conley surfaced on the injury report after last Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Norwell was expected to miss Week 12’s game as Doug Marrone informed the media that the veteran’s injury would take some time to recover from earlier in the week. Tyler Shatley or rookie Ben Bartch will replace him in the lineup after both registering starts already this season.
Jones’ injury leaves the Jags in a tough predicament because they just placed cornerbacks C.J. Henderson, D.J. Hayden, and Chris Claybrooks on injured reserve. As a result, they are in a situation where they may have to start rookies Luq Barcoo and Josiah Scott Sunday against the Browns. It would mark the first starts for both players, unless the Jags go with veteran Greg Mabin, who was picked up off waivers this week.
The Jags also had two players surface as questionable on the final injury report in running back Dare Ogunbowale (hand) and quarterback Gardner Minshew II (thumb). Minshew will likely be inactive Sunday as he continues to recover from his injury.
As for the other changes on the injury report, receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring) and safety Jarrod Wilson (shoulder) were upgraded to full participation while Aaron Lynch (shoulder) was limited as a late addition.
Shenault’s status in particular is huge news as he’s missed the Jags’ last two games. With Conley and Chark out, he will see ample opportunities on the perimeter and has a chance to turn in a strong game when considering the status of Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (calf strain), who was ruled out this week.
The Jags will be relatively healthy coming off their bye aside from not having their QB1 in Gardner Minshew II.
The Jacksonville Jaguars had three starting offensive linemen on their injury report Thursday, but none of them surfaced on the final injury report for Week 9’s game against the Houston Texans. In fact, there were only four players on it, and as expected, one of them was Gardner Minshew II, who was ruled OUT with a significant thumb injury.
Linebacker Dakota Allen (ankle) and running back Devine Ozigbo (hamstring) were ruled OUT alongside him while rookie linebacker Shaq Quarterman (knee) was ruled questionable.
The #Jaguars had a lot of starting offensive lineman on their injury report, but it looks like they are good to go.
As expected, Gardner Minshew was ruled out, which means Jake Luton is likely to replace him Sunday. https://t.co/oqd0M98UYg
Minshew was pretty much doubtful to play Week 9 against the Texans since his injury was revealed last week. Knowing his situation, the Jags had Jake Luton take the bulk of the starting reps in practice this week, which points to him starting Sunday.
As for Quarterman, he was a new addition to the injury report Friday and his injury made him a non-participant. That said, his injury may have been one sustained in practice Friday.
Another new addition to the injury report was receiver Keelan Cole (back), who was listed as limited. He wasn’t listed in the status column though, and that’s a good thing because he leads the Jags in receiving with 28 catches for 374 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.
As for Allen and Ozigbo, they are somewhat in the same boat. Both sustained (or re-aggravated) their injuries Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers and exited the game early as a result. Coming into that game Allen was listed with a foot injury on the injury report while Ozigbo was returning from injured reserve after missing all of the Jags’ 2020 games with his hamstring injury.
As for the notable changes made to the injury report, offensive tackle Cam Robinson (knee) was upgraded to limited on the offensive side. On defense, safety Brandon Watson was upgraded from limited to full.
Joe Schobert, a leader of the Jags’ locker room, talked about being impressed with the Jags’ young linebacking core early in camp.
When looking at the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster, most would agree that linebacker is a strength of the team. After a 2019 season where the group exited as a weakness of the roster, the Jags front office came into the offseason looking to strengthen the unit, and in the early stages of camp, it appears they may have succeeded.
They started off things by adding veteran Joe Schobert to man the MIKE linebacker position and move Myles Jack where he’s more comfortable: on the weak-side. That killed two birds with one stone, giving the Jags one of the league’s better linebacker duos on paper.
Afterward, they spent a first-round pick on K’Lavon Chaisson in the draft, who will be a part-time linebacker and will battle to start on the strong-side. They also drafted Jacksonville native, Shaq Quarterman, in the fourth-round and added a leader from Central Florida’s defense, Nate Evans, in undrafted free-agency.
When combining those moves with what they already had, the Jags seemingly compiled a young deep group that can spearhead the team into new heights. This was something the group’s leader, Schobert, spoke on in Tuesday’s meeting with the media, stating that he’s been impressed with how quickly the players behind him are picking up things.
Schobert on the young LB’s:
Shaq [Quarterman], Quincy [Williams], Nate Evans, all those guys are a lot better as [young players] than I would’ve expected in this environment because they had no offseason coming in..”
That certainly should be music to the ears of fans as the Jags will have to start 2020 off strong. The front half of the schedule is going to be the weakest, and if the Jags don’t take advantage of it, their season will pretty much be a wrap.
Fans will get to see what Schobert and company are made of right out of the gate with the Indianapolis Colts coming into town Week 1. The group should expect a big-time challenge from Philip Rivers through the air and tailbacks Marlon Mack and Johnathan Taylor on the ground. However, if the Jags win, the linebackers will play a significant role in a victory, which would be huge for the team’s momentum out of the gate.
Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.
The Jags have locked up their first pick from the 2020 NFL Draft in LB Shaq Quarterman, who is a native of Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected 12 rookies in the 2020 NFL Draft and have now inked their first member from the group. Per sports agent Drew Rosenhaus, the Jags came to terms with fourth-round linebacker and Jacksonville native, Shaquille Quarterman.
Jaguars have signed 4th-round pick Shaquille Quarterman, per @RosenhausSports.
The Jags selected Quarterman out of Miami with the No. 140 overall selection and he was one of three fourth-round picks they made alongside St. John offensive lineman Ben Bartch and Michigan State cornerback Josiah Scott, both of whom were taken before Quarterman.
Quarterman is coming off a 2019 season in which he garnered first-team All-ACC honors as a senior after racking up 107 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, and one sack. He proved to be an ironman, starting in all 52 games he was there, which was a school record for consecutive starts.
He’ll now join a linebacker group that’s spearheaded by Myles Jack, Joe Schobert, both of whom will be great examples for him to learn from. He also should see a lot of time on the field for special teams where his hard-hitting ability could maybe cause some turnovers.
Per Over the Cap, Quarterman’s projected salary for 2020 will be around $610K and the total value of the contract is estimated to be over $3.7 million. His signing bonus will total out to be $494K which will be distributed evenly over four years.
His projected/estimated salary, per OTC for those wondering about the cap implications.
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Miami linebacker prospect Shaquille Quarterman
Durability, production, and a motor that never stops. Three things that every NFL team wants in a linebacker prospect, and three things that Miami’s Shaquille Quarterman brings to the table.
One of the most experienced and productive linebackers in the 2020 NFL draft class, Quarterman recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, why it was important for him to finish what he started at Miami, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: You had a great senior season. You posted 107 total tackles, 15.5 of which went for a loss. What is it about your game that lead to that sort of production?
SQ: I just think that my mentality was at such a high level this year. My coaches put me in such a great position to succeed. They’ve always put me in a position to be a successful linebacker. All I had to do was go out there and do it. I really have to give all praise to our coaching staff. They helped me prepare for this season.
JM: You made 52 starts without missing a single game. It’s amazing how durable you’ve been.
SQ: I honestly just listen to my mentors: Jon Beason, Jon Vilma and D.J. Williams. All three of them played the linebacker position at such a high level, and they’ve given me such great advice. They taught me the importance of taking care of your body. They showed me that longevity and being available is the key to success. I took their advice and I just ran with it.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
SQ: It was definitely interesting, to say the least. I really enjoyed it. It was a process, and there are parts of the process that were grueling, such as waiting around for hours at the hospital for the medical checks. I really enjoyed it, though. When it finally came time to compete, it felt a little like the recruitment process in high school. You’re just going out there alongside your peers and performing in front of all 32 teams. It gave me a chance to show that I belong.
JM: What do you think is the overall impression that you left out there?
SQ: I felt like I was well-received out there. There were a lot of people that weren’t giving me that much attention prior to the combine. We didn’t have a very good season, and that can sometimes lead to a guy getting overlooked. I feel like I showed up to every event and performed at a high level. I turned a lot of heads in the bench press.
I worked my hardest all the way until the end. I think my energy remained at a high level throughout the on-field drills, as well. I had a great time getting to know a lot of the coaches. There were so many great people there.
JM: Did you have a lot of formal interviews out there?
SQ: I had a couple of informals. I enjoyed them. I also met formally with the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants.
JM: That’s great. Do you have any private visits coming up?
SQ: I’m actually meeting with the Bills tomorrow (March 10th), and the Giants in early April. I’m taking a visit to Houston to meet with the Texans, as well. Those are the three that we currently have scheduled.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the linebacker position?
SQ: My favorite part about playing linebacker is definitely quieting the crowd down. You can do a lot of damage as a linebacker. Making a big play on defense really quiets the home crowd. I love that. If you’re playing on the road and force a turnover, that’s such a great feeling. The entire stadium minus our fans just stop making noise. They go dead silent. You can hear a pin drop. That’s such an amazing feeling. I just love making that impact on the game.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
SQ: Truthfully, I didn’t really get any strange questions. Everything was straight forward. We just talked about our defense and football in general. I had talked to a bunch of my ex-teammates who have gone through the process and they told me about all the strange questions that they were asked. I didn’t get any though. I guess I’ve been well behaved (laughs).
JM: Who are some of the best players you’ve played against throughout your time at Miami?
SQ: Dalvin Cook definitely comes to mind. I really enjoyed playing against him. He’s such a great player. Jonathan Taylor was another one. Those two guys were a lot of fun to play against.
JM: You’ve had so many great teammates throughout your time at Miami, but if you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one with you, who would you bring and why?
SQ: Michael Pinckney. We’ve been together for four years straight. He means a lot to me. We came in at the same time. We’re actually from the same city. We got to finish what we started. It means that much more to us. I remember when I first got to Miami as a freshman, I was talking to an older player that told me you don’t always get to finish with who you started with. I started to realize over time that that was the honest truth.
Michael and I got to start and finish together. Michael and I stayed together through it all. We played side by side. We sat next to each other in the meeting room. We never switched it up. He’s definitely a special guy.
JM: When a team uses one of their draft picks on Shaquille Quarterman, what kind of guy are they getting?
SQ: They’re getting a guy that’s all about the team. I’m gonna follow the standard that’s set by the organization and represent them with a smile on my face. That’s what I did in high school, that’s what I’ve done at Miami and it’s what I’m gonna do at the next level as well. I’m dependable and accountable. I’m also a great football player at the end of the day. I’m all about the team. You can’t go wrong with drafting a guy like that.
Miami LB Shaq Quarterman to have pre-draft visit with Buffalo Bills.
The Bills will have a pre-draft visit with linebacker Shaq Quarterman, The Draft Wire reports. Quarterman also met with the Bills at the combine, furthering their interest in him:
#Miami LB Shaq Quarterman had formal interviews with the #Bills & #Giants at the combine. Both teams are bringing him in for a private visit as well. He also has a private visit with the #Texans coming up.
Quarterman could be a mid-round pick at the upcoming draft and the Bills take their meetings very serious. In terms of their pre-draft visit last year, Buffalo met with Ed Oliver, Dawson Knox and Vosean Joseph, three of their picks.
The Bills do have a hole in their linebacker positions via Lorenzo Alexander’s retirement, but Quarterman was a mike linebacker in college, and in terms of the Bills, Buffalo has Tremaine Edmunds there in a starting position with Julian Stanford behind him, who also led the Bills in special teams snaps last season. The Bills could be looking to upgrade their special teams units with mid-to-late round picks at the upcoming draft as well. Quarterman was a four-year starter and a team leader for Miami, both things that will also be appealing to the Bills as well.
