Tag: Storm Norton

Chargers name Trey Pipkins starting right tackle

The fourth-year player won the starting right tackle job for the Chargers.

The Chargers have their starting right tackle for the 2022 season.

Trey Pipkins was deemed the starter over Storm Norton, head coach Brandon Staley announced before practice on Tuesday.

Selected by Los Angeles in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Sioux Falls, Pipkins was tabbed as a developmental tackle with the potential to grow into a starting role.

However, the product on the field suggested otherwise, and he was being written off amid his struggles in his first two seasons. Pipkins made eight starts, with five of them coming in 2020. In that action, he allowed 42 pressures, 24 hurries, nine quarterback hits, and nine sacks.

When Bryan Bulaga went down in the first game of the 2021 season, Norton was plugged in as the starting right tackle. Meanwhile, Pipkins came on the field in jumbo packages, but it wasn’t long after that that he was inactive for four straight games due to lackluster play.

In Week 15 against the Chiefs, however, Pipkins got the chance to start at left tackle when Rashawn Slater was placed on the COVID-19 list. It was the best game of his career.

Two weeks later, he was called to start at right tackle against the Broncos while Norton was still inactive on the COVID-19 list. Pipkins did not allow a single pressure in 67 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

In those two games, Pipkins displayed a player of much more confidence, an improvement from a technical standpoint in pass protection, and a never-before-seen brand of strength and physicality as a run-blocker.

Knowing he could carry his momentum and earn the starting spot over Norton, Pipkins spent the summer working with Slater and renowned offensive line trainer Duke Manyweather to further develop his game.

Pipkins rose to the occasion, allowing just one pressure in three preseason games and faring well against edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack during practices.

Keeping Justin Herbert upright is imperative, and Pipkins will have his work cut out for him in a division that now has new additions, Chandler Jones (Raiders) and Randy Gregory (Broncos), to go with Maxx Crosby and Bradley Chubb. Also, the Chiefs return Frank Clark and Chris Jones.

Chargers’ Trey Pipkins separating himself in right tackle competition

The Chargers’ right tackle competition seems to be concluding with a definitive winner.

It appears the separation day at right tackle is approaching.

According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, fourth-year tackle Trey Pipkins took every first-team rep at right tackle in practice on Monday. Before practice, head coach Brandon Staley also indicated that a decision in the competition was looming.

Earlier this month, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said of Pipkins:

“I feel like there’s confidence. More consistency, understanding that you have to come out every day and be ready to go. I haven’t seen some of the dips, maybe, that we saw last year in his performance. A lot of consistency. He’s a talented guy. He’s been playing more like what you would expect from him so far in camp. I just see more confidence and consistency.”

In Los Angeles’ preseason game against the Cowboys Saturday night, Pipkins did not give up a pressure in 12 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Norton, meanwhile, allowed one pressure in his 13 snaps. Unfortunately, that lone pressure may have been the separation the coaching staff has been looking for all offseason.

Pipkins has not been a world-beater at right tackle, nor did we expect him or Norton to be going into this competition. But his growing consistency and solid performance against Dallas’ second-teamers are encouraging signs for his development. Pipkins spent the summer working with Rashawn Slater and renowned offensive line trainer Duke Manyweather, leading many to predict a breakout for the 25-year-old. It may be time to stop calling him a developmental tackle as he enters his fourth season, but it’s also looking like it’s about time to start calling him the starter.

Takeaways from Chargers’ first unofficial depth chart

The Chargers released an unofficial depth chart ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener against the Rams. What can we take away from it?

The Chargers released their initial unofficial depth chart before Saturday night’s preseason opener against the Rams.

While the first depth charts are always to be taken with a grain of salt, here are some of our thoughts.

– “OR” signifies that the team is undecided on certain position groups. For the right tackle group, Storm Norton is ahead of Trey Pipkins on the depth chart because he was the starter last season. However, the two will have the preseason to determine who wins the starting job.

– Another position group with “OR” is fullback, where rookie Zander Horvath is listed ahead of Gabe Nabers. Horvath has been working with the 1s on special teams at fullback, and he played some tailback on Monday. All signs lead me to believe he will win the job.

– Currently listed as the second running back is Joshua Kelley. Kelley has shown signs of improvement as a runner and has done an admirable job in pass protection. Isaiah Spiller is listed as the fourth back behind Larry Rountree. Rountree is ahead of Spiller simply because he has the NFL experience on him, even though the rookie has outperformed him thus far. It would not be surprising to see Kelley and Spiller split the snaps as RB2 to start the season.

– Jerry Tillery being listed as a starter over Morgan Fox seems to suggest his roster spot is secure despite rampant speculation and what seemed like a more pessimistic tone about his role in recent weeks. LA declined his fifth-year option this offseason, making this a make-or-break season for the former first-round pick. While Fox has performed well in this defensive system in the past, clearly the team wants to see more from the new acquisition before handing him a leading role.

– Perhaps the most infuriating part of the depth chart release was seeing Breiden Fehoko listed as a third-team defensive lineman. Fehoko was LA’s best defensive lineman last season, and yes, that’s not a high bar to clear. But Christian Covington was on last season’s team, and Fehoko outperformed him. Fehoko has continued to outperform him in training camp this offseason. And yet, we see Covington listed as the primary backup behind Austin Johnson. It certainly seems like those two are battling for a roster spot; keep an eye on their results this preseason.

– Kyle Van Noy was the only defender listed on the depth chart twice: once as a second-team pass rusher and once as a first-team linebacker. Perhaps more interestingly, Kenneth Murray is at the back of the depth chart on the other linebacker line behind Drue Tranquill. That seems to suggest that Van Noy will be a starter whether Murray is healthy or not. Of course, Murray, Tranquill, and Troy Reeder will all still see time, especially when Van Noy shifts down to rotate as a pass rusher. But in base defense, it looks like Van Noy and Tranquill are in the lead to be your starters.

– We’ve profiled several standouts on the defensive side of the ball during training camp. We touched on Fehoko earlier. Damon Lloyd is listed fifth at linebacker behind Van Noy, Reeder, Amen Ogbongbemiga, and UDFA Tyreek Maddox-Williams. Raheem Layne is a fourth team safety behind Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, and Ben DeLuca. Deane Leonard was mistakenly listed at safety, but seems to be at best fourth team behind JC Jackson, Michael Davis, and Tevaughn Campbell.

– The battles at the back of the roster seem to be beginning to sort themselves out. At EDGE, Emeke Egbule and Jamal Davis II, both listed as third teamers, seem to have an advantage over UDFA Ty Shelby for the EDGE4 role. Nick Niemann, listed at second team because of Murray’s injury, seems to have the edge over Ogbongbemiga and Lloyd for the final linebacker spot. Cornerback is still a question mark because of Leonard’s mislisting, but Campbell being a third-teamer makes it seem like he’s still very much in the mix. Layne and Ben DeLuca seem to be battling for the safety spot on the practice squad occupied by DeLuca last year with Alohi Gilman and Mark Webb Jr. both on the second team.

7 things to watch for as padded practices begin at Chargers training camp

The Chargers are back at it this week, set to turn things up a notch when the pads come on.

The intensity at Chargers training camp will turn up when the pads go on Monday.

This is what the players and coaches are ready for after a solid first week of camp in helmets and shorts as the quest to construct the 53-man roster continues.

With that, here are several things to keep an eye on throughout the remainder of camp.

8 takeaways from start of Chargers training camp

Highlighting what stood out during the first week of Chargers training camp.

The Chargers’ preparation for the 2022 season began this past week, as they opened up training camp.

Within the four sessions, we gathered a few notable things from head coach Brandon Staley’s squad.

Before the pads come on Monday, here’s a recap of what stood out from the first few days of camp.

Chargers HC Brandon Staley emphasizes position battles during training camp

There will be fierce competition throughout the next few weeks.

When asked about depth chart battles up and down the roster, Brandon Staley preached the importance of competition.

Competition within position groups, yes, but more importantly competition between groups. Offensive line versus defensive line, wide receivers versus secondary, a constant battle to smooth out internal evaluations for the depth chart.

It starts at right tackle, where Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton are in the most important camp war on the roster. With likely four above average linemen slated to start, the Chargers will need a solid performance from their right tackle to keep Justin Herbert clean and open lanes for Austin Ekeler. When asked what will decide their duel, Staley said “consistency and performance” will be key, and added that LA has the benefit of getting accurate evaluations in practice. That’s because no matter what day it is, the tackle taking first team reps will be up against either Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack. Hold their own against those superstars, and the job is yours. Falter, and the top spot on the depth chart may slip from your grasp. Staley also touched on fit with the other four linemen on the squad and emphasized again that the team has confidence in both of them. No wandering eyes for late external additions here.

Many have crowned fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller as the team’s RB2 because of pre-draft pedigree and disappointing performances from Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree. But Staley said Wednesday that the fight for the spot behind Ekeler will be a “full competition.” That competition will not be just about the best rusher, Staley said, but will hinge on special teams value and “who can be the most complete running back.” Spiller played two special teams snaps throughout his entire career at Texas A&M, per PFF. If special teams is going to be a key aspect of the battle, Spiller may have more of a Herculean task ahead of him than previously thought.

On the defensive line, the Chargers suddenly have a crowded meeting room after adding four players from outside the organization this offseason. Those four (Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and fifth-round pick Otito Ogbonnia) are locks for the roster barring drastic changes. Another four – Christian Covington, Jerry Tillery, Breiden Fehoko, and Joe Gaziano – played significant snaps for LA last season. Still, Staley hinted that the team will have “five or six” active linemen on game days. That emphasizes players competing for specific roles, but Staley said that the battles will come down to who can “sustain consistency” once the pads come on next week. Again, the talent on the other side of the ball will help sort the mess, as the interior trio of Matt Feiler, Corey Linsley, and rookie Zion Johnson has the potential to be among the league’s best. The Chargers will be confident that any defender who can produce against them can also produce against their opponents.

In the secondary, LA possesses the immensely talented duo of JC Jackson and Derwin James, who did not practice Wednesday as the team continues to work on his contract extension. Beyond them, there are several players with starter-level traits and even more with the talent to add quality depth. That’s intentional in LA’s case, with Staley saying that he believes a team can never have too much depth on the back end. Beyond traditional corner and safety, there are depth chart squabbles to settle at the star and money positions (slot corner and dime backer, respectively), as well as special teams roles to dole out. Staley extolled the virtue of having such a talented room, saying that “when you bring quality DBs together, it’s going to bring out the best in those guys.” Consistent toughness, physicality, and discipline were mentioned as the key factors the coaching staff will watch out for as depth players battle for end -of-the-roster spots in the position group.

1 big question for every Chargers offensive position in 2022

As much as fans may feel confident in the Chargers, there are still questions that need to be answered to determine the season’s outcome.

The 2022 training camp for the Chargers will kick off in a month, putting us closer to the start of the NFL season. During this time, fans and analysts are left to speculate about how the team will play in the upcoming campaign.

For Los Angeles, this is a massive summer in terms of the direction of the organization, with the Super Bowl in sight. Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley spent the offseason revamping the team on both sides of the ball in hopes of finally making the deep run.

On paper, the Bolts look like one of the most talented units. But that’s just one thing, and if the team expects to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, every positional group needs to gel. This leads to many questions about what is in store for this season.

With that said, here are answers to some of the biggest questions surrounding the offense of the Chargers.

3 burning questions surrounding Chargers in 2022

Here are the three burning questions surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2022 season.

After finishing coming up short of the playoffs, the Chargers are hoping to turn it around as they enter the new season.

After revamping the roster this offseason, there are still some questions surrounding Los Angeles heading into training camp that need to be answered in order for them to be contenders.

Let’s look at those three questions:

3 Chargers poised to have breakout seasons in 2022

The 2022 season will be a significant one for the Los Angeles Chargers. There are three players who are poised to have big years.

Every season, there are players who break out onto the scene who may not have been dominant the season before, whether they had limited snaps, dealt with an injury, or just improved as a player in the offseason.

It’s no different for a few Chargers players poised to have breakout campaigns and help the team with genuine Super Bowl hopes this upcoming season.

CB Asante Samuel Jr.

Drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, Samuel strung together a solid rookie season. On 58 targets, he surrendered 36 completions while registering 11 passes defended and two interceptions, which tied for a team-best with safety Derwin James. Samuel, however, suffered two concussions, which limited him to 12 games. Now fully healthy, Samuel will enter his sophomore season in a secondary that now features All-Pro J.C. Jackson. With Jackson aboard, it will allow Samuel to play inside or outside, depending on the package, where he should resume his playmaking skills and establish himself as one of the top young corners in this league.

WR Josh Palmer

The third-round pick out of Tennessee made his mark right from the jump last summer, showing off his size, ability to separate and catch everything consistently. It carried over to the regular season. However, his snap count was not reflective of his efforts. Instead, Palmer was overshadowed by Jalen Guyton, who was on the field nearly three times as much as Palmer, yet had not been as productive with his playing time until the midway part of the season, when he became more involved. Palmer ended up catching 33 passes for 353 yards with four touchdowns, with one of them being a critical fourth-and-21 touchdown in Week 18 that helped the Chargers eventually force overtime against the Raiders. Los Angeles will return Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Guyton. Still, given his increase in target share towards the end of 2021 and another entire offseason with Justin Herbert, Palmer should be an integral piece of the offense in 2022.

OT Trey Pipkins

The Chargers will have a battle for the starting right tackle spot between Pipkins, Storm Norton, and potentially Matt Feiler. Therefore, this is more of an assumption by slotting Pipkins here. But I’m a firm believer that Pipkins has the leg up for the job. Pipkins played well in his only two starts in 2021, both in pass protection and run blocking, and has spent this offseason working with highly touted offensive line developer Duke Manyweather. Meanwhile, Norton was the starting right tackle last season, and he had his fair share of struggles, allowing 60 pressures and nine sacks. And ultimately, I think the plan, for now, is to keep Feiler at left guard. Given his gradual progress each season and playing for another contract, whether, with Los Angeles or another team, Pipkins could be viable in a full 17-game slate.

Early look at the Chargers’ 2023 offensive free agents

Highlighting the Chargers players set to hit the market after this upcoming season and whether or not they will be re-signed.

The Chargers currently have about $16.5 million in cap space left for 2022.

While Tom Telesco historically uses roughly $7 million of that on in-season acquisitions, that still leaves close to $9.5 million that should be rolled over onto the 2023 cap.

It’s an important number to watch with a few critical contributors set to hit free agency. With that being said, here’s an early look at the offensive players Los Angeles will need to decide on next offseason.

Likely to be Retained

Chase Daniel, QB (UFA)

Jalen Guyton, WR (RFA)

Donald Parham, TE (RFA)

Given Justin Herbert’s glowing comments about Daniel during OTAs last week, it certainly seems as though the veteran will be welcome to stay in LA as long as he wants to keep suiting up – and possibly longer if he wants to get into coaching afterward. The only way I see Daniel departing next offseason is if he retires or if an even cheaper veteran presence with the same mind for the game comes available. Even then, the relationship Daniel and Herbert have built should keep him on the roster.

Guyton will be given a shot to prove that the lack of deep threat production a season ago was due to problems on the offensive line and not a lack of talent on his part. The fact that the Chargers declined to add to the WR room in the draft also suggests their confidence in Guyton’s abilities. Expect him to be WR4 or 5 this season, with a few big plays when he and Herbert connect on a bomb. As long as he’s not wholly unplayable this season, LA will probably extend him his RFA tender.

Parham should continue to have a sizable role in Joe Lombardi’s offense in 2022, after a mini-breakout campaign in 2021 that was cut short due to a scary concussion late in the season. He may yield a few targets to veteran Gerald Everett, but it shouldn’t be any more than he gave up to Jared Cook a season ago. If Parham’s developmental trajectory continues on this course, his RFA tender could be a tremendous bargain for a Chargers team that has its fair share of stars due for huge paydays.

Make or Break Season

Storm Norton, RT (RFA)

Trey Pipkins, RT (UFA)

This will probably come down to how the right tackle battle goes this offseason and how the winner performs throughout the year. Norton has already had his exclusive rights tender picked up this offseason despite struggling for most of 2021 as the starter, so clearly, the front office feels good enough about an $895,000 price tag this season. Pipkins is an interesting one to evaluate from the outside looking in, considering that he’s barely played since being drafted in 2019. He was always going to be a project coming from Sioux Falls, and he’ll likely need to show that it’s been worth the wait if he wants to remain a Charger beyond 2022.

If Norton or Pipkins wins the job convincingly and plays well, expect them to be back in the fold in 2023. If they’re just okay but keep the job all season, I’d still expect the winner of this offseason’s competition to be brought back as Band-Aid depth. But if both struggle and right tackle continues to be a pain point for this offense, expect both Norton and Pipkins to be looking for work elsewhere while LA looks for another option, likely near the top of the 2023 draft.

Too Early to Tell

DeAndre Carter, WR (UFA)

Will Clapp, C (UFA)

Both Carter and Clapp were acquired this offseason, and their futures on the team will likely hinge almost entirely on their performance in 2022. Carter will be the primary kick returner but should get some looks on offense, which in theory makes him an upgrade over the special teams-only Andre Roberts. However, if he can’t gain a foothold on offense, LA could look for a more versatile returner that can contribute in other ways.

Clapp will be a backup interior lineman tasked with manning the fort if injuries take their toll, but his guard/center versatility will be valuable. He’s a replacement-level player who essentially replaces Michael Schofield’s role on the offensive line. Just as Clapp replaced Schofield, we could see another versatile backup replace Clapp in 2023. But without a true backup center behind Corey Linsley, Clapp could stick on the roster beyond this season.