Tag: Tre McKitty

Chargers re-sign TE Donald Parham Jr.

All three of the Chargers’ primary tight ends will return next season.

All three of the Chargers’ primary tight ends will return next season.

On Friday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler broke the news that Donald Parham Jr. had re-signed with the Chargers. Terms of the contract were not immediately available.

Parham became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday after the Chargers elected not to tender him as a restricted free agent by the start of the new league year. He reportedly had interest from the Browns, Bills, and Patriots, the latter of which signed former Dolphin Mike Gesicki on Friday.

Signed out of the XFL in 2020, Parham has struggled with injuries, namely concussions and a recurring hamstring issue, in his time in LA. Last season he was limited to only six games, catching ten passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.

In his three-year Chargers career, he has 40 receptions for 479 yards and seven touchdowns.

Chargers not tendering Donald Parham, will be free agent

One of the Chargers’ more vital restricted free agents will be hitting the market.

One of the Chargers’ more vital restricted free agents will be hitting the market.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday that Los Angeles was unable to come to terms with tight end Donald Parham Jr. on a new contract, meaning that Parham will become a free agent. The Bolts had elected not to tender Parham in pursuit of a contract extension, but it appears the two sides were too far apart on what such a deal would look like.

LA now enters the 2023 league year with Gerald Everett and Tre’ McKitty under contract after speculation that Everett could be released for cap savings. Instead, the Chargers kept Everett as negotiations with Parham continued, perhaps a sign that negotiations never advanced toward a new deal.

Parham’s free agency now also enlarges the likelihood that the Chargers select a tight end early on in this year’s draft.

2023 NFL Scouting Combine Preview: Identifying the types of players Chargers HC Brandon Staley covets

With the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine set to start this week, we look at the types of players that Chargers HC Brandon Staley covets.

Everybody has a type. With the on-field portion of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine set to start on Thursday, we’re taking a look at the Chargers’ types.

We start with head coach Brandon Staley, whose NFL career dates back to 2017 as the Bears’ outside linebackers coach. With additional stints with Denver in 2019 and the Rams in 2020, we have six drafts’ worth of intel when it comes to Staley.

Chargers’ 2022 season in review: Assessing the play of Los Angeles’ tight ends

The Chargers only managed to get production out of Gerald Everett.

The tight end position is as important as it has ever been in the NFL, and the Chargers hosted five players at the spot in 2022. Led by veteran Gerald Everett, the group played a vital role in the team’s offense as a security blanket for Justin Herbert.

Though relatively modest compared to other tight ends around the league, Everett’s production this season wasn’t without merit. He tallied 555 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 58 catches, which was good for fifth place in the team leaderboard.

Behind Everett was third-year pass catcher Donald Parham Jr., whose enormous physical stature has proven to be a valuable asset for Herbert in the red zone and down the seams. However, he was limited to just ten catches for 130 yards and one touchdown in 2022 due to a hamstring injury and a concussion that kept him sidelined in all but six games.

The last three tight ends were non-factors. Tre’ McKitty, Stone Smartt, and Richard Rodgers combined for 93 yards on 15 catches over the year and were held out of the end zone for the 2022 campaign. McKitty started eight games for Los Angeles, while Smartt and Rodgers both made one start apiece.

With Parham’s injury concerns looming and the stagnant status of McKitty, the Chargers would benefit from a complete player at the position to complement Everett in 2023 and take over as the No. 1 when Everett hits the free agency market after the upcoming season.

Chargers found these 23 prospects at Senior Bowl in past six years

Chargers GM Tom Telesco has a track record of drafting players that have been a part of the event.

For the 32 NFL teams in attendance, the Senior Bowl is a chance to see some of college football’s top players square off in a week of practices and a full game to wrap things up to prove to them that they can prepare, practice and compete like pros.

Within all of the action on the football field, this is the team’s first opportunity to sit down and get to know the prospects after watching them for years at their perspective school and talking to their coaches to gain more information on them.

While many clubs view this as just the first step of the pre-draft process, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco sees it as more than just that, given his track record of drafting players that have been a part of the week’s long event.

Since 2017, Los Angeles has drafted 23 former and current players who have participated in the Senior Bowl: 

G Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky — 2017

G Dan Feeney, Indiana  – 2017

S Rayshawn Jenkins, Miami – 2017

DB Desmond King, Iowa – 2017

DE Isaac Rochell, Notre Dame – 2017

DT Justin Jones, NC State – 2018

LB Uchenna Nwosu, USC – 2018

C Scott Quessenberry, UCLA – 2018

LB Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame – 2019

S Nasir Adderley, Delaware  – 2019

QB Justin Herbert, Oregon — 2020

RB Joshua Kelley, UCLA — 2020

S Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame — 2020

WR K.J. Hill, Ohio State — 2020

WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee — 2021

TE Tre’ McKitty, Georgia — 2021

OL Brenden Jaimes, Nebraska — 2021

RB Larry Rountree, Missouri — 2021

S Mark Webb, Georgia — 2021

OL Zion Johnson, Boston College — 2022

S JT Woods, Baylor — 2022

DT Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA — 2022

OL Jamaree Salyer, Georgia — 2022

Since he took the job in 2013, some of Telesco’s most significant values when evaluating players are production, statistics, and time spent at school. Another thing that he covets is not only good players but good people.

It’s rare that any of the guys brought in have issues or are constantly in trouble with off-the-field stuff. Instead, Telesco brings in good football players that are tough and competitive and fits the culture of what the Chargers want to be both on and off the field.

There will be plenty of players that should draw the attention of Telesco and the rest of the staff on hand, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Chargers vs. 49ers first-half highlights

Get caught up with all the action from the primetime matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers.

The Chargers lead the 49ers at the half, 16-10.

Here are all of Los Angeles’ notable highlights from the first two quarters.

The Bolts struck blood first when Justin Herbert hit a wide-open DeAndre Carter in the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown.

On the 49ers’ second offensive possession, Jimmy Garoppolo found Brandon Aiyuk for a 19-yard gain on the first play, but Derwin James was there to knock the ball loose with his helmet. Asante Samuel Jr. recovered.

Early in the second quarter, Nick Niemann blocked Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt.

Herbert almost had his second touchdown of the night, as he had a wide-open Tre’ McKitty up the seam but he dropped it.

On the following play, Herbert did what he does best by evading pressure and delivering a dime to Carter, which whistled past Talanoa Hufanga.

Right before the half ended, Herbert took a massive helmet-to-helmet hit by Dre Greenlaw. Greenlaw was ejected. Herbert came off the field to be evaluated for a concussion.

 

5 matchups to watch in Chargers-Cowboys preseason tilt

The Chargers meet the Cowboys in Week 2 of the preseason on Saturday, and there are plenty of matchups to keep an eye on.

After two days of joint practices, the Chargers and Cowboys are scheduled to face off this Saturday in the second preseason game of the year.

Dallas has yet to indicate whether or not they plan to play their starters at all this week. For this, I assume that most of their starters will be sitting out.

With that in mind, here are a few matchups to watch in the game:

Chargers CB Michael Davis vs. Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert

Davis has looked like a completely different player in the last week after splitting reps with Asante Samuel Jr. last weekend. While CeeDee Lamb is almost certainly not going to play, and Michael Gallup is continuing to rehab from his ACL tear, a matchup with the rookie Tolbert is still an important one to watch as the de facto WR1 vs. CB1 battle. Tolbert looked like a rookie in Dallas’ first game, but Michael Gehlken of the Dallas News reported that he looked “back on track” against the Chargers in practice. Limiting Tolbert’s impact could further strengthen Davis’ case that he should retain his starting role from last season.

Chargers WRs Michael Bandy/Joe Reed vs. Cowboys CBs Kelvin Joseph/Nahshon Wright

Bandy and Reed looked like much-improved players last week, and I think they’ll get in the game early enough to match up with Joseph and Wright, both of whom will probably start on Saturday as Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown rest. Both corners are still on the rise as second-year players who saw action as rookies and should be roster locks, although there have been rumors that Joseph’s spot on the team is not secured. If Bandy and/or Reed can show the same flashes they did last week against these NFL-level corners, it could be the difference in the battle for the final spot.

Chargers C Will Clapp vs. Cowboys DT Neville Gallimore

Initially, I had this down as rookie Zion Johnson vs. Gallimore, but I’m unsure if Johnson will play or if his preseason will look like Rashawn Slater’s did last season. Gallimore has yet to break out since being drafted in the third round in 2020, as a preseason elbow injury knocked him out for most of last season. However, the third-year player has received rave reviews in Cowboys camp this season, suggesting that a full-time starting role may be in the cards. Clapp, meanwhile, struggled last week against the Rams. A strong performance against the likes of Gallimore could get him back in the team’s good graces.

Chargers EDGE Chris Rumph II vs. Cowboys OT Terence Steele

Rumph had the team’s best performance against the Rams, with a dominant day, including a sack of QB Bryce Perkins. With Dallas likely to start Steele, their presumptive starter at right tackle, the second-year pass rusher will have his first chance to line up against starter-level talent. Another solid showing and Rumph cements himself as a dangerous rotational pass rusher that teams will have to account for when Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack come off the field.

Chargers TEs Tre’ McKitty/Hunter Kampmoyer vs. Cowboys S Markquese Bell

Bell, an undrafted free agent, has been one of the standouts in Cowboys camp this season, leading many to believe he has an inside track to a roster spot. Versatility is a huge part of his game – Dallas reportedly views him as another version of Jayron Kearse as a player capable of playing in the box or matching up with slot receivers and tight ends. It’s an excellent opportunity for McKitty to show growth in the receiving game, where he’s been essentially a nonfactor thus far. It’s also a big chance for Kampmoyer to stand out and prove the Chargers need to keep four tight ends on the 53-man roster again.

Chargers TE Gerald Everett building chemistry with QB Justin Herbert

Chargers tight end Gerald Everett heaped high praise on quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Chargers returned nearly all of their skill players from last season, but they did make one addition by signing tight end Gerald Everett.

Before joining the Bolts, Everett made stops with the Rams and the Seahawks.

Everett praised his new quarterback, Justin Herbert, talking about how he has a similar skillset to the previous signal-callers he played with.

“He’s like a mesh of Russell Wilson and Jared Goff,” Everett said. I was fortunate enough to play with two great quarterbacks in Jared and Russ, and I feel like Justin is a mesh of both of those with height and the ability.”

Everett highlighted Herbert as a great guy off the field, his humbleness, ability as a scrambler, and added with how young he is, “the sky is the limit.”

Familiarity has been a mantra with most of the players acquired. Everett fits that billing, having played on the Rams in 2020, the same year that Brandon Staley was their defensive coordinator.

Drafted in 2017, Everett served as Tyler Higbee’s backup in each of his four seasons with the team. He totaled 127 catches for 1,389 yards and eight touchdowns in that timeframe.

After his rookie contract was up, Seattle signed him to a one-year deal in 2021. Last season, Everett caught 48 passes for 478 yards and four scores.

With the passing game being a vital element of the team’s success, the Chargers are hopeful that Everett can provide a boost.

“We’re really trying to gel in any way that we can,” Everett said on developing a relationship with Herbert. “I’m not really trying to force anything here, just letting it happen organically and letting Justin do the rest himself.

He’s a great quarterback and a great person. He goes through his reads. With him being as big as he is, he can see the entire field with a three-step, five-step or seven-step [drop]. It doesn’t matter. I think Justin has a great feel for the game.”

Everett will be someone who can move all over the formation and be used in various ways, with vertical and horizontal field-stretching capabilities, yards-after-the-catch ability, and the toughness to make contested catches.

Along with Everett, Donald Parham is the other member of the position group who will be a vital piece in the passing game.

“He’s huge,” Everett said on Parham. “He’s like LeBron playing tight end. I definitely want to compliment him and Tre’ [McKitty] as well. We’re going to have a great unit.”

Chargers TE Donald Parham expected to take another step forward

Returning from a scary injury, Donald Parham is expected to play an integral role in the Chargers’ offense.

After suffering what could’ve been a career-ending injury when making a diving catch that caused him to be taken on a gurney in Week 15 against the Chiefs, tight end Donald Parham is back on the field like he didn’t lose a step.

While the defense dominated on Day 2 of training camp, Parham’s catch down the field from quarterback Justin Herbert that went for a touchdown, was the highlight on the offensive side of the ball.

“He’s a guy that I think can do a lot more than what we did last year,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said on Parham. “I think his ability to go up and catch the ball and high point it. His size and height differential is something we really want to tap into.”

Parham finished the 2021 season with 20 catches on 27 targets for 190 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. A mismatch to opposing defenders in the red zone with his 6-foot-8 frame, 20% of Parham’s career receptions have gone for scores.

While he was used primarily as a pass-catcher in 2020, his first season with the Bolts, Parham took significant strides to become a complete player at the position – showing more toughness and blocking ability throughout the year.

“He’s a better blocker than I would’ve thought,” Lombardi said.

Parham will be joined by the newest addition of the tight end group Gerald Everett, who will be the team’s top option at the position, and second-year Tre’ McKitty, who showed plenty of promise as an in-line blocker in his rookie season.

If he stays healthy, Parham should continue to take another step forward and be an integral part of the offense this season, whether it’s threatening the seams, boxing out defenders in the red zone, or sealing blocks.

Projecting the Chargers’ tight end depth chart in 2022

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

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

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Next, I project what the tight end room will look like heading into the 2022 season.

TE1: Gerald Everett

After a one-year stint with Jared Cook as the Chargers’ top tight end, the team the younger route with the signing of Everett this offseason. Everett played on the Rams the same year (2020) that Brandon Staley was their defensive coordinator. Last season with the Seahawks, Everett caught 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns. Everett will provide the offense with someone who can move all over the formation, with vertical and horizontal field-stretching capabilities, yards-after-the-catch ability, and the toughness to make contested catches.

TE2: Donald Parham

Parham made strides in his second season with the Chargers, improving his blocking to follow his pass-catching prowess. He finished with 20 receptions on 27 targets for 190 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games before his year ended when he suffered a devastating concussion in Week 15 against the Chiefs. Parham should resume his role as the secondary pass-catching tight end to Everett.

TE3: Tre’ McKitty

McKitty was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft to supply the room with a reliable blocker, which he proved capable of in his rookie season. As a result, he should resume his duties in the in-line spot. However, McKitty has the athleticism, the frame, great hands, and impressive power and contact balance to gain yards after the catch to be more of an asset in the passing game.