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Find out if Khalil Mack will play on Monday night.
The Chargers are about 90 minutes away from kicking off Week 12 against the Ravens.
Here is a look at their inactive players today:
QB Easton Stick (emergency 3rd QB)
LB Denzel Perryman
WR DJ Chark
CB Cam Hart
RB Kimani Vidal
OL Brenden Jaimes
OL Jordan McFadden
Ladd McConkey, Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree are active tonight.
Find out if Khalil Mack will play on Sunday night.
The Chargers are about 90 minutes away from kicking off Week 11 against the Bengals.
Here is a look at their inactive players today:
WR DJ Chark
TE Hayden Hurst
RB Kimani Vidal
OL Brenden Jaimes
OL Jordan McFadden
QB Easton Stick (emergency 3rd)
Despite missing four of their best players and having a banged-up Justin Herbert, the Chargers looked like they were on their way to upset the Chiefs on Sunday. However, they came up short.
Despite missing four of their best players and having a banged-up Justin Herbert, the Chargers looked like they were on their way to upset the Chiefs on Sunday. However, they came up short.
“We had a chance to do something special and weren’t able to hold onto the rope when it mattered the most,” Khalil Mack said, according to Eric Smith, per the team’s official website.
Asante Samuel, Jr. added: “We prepare throughout the offseason, not just for them, but we know we have to beat them to get to where we’re going. It’s definitely frustrating.”
Los Angeles has lost 11 straight home games to Kansas City.
To beat the Chiefs, you have to be able to limit Patrick Mahomes, which the Chargers did, holding him to 17 points or fewer for just the 11th time in his 99 career NFL starts.
But as we know by now, the best defense is offense against Kansas City. Los Angeles could not get anything going on that side of the ball. They scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers, but that was it.
The Chargers, who have had a lot of success running the football, finished with only 55 yards rushing and averaged 2.3 yards per carry.
It was evident that Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt were out. The offensive line struggled to protect Justin Herbert. Herbert was sacked twice and pressured on 12 of his dropbacks. Penalties were costly, too. Los Angeles went three-and-out on four of its eight possessions in the final three quarters.
“The game was within our control and we made a lot of self-inflicted wounds to cause us to not win the game,” Trey Pipkins said.
When you play the Chiefs, people aren’t going to remember what happened during the game but the outcome of it. Coming close to beating them is not anything to be proud of.
“There’s a lot of football we can be proud of. But that doesn’t matter,” Mack said. “There’s no moral victories, especially for me. I’m looking to dominate [people] on Sundays.”
Our very early prediction for who will make the Chargers’ 53-man roster on the offensive side of the ball
The Chargers begin training camp in a few weeks to prepare for the start of the 2024 season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.
There, roster spots will be won and lost at The Bolt, the team’s brand new training facility in El Segundo, CA.
That said, here is my very early prediction for who will make the 53-man roster on the offensive side of the ball.
Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick
Misses the cut: Max Duggan, Casey Bauman
Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Ben Mason (FB)
Misses the cut: Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson, Jaret Patterson
Wide receiver (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Brenden Rice
Misses the cut: Cornelius Johnson, Simi Fehoko, Jaelen Gill, Leon Johnson, Jaylen Johnson, Praise Olatoke
Tight end (3): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr.
Misses the cut: Stone Smartt, Zach Heins, Luke Benson
Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Alex Leatherwood
Misses the cut: Foster Sarell, Karsen Barnhart, Brent Liang, Willis Patrick, Tyler McLellan, Bucky Williams
Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers offensive line room will look like entering the 2024 season.
Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.
Next, I project what the offensive line room will look like heading into the 2024 season.
After missing most of the 2022 season with a torn biceps, Slater returned and started all regular-season games in 2023. Upon returning to the field, he was prolific in the pass-blocking department, allowing just three sacks and 38 pressures on 726 pass-block snaps. Along with continuing to be a dominant force at protecting Justin Herbert’s blindside, it’s imperative that he returns to form as a run blocker, something he was sharp at in his first season when he was named Second-Team All-Pro, especially as the offense will take a run-heavy approach.
Selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Johnson has yet to live up to his billing. This was even after he transitioned from right guard to left guard, the position he flourished in college. Johnson has the tools to be a dominant interior offensive lineman, so it’s a matter of whether it can materialize with the new coaching.
With Corey Linsley headed toward retirement due to medical issues, the Chargers needed a starting center, so they sought Bozeman to fill that void. With the Bolts emphasizing the running game, Bozeman’s strength is paving the way on the ground. His 71.6 run-blocking grade since 2021 is 11th among all Centers over that period.
After starting at right tackle the past two seasons, Pipkins is kicking inside to guard following the selection of Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in April’s draft. Even though he is likely to be named the starter, Pipkins will have to compete with the starter at the position from this past season, Jamaree Salyer. Pipkins offers the size, length, athleticism and football IQ, but will the transition to the interior be smooth for him?
Alt was selected with the No. 5 overall pick. Despite never playing the right tackle position, he is a polished and physical lineman with great size/length, overall technique, and strength. Alt’s services will benefit Justin Herbert, who has been one of the most pressured quarterbacks since entering the league in 2020. He will also improve the ground game by being used in different blocking concepts.
I have Leatherwood beating out Foster Sarell. Leatherwood played right tackle with the second team during mandatory minicamp and offers versatility as a tackle or guard.
The Chargers want to run the ball at a high level and it all starts up front in the trenches.
The Chargers have undergone quite the transformation, but when it comes to matters on the field, the offensive line is the unit that is amidst quite the redesign.
Jim Harbaugh made it clear that he wanted the Bolts to be a physical football team. Once offensive coordinator Greg Roman came to Los Angeles, he also made it clear that the Chargers were going to be a team that could run the ball with gumption.
Just a few weeks before training camp in July, the Chargers’ running game coordinator and tight ends coach echoed Harbaugh and Roman with his insight on the offensive line’s current status.
“This is going to be an O-line-centric building,” Bischoff said. “When it comes to our strength program, it’s built around the O-line. Everybody else fall in line.
“Some people don’t value offensive linemen. We do,” Bischoff added. “That will be shown in how we approach everything — from how we stretch to how we lift, to how we run the ball, to how we protect. This is a place where O-linemen are going to want to come and play because it’s an O-line-centric space.”
The Chargers stuck to their guns and drafted the best offensive tackle available in Joe Alt in April. The Bolts also added veteran center Bradley Bozeman in free agency.
It’s clear the Bolts mean business and are looking for a more versatile offense this season.
From left to right, Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bozeman, Trey Pipkins III and Alt have made up the starting squad.
“Not having a weak link is critical,” Harbaugh said. “I think we’re trending to really having a top-to-bottom outstanding offensive line.”
There have been a few position changes including Alt moving to right tackle and Pipkins switching to guard.
“Whether it’s guard, whether it’s tackle, you can rely on him to be whatever we need him to be,” Justin Herbert said of his teammate Pipkins. “He’s done such a great job with that, especially in the weight room.
“His commitment, his leadership, the guy he is in the locker room, we’re glad to have guys like him on the team,” Herbert added.
The Chargers coaches have certainly built high hopes for this year’s offensive line. They are crucial to the offense’s functionality, and it’s common knowledge that any winning team in the NFL can run the ball well.
“I can’t speak highly enough of how those guys are working,” Roman said. “You can start to visualize some things you can do with those guys.
“They’re very versatile, very good athletes, they pull well, they can come off the ball and knock people back,” Roman added. “They can go reach people. We’re really excited about that group.”
The Chargers’ offensive line is already beginning to take shape.
The Chargers offensive line has been a topic of conversation since the end of last season. Now, as the 2024 season approaches, five players are cementing their spots as the starting linemen.
“I think it’s on track to be a top-tier offensive line in the NFL,” Harbaugh said. “Rashawn [Slater], Zion [Johnson], Bradley Bozeman, probably right now Trey Pipkins and Joe Alt. Those five have really separated themselves.”
According to Harbaugh, this group will likely make up one of the best units in the league.
In team drills, Alt has been playing right tackle, and Pipkins has been positioned at right guard, which is quite impressive since he has only played tackle throughout his career.
“Extremely capable of doing it,” Harbaugh said about Pipkins. “He’s an outstanding player, he’s an outstanding tackle and he’s an outstanding guard.”
Pipkins’ versatility seems to be paying dividends for the Chargers offensive line; however, the ultimate test will be when the season begins.
“The idea of getting to our best five at all times and playing that, it may shake out in what the rotation is but you need five really good ones, five best you have, playing as one,” Harbaugh said. “Pretty much every team we play, they have really good edge rushers on both sides.
“They have interior rushers that are good on both sides. Not having a weak link is critical,” Harbaugh said. “I think we’re trending to really having a top-to-bottom outstanding offensive line.”
Training camp will ultimately be when the final starters are chosen but this gives Chargers fans at least a good idea of what’s to come.
Jim Harbaugh said that they’re going to start their best five offensive linemen.
joeeee pic.twitter.com/aNEuGcTvi5
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 30, 2024
This early in the process is when different looks and lineups are incorporated to see how players mesh with one another.
But a notable development came during Chargers OTAs. According to the team’s official reporter, Eric Smith, Joe Alt received starting reps at right tackle while Trey Pipkins slid inside to right guard.
Smith mentioned that when the Chargers went to 11-on-11 drills, Brenden Jaimes came in for Zion Johnson. Alt replaced Pipkins, who slid inside to right guard.
Jim Harbaugh emphasized that they’re going to start the best five linemen when the season comes around.
At the moment, left tackle Rashawn Slater, center Bradley Bozeman and Alt are likely the only ones with starting spots locked up. Meanwhile, there will likely be a competition for the guard spots, with Johnson, Salyer, Pipkins and Jaimes in contention for them.
How the offensive line shakes up will be one of the biggest storylines when training camp begins in July.
The Chargers added to the offensive line with the signing of Alex Leatherwood.
The Chargers have signed former 2021 Raiders first-round selection Alex Leatherwood to the roster. In Leatherwood, the Chargers are getting an offensive lineman who has started games at both tackle and guard.
Leatherwood played his most recent regular season snaps in 2022 with the Bears at right tackle and left guard. In 2023, he was a member of the Browns’ practice squad. He was not signed to a futures reserve deal in January.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh once offered Leatherwood at Michigan when he took a visit in 2016. The promise of his prospect nature as a first-rounder and college profile certainly could be at play here. Aside from any potential projection down the road, the Chargers have asserted that they’re building through the trenches. So depth is still needed at any spot. Another body at tackle may mean the team is committed to seeing a potential Trey Pipkins-guard experiment play out if it ends up that way.
In his last full season as a starter, Leatherwood committed 14 penalties, allowed eight sacks, and gave up 65 pressures. The Raiders tried transitioning him to guard before fully moving on in the 2022 season.
The former highly touted Alabama prospect’s career has been tumultuous. Clearly, the Chargers believe he can still contribute in 2024.
Get familiar with the newest member of the Chargers, Ladd McConkey.
The Chargers improved the wide receiver room with the selection of Ladd McConkey at No. 34 overall.
There were questions about when Los Angeles would address the position after taking Joe Alt in the first round. They answered them by moving up three spots to get McConkey, arguably the best route runner in this class.
To get familiar with the newest member of the Bolts, here are some highlights of McConkey:
The Chargers trade up and get Ladd McConkey, arguably the best route runner in this class who possesses great speed and solid hands.
McConkey is a sure-fire seperator for Justin Herbert. pic.twitter.com/rQN1ZVC25c
— Gavino Borquez (@GavinoBorquez) April 26, 2024
Ladd McConkey is a Los Angeles Charger⚡️
BOLT UP!
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) April 26, 2024
OMG it’s Ladd McConkey lined up on the outside pic.twitter.com/aaJ1ZtP1CV
— Dan Mitchell (@realdanmitchell) April 26, 2024
