Tag: trey pipkins

Chargers make roster moves ahead of Week 8

The Chargers made a few moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.

The Chargers made a few roster moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.

Los Angeles signed running back Troymaine Pope and offensive lineman Cole Toner to the active roster. In addition, the team activated tackle Trey Pipkins from Reserve/COVID-19 list and wide receiver Jason Moore from the practice squad.

To fill Moore’s spot on the practice squad, L.A. signed tight end Matt Sokol.

Coach Anthony Lynn said that there was a chance that Pipkins could still play, despite being on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. He will start at right tackle if Bryan Bulaga is inactive.

Lynn mentioned that either Toner or Scott Quessenberry will start at right guard since Trai Turner remains out and Ryan Groy was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Chargers withstand Buccaneers’ pass rush in 38-31 loss

The Los Angeles Chargers handled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ pressure.

The biggest key matchup heading into the Week 4 matchup between the Chargers and Buccaneers was in the trenches.

Tampa Bay boasted one of the league’s most fearsome pass rushes, and Los Angeles was thin along the offensive line due to the absences of tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner.

The coaching staff knew that it could’ve been the deciding factor of the game, and answered with the perfect plan to slow down the blitzes defensive coordinator Todd Bowles deployed.

L.A. used a large amount of max protection, keeping tight ends and running backs in to serve as additional blockers. But the offensive linemen stayed intact throughout the entire contest.

In total, the unit only allowed two sacks to a defensive group that had 12 sacks in the first three games. To go along with that, only nine pressures were allowed.

A complete breakdown by each lineman, per Pro Football Focus:

Sam Tevi – 1

Forrest Lamp – 0

Dan Feeney – 3

Ryan Groy – 2

Trey Pipkins – 3

When quarterback Justin Herbert was pressured, his pocket mobility and poise helped mask them. Two of Herbert’s three touchdowns came while under duress.

Overall, the coaching staff did an excellent job of scheming the perfect plan against one of the NFL’s top pass rushes. Credit goes to offensive line coach James Campen, who has helped with the development of the guys up front.

While pass protection was strong, the running game was nonexistent, especially after running back Austin Ekeler left the game with a hamstring injury. The Chargers amassed only 46 rushing yards.

Chargers name Sam Tevi as starting left tackle

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn named who will be protecting quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s blindside.

One the Chargers’ most compelling position battles was for the starting left tackle job.

We officially know who will be protecting quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s blindside after a few weeks of auditioning.

Coach Anthony Lynn confirmed that Sam Tevi is the starting left tackle to begin the 2020 regular season, adding that he felt Tevi improved a lot in the offseason and loved the way he performed in training camp.

Tevi was in a competition with second-year Trey Pipkins, but the team chose to roll with the more experienced player.

Lynn did say that he felt like Pipkins strung together a good camp.

Familiarity with the offense and experience is key to the coaching staff, and Tevi possesses that. A sixth-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Tevi has started 30 games in his career, with 29 of those coming at right tackle.

Even though Tevi has had his highs and lows throughout his career, the team is hoping that a shift in their offensive scheme and mentorship from one of the best offensive line coaches in the league will help optimize his play.

Who has the advantage at every key position battle for Chargers?

The position battles are heating up at Chargers training camp.

Training camp is nearing an end for the Chargers as the team just 15 days until the regular season opener against the Bengals.

With only a few practices left, players are working hard to solidify one of the starting spots or simply a spot on the roster.

After two weeks has gone by, let’s take a look and see who has the advantage at every positional battle thus far.

Quarterback

Advantage: Tyrod Taylor

This should come as no surprise. Despite coach Anthony Lynn saying that there would be a quarterback competition between Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, Taylor was always going to be the starter. The coronavirus pandemic did Herbert no favors, as the first-round pick didn’t have a full spring of practices to work with his teammates. Now, he’s playing catch up. Taylor has developed a great chemistry with his skill players. It will be the 30-year old’s job to lose. If he plays well this season, he will remain the starter. If he fails to win games, the team will likely be forced to throw Herbert into the fire.

Starting left tackle

Advantage: Sam Tevi

The Chargers had the opportunity to fill the void left by Russell Okung this offseason, but chose to roll with their in-house options. According to coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position. Tevi’s experience in the starting role gets the nod. He has been praised by the coaching all camp, highlighting his athleticism and quick feet. Meanwhile, second-year Trey Pipkins was thought to be the projected starter entering camp, but he has been playing with the second-team for the most part.

RB2

Advantage: Joshua Kelley

The Chargers are planning to run the ball more as the team transitions from a pass-heavy offense. Austin Ekeler is slated to be the first running back, but the team plans to use his versatility as a pass-catcher, which is why they need to figure out who is capable of getting a bulk of the carries throughout the season. Kelley, the fourth-round pick, has broken off several long runs against the first team defense, and has shown enough as a runner and a receiver to be a threat in the backfield. Justin Jackson has ran the ball well in practices, but the rookie has strung together more of an eyebrow-raising camp. As Kelley gets more accustomed to the playbook, he could make a significant impact.

Wide receiver

Advantage: Push

The Chargers originally entered training camp with a competition for the third wide receiver spot, but Mike Williams’ injury opened up another spot. Jalen Guyton was the front-runner for WR3, but Tyron Johnson and Darius Jennings have pushed him in practices. Jason Moore is a candidate to replace Williams in the time being due to his 6-foot-3 frame. He started to receive first-team snaps this past week. Rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill have been performing at a high level, too. Reed has seen first-team reps as a running back and been impressive in the role. He is a candidate for the speed role on the outside. Meanwhile, Hill has consistently been making enough plays to warrant playing time. Los Angeles could consider a starting trio with Keenan Allen and Reed on the outside, while Hill plays in the slot. Either way, they need to figure out how they’re going to go about the group.

TE3

Advantage: Stephen Anderson

Hunter Henry is the starter and Virgil Green is the backup because of his ability as a run-blocker. Anderson, who was picked up last season and primarily served as a practice squad player, has raised some eyebrows as a pass-catcher, showing some chemistry with rookie Justin Herbert. Meanwhile, former XFL star, Donald Parham, has also stood out in the passing game. But Anderson earned some reps with the first team on special teams this past week, which gives him the slight advantage. This will be a tough decision for the coaching staff.

Linebacker

Advantage: Kenneth Murray & Drue Tranquill

The future is now. The Chargers made it clear that they envisioned a starting linebacker duo with Tranquill and Murray after the team traded up for the former Oklahoma product in this year’s draft. Tranquill has been working as the starting weakside linebacker (WILL), while Murray surpassed Perryman as the starting middle linebacker (MIKE) this past week in practice after returning joining the team after he sat out the first week due to a hamstring injury. This may suggest that Perryman will serve as a depth piece after being a starter the past few years. He will be a free agent after this season.

Dimebacker

Advantage: Push

A key role on defense is the dimebacker role, which is a hybrid between a safety and a linebacker, formerly played by Adrian Phillips. Nasir Adderley, the second-year player, who was hurt the majority of his rookie season, has been making plays all over the field. The team is eager to get him on the field, whether it’s there or at free safety, which could then force Rayshawn Jenkins moving from free safety to dime backer at times. Desmond King is also a candidate for the job. King has look solid in coverage, against the run and as a pass-rusher. There’s a possibility of King sliding into the slot at times, but it may be difficult as Chris Harris Jr. has been playing in the slot, while Casey Hayward and Michael Davis have been on the outside with the first-team. I expect Gus Bradley to move his defensive backs all over the place early in the season to decide what’s his best secondary rotations. Rookie Alohi Gilman has also looked good in practices.

Updating Chargers’ competition for starting left tackle spot

Who will be the starting left tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers?

Who will be the starting left tackle for the Chargers in Week 1 of the 2020 season? All signs are pointing to Sam Tevi protecting Tyrod Taylor’s blindside.

Tevi, at the moment, is the front-runner for the starting job. Head coach Anthony Lynn said this week that Tevi is the “starter” for now and is in the “driver’s seat” at that spot.

In practice, Tevi has been primarily been working with the first-time. Meanwhile, his competition – Trey Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft – has been with the second-team offense.

Heading into camp, it appeared that Pipkins was going to be the one to beat. But the coaching staff seems to covet Tevi’s experience in the starting role, the hope is that new offensive line coach James Campen will help with the young player’s development.

Campen has a track record of developing draft picks into standout players, including turning Bryan Bulaga into one of the more consistent right tackles in football and also developing David Bakhtiari into a fourth-round pick, into a first-team All-Pro.

Tevi is the front-runner, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him be the Week 1 starter, given the amount of reps he’s been receiving with the 1’s. But anything can happen between now and then.

“There’s a job requirement for the Los Angeles Chargers, and it’s left tackle,” Campen said. “Someone is going to fill that requirement. And it’s up to us to try to find that person.”

Chargers’ Sam Tevi ‘in driver seat’ to start at left tackle

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn covets the experience of Sam Tevi.

The battle for the starting left tackle spot is one of the most compelling position competitions for the Chargers this training camp.

After Los Angeles split ways with Russell Okung, the team chose to not find his replacement this offseason.

Instead, they decided to roll with their in-house options, leaving a competition between Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton and Trent Scott.

At the moment, Tevi appears to be the player with the leg up.

According to head coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position.

Tevi, the sixth-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, started at right tackle the past couple of seasons. But he also has a game at left tackle under his belt, which came back during his rookie season.

“Sam’s been in the system,” Lynn said. “He’s played both sides for us. He’s played more.”

Tevi’s competition, Pipkins – the team’s third-round pick of last year’s draft – has been pegged as the projected starter by some. But Lynn prefers the experience of Tevi.

Pipkins started three games at left tackle in 2019 while Okung missed some live game action. While the former Division II product may have been thrown into the fire a bit early, Lynn still likes what he saw from a small sample size.

“When Trey came in last year, I didn’t think it was too big for him,” explained Lynn. “I liked the look he had in the Oakland game. I thought he held his own. So, I am expecting Trey to compete as well.”

Another player who was thought to be in the competition for the starting left tackle spot was Forrest Lamp. Lamp played tackle in college, but he made the transition to guard since arriving to the NFL. The only issue is that he has struggled to stay healthy.

Based on Lynn’s remarks, he isn’t ready to throw him into the mix.

“We gotta make sure Forrest can compete at one spot before we start trying to teach him two spots,” Lynn said. “I know he played left tackle in college (at Western Kentucky), but that’s college. (It is) a little different game up here. I’m not saying that he can’t do it, but I like Forrest inside before he got hurt a few years ago. No doubt, he can be a starting guard in this league.”

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Tevi enter Week 1 as the starting left tackle. But it will be interesting to witness how the competition unfolds throughout the remainder of training camp.

5 offensive storylines to watch at Chargers training camp

The Los Angeles Chargers will have a new look on the offensive side of the ball.

Here are five offensive storylines to watch for the Los Angeles Chargers during training camp:

A new era

All eyes will be on the quarterback position after the 16-year marriage between the Chargers and Philip Rivers came to an end earlier this offseason.

Taking over is Tyrod Taylor, the 10-year veteran. Taylor has spent most of his career as a backup but did start three seasons with the Bills, leading them to a playoff appearance in 2017. In 43 starts, Taylor has a 62.6 completion percentage and has thrown 51 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions.

But it won’t be without competition.

Los Angeles drafted Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft with the hopes of him becoming the long-term solution. Herbert faces an uphill challenge after an unusual virtual offseason program that kept him from taking the practice field.

While Herbert has the size, athleticism and arm strength to get by, his accuracy needs to improve, as does his anticipation. His development will be key in order to best of him. The team is hopeful that quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton will help aide in that.

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Chargers top 5 breakout season players in 2020: OT Trey Pipkins

The Los Angeles Chargers’ former third-round pick could have a breakout season in 2020.

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

This is the fourth story in a 10-part series counting down the top 5 Chargers players who I believe are most likely to have a breakout season in 2020.

Part 1: RB Justin Jackson

Part 2: DT Jerry Tillery

Part 3: FS Nasir Adderley

Trey Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick from the 2019 NFL draft, wasn’t expected to take a single snap in his rookie season. However, that narrative took a turn when Russell Okung dealt with a combination of a serious health issue and injuries.

Pipkins was forced into the action as early as Week 4 and saw the bulk of his playing time come starting in Week 10. Like any rookie offensive lineman, he experienced some struggles against NFL pass-rushers, but as he received more playing, his strengths became more apparent.

Plays like this exemplified what Pipkins is capable of doing.

Going into the 2020 season, the ball is in Pipkins’ court for the starting job after the team didn’t acquire a left tackle this offseason. He will have to fend off others that will be in contention for the role, which includes Sam Tevi, Storm Norton, Trent Scott and possibly Forrest Lamp.

For most, not addressing the left side of the line was a mistake. But the team is hopeful that offensive line coach James Campen — one of the best developers of offensive linemen in the league — and a change in offensive scheme will elevate the play.

Pipkins has done a great job at transforming his body after coming into the league fairly leaner than most at his position. With the schematic change, it’ll be more molded for his strengths, as Pipkins is a very good athlete and moves smoothly in open space.

“He gets what you’re asking him to do. I think he has a lot of potential,” Campen said about Pipkins.

3 Chargers who need strong showings at training camp

There will be plenty of competitions on the offensive side of the ball for the Chargers.

The Chargers, along with the majority of the other teams in the NFL, are preparing for training camp, which is slated to begin on July 28.

With teams not having spring practices, training camp will be more crucial than ever for players who are fighting for starting or roster spots.

With that being said, here are three players who need a strong outing at training camp:

WR Andre Patton

The competition for the third wide receiver spot will be one of the more compelling positional battles during training camp. While Keenan Allen and Mike Williams lead the pack, the guy behind them remains to be seen.

Last season, Patton had the opportunity to step up in the WR3 role after injuries hit the corps, but the two-year practice squad member only managed to haul in six passes for 56 yards on 17 targets in 13 games.

Now, he will have to fend off a couple of new faces that will be in contention for the spot led by draft selections Joe Reed and K.J. Hill. Patton has the upper hand with his experience and familiarity, but the rookies have the skillset to beat him out.

OT Trey Pipkins

Even though the decision to not address the left tackle position has had many scratching their heads, the coaching staff has made it clear that they like their in-house options going into training camp.

Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick from the 2019 NFL draft, wasn’t expected to take a single snap in his rookie season. However, that took a turn when Russell Okung missed quite a bit of action. Like any rookie offensive lineman, he experienced some struggles against NFL pass-rushers, but as he received more playing time, he managed to hold his own.

Sam Tevi, who will also be fighting for the starting job, could win this solely based on experience as a starter. That is why Pipkins will have to show that he has fixed his weaknesses from his last season, which include increased strength and improvement with his handwork, in order to win the spot.

RB Justin Jackson

Expected to run the ball more, the Chargers will have a competition for RB2. between Jackson and rookie Joshua Kelley. Jackson, the seventh-round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, has averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 79 touches.

There is no denying that he can produce. The only issue is that he struggled to stay healthy last season, managing to play in only seven games. While the team is still “high” on him, Kelley, the fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, is out to win a spot and he has the skillset to do so.

4 Chargers who could suffer the most from a shortened preseason

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out four Chargers players who might not benefit from a shortened preseason.

It was reported that the NFL will reduce the amount of preseason games by taking out Week 1 and Week 4 due to the coronavirus concerns. That would mean that the Chargers will only have two matchups, one against the Rams and the other against the Seahawks.

The preseason isn’t as big of a deal because Los Angeles, along with other teams across the league, tend to rest the starters for the most part. That time is used for players that are fighting for vacant starting jobs and spots on the final 53-man roster.

With that being said, we are going to take a look at four Chargers players who might suffer the most from the reduction in games played this preseason.

FS Nasir Adderley

The battle for the free safety job last season was between Adderley, who was taken in the second-round last year and Rayshawn Jenkins. Adderley showed some immense flashes of earning the starting role. However, injuries kept him off the field, which left Jenkins as the starter.

Since Jenkins earned the trust of the coaching staff with his play and the fact that Adderley will be limited to only two showings to try to display what he did in last preseason’s exhibition against the 49ers, it may be an uphill climb for the former Delaware product.

DT Jerry Tillery

The Chargers selected Tillery in the first-round of last year’s draft with the hopes of him enhancing the pass-rush from the inside. However, he experienced a down rookie season, totaling only three quarterback hits on the season.

Tillery missing the entire spring program to heal from a shoulder injury didn’t help with his transition from college to the pros. But upon hitting the field, he hardly had an answer when facing the strength and grit of NFL offensive linemen.

The hope is that having the full offseason to get stronger in the weight room will help in becoming a better player. But in order to make it all come together he needs reps, which is something Tillery will be lacking with the shortened preseason slate.

OT Trey Pipkins

Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft, wasn’t expected to take a single snap in his rookie season. However, that narrative took a turn when Russell Okung dealt with a combination of a serious health issue and injuries.

Pipkins was forced into the action as early as Week 4 and saw the bulk of his playing time come starting in Week 10. Like any rookie offensive lineman, he experienced some struggles against NFL pass-rushers, but as he received more playing time, his strengths became more apparent.

The ball is in Pipkins’ court for the starting job after the team didn’t acquire left tackle. He has done a nice job transforming his body, but he needs a handful of snaps against edge rushers in order to show that he’s capable of protecting either Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert’s blindside.

QB Justin Herbert

The Chargers took a gamble on Herbert in the draft with the hopes of becoming the long-term answer at the quarterback position. There’s no denying Herbert’s NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent and intelligence.

However, he needs to improve his decision-making, eye discipline and overall consistency to succeed. In order for him to do that, Herbert must see live snaps. Rather than having four games, he will be limited to just half of that.

While he may not see the field as much during the regular season, as Tyrod Taylor is slated to start, the preseason would’ve been perfect for Herbert to get accustomed to NFL defenses without being the determining factor of the win-loss column.