Tag: trey pipkins

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.

Could OT Cordy Glenn be option for Chargers?

Would it be smart for the Los Angeles Chargers to sign a left tackle before the regular season?

The Chargers entered the offseason with the expectation that they were going to address the left tackle position after trading away Russell Okung for guard Trai Turner.

Instead, the team chose not to do so other than signing Bryan Bulaga to fill in at right tackle.

Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton and Forrest Lamp will be in contention for the job. This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing because new offensive line coach James Campen has a knack for developing offensive linemen, but it’s still a boom or bust situation due to their inexperience in that role.

If the coaching staff doesn’t feel confident with the in-house options after all, it wouldn’t be too late for Los Angeles to consider a compelling free agent like Jason Peters. Or, they could consider Cordy Glenn, like Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton suggests.

Instead of going with an ineffective or inexperienced starter at a premium position, the Chargers can allow Glenn to earn the first crack at the starting spot. If he stays healthy, Los Angeles may have a decent first-string left tackle who would likely sign on a cheap deal because of his spotty availability in the recent past.

Glenn spent the past two seasons with the Bengals, appearing in 19 of 32 games. He made five starts in his second and final year. He missed the first 10 games of the 2019 season due to a concussion, a one-game suspension due to disciplinary reasons and a shoulder injury.

In 2019, Glenn finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 68.2, while posting an above average grade of 76.9 in pass protection. Between the Bengals and Bills, where he started his professional career, he’s made 95 starts.

Even though Peters would be a more superior option due to his experience and production, Glenn wouldn’t be a bad one-year rental as the starting left tackle, while Pipkins would have another year to develop with Campen mentoring him.

Chargers’ Bryan Bulaga praises offensive line coach James Campen

Bryan Bulaga is excited to reunite with his mentor of eight years.

If it wasn’t for offensive line coach James Campen being hired earlier this offseason, it remains to be seen if veteran tackle Bryan Bulaga would be in a Chargers uniform.

Bulaga, who was signed to a three-year deal, is familiar with Campen as the two spent eight years together in Green Bay. When the former Iowa product saw that his mentor was headed to Los Angeles after a stint with the Browns, it made his decision to sign that much easier.

“It was a big deal for me,” Bulaga said. “Going into a new place when I’ve been somewhere for 10 years and having a familiar face in the room, and especially someone I trust very much. I think Coach Campen’s a hell of a coach. I think he’s a hell of a person, too.”

The Chargers are hopeful that the coaching of Campen will help improve an offensive line that struggled last season because of inexperience and injuries. Pro Football Focus rated the line as the second-worst unit in the league on pass blocking.

It helps that Bulaga and guard Trai Turner were acquired this offseason, along with Mike Pouncey being medically cleared. But the rest of the group is a mystery. That’s why Campen’s magic to assist the other players is being highly anticipated.

Bulaga said that the group will enjoy playing for Campen, citing that he’s not a “cookie-cutter coach.”

“The biggest thing that he does is he allows guys to be themselves, and that’s something that as a young guy in the league. You can’t put a price tag on because he allows guys to grow and become themselves,” Bulaga said.

Campen has helped six linemen earn Pro Bowl recognition in an eight-year span: Offensive tackle Chad Clifton, center Scott Wells, guard Josh Sitton, center Jeff Saturday, tackle David Bakhtiari, guard T.J. Lang.

Los Angeles is hoping that he can produce the same results with the team’s offensive linemen.

Projecting the Chargers’ offensive line depth chart

The Chargers offensive line will have a slightly different look this offseason.

The Chargers offensive line has been arguably one of the weaker spots on the roster the past few seasons. But after a couple of key acquisitions and hiring of offensive line coach James Campen, who’s one of the best in the league, they’re hoping to be stronger than they have been in years prior.

Below, I take a crack at projecting Los Angeles’ offensive line depth chart for the 2020 season.

LT: Trey Pipkins

This will be one of the more notable position battles to monitor as the competition to fill the void after Russell Okung’s departure will be between in-house players from last season and former XFL player Storm Norton. 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 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, his strengths became more apparent. Sam Tevi could win this job solely based on experience in the starting role, but Campen like what he sees in Pipkins, citing what he does well and that he has a plan for him to unlock his full potential.

Backups: Sam Tevi, Storm Norton, Trent Scott

LG: Dan Feeney

Feeney has been the model of consistency, starting every single game the past two seasons. Even though he was shaky early on in his professional career, he has improved his game. He’s especially been a key contributor in the run-blocking department. Along with left guard, he has shown to be reliable as a center when Mike Pouncey suffered a season-ending injury in 2019. Feeney will have to shake off Forrest Lamp, who’s coming off a season-ending injury, as well. But Feeney’s familiarity, availability and durability gives him the leg up.

Backups: Forrest Lamp, Trent Scott

C: Mike Pouncey

There were concerns that Pouncey wouldn’t be able to take another snap after suffering a severe neck injury last season, but good news came when he announced that he was medically cleared. Pouncey has been a critical piece of the offensive line since signing in 2018. Prior to getting injured in Week 5 last season, he started 37 consecutive games. If Pouncey were to get hurt again, Feeney or Scott Quessenberry would fill his shoes. Quessenberry started nine games last season, faring well against some of the top defensive tackles.

Backups: Dan Feeney, Scott Quessenberry

RG: Trai Turner

The Chargers gained the five-time Pro Bowler when they shipped away Russell Okung earlier this offseason. Turner, who’s become one of the league’s most premiere interior offensive lineman, has played in 84 games (80 of which he started) since entering the league in 2014. Turner is significant upgrade over Michael Schofield, who started every game at right guard for the Chargers in 2018 and 2019.

Backups: Forrest Lamp, Trent Scott

RT: Bryan Bulaga

Arguably the Chargers’ biggest acquisition this offseason was the signing of Bulaga. Bulaga, who reunites with Campen, has started 111 of his 115 games over the past nine seasons, showing exemplary toughness after dealing with injuries early on. In each of his full seasons since 2014, Bulaga has ranked among the 10 best right tackles in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grade, with three ranking in the top three. He provides a huge boost in pass protection and run-blocking.

Backups: Sam Tevi, Trent Scott, Storm Norton

What could have Chargers done differently this offseason?

There is a certain positional group for the Los Angeles Chargers that remains a mystery.

The Chargers offseason has nearly come to an end.

After a slew of solid acquisitions via free agency and the draft, their 90-man roster is becoming clear. When taking a glimpse at their roster, they’re talented from top to bottom.

However, there are still positional groups that have question marks over them. One of them is the left tackle position. After trading away Russell Okung, Los Angeles failed to find his replacement.

The decision to bring in a rookie quarterback in Justin Herbert, and elect to not get him a viable blindside blocker is questionable.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell concurs.

Barnwell ranked all 32 team’s offseasons and analyzed their moves. Signing or drafting a left tackle is something that he believes L.A. should have taken care of.

Instead of trading up for and drafting linebacker Kenneth Murray, the analyst thinks the Chargers should’ve stayed put, selected a middle linebacker in the middle rounds and used their second-round pick to take a tackle like Ezra Cleveland.

I would have stayed put and trusted that I could find a middle linebacker in the middle rounds or in free agency to rotate with Denzel Perryman. The Chargers likely wouldn’t have been able to find a plug-and-play left tackle in the second round, but adding someone like Ezra Cleveland as an option would have left them in better shape than moving forward with Sam Tevi, Trent Scott and Trey Pipkins.

Addressing the linebacker position was a need this offseason, and Los Angeles had their eyes solely on Murray to fill the room out and get a Day 1 contributor, which is why they moved up 14 spots to get him, sacrificing their third-round pick.

“Off-ball linebackers just aren’t that hard to come by, and the Chargers essentially valued Murray as a top-15 pick by sending their second- and third-rounders to move up and acquire him. Murray has to turn into a Pro Bowl-caliber player for this move to work,” Barnwell said.

Los Angeles is banking on their in-house options, and they’re hopeful that the new offensive scheme and offensive line guru James Campen will help mask any deficiencies. It’s a high risk, high reward situation to rely on Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton or Trent Scott.

If they don’t feel comfortable with their guys after all, Jason Peters, the veteran tackle, remains a free agent.

“While Peters has been popularly linked to a return with the Eagles, L.A. is the best possible landing spot for the 38-year-old tackle. The moves this organization made this offseason suggest it’s trying to win now, even as it retools at quarterback. Peters wasn’t at his Hall of Fame best in 2019 and probably won’t be again in 2020, but he would be a massive upgrade on the likes of Tevi, Scott and Pipkins.”

Who is the Chargers’ ‘best kept secret’?

The Los Angeles Chargers might have a gem on the offensive line.

The left tackle position is arguably one of the weaker groups on the Chargers’ roster, given the lack of pure firepower. However, could there be someone that brings that this upcoming season?

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes so. Insert Trey Pipkins.

Here’s what Davenport had to say about Pipkins being Los Angeles’ “best kept secret”:

Heading into the 2019 draft, Trey Pipkins III was considered a talented but raw tackle prospect after playing collegiately at Sioux Falls. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com labeled him a likely Day 3 pick.

“Developmental tackle prospect who offers NFL-caliber size, length and athletic ability for teams willing to work out the technique kinks,” Zierlein wrote. “Pipkins has quick feet but needs to prove he can gain adequate depth with his initial pass slides in order to work to his set points against edge speed. He has Day 3 draft potential, but the jump in competition makes him a likely practice squad candidate early on.”

But then the Chargers spent a third-round pick on Pipkins, traded veteran tackle Russell Okung and didn’t sign or draft an obvious replacement—despite the fact that Pipkins allowed four sacks in 251 snaps as a rookie.

As things stand today, Pipkins is the front-runner to be the blind-side protector for either Tyrod Taylor or rookie Justin Herbert when the Bolts travel to Cincinnati in Week 1.

Head coach Anthony Lynn and general manager Tom Telesco appear to have seen something in the young 6’6″, 304-pounder.

Soon enough, we’ll see if they are right.

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 exemplify 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 single 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.

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

4 offensive players the Chargers need to step up

It all starts with the most important position on the field.

The Chargers offense will have a slightly new look now that Philip Rivers won’t be the one under center anymore.

Even though the unit could benefit from the scheme change, there are certain individual players that need to do well in their roles to help the team succeed.

Whether they had a down year last year or simply have a new job going into the 2020 season, there are four offensive players that need to step up this upcoming year.

QB Tyrod Taylor

Even though the Chargers drafted Justin Herbert in the first-round, I believe that Taylor will be starting the majority, if not, every single game this upcoming season. Taylor will have big shoes to fill after having Rivers man the position for over the past decade. The 30-year old Taylor is not Rivers by any means, but there are a few things going for him that could put him in position to succeed. Taylor is familiar with coach Anthony Lynn’s philosophy, which has always been a run-heavy approach. That leads to his biggest strength, which is his athleticism and ability to win with his legs. As a passer, Taylor is one of the best at not turning the ball over. Taylor should also benefit from the position players around him, as well. Things that could get him in trouble consists of his accuracy and not seeing the middle of the field well, which is why he tends to take the cautious route and limits his chances of being picked off. Everything is tailored for him to succeed, but now it will be a matter of putting it all together to thrive in the starting role with a team that’s capable of contending for the postseason.

OT Sam Tevi

Not only does a new era begin at the quarterback position – it does at the left tackle position after Russell Okung was traded to the Panthers. Rather than signing or drafting one to replace Okung, the team is banking on their in-house options to fill the void. The signing of Bryan Bulaga indicates that the right tackle spot is filled for the next three seasons, which means one of two things for Tevi – he will be a swing tackle or move over to the left side. Recently, offensive coordinator Shane Steichen mentioned Tevi as options at left tackle. Given his experience in the starting role, I believe he is the frontrunner for the job. It won’t be an easy task going from the right side to protecting the blindside, especially after finishing 2019 as the 61st highest graded offensive tackle in 2019, per Pro Football Focus. Since coming into the league, Tevi has fared well in the run-blocking department, but has struggled as a pass protector. The thought process could be that since the offense is shifting to having a mobile quarterback, it could mask the deficiencies with Tevi’s game. They could be hoping that the hiring of Campen will help with it, too. Nonetheless, if Tevi is indeed the starting left tackle, he will have to do a lot better job than his previous seasons.

OT Trey Pipkins

There’s no guarantee that Tevi has the starting job locked up. Instead, I expect it to be a tight competition between him and Pipkins. Selected in the third-round of the 2019 NFL draft, it wasn’t expected that he would see the field in his rookie season. However, Pipkins was forced into the action when Okung was sidelined. In the games he played, he did experience some growing pains, but he also flashed as a solid blindside blocker, especially against some stiff competition like the Chiefs. Campen said he’s watched tape on Pipkins dating back training camp last summer. “He’s a very intelligent young man. He gets what you’re asking him to do. I think he has a lot of potential.” There is a plan in place for Pipkins, but he will have to still take the necessary steps on his own to succeed, which include getting stronger and developing his technique, particularly with his hands. Like Tevi, Pipkins should benefit from a zone scheme, where his athleticism is put to good use.

RB Justin Jackson

Melvin Gordon is no longer a Charger, which leads to the opportunity for someone in the backfield to take on a larger role. Joshua Kelley was drafted in the fourth-round to fill out the backfield, but the ball is in Jackson’s court as he has two years of experience with the team. In 20 games played, Jackson averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 79 touches. Jackson was held back by an injury, limiting him to just seven games in 2019. Entering his third campaign, the team is still “very high” on Jackson despite the durability concerns. With the offense expected to shift to a run-heavy approach, Jackson needs to take a leap. If he can stay healthy, the former Northwestern product can be dangerous.

Gregg Rosenthal predicts Chargers’ 2020 starters

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal makes his starting lineup predictions for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers have boasted a talented roster for years now. The results may have not reflected from that, but the issues arise from injuries and in-game woes that haunted them.

Los Angeles has shown that they can compete with the league’s best, and they’re hopeful that they can make a postseason run, like they managed to do two years.

After a slew of acquisitions this offseason, L.A. is once again equipped with talent from top to bottom. But how will the starting lineup shake up in order to get the best players on the field?

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal recently took a crack at projecting the Chargers’ starters for the upcoming season.

Here is a look:

Notes

  • By no surprise, Tyrod Taylor is listed as the starting quarterback. Barring any injury, I expect Taylor to be the Week 1 starter. For how long remains to be seen. If he gets hurt or the team isn’t having any success with him under center, then that’s when we can expect rookie Justin Herbert to take over.
  • Andre Patton is listed as WR3. While Patton will be among the competitors for the job, I expect either rookie Joe Reed or K.J. Hill to earn it when all is said and done.
  • In Rosenthal’s eyes, Sam Tevi wins the starting left tackle job. Many are expecting this to be Trey Pipkins’ role, including myself. However, the team could favor Tevi’s experience in the starting position.
  • I would be surprised if Kenneth Murray didn’t open up as the starting Will linebacker and Drue Tranquill didn’t start as the Mike linebacker.
  • The reason for their not being a third linebacker listed is because given the amount of nickel and dime packages the Chargers go in, that would normally be Adrian Phillips’ role. But not that he is no longer on the team, Desmond King is the frontrunner.
  • Rayshawn Jenkins is listed as the starting free safety. If and when the Chargers go into their two-deep looks, Nasir Adderley will be on the field at the same time.