Tag: Troy Reeder

Ex-Chargers LB Troy Reeder signing with Vikings

Troy Reeder was a core special teams player for the Chargers.

Former Chargers linebacker Troy Reeder has signed with the Vikings.

Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Rams in 2019, Reeder produced 230 tackles, fives sacks, eight passes defended, and two interceptions over three seasons.

Reeder signed with the Chargers last offseason, as Brandon Staley was familiar with him, having been his defensive coordinator during the 2020 season.

In 2022, Reeder was a core special teams player. He logged 11 tackles, a pass deflection and a forced fumble.

With Reeder joining the Vikings and Drue Tranquill signing with the Chiefs, here is a look at the state of the linebacker room.

Chargers’ updated linebacker depth chart after addition of Eric Kendricks

Here is what the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart looks like following the addition of Eric Kendricks.

The Chargers signed Eric Kendricks to a two-year deal on Monday.

Here is what Los Angeles’ linebacker depth chart looks like following the addition of Kendricks.

Position Starter 2nd 3rd 4th
ILB Eric Kendricks Nick Niemann Tyreek Maddox-Williams
ILB Kenneth Murray Amen Ogbongmebiga Damon Lloyd

The signing of Kendricks indicates that Drue Tranquill is all but gone. Tranquill could be seeking $8-9 million, rightfully so, which is out of the Chargers’ price range. Kendricks has defended the run well throughout his career, which Los Angeles needs in the middle of their defense.

Murray, the former first-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie deal after the Chargers chose not to exercise his fifth-year option. Murray is a player who has struggled to live up to his draft status so far, which is why the Bolts chose to sign a player proven like Kendricks to help the room.

This past season, Niemann and Ogbongmebiga combined for nine total tackles and 22 defensive snaps. The two were key special teamers, a role they will predominantly hold again next season.

When looking at the group, it’s not the strongest and depth is needed. The Chargers could bring back Troy Reeder and turn to the draft to take one on Day 3. Someone like Tulane’s Dorian Williams, Auburn’s Owen Pappoe, TCU’s Dee Winters or Tennessee’s Jeremy Banks would be a good addition.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ 30-27 loss to Chiefs

Here’s who showed up and who disappointed in the Chargers’ loss to the Chiefs.

The Chargers proved once again that they have been forsaken by the football gods on Sunday night, dropping a heartbreaking 30-27 loss to the Chiefs.

The result essentially knocks Los Angeles out of division contention, but a playoff spot is still within reach if the powers that be find it within themselves to be merciful to the powder blues.

Here’s who showed signs of encouraging development and who struggled in the loss.

Stud: Joshua Palmer

Everyone and their parents knew Keenan Allen and Mike Williams would be back in the lineup this week, but that left us with the question of Palmer. His contributions in this offense with Allen and Williams out went beyond what the box score was capable of showing. With Allen on a pitch count and Williams leaving in the first quarter after aggravating his ankle injury, the onus was again on Palmer to perform like a WR1. He did an admirable job on Sunday, hauling in 8 receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. It’s the deep touchdown in the first quarter that shows the most promise: it came with Allen and Williams on the defense’s mind. Palmer now has a taste of what it’s like to be the No. 1 option, but he’s running downfield with little to no attention on him while defenses key in on 13 and 81. On Sunday, No. 5 proved he’s not to be ignored either.

Dud: Run defense

The Chiefs, before Sunday night, had not had an individual player run for over 100 yards in 413 days. That was Week 4 of the 2021 season. This is a team virtually allergic to running the ball – even in the first half, Andy Reid continued to avoid the ground game even as Isiah Pacheco continued to gash the Chargers depleted defensive line. In the second half, Reid adjusted and Los Angeles did not – Pacheco finished with 107 rushing yards on just 15 carries, a 7.1 yards per carry average. I get that injuries have impacted the defense – Joey Bosa, Austin Johnson, Otito Ogbonnia, and Christian Covington all missed this game and Kenneth Murray left early with a neck injury. But at some point, you have to make do with what you have, and the Chargers couldn’t do that on Sunday night.

Stud: Justin Herbert

It pains me that this game ended with a Herbert interception, which his detractors will point to as proof that he’s simply an interception thrower, despite the, well…everything else that says otherwise. Herbert looked comfortable and healthy for the majority of this game, flashing some of those downfield eye-poppers that we haven’t seen for weeks. Having Allen and Williams helped, certainly. But the deep shot to Palmer to open the game was picture-perfect. The sideline bomb to Keenan Allen to keep LA in the game in the fourth quarter was a throw fitting of an All-Pro quarterback. Herbert was his stellar self on Sunday, and the return of his playmakers, if only partially and in name, did wonders for his confidence.

Dud: Pass protection

What did not help Herbert was the pass protection this week. Coming into the game, the Chargers had only allowed 13 sacks, the fewest in the NFL. Part of that was an offensive line that’s played well above expectation, and part was Herbert’s uncanny ability to navigate the pocket and avoid negative plays. On Sunday, the collapse of the former put more bearing on the latter, and Herbert could only do so much to avoid the rush. Los Angeles allowed five sacks in just about every way imaginable. Jamaree Salyer and Matt Feiler failed to pass off a stunt correctly, resulting in a Mike Danna sack. The line shifted away from a blitzing Willie Gay to give him an untouched sack. Herbert tried to scramble and was swallowed by a hyper-aware Chris Jones. It’ll be a rough week of tape study.

Stud: Troy Reeder

Reeder was forced to come in off the bench after Kenneth Murray left with a neck injury, and he immediately made his presence felt with a pass breakup late in the third quarter that put Kansas City behind the sticks. In the fourth quarter, Reeder forced the Jerick McKinnon fumble to give the Chargers the ball back after Keenan Allen’s fumble seemed like it would be the ballgame for LA. It’s nearly impossible to play better in relief than Reeder did, and he deserves his flowers for keeping the Chargers in it.

Dud: Second-half execution

Yet again, the Chargers could not put together a full 60-minute performance. After jumping out to a 20-13 lead in a first half where Los Angeles scored ten points in each of the first two frames, they were outscored 17-7 in the second half. The third quarter especially was ugly for LA, who could not move the ball on offense nor stop the run on defense. A sack of Herbert killed the opening drive after penalties mortally wounded it. Pacheco ran wild to get the Chiefs into field goal range for the only points of the quarter. Herbert missed a wide-open Josh Palmer on a crossing route and threw it to an open patch of grass to avoid incoming pressure. Brandon Staley punted on fourth and inches. It was a huge letdown after a thrilling first half that had you believing the Chargers could hang with anyone now that their health was up and up.

Stud: Morgan Fox

Everybody knows this defensive line is shorthanded after losing Otito Ogbonnia, Christian Covington, and Jerry Tillery over the last week. Everybody knew that Sebastian Joseph-Day and Fox, the two remaining players of the six on LA’s roster heading into the bye, would have to play a huge role. Everybody, including the Chiefs, did everything they could to make someone else beat them. And time after time, it was Joseph-Day and Fox who were making plays for the Chargers. Fox, in particular, seemed to always be in the backfield, whether it was pressuring Patrick Mahomes into throwaways or penetrating rushing lanes to shut down short-yardage opportunities.

Dud: Coaching

Circling back to the second-half execution, at some point, you can’t hide behind injuries as an excuse for why this team suddenly loses steam at any given point in a game. LA hasn’t put together a complete game the entire year, but Sunday’s first half was the best they’ve looked in ages. The defense was battling, forcing Kansas City into field goal after a field goal by stiffening up in critical situations. The offense was flowing – Austin Ekeler was feasting, Isaiah Spiller had a few nice plays to keep him fresh, Justin Herbert looked like the Justin Herbert we remember from his dazzling 2021 season. And then, in the second half, they just…stopped. The defense couldn’t find answers for Travis Kelce. The run game stopped generating yards. Herbert was forced to shoulder more and more of the weight as pass concepts failed to get open.

There is a no bigger condemnation of this than Staley’s decision to punt on fourth and inches with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. The defense had just gotten off the field after an exhausting nine-play, 56-yard drive that they had managed to stop at just a Harrison Butker field goal. The offense, while struggling in the second half, showed at multiple points all game that they could get half a yard against Kansas City’s defense. Being aggressive on fourth down is supposed to be Staley’s calling card. Yes, the offense was a grind. Yes, the defense was playing well. Yes, injuries are mounting up. But I do not think you can make that call to punt and not have your players feel like you’re losing faith after the way you’ve called plays like that your entire head coaching career.

You can see it in the drive chart that follows: LA punts and Kansas City immediately goes on a 10-play, 86-yard drive that results in the touchdown to give them the lead in 4 minutes, 55 seconds. LA comes back out and fumbles on an excruciating drive whose yardage is buoyed by two gains of 11 yards each on its final two plays. It’s not until Reeder forces the fumble to turn the momentum back in the Chargers’ favor that things turn around.

Kansas City is a good team, one of the best. But this has been a season-long issue. If the first half isn’t flat, then the second half is. Is that a preparation issue, a scheme issue, or a coaching issue? We’ve proved it’s not a player issue. Replacements have come in and done their jobs as well as you can possibly ask for this season all over this roster. That should be a rallying cry, not an excuse. And through ten games, it feels like Brandon Staley and his staff are using it as an excuse.

Everything to know from Chargers’ loss to Chiefs

Highlighting all the important stuff from the Chargers’ Week 11 loss to the Chiefs.

In a game with seven lead changes, the Chiefs beat the Chargers on Sunday night, 30-27.

To recap the thrilling primetime divisional showdown, here is everything to know.

Chargers’ Brandon Staley sets expected return date for Kenneth Murray

The former first-round pick should be returning to the practice field real soon.

The Chargers returned Derwin James to the practice field after a 14-day hold-in. Now, they’re set to get back another starter on the defensive side of the ball.

Head coach Brandon Staley said at his media availability that Kenneth Murray is expected to return to practice next Monday, barring any setbacks.

Murray has been sidelined since the start of the team’s offseason workouts after undergoing surgery in early April. Last season, he dealt with the ankle issue, which significantly impacted his performance.

While Murray has missed time at camp, Troy Reeder has had plenty of playing time with the first team, as did Drue Tranquill and Kyle Van Noy before their perspective injuries.

With Murray returning, he should slowly ease back into a sizeable role for the Bolts, as he looks to have a bounce-back season.

Murray posted 107 tackles in his rookie campaign.

Troy Reeder sees glimpses of a Super Bowl champion in the 2022 Chargers

LB Troy Reeder knows the Chargers are built to contend in 2022.

Los Angeles is built to contend in 2022, and one of their new acquisitions said Tuesday that the team reminds him of the championship-caliber one that shares a stadium with the Chargers.

Linebacker Troy Reeder, a free agent signee from the 2021 Super Bowl-winning Rams squad, told the media:

“I was blessed to be around a group that did do it the right way every day [last season]. I see so many similarities in that here. I think this team has what it takes. We just have to put it all together.”

It’s a glowing review from one of the few players with championship experience on the current Chargers roster. Only Reeder, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and cornerback JC Jackson have a Super Bowl ring to their names (Van Noy has 2). All three are, of course, new to the Chargers this season, the end result of Brandon Staley’s emphasis on finding players who have summited the mountaintop before:

“Those guys know about the journey to get there, what it takes on a day-to-day basis, and that mindset that you need to have every single day.”

Of course, every team thinks they’re capable of winning a championship in August before any preseason games have even been played. For the Chargers, it may even seem premature to outside onlookers that players and fans are talking about a Super Bowl run.

After all, neither Staley nor quarterback Justin Herbert has even been to the playoffs, while the other teams in a highly competitive AFC have reloaded. Making the big stage in Glendale will require surviving a quarterback gauntlet of at least Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow, with Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson having solid cases.

The 2021 Rams knew this all too well. After beating Kyler Murray and the Cardinals as the four seed on the opening weekend of the playoffs, Los Angeles had to hang on versus Tom Brady’s supercharged Buccaneers squad while narrowly avoiding a duel with Aaron Rodgers. Toppling the 49ers in the NFC championship was no easy feat, even if Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the same caliber of signal caller.

So what makes the Bolts more likely than other teams to make that leap?

According to Reeder, it comes down to leadership across all three phases. On offense, Herbert leads the charge as a quarterback who can “put up any number of points in any given game.” Defensively, Derwin James, Joey Bosa, and Khalil Mack lead a unit that “can potentially shut out any team.” On special teams, long snapper Josh Harris is an All-Pro caliber player with ten years of NFL experience.

“The pieces are there,” said Reeder. But whether or not the Chargers are in a position to hoist the Lombardi in February will come down to “doing it week in and week out…staying healthy and peaking at the right time.”

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 place Kenneth Murray on PUP list

Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray will not be ready to roll when camp opens on Wednesday.

It appears Kenneth Murray’s rehab still has a ways to go.

Ahead of the start of training camp on Wednesday, the Chargers placed Murray on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Tuesday per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, a signal that he is not yet fully recovered from offseason ankle surgery.

The training camp PUP list works differently than the regular season version. Murray is eligible to be activated off the list at any time during camp, at which point he is allowed to practice with the team.

However, should the injury linger until the regular season, LA can elect to place him on the regular season list. That will keep Murray inactive for the first four games, down from six in previous years.

While on the PUP list, Murray can participate in meetings and use team facilities but cannot practice. As such, he’ll likely still be a visible part of camp.

The third-year linebacker is slated to start next to Drue Tranquill when healthy. In the meantime, veteran Troy Reeder will likely take his reps.

Early look at the Chargers’ 2023 defensive free agents

Highlighting the Chargers’ defensive 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 keep an eye on with a few key contributors set to hit free agency.

With that being said, here’s an early look at the defensive players Los Angeles will need to decide on next offseason.

Likely to be Retained

Derwin James, S

Drue Tranquill, LB

Nasir Adderley, S

James is a franchise cornerstone and has made a point of stepping into a leadership role during OTAs this offseason. He was also one of the representatives at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new team facility in El Segundo in mid-May, along with QB Justin Herbert. While his extension isn’t done yet, the two-time All-Pro doesn’t seem worried about it, saying last week that it’ll “take care of itself”. Ideally, Los Angeles locks him up before the season even starts, because it’s clear that they don’t intend to let James hit the open market. So expect big money, but perhaps not market-setting numbers given James’ injury history.

Adderley had his best season as a pro in 2021, earning a 66.2 PFF grade for the year. While he’s had his ups and downs, playing alongside a healthy James has helped elevate Adderley’s game to new heights. There are still a few times where his pursuit angles could be better, but he only recently turned 25 and still has plenty of time to grow even further. Remember that this is a player who had almost all of his rookie year in 2019 taken from him due to injury and then dealt with the COVID-19 impacted offseason in 2020. The fact that he took a step forward when healthy with a more routine offseason in 2021 should be a good sign. I expect him to be back beyond 2022.

Tranquill is the hardest one of these to nail down. On the one hand, he’s talented enough to be retained. He seems to be well-liked in the locker room, considering Herbert and corner Asante Samuel Jr. have both recently appeared on Tranquill’s podcast. But on the other hand, we just watched this regime let Kyzir White walk after his best season as a pro. Brandon Staley’s defense largely seeks to eliminate the concept of the linebacker with a healthy dose of 5-1 fronts. However, Tranquill is arguably LA’s best linebacker heading into 2022, and I choose to believe another season of solid play will be enough to convince the front office that he deserves to stick around.

Make or Break Season

Jerry Tillery, IDL

Christian Covington, IDL

The fact that this is a make-or-break season for Tillery shouldn’t come as a surprise after Los Angeles declined his fifth-year option. What was surprising, however, was the fourth-year pro’s absence from the first week of OTAs, perhaps a sign that the former first-rounder is less than thrilled with how things are going. It’s suddenly a heated battle for snaps along the defensive line. Staley has said that outside of Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson, it will essentially be an open competition for reps. Recent signing Morgan Fox is familiar with the defensive system and seems like an easy choice as Tillery’s replacement in the starting lineup should it come to that. Rookie Otito Ogbonnia is also a candidate to eat into his snaps. I lean towards the opinion that Tillery will be in a different uniform in 2023, but I do hope that he can find a more stable footing this season.

It’s a similar outlook for Covington, who I think could be a surprise roster cut before the 2022 season even opens if he’s not at his sharpest during camp. Joseph-Day, Johnson, Ogbonnia, Fox, and Tillery seem likely to make the roster, and LA only kept five defensive linemen last season. A sixth is expected this year, with it likely coming down to Covington versus Breiden Fehoko, who was one of the better run stoppers on last year’s team and would provide quality depth. Maybe Covington’s veteran presence is enough to keep him on the team, but I think he’d have to elevate his play from 2021 to earn another contract. That’s not to say he was bad in 2021, but the quality of the position group has improved since then.

Too Early to Tell

Kyle Van Noy, EDGE

Bryce Callahan, CB

Morgan Fox, IDL

Troy Reeder, LB

All four players were signed this offseason to one-year deals, but all four should see time at some point or another. Van Noy is this year’s Kyler Fackrell, the third pass rusher on a prove-it deal. I’m interested to see if Staley leans into his versatility to manufacture some linebacker production as well, especially in those 5-1 fronts where Van Noy could drop into a more traditional LB role from the line of scrimmage.

Callahan will be part of what looks to be a healthy rotation at corner while pulling double duty as a mentor for Asante Samuel Jr., a player with similar traits to Callahan’s. Expect him to see most of his reps in the slot when LA wants to keep Samuel on the outside, but there will also be plenty of times where Samuel moves inside to get Michael Davis some live reps on the boundary. Staying healthy will be the big key for Callahan, who’s never played every game in an NFL season.

Despite being on the market until May after being released by Carolina, I think Fox will be competing for a starting role in powder blue. I imagine he’ll end up splitting time with Tillery, but Fox brings better run defense ability without trading in too much value as a pass rusher. Returning to Staley’s defensive system, which earned him the two-year, $8 million contract from the Panthers in the first place, should also help him return to form.

Reeder should primarily be a special teams and depth addition, considering the Chargers rarely put three linebackers on the field at once. With Tranquill and Kenneth Murray set to hold down the two starting jobs, he’ll mostly get rotational snaps and fill in for injuries. However, considering his familiarity with the defensive scheme from his time on the Rams, he should be at least serviceable if pressed into full-time action.

3 Chargers players under the most pressure entering training camp

A few players are under pressure to keep their starting job, live up to expectations, or try to make the final regular-season roster.

Every player on the Chargers is facing some type of pressure.

Even the top players like Justin Herbert, who isn’t fighting for a roster spot or his starting job, are still under pressure as he is seen as the guy to lead the team to their first Lombardi Trophy.

However, a few players are under pressure to keep their starting job, live up to expectations, or try to keep a job and make the final regular-season roster.

That said, here are three players with the most to prove when training camp begins next month.

DT Jerry Tillery

Tillery, the former first-round pick, has failed to live up to his draft billing and is entering the final year of his contract, as the team did not pick up the fifth-year option. A starter last season, Tillery will now have to compete with the team’s offseason additions: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and rookie Otito Ogbonnia. Tillery’s best asset is rushing the passer, while he’s been a liability against the run. The Chargers kept five defensive linemen on their 53-man roster last season. Battling with the guys mentioned and Breiden Fehoko, Forrest Merrill, and Joe Gaziano, not only is Tillery’s playing time not guaranteed, his spot on the roster could be in jeopardy if he doesn’t perform to standards.

LB Kenneth Murray

Murray’s sophomore season was not all sunshine and rainbows. Murray dealt with ankle issues since training camp last year, and that stunted his development. He spent six weeks on the injured reserve, and some time on the COVID-19/Reserve list. When on the field, Murray struggled with missed tackles, over-pursuing ball carriers, and struggling to shed blocks and work off contact. Murray ended up experiencing a new position as an edge defender late in the season when the team was limited with players at the spot, which was a challenge. Murray had ankle surgery in early April, and Staley said the hope is the former first-round pick will be ready for training camp. With the team likely to run more five-man fronts in nickel packages with only one linebacker on the field, Murray must prove that he’s capable of resorting back to starter status. Drue Tranquill, second-year players Nick Niemann and Ogbongbemiga and newest addition Troy Reeder will also be vying for that playing time.

OT Trey Pipkins

The starting offensive line is nearly complete after adding first-round pick, Zion Johnson. However, the right tackle position is still up in the air. It will be a battle between last year’s starter, Storm Norton and Pipkins, the fourth-year player. I have said it before, but I firmly believe 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 had his fair share of struggles, allowing 60 pressures and nine sacks in 2021. 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. At the same time, the Chiefs return Frank Clark and Chris Jones.