Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Highlighting the Chargers players who have shined at training camp up to this point.
Now eleven practices in, the Chargers will begin to ramp things up even further when preseason play begins this weekend against the Rams.
As we approach the first of three games, now is a good time to highlight the players who have shined at training camp up to this point.
Chargers rookie Zion Johnson sounds off on the meaning behind his No. 77.
When rookies arrive in the NFL, they will don a random number that’s available or a number they wore in college. But for some, there’s meaning behind the number on their jerseys.
For Chargers’ first-round pick Zion Johnson, the No. 77 reflects a player he looked up to, Cowboys All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith.
Johnson started playing football his junior year of high school and resorted to YouTube, where he found clips of Smith.
“I don’t think he got beat once,” Johnson said about Smith’s performance against the Cowboys’ pass rush at their training camp, per ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. “He was just awesome.”
The tips Johnson picked up from watching Smith has translated to his game.
Over three seasons at Boston College, Johnson allowed just three sacks, nine quarterback hits, and 24 quarterback hurries on 1,074 pass-blocking snaps.
At training camp, Johnson has been making a smooth transition to the NFL, where he has held his own in pass protection with his outstanding combination of power, smarts, and agility.
The Chargers’ first-round pick dominated on the first day in pads.
Typically, rookie offensive linemen face growing pains early on.
However, that did not seem to be the case for the Chargers’ first-round pick, Zion Johnson, on the first day of padded practices, which marked offensive and defensive line one-on-ones.
Johnson got reps against Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and Jerry Tillery and passed his first test.
Joseph-Day got the better of the first-year player on a rep, but Johnson countered by stonewalling him on the following one.
Johnson also flattened Tillery on one of the reps, putting him on his back.
Johnson’s showing today is a replica of what he displayed on tape in college at Boston College, a powerful anchor at the point of attack, good mirror skills, and recovery ability.
“He’s living up to the bill right now,” Corey Linsley said on Johnson. “First day of pads but everything that we thought, you know, he’s a really good player. He’s got a ton of raw talent that you can see he’s already put a lot together. The sky is the limit.”
It’s still early, but if Johnson can continue to dominate at a high level as the starting right guard, it’ll only help make Los Angeles’ offense run like a well-oiled machine.
— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) August 1, 2022
The Chargers are back at it this week, set to turn things up a notch when the pads come on.
The intensity at Chargers training camp will turn up when the pads go on Monday.
This is what the players and coaches are ready for after a solid first week of camp in helmets and shorts as the quest to construct the 53-man roster continues.
With that, here are several things to keep an eye on throughout the remainder of camp.
Ranking every rookie draft pick in order of their potential impact in 2022, beginning with the top pick, Zion Johnson.
With training camp set to start on July 27th, Chargers fans will soon get a true first look at the 2022 rookie class, which features at least one full-time starter in first-round guard, Zion Johnson. Meanwhile, the rest of the class will battle for rotational snaps throughout July and August.
Here’s a quick overview of the entire draft class, with players ranked by their potential impact as rookies.
1. G Zion Johnson
As mentioned in the introduction, Johnson is already cemented as a starter. Part of the reason for that is the lack of talent opposing him in a competition, but part of it is that Johnson has the talent to be an impact player right away. He may not get off to a scorching start the way 2021 first rounder Rashawn Slater did at left tackle, but Johnson also has the unenviable task of creating chemistry with both Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton during training camp as their battle for the right tackle spot unfolds. Matt Feiler’s presence a year ago has been cited as a big reason Slater’s transition to the NFL went so smoothly, and Johnson will not have that benefit (although center Corey Linsley is a top-tier running mate on the other side). Even so, the expectations will be high for the Boston College product, and early returns from OTAs suggest he’ll be up to the challenge.
2. RB Isaiah Spiller
Despite being the Chargers’ third pick of the draft, Spiller clocks in second here because of how wide-open the competition for touches is behind Austin Ekeler. It’s a situation that’s been discussed at length this offseason: Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree have struggled, Spiller was billed as a top back in this draft before ultimately falling to the 4th round, etc. OTAs didn’t give us much in the way of definitive rankings between the three of them, which means training camp will be all-important in determining what exactly Spiller’s role will be. If he performs well, Ekeler could finally have the running mate LA has been searching for since Melvin Gordon left in free agency after the 2019 season.
3. S JT Woods
Many people were surprised to hear Woods’ name called as early as it was when the Chargers picked him up in the third round, which seems to suggest they have big plans for him. As a rookie, I’d guess his primary role is going to be backfilling Derwin James’ safety spot when the All-Pro moves to dime backer or into the slot. However, he’ll first have to prove he’s more capable in that role than Alohi Gilman. Woods will also be valuable injury insurance if James or Nasir Adderley is forced to miss time, which represents a massive upgrade on the razor-thin group the Chargers put on the field in 2021 when similar issues struck them. With a 4.36 40, expect him to also make an impact on special teams right away.
4. FB Zander Horvath
It may seem ambitious to name a fullback drafted with the team’s last pick of the cycle in the top half of these impact ratings, especially when he’s still facing a competition with incumbent Gabe Nabers to make the team. But teams rarely draft fullbacks unless they have a vision for them, and Horvath profiles as an immediate impact player on special teams, an area where Nabers has been serviceable but not a standout. Daniel Popper of The Athletic also believes that the fullback spot is Horvath’s to lose heading into training camp. With his background as a running back at Purdue, Horvath may also get a few goal-line touches if the bruiser-type running backs continue to struggle this season.
5. DL Otito Ogbonnia
We’ve entered primary backup territory, as Ogbonnia will likely be a rotational player at best with the likes of Morgan Fox and Jerry Tillery soaking up most of the snaps at 5-tech. It’s possible that Tillery ends up as a surprise cut or trade before the season starts, but I think it’s more likely that he makes the roster and plays out his rookie contract before leaving in free agency next offseason. Fox wasn’t a huge impact player in Carolina, but performed much better with the Rams, when he was in the same defensive system as the Chargers’ current one. It’s a testament to how improved the defensive line is that Ogbonnia won’t be playing a lion’s share of the snaps, but it also means that the fifth-rounder likely won’t make a significant impact as a rookie. Considering he’s just 21 this season, with Tillery and Fox on expiring contracts, year two may be his chance to shine.
6. CB Ja’Sir Taylor
Popper has Taylor making the roster as LA’s fifth corner as of right now, citing his inside/outside flexibility and special teams upside. I tend to agree, although the competition on the back end of the roster between Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tevaughn Campbell, and Kemon Hall will be a fierce one. The former Demon Deacon has an unreal amount of college experience under his belt, with 62 career games played over 5 seasons at Wake Forest. That seasoning could be enough to take him over the top. With an elite speed grade and experience as a returner, Taylor should be one of the favorites at gunner as well.
7. OL Jamaree Salyer
I was a huge fan of Salyer coming into the draft, primarily because of his ability to play all five spots along the offensive line. For a brief while, people theorized that he may even be in the mix for a starting spot if Matt Feiler moved to right tackle to quash the battle between Norton and Pipkins. With Feiler staying at guard, it’s more likely that Salyer is the team’s primary backup there, with the loser of the right tackle competition serving as the swing tackle and free-agent pickup Will Clapp backing up Corey Linsley at center. With that hierarchy all but established heading into training camp, Chargers fans should almost hope that Salyer’s impact is low. Because if he is asked to be a high-impact player as a rookie, it likely means that one of Feiler or Zion Johnson have gone down with injury.
8. CB Deane Leonard
Leonard still faces a bit of an uphill battle to make the roster, although he was making plays left and right in OTAs. Carrying that momentum into training camp could be enough to catapult him over Taylor, Campbell, and Hall for that CB5 spot, but I think it’s more likely he becomes a priority practice squad addition. Leonard is a bit more of an unknown than Taylor, simply because the former played three seasons at Calgary in Canada before transferring to Mississippi. While the game has grown tremendously in recent years north of the border, adjusting to the level of competition in the NFL may take an extra year or two for Leonard, and that’s okay! Luckily, the Chargers aren’t in a position where they need to ask him to contribute right away.
As much as fans may feel confident in the Chargers, there are still questions that need to be answered to determine the season’s outcome.
The 2022 training camp for the Chargers will kick off in a month, putting us closer to the start of the NFL season. During this time, fans and analysts are left to speculate about how the team will play in the upcoming campaign.
For Los Angeles, this is a massive summer in terms of the direction of the organization, with the Super Bowl in sight. Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley spent the offseason revamping the team on both sides of the ball in hopes of finally making the deep run.
On paper, the Bolts look like one of the most talented units. But that’s just one thing, and if the team expects to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, every positional group needs to gel. This leads to many questions about what is in store for this season.
With that said, here are answers to some of the biggest questions surrounding the offense of the Chargers.
Here are the three burning questions surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2022 season.
After finishing coming up short of the playoffs, the Chargers are hoping to turn it around as they enter the new season.
After revamping the roster this offseason, there are still some questions surrounding Los Angeles heading into training camp that need to be answered in order for them to be contenders.
Let’s look at those three questions:
Find out which current or former NFL players Chargers’ draft picks Zion Johnson, JT Woods and Isaiah Spiller were compared to.
Comparing draft prospects to NFL players, both former and current, is an annual tradition.
It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll have the same kind of success at this level. Yet, the comparisons are made based on how similar the way the prospects play the game, their physical measurements, production, role, and traits.
Ahead of the 2022 NFL draft, Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire revealed their top players at each position and gave NFL comparisons for each player.
Now that the draft is behind us, I went back to check out their comparisons for the top three players the Chargers landed.
Let’s take a look.
Chargers center Corey Linsley reigned supreme.
The Chargers aggressively addressed their offensive line entering 2021, adding second-team All-Pro Rashawn Slater via the draft and left guard Matt Feiler via free agency. Yet, their biggest addition and arguably best lineman in 2021 was veteran Corey Linsley, who was given a five-year, $62.5 million contract to come to Los Angeles last offseason.
So far, that investment looks to be paying off, as Pro Football Focus named Linsley the best center in the league in its 2022 rankings. He edged out the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey and the Lions’ Frank Ragnow, the only other two centers categorized as elite by Ben Linsey. The former Packer has been in at least the 90th percentile of most of PFF’s stable metrics since 2020, including a 96th percentile score in pass-block grade on true pass sets.
Here’s what Linsey had to say about the center position:
An elite center is a force multiplier for an offensive line, given their responsibilities to call protections and organize the rest of the unit. They’re not just asked to lock down their position; they’re asked to put their fellow offensive linemen and quarterback in a position to succeed.
And that’s why we’ve seen teams with young quarterbacks — the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals, to name a few — aggressively pursue proven veterans at the position in recent years.
That sentiment certainly rings true for Linsley, whose first season in LA marked an improvement in offensive DVOA from 15th in the league to 4th. Of course, there are many reasons why the Chargers’ offense improved in 2021, but Linsley’s stable veteran presence on the offensive line is undoubtedly a contributing factor. That presence should only amplify importance in year two, especially with rookie Zion Johnson slated to start at right guard next to Linsley.
PFF only ranked the top 16 centers in the league. As a result, AFC West rivals Denver, and Las Vegas failed to land a player on the list.
From Zion Johnson to Zander Horvath, here’s one reason to be excited about each incoming rookie for the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers came away with a solid haul of draft picks last month.
We picked out one stat to know about each of the Bolts’ draft picks from their collegiate career. These numbers should make supporters feel even more intrigued about the incoming rookie class.
