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*** Chargers Official 2022 Thread - team only allowed soft foods on filght home for fear of choking again. *** (1 Viewer)

Love the post Tau/JWB. They still need to add more talent on defense.

1st rounder still needs to be a DT if possible, OT otherwise - barring some unexpected slide of a top 10 non-qb talent. They're not going to find sufficient talent at either spot through what's left of free agency unless there is a super surprise drop from another roster going forward. After the 1st round,  they need to draft defense and OL heavy still. 

 
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Seems like they were able to get the BPA and scratch an itch with Zion Johnson. I think I'm ok with it even if they could have traded down to add a day two pick. Probably not worth the risk of missing out on him.

Think they'll keep him at RG or move Fieler to RT?

Here's to a solid 3rd rounder!

 
My goodness the AFC West is going to be brutal this year. I honestly have no idea how to handicap it but the Chargers look really strong ATM.

 
Gr00vus said:
Seems like they were able to get the BPA and scratch an itch with Zion Johnson. I think I'm ok with it even if they could have traded down to add a day two pick. Probably not worth the risk of missing out on him.

Think they'll keep him at RG or move Fieler to RT?

Here's to a solid 3rd rounder!
Telesco and Staley both said they plan to keep Feiler at LG and play Johnson at RG. I love the pick. Based on who was off the board at that point, I think it was the best pick for the Chargers given the makeup of their roster.

I don't think there was any opportunity to trade down. Who would have traded up, and for what? Had they traded down, they would have risked not getting him. I'm content with how it played out.

 
Telesco and Staley both said they plan to keep Feiler at LG and play Johnson at RG. I love the pick. Based on who was off the board at that point, I think it was the best pick for the Chargers given the makeup of their roster.

I don't think there was any opportunity to trade down. Who would have traded up, and for what? Had they traded down, they would have risked not getting him. I'm content with how it played out.


Didn't seem like they had a real opportunity to trade down to me either. I think they did the best the could with pick 17.

I wonder if Salyer changes the thinking about Feiler now. I thought I'd heard Staley is reluctant to start two rookies on the offensive line, so maybe Feiler stays put. They really need to address RT via a free agent if that's the case - the vets they have that might play there aren't good enough.

I don't get the Woods pick entirely. I guess the goal is to get people in there who can free up James to be all over the field. Not a bad plan, I just don't know if Woods will be good enough to make that happen, and if so, that's a somewhat expensive whiff.

I like most of the rest of the draft. I think Ogbonnia should be a helper and be in the main rotation relatively quickly. The problem with him is, he doesn't seem like a plus in passing situations, meaning he'll probably be off the field when opposing offenses attempt to pick up 3rd and 23 with draw plays.

Loved the fan post over at BFTB. I think this team is much better now than it was when if completed the 2021 season.

 
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I also liked that they flipped when most of the rest of the league seemed to want to flop in regard to the WRs. I know on the fan boards, it seems like there are a lot of people confounded by the Chargers not taking a WR "in the deepest WR draft in a long time" in an NFL where "receiver has become the second most important/expensive position." That's been bandied about so often this offseason, it felt like it just became the trendy thing to say (and do), and snowballed to the extent it became overhyped. It started feeling like teams were almost panicking to buy receivers in a seller's market. I think that probably presented opportunities for teams like the Chargers to get some deals at other positions as receivers got drafted early and often. We'll see if they capitalized on those opportunities.

 
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Tom Telesco in his 9th year on the job: I wonder what would happen if I started addressing serious needs on our roster through free agency and the draft? Wouldn't that be weird if I tried that?

 
Seems like they were able to get the BPA and scratch an itch with Zion Johnson. I think I'm ok with it even if they could have traded down to add a day two pick.
I was listening to the Around the NFL podcast the next day, and when discussing this selection, Dan Hanzus said something to the effect of "It's usually a pretty good sign when four of the six teams drafting behind you are disappointed in your pick because you took their guy."

 
I haven't figured it all out just yet but I'm pretty sold on Sasquatch at QB in a division that has many top notch QBs. 

I like his upside and what he brings to the table which for most is "We don't know what his ceiling is" and that's my view point on the LAC, we just don't know yet. 

-Good improving OL that has resources being invested into it, good run blocking and also pass blocking, not sure I can assume that for most teams in the AFC West. 

Denver is trying to buy their next SB trip, KC is continuing to build around Mahomes and the LVR have a strong offense going into 2022. To me the path is clear for LAC to try and take their crown this season. Herbert is going to command upwards of $50M+ after '22 and might set a new bench mark, don't kid yourself even just for debating with your truly, just do us both the favor, please  :lmao:

I'm a firm believer in Herbert, not sure about the HC at the moment but that's me. 

 
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Tom Telesco in his 9th year on the job: I wonder what would happen if I started addressing serious needs on our roster through free agency and the draft? Wouldn't that be weird if I tried that?
His 10th year, actually...

 
Herbert is going to command upwards of $50M+ after '22 and might set a new bench mark
Maybe, but the big cap hits shouldn't set in until his 6th season in 2025. Look at Mahomes for an instructive example. He signed his extension after his 3rd season, in July 2020, but his first big cap number was in 2022, his 6th season.

That provides two advantages to the team:

1. Obviously, it gives the team a window of years 1-5 with the QB without big cap hits. The Chargers have 3 of those years remaining, 2022-2024.

2. It also allows 3 years for (a) the cap to go up 3 times, and (b) the QB contract market to continue to climb while Herbert is locked in.

As an example of my 2(a) above, Mahomes has the #2 QB cap hit in 2022, his first big cap hit. Then, #3 in 2023, #4 in 2024, and #5 in 2025 and beyond. Meanwhile, other QB contracts (e.g., Herbert, Burrow) will reset the market again before he gets to those later years. All of this will serve to make Mahomes' deal look like a better one for the Chiefs than it did when he signed that contract.

Expect the same to happen with Herbert.

 
If Slater, Feiler, Linsley, and Johnson stay healthy, I'm not that worried about RT. With only one weak spot, you can scheme help so that Pipkins/Norton/Whoever won't be left one-on-one against a good edge rusher. With multiple weak spots, that gets a lot trickier. Also, I like the interior depth that Jaimes and Salyer should provide, so even if there's an injury, things might be okay. It'd be nice to have a solid right tackle (maybe Pipkins can grow into one?), but even without an upgrade there, the line should be functionally much better in 2022 than it was in 2021 if Johnson plays up to his draft position.

 
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@BoltBacker and I had an exchange in another thread and I thought I'd move it here so as not to derail the other one.

So, I've lived in San Diego for better part the last 33 years (GO RAIDERS!!!) and I do believe that the Spanos family has generally been too cheap and/or incompetent to really go after the Lombardi even when they managed to build, or luck themselves into, some very solid teams.

But this year feels different to me. BoltBacker feels the most glaring need going into the off-season was RT, and it was clearly a glaring need, but IMO the defense across the board was the biggest reason the Chargers missed the playoffs. 

The Chargers offense was 5th in points and 4th in yards in 2021 but they were the 29th scoring defense and 23rd in yardage. 

Protecting Herbert is obviously a priority but leaving the D as is (was) feels like going back to Air Coryell and hoping for the best. 

This off-season I think the Chargers improved themselves maybe more than any other team in the West, even the Broncos who become an instant SB contender with Wilson under center. Adding JC Jackson was maybe the best FA move in the league and despite rumors to the contrary the Bolts stole Khalil from the Bears. Mack had 6 sacks, 6 TFL & 7 QB hits in 7 games last season on a team that offered him very little help. Now he's paired with Bosa? That's insane. It's practically a cheat code. Not to mention how much extra juice Mack is going to bring to those two games against Las Vegas. As a Raider fan I was crestfallen when Mack went to the Chargers.

IMO the biggest need on defense, and overall for the Chargers was at defensive tackle and, even though they didn't sign a "marquee" player I think they made two great moves getting Austin Johnson, who's one of the best run stuffers in the game (and hasn't missed a start in 5 seasons) and Sebastian Joseph-Day, a Staley guy who PFF says had the 2nd most run stops per game in 7 games last season.

I think the Charger defense, on paper, went from grossly incompetent to potentially scary this off-season.

And they finished it off by getting, again on paper, one of the best offensive linemen coming out in the 1st round. Zion is incredibly versatile with 18 starts at tackle, where he was very good, and 18 starts at guard, where he was even better. I think they want Zion to play tackle but even as a guard his presence makes the whole unit better. They can dedicate a TE and/or a RB to help weather the Storm...(get it? "...weather the Storm...", it's a play on wor...oh never mind) on outside pressure and not have a guard constantly pivot between two gaps worried Johnson lost his guy on stunts or inside pressure.

At any rate, I'm rambling at this point.

My feeling is the Chargers, by the slimmest of margins, are the favorites in the AFC West ATM.

GO RAIDERS!!!!

 
:goodposting:

Entering the offseason, it was reasonable to expect some improvements independent of free agency and the draft:

1. All returning players are entering year 2 under the current offensive and defensive coaches and their systems. This quote from a Daniel Popper article this week helps to illustrate why it is reasonable to expect improvement:

Those returning players are already feeling the benefits of having a full season in Staley’s system. As Drue Tranquill said earlier this week, the offseason program meetings are markedly different from this time last year.

“We were able to really move past just installing and doing everyday verbiage,” Tranquill said of Monday’s meeting with inside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite. “We all know the install by now and we were really able to dig into the techniques. Where are we aligning here and what are we trying to get the offensive line to do so that we can then make this play? Going into that second and third level, you’re able to do that in the second year of the defense. The first year of the defense, you’re just trying to learn how to communicate, what to say to each other on the field. I think diving into those layers, to me, has been something.”
That quote is focused on defense, but it applies equally to players entering their second year in OC Lombardi's offense.

2. QB Justin Herbert now has two years of NFL experience. He shouldn't have stopped improving yet, so it is reasonable to think he will be better in 2022.

3. Brandon Staley is entering year 2 as a NFL head coach. It is reasonable to expect that he will take some improvement from some of his rookie head coach experience and decisions.

The team's offseason moves have been extremely positive, listed here in my view of the rough order of priority entering the offseason.

Tier 1 Needs:

1. The team needed to improve its interior defensive line. Check, the team replaced IDLs Linval Joseph and Justin Jones with Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day and drafted IDL Otito Ogbonnia, a 0T/1T player, in the 5th round.

2. The team needed to improve its pass rush across from Edge Joey Bosa. Check, traded for Edge Khalil Mack... and got him for just the team's 2022 2nd round and 2 of its 4 7th round compensatory picks, which seems like a bargain. Mack and Staley were together in Chicago, and he already knows Staley and his defense.

3. The team needed to improve its CB play, both starters and depth.

3a. Check, signed premier free agent CB J.C. Jackson to start at CB1. This has the added benefit of pushing returning CBs Asante Samuel, Michael Davis, and Tevaughn Campbell at least 1 spot down the depth chart, where each should find more favorable matchups.

3b. Check, signed free agent CB Bryce Callahan, another upgrade based on the quality of his play to date. He is also a particular upgrade in the slot, giving the Chargers more options there after CB Chris Harris flopped in that role over the past couple seasons and was allowed to walk. Callahan has played his entire career in the Fangio/Staley defense.

4. The team needed to improve the right side of its OL. Check, drafted RG Zion Johnson, who will be an immediate starter and should be an immediate improvement over last season's RGs Oday Aboushi and Michael Schofield. Upgrading RG could also have a positive effect on RT.

Tier 2 Needs:

5. The team needed to improve its safety depth. This was an underrated need by those who do not follow the Chargers or the Fangio/Staley defensive scheme. Staley's defense has a role called the "Star" position, played with 5 DBs on the field, and a "Money" position, played with 6 DBs on the field. The defense will work best if S Derwin James has the freedom to move between his normal safety position and those other two positions, but that means having other players who can play deep safety effectively. Check, drafted S J.T. Woods. Popper wrote an article about it: Chargers’ selection of JT Woods allows them to get the full benefits of Derwin James

6. The team need to improve its RB depth behind Austin Ekeler. Check, drafted RBs Isaiah Spiller and Zander Horvath and signed UDFA Leddie Brown. I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 of them make the final roster, pushing all of Josh Kelley, Larry Rountree, and Gabe Nabers off the roster.

7. The team needed to improve its OL depth. With two backup caliber OTs (Trey Pipkins and Storn Norton) already on the roster, even though one of them might start at RT, this really meant improving interior OL depth.

7a. Check, signed C/G Will Clapp, who played for Lombardi in New Orleans. This solves the need for a backup center in addition to providing depth at guard.

7b. Check, drafted G Jamaree Salyer in the 6th round, which was a steal for a player who had at least a 3rd round grade on most draft boards.

8. The team needed to improve its pass rush depth behind Bosa and Mack to keep them fresh and reduce their chances of injury. (Bosa was noticeably gassed at the end of many games last season.) Check, signed free agent Kyle Van Noy. Many think of Van Noy as a LB, and he is good at that, but he has played 72% of his snaps over the past 3 seasons in an outside position on the DL, whether you want to call that a DE or OLB or Edge. The fact that he can drop into coverage and even take quality snaps at LB if needed is just another positive.

Tier 3 Needs:

9. The team needed to improve its TE1 position, assuming it did not feel comfortable relying solely upon third year player Donald Parham and second year player Tre McKitty to fill that role (I didn't feel comfortable with that) and assuming it did not want to re-sign Jared Cook (I didn't). Check, signed Gerald Everett, who should be an upgrade over Cook.

10, The team needed to improve its LB depth. Check, signed free agent Troy Reeder, who played for Staley with the Rams.

11. The team needed to improve its special teams.

11a. Check, the team replaced its special teams coordinator with Ryan Ficken.

11b. Check, the team replaced 36 year old long snapper Matt Overton with Josh Harris.

11c. Check, the team replaced punter Ty Long with J.K. Scott.

11d. Check, the team re-signed PK Dustin Hopkins, who was very effective after coming in midseason last year.

11e. Check, the team replaced 35 year old kickoff and punt returner Andre Roberts with DeAndre Carter, who is younger and can also make a positive contribution on offense.

11f. Check, the team signed and drafted a number of new players who will play on the coverage units.

Granted, that is an extremely positive take. I'm sure all of it won't work out as well as it seems it could today. But I don't see how any Chargers fan could fail to be optimistic right now.

Yes, it would be even more ideal if the team were to sign a veteran starting RT. That seems possible, since the Chargers have the cap space to do it, but I'm guessing they plan to roll with what they have at this point.

Some fans would also say a speed WR was also needed, but I had that last on my lengthy list, and viewed that as a luxury item, not a true need. So I think they are fine without having addressed that position group.

This was a 9-8 team last season that just missed the playoffs and shouldn't have. I think the Chargers have a great shot at winning the AFC West if they avoid key/substantial injuries. And being a contender to win the AFC West implies being a contender to compete for the AFC Championship, since the AFC West should be the strongest division in the NFL in 2022.

:football:  

 
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The marketing department are on their game early in the campaign with the anime schedule release and the opponents as poptarts tweets.

For the schedule itself, I'm concerned about how tough it gets as the season goes on. Finishing up against the Rams and then at Denver probably won't be picnics. If they're going to win stuff this year, they're really going to have to earn it.

 
The schedule:

  • Week 1 -- Sun, Sep 11, 1:25 p.m. PT -- vs. Las Vegas (2021: 10-8)
  • Week 2 -- Thurs, Sep 15, 5:15 p.m. PT -- at Kansas City (2021: 14-6)
  • Week 3 -- Sun, Sep 25, 1:05 p.m. PT -- vs. Jacksonville (2021: 3-14)
  • Week 4 -- Sun, Oct 2, 10:00 a.m. PT -- at Houston (2021: 4-13)
  • Week 5 -- Sun, Oct 9, 10:00 a.m. PT -- at Cleveland (2021: 8-9)
  • Week 6 -- Mon, Oct 17, 5:15 p.m. PT -- vs. Denver (2021: 7-10)
  • Week 7 -- Sun, Oct 23, 1:25 p.m. PT -- vs. Seattle (2021: 7-10)
  • Week 8 -- Bye week
  • Week 9 -- Sun, Nov 6, 10:00 a.m. PT -- at Atlanta (2021: 7-10)
  • Week 10 -- Sun, Nov 13, 5:20 p.m. PT -- at San Francisco (2021:12-8)
  • Week 11 -- Sun, Nov 20, 1:25 p.m. PT -- vs. Kansas City (2021: 14-6)
  • Week 12 -- Sun, Nov 27, 1:05 p.m. PT -- at Arizona (2021: 11-7)
  • Week 13 -- Sun, Dec 4, 1:25 p.m. PT -- at Las Vegas (2021: 10-8)
  • Week 14 -- Sun, Dec 11, 1:05 p.m. PT -- vs. Miami (2021: 9-8)
  • Week 15 -- Sun, Dec 18, 1:25 p.m. PT -- vs. Tennessee (2021: 12-6)
  • Week 16 -- Mon, Dec 26, 5:15 p.m. PT -- at Indianapolis (2021: 9-8)
  • Week 17 -- Sun, Jan 1, 5:20 p.m. PT -- vs. Los Angeles Rams (2021: 16-5)
  • Week 18 -- Sat, Jan 7 or Sun, Jan 8. -- at Denver (2021: 7-10)
Good:

  • At least 5 prime time games -- weeks 2, 6, 10, 16, 17 -- plus maybe week 18
  • Only 3 road games starting at 10 am PT
  • 6 of the 7 games against teams with losing records in 2021 are consecutive, in weeks 3-9

    The Chargers need to win all of those games to meet their goals this season
  • This sets up the Chargers nicely if they can win at KC in week 2 -- they could start 8-0

Potentially Good:

  • JAX will probably be improved this season with Lawrence having a year of experience and with an actual NFL level coaching staff, so playing them in week 3 is a plus, since hopefully they will still be gelling
  • Playing CLE in week 5 could mean that QB Watson won't play if he is given a suspension
Bad:

  • Getting cross-matched against the NFC West this season means getting cross-matched against the division with the most wins in 2021 (40-28 combined record)
  • In weeks 9-13, the Chargers play 4 of 5 games on the road; there is potential there to really slide back from a potentially strong start
  • Very tough schedule the final 9 weeks of the season

    8 consecutive games against teams with winning records in 2021 and closing at Denver, which should be a playoff-caliber team and may be fighting for a playoff spot in that game
  • 5 road games in that stretch, and one of the home games is against the Rams in LA

 
Dea is suing Dean again. :rolleyes: Sounds like a sour grapes type thing, and on the surface doesn't seem like there's a lot of substance to it. As much as I'd like to see ownership transfer to a more competent set of folks, I don't think this is the offramp. Maybe we'll be surprised.

For the most part, I'm just hoping whatever this is doesn't interfere with what could be the best Chargers season in a while.

 
Dea is suing Dean again. :rolleyes: Sounds like a sour grapes type thing, and on the surface doesn't seem like there's a lot of substance to it. As much as I'd like to see ownership transfer to a more competent set of folks, I don't think this is the offramp. Maybe we'll be surprised.

For the most part, I'm just hoping whatever this is doesn't interfere with what could be the best Chargers season in a while.
Posted this over the weekend: Chargers Financial Situation

Also good exchanges in the comments on that post.

 
Posted this over the weekend: Chargers Financial Situation

Also good exchanges in the comments on that post.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not holding my breath for Dea to win, and I further assume it will take years to play out.


That's where I'm coming from too. 

For the rest, it's obviously a bad business decision, was from the start. Maybe Dea will be able to win from that angle - the fiduciary duty angle. Will be interesting to see if SD sues - that could be big influence toward Spanos having to bail.

 
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Look Ahead to 2023 Chargers

TL;DR - The Chargers have a non-trivial cap problem in 2023. I know teams (other than the Chargers) deal with this routinely, so I know they will work it out. But I think this emphasizes that 2022 is a true "window season". They will probably have at least a marginally weaker roster in 2023 and beyond.

This also plays into some possible playing time decisions in 2022. For example, I noted in the post that Adderley is probably gone after this season, which should lead the coaching staff to give rookie Woods as many snaps as they can, since he seems like the most likely candidate to step in for Adderley as a starter in 2023.

I also noted in the article and the comments something that may seem like heresy to some... I think the team should strongly consider not extending Derwin's contract and letting him walk after the 2022 season. I'm just not convinced they can afford all of their high cap players, and he seems like the one who is arguably more easily replaced than the others (plus, he has the extensive injury history). I wish the Chargers had franchised Mike Williams instead of signing him to a multi-year contract... had they done that, I would be advocating to let him walk after 2022 and extend James now. But I don't think the team can keep both of them along with all of the other high cap players (Herbert, Bosa, Mack, Jackson, et al.).
 
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ESPN's "consensus" QB rankings have Herbert at #7, behind Rogers, Mahomes, Allen, Brady, Burrow, and Stafford.

<_<

 
Check out the Kyler Murray thread for info on the extension he just got.

The Spanoses aren't going to be able to afford Herbert's extension, so they'll pretty much have to sell the team, right? ;)

Seriously though, how do the Chargers avoid salary cap hell when they extend Herbert?

 
Check out the Kyler Murray thread for info on the extension he just got.

The Spanoses aren't going to be able to afford Herbert's extension, so they'll pretty much have to sell the team, right? ;)

Seriously though, how do the Chargers avoid salary cap hell when they extend Herbert?
For one thing, he will get extended next offseason, but his cap numbers likely won't skyrocket until 2025, if his contract follows the pattern of Mahomes and Allen (haven't looked at Murray's). That allows 3 years of salary cap growth, which will obviously help. The salary cap growth might be $40M over that period, for example. Of course, that will be accompanied by salary growth at all positions, so it still puts them at a disadvantage for signing others, but it helps at least a bit.

Aside from that, they won't be able to have the luxury of having so many guys who are paid in the top 10 of their positions. This season, the Chargers have 8 in top 10 cap hits at their positions: WR Allen, WR Williams, RB Ekeler, C Linsley, LG Feiler, Edge Bosa, CB Davis, S James. Plus, Edge Mack and CB Jackson are both in the top 16.

This means they will need to identify positions where they can get in a rhythm of replacing rookie contracts with rookies, which should be possible at certain positions in particular, like RB, WR, IOL, LB, CB.

This means many things:

  • No more second contracts for guys like Perryman, who wasn't a difference maker.
  • No more top 10 contracts for a player not top 10 or particularly close to it at his position, like Mike Williams.
  • They will need to get lucky in the draft... no Tillery picks (i.e., completely blown first rounders).
  • They will need to be more disciplined in the draft... no more Verrett (serious injury risk), Mager (project) or Pipkins (project) picks. (Even if Pipkins works out this year, can't afford to waste 3 seasons.)
  • They will need to avoid stupid draft trades, like the tradeups for Teo, Attaochu, Gordon, and Murray. Did I forget someone? It has been a subpar (or worse) outcome each time. No more.
  • They will need to use a roster strategy that maximizes comp picks, and hit on enough of them. There are signs they are doing this now, but is it intentionally strategic or lucky? Hard to tell at this point.
There are teams being successful with most of these things. The Chargers can do it, as long as the Spanos clan doesn't get in the way.

 
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Quiet camp so far. Defense outperforming the offense. Derwin still sort of holding out, I hope they get that worked out soon.
 
First depth chart of the preseason is out.

No big surprises given how early things are. Looks like a 3-4 up front on D, with Tillery still a starter right now. Which makes me happy/sad. I haven't heard anything so far from camp to make me think Tillery has improved, but maybe he has? Kyle Van Noy will be busy, at least until Murray gets back.

Also Spiller 4th on the tailback depth chart right now, along with 2 other guys I know nothing about. Seems like a very transient ordering.
 
First depth chart of the preseason is out.

No big surprises given how early things are. Looks like a 3-4 up front on D, with Tillery still a starter right now. Which makes me happy/sad. I haven't heard anything so far from camp to make me think Tillery has improved, but maybe he has? Kyle Van Noy will be busy, at least until Murray gets back.

Also Spiller 4th on the tailback depth chart right now, along with 2 other guys I know nothing about. Seems like a very transient ordering.

I am following training camp on a daily basis. Updated final roster projection:

Offense (24):
  • QB (3): Herbert, Daniel, Stick
  • RB (3) : Ekeler, Kelley, Spiller (R)
  • FB (1): Horvath (R)
  • WR (5): Allen, Williams, Palmer, Guyton, Carter
  • TE (3) : Everett, Parham, McKitty
  • OL (9): LT Slater, LG Feiler, C Linsley, RG Johnson (R), RT Pipkins, T Norton, G Jaimes, G-T Salyer (R), C-G Clapp
I wish the team would cut Stick and free up that roster spot. I see no reason to believe another team would claim him, and he could be on the practice squad and available to be activated on any game day if needed. But I don't think they will do it.

I think RB Rountree gets cut because of the challenging decisions on defensive depth -- a lot of players in depth position battles are having great camps, so I think they will use 26 roster spots on defense.

Defense (26):
  • Edge (4): Bosa, Mack, Rumph, Jamal Davis
  • IDL (6): Johnson, Joseph-Day, Tillery, Fox, Fehoko, Ogbonnia (R)
  • ILB (5): Van Noy, Tranquill, Reeder, Niemann, Ogbongbemiga
  • CB (6): Jackson, Samuel, Callahan, Michael Davis, Campbell, Taylor (R)
  • S (5): James, Adderley, Gilman, Woods (R), Layne (R)
Definitely some tough calls here.

Fehoko is having a very strong camp. At this point, it seems like he has to make the final roster and would not make it to the practice squad. So I projected here that Covington would get cut, since Fehoko is more similar to Covington than Tillery or Fox, and the others (Johnson, Joseph-Day, Ogbonnia) are locks. Plus, Tillery is a former first round pick, and it is hard for me to see Telesco cutting him... and Fox is a Staley guy.

I made this projection a bit easier by assuming Murray starts the season on the PUP list. That opens the door for Van Noy to start at ILB and Jamal Davis to make the team. Davis is having a great camp. Frankly, if Murray opens the season on the active roster, I would rather see Davis make it than Ogbongbemiga, but the coaches seems to really like him.

If the team keeps 11 DBs, it essentially comes down to 6 players (CB Campbell, CB Taylor, CB Hall, CB Leonard, S Webb, and S Layne) battling for 3 spots, unless injuries knock any of them out. Originally I expected Webb to make it at safety, but he has been injured, and that has opened the door for Layne, who is playing great. I could see Webb still getting that spot, but I'm not sure Layne makes it to the practice squad and that could be an influence on the decision. At corner, IMO Campbell should get a spot based on his experience last season, and Taylor seems to be playing the best of the others. Taylor also offers versatility, since he can play outside and in the slot.

Special Teams (3):
  • PK (1): Hopkins
  • P (1): Scott
  • LS (1): Harris
No drama here.
 

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