*** Official Chargers 2023 Thread - Had A VERY Nice Season *** (1 Viewer)

[Despyzer]

My real question is, besides myself, what Charger fans are left? And why?

I'm still here, but I'm barely hanging on. Being a Chargers fan means anticipating disappointment, but this year was a different level. Herbert, Keenan, Mike Williams, Ekeler, Linsley, Slater, Bosa, Mack, Derwin, Asante, then the surprise preseason performances of Tuli and Davis, and a Dicker at kicker to put an end to our endless woes at that position... I expected a lot more than five wins. I thought another playoff disappointment was the cellar. Capturing the division and making a SB push both seemed realistic.

So, why am I hanging on? I guess I feel like I've got too much invested - time, emotions, personality, merchandise - to start over with a different team. I'd be more likely at this point to stop supporting any team at all, or even to stop watching football altogether.

 

[Despyzer]

Here's a couple links for those who are tracking this:

Chargers HC watch
Chargers GM watch

Chargers have also requested interviews with...
Ben Johnson
Aaron Glenn
Steve Wilks
Todd Monken
Dan Quinn
Patrick Graham
Raheem Morris
Brian Callahan
Leslie Frazier

and potential GMs...
Adam Peters
Brandon Brown
Terrance Gray

Do they need to announce interview requests with guys not currently employed by NFL teams (like Harbaugh, Vrabel, and Belichick)?

 

[Tau837]

My real question is, besides myself, what Charger fans are left? And why?

I'm still here, but I'm barely hanging on. Being a Chargers fan means anticipating disappointment, but this year was a different level. Herbert, Keenan, Mike Williams, Ekeler, Linsley, Slater, Bosa, Mack, Derwin, Asante, then the surprise preseason performances of Tuli and Davis, and a Dicker at kicker to put an end to our endless woes at that position... I expected a lot more than five wins. I thought another playoff disappointment was the cellar. Capturing the division and making a SB push both seemed realistic.

So, why am I hanging on? I guess I feel like I've got too much invested - time, emotions, personality, merchandise - to start over with a different team. I'd be more likely at this point to stop supporting any team at all, or even to stop watching football altogether.

This pretty much sums it up for me. I have deep familiarity with the Chargers history and roster. Can't really imagine moving to another team and trying to recreate that.

 

[Tau837]

Here's a couple links for those who are tracking this:

Chargers HC watch
Chargers GM watch

Chargers have also requested interviews with...
Ben Johnson
Aaron Glenn
Steve Wilks
Todd Monken
Dan Quinn
Patrick Graham
Raheem Morris
Brian Callahan
Leslie Frazier

and potential GMs...
Adam Peters
Brandon Brown
Terrance Gray

Do they need to announce interview requests with guys not currently employed by NFL teams (like Harbaugh, Vrabel, and Belichick)?

Head coach tiers for me for those you mentioned here, plus Giff Smith and Kellen Moore, both of whom already interviewed for the job:

• Tier 1 - Harbaugh
• Tier 2 - Vrabel, Johnson
• Tier 3 - Quinn
• Tier 4 - Moore, Monken, Callahan
• Not interested - Glenn, Wilks, Graham, Morris, Frazier, Belichick, Smith

I think there is a good chance Quinn will take the Seattle job, so he may be out of consideration.

There appears to be a lot of smoke around Vrabel taking the New England job, so he may be out of consideration.

I listed Moore in tier 4 just because he is a known to the Chargers, and, importantly, Herbert. I wasn't that impressed with him this year, but hard to tell how much of that was situational, i.e., coming into an existing coaching staff, not being able to select his own offensive assistants, and working under Staley's direction.

 

[Gr00vus]

Here's a couple links for those who are tracking this:

Chargers HC watch
Chargers GM watch

Chargers have also requested interviews with...
Ben Johnson
Aaron Glenn
Steve Wilks
Todd Monken
Dan Quinn
Patrick Graham
Raheem Morris
Brian Callahan
Leslie Frazier

and potential GMs...
Adam Peters
Brandon Brown
Terrance Gray

Do they need to announce interview requests with guys not currently employed by NFL teams (like Harbaugh, Vrabel, and Belichick)?

Head coach tiers for me for those you mentioned here, plus Giff Smith and Kellen Moore, both of whom already interviewed for the job:

• Tier 1 - Harbaugh
• Tier 2 - Vrabel, Johnson
• Tier 3 - Quinn
• Tier 4 - Moore, Monken, Callahan
• Not interested - Glenn, Wilks, Graham, Morris, Frazier, Belichick, Smith

I think there is a good chance Quinn will take the Seattle job, so he may be out of consideration.

There appears to be a lot of smoke around Vrabel taking the New England job, so he may be out of consideration.

I listed Moore in tier 4 just because he is a known to the Chargers, and, importantly, Herbert. I wasn't that impressed with him this year, but hard to tell how much of that was situational, i.e., coming into an existing coaching staff, not being able to select his own offensive assistants, and working under Staley's direction.

I like your coaching tiers. I'm not crazy about Moore, but, as you are, I'm wondering how much he may have been hampered by the regime around him. Still, the Cowboy's offense looks much better without him than it did with him. I don't think he's going to be leading a team to championship level play.

 

[BoltNlava]

My "friend" would like a title change. It was not a nice season. I, uh, he gets sick reading that every time he goes to check the thread.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

sigh....

keep belichick away please..... id take vrabel though

 

[Gr00vus]

My "friend" would like a title change. It was not a nice season. I, uh, he gets sick reading that every time he goes to check the thread.

I've fixed the title. You're welcome.

 

[BoltNlava]

My "friend" would like a title change. It was not a nice season. I, uh, he gets sick reading that every time he goes to check the thread.

I've fixed the title. You're welcome.

Thanks?

 

[Jppaul]

does anyone have insight into the receivers (both WR and TE)? Seems to me with Herbert being a good QB and with the top two receivers from last year's team having had an average of 34/500/2, there is great opportunity... or do you think that Herbert has a bad year?

Is there a TE on LAC that will break the top 10?

 

[Tau837]

does anyone have insight into the receivers (both WR and TE)? Seems to me with Herbert being a good QB and with the top two receivers from last year's team having had an average of 34/500/2, there is great opportunity... or do you think that Herbert has a bad year?

Is there a TE on LAC that will break the top 10?

IMO Herbert will have fewer pass attempts per game than in the past, and the team will go with committees at both WR and TE. I don't think they will have a top 30 fantasy WR or top 20 fantasy TE, unless they have injuries in one of those position groups that forces volume to be condensed to fewer targets.

 

[TheWinz]

Chargers released C Corey Linsley.
Linsley previously said he was “99 percent” sure he would retire this offseason and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted he is “set to retire” when reporting the transaction. The Chargers also restructured his contract earlier this offseason in anticipation of the announcement. Linsley’s retirement should be made official sooner rather than later. The veteran center played for 10 years, the final three of which came in Los Angeles. He earned one Pro Bowl nomination and one First-Team All-Pro nod during his decade of football. The Chargers signed Bradley Bozeman in March as a potential replacement for Linsley.

 

[Jail]

3 Observations: Herbert Excels in Final Week of Bolts OTAs

www.chargers.com

Interesting to see the OL seems to be settling in with Pipkins at RG and Zion on the left side. We know pass blocking was never going to be a strength for him, so guard may be best for him. He never stuck me as having quick enough feet to move around the way guards do, so maybe the plan is to just maul people over on the right side.

I wonder what pff says about his run blocking. I can only seem to find his pass grade because I'm not a subscriber.

 

[Tau837]

3 Observations: Herbert Excels in Final Week of Bolts OTAs

www.chargers.com

Interesting to see the OL seems to be settling in with Pipkins at RG and Zion on the left side. We know pass blocking was never going to be a strength for him, so guard may be best for him. He never stuck me as having quick enough feet to move around the way guards do, so maybe the plan is to just maul people over on the right side.

I wonder what pff says about his run blocking. I can only seem to find his pass grade because I'm not a subscriber.

Last 2 seasons for Pipkins:

• Offense
  • 2023 - 1,116 snaps, 62.8 grade
  • 2022 - 968 snaps, 59.8 grade
• Pass blocking:
  • 2023 - 736 snaps, 67.3 grade
  • 2022 - 635 snaps, 65.4 grade
• Run blocking:
  • 2023 - 379 snaps, 50.3 grade
  • 2022 - 333 snaps, 50.5 grade

Obviously, that was at RT, not RG, and I have to assume that if he ends up starting at RG, it is because Harbaugh and Roman think he is the best option there. If so, that may imply they believe he can play better at that position. Of note, he would end up playing between Bozeman and Alt, and that might help his performance quite a bit.

 

[Tau837]

I posted this today: 2024 Roster Thoughts - Prior to Mandatory Minicamp

On Derius Davis, who I projected to miss the final 53 man roster:

The most controversial player on the list is WR Davis. I could see him making the roster, but the challenge with that is that it seems that would bump either Rice or Johnson to the practice squad. Rice might get signed by another team, so probably Johnson. Johnson is a Michigan man who may be as good or better at being a core special teams player than Davis. Davis would obviously be better at punt returns, and possibly kickoff returns, but Johnson could be a good coverage player and could possibly play on more of the units. This is an interesting one to watch. Certainly, if the team intends to use Davis more on offense, that probably means he makes it. It just seems odd to me that the Chargers purposefully drafted Johnson with their last pick when they could have used it on any priority UDFA at any position when they likely already had a full WR room with Davis.

On salary cap:

This is plenty of cap space to sign (or trade for) some more veteran upgrades. Given that Hortiz and Harbaugh have clearly stated their intent to compete this season, it is surprising they continue to sit on this much cap space. I realize there aren't a lot of great players sitting unsigned today, but there are definitely players available who would help this team. Here is one list at Sharp Football Analysis... I see quite a few players there who would be upgrades. So why wait? Any such players they may ultimately sign are missing valuable preparation time.

 

[Tau837]

Also, new Chargers forum for anyone interested: StormCloud