2021 Roster Build

[Leslie Grossman]

I would be thrilled with that rebuild Bolt Dude. Think there is a great chance, Chi, Wash, INDY, or someone else trades up for a QB or someone they really like and think slipped to 13.

[like54ninjas]

BOLT DUDE'S WET DREAM SCENARIO - 1.0

TRADES:
Chargers trade Mike Williams & 2022 1st for Orlando Brown, Jr., BAL
Chargers trade #13 to WFT for #19 + #51

CUTS:
Casey Hayward (-$9.75M)
Trai Turner (-$11.5M)
Chris Harris, Jr. (-$3.75M)

CAP SAVINGS (including MW's $15M):
$40M

TOTAL CAP SPACE:
~ $60M


KEY IN-HOUSE FA SIGNINGS:
Hunter Henry, TE ($11M)
Michael Davis, CB ($6.25M)
Rayshawn Jenkins, FS ($5.5M)
Sam Tevi, OT ($4.5M)
Dan Feeney, OG ($2.5M)

KEY OUTSIDE FA SIGNINGS:
Brandon Scherff, OG ($14M)
William Jackson III, CB ($6.25M)
Corey Lindsley, OC ($10M)


2021 DRAFT:

#19 (from WFT) -- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G/T
*Immediate plug-and-play starter at LG. He will slide to RT and fill the Bulaga vacancy in 2022.

#47 -- Jay Tufele, DT
*6'3, 315 run stuffer/pocket collapser that draws consistent double teams, freeing Bosa to school guards 1-on-1.

#51 (from WFT) -- Joe Tryon, EDGE
*Explosive EDGE defender with decent coverage skills. Plug-and-play QB molester on the other side of Nwosu.

#77 -- Elijah Molden, NB
*Super intelligent, versatile player that Staley will LOVE. Great tackler with inherent leadership qualities. Instant starter/upgrade at nickel.

#97 -- Kenneth Gainwell, RB
*A smooth running, well-rounded, yet explosive RB who's creative in space, but can also can run downhill and catch. He’s got elite field vision. Also thought of Rhamondre Stevenson or Trey Sermon here, but in the end, Gainwell is more complete and has more upside.

#117 -- Quinn "Wook Daddy" Meinerz, G/C
*The football world reached peak Meinerz hype during Senior Bowl practices. But his stock will cool off between now and April. He'll spend 2021 as IOL depth, then replace AVT at LG once AVT moves to RT in 2022.

#156 -- Elerson Smith II, EDGE
*Can't have too many talented edge defenders in a Brandon Staley defense. At 6'6, 262, Elerson Smith has a ton of upside and showed he belongs with the big boys with his strong Senior Bowl performance.

#194 -- Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR
*A somewhat raw prospect whose stock was diminished by poor QB play at Illinois. At 6'2, 220 he runs in the 4.4s and has an unbelievable 47" vertical. Explosive athlete on the perimeter. Excels in the vertical game and is fearless across the middle. Averaged one TD for every 5 receptions at Illinois. He will be looked back on as a total steal in the 6th.

#202 -- Khyiris Tonga, NT
*A mammoth of a man at 6'4, 325. Tonga will be groomed to play NT behind Linval Joseph. He's a raw prospect with lots of upside, but will need time to develop.

#237 -- Jose Borregales, PK
*No more being scared of those 45-55 yarders. Borregales has a monster leg. Let's fix the kicking game for the next decade.


UDFAs:
Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State, WR
Tommy Doyle, Miami (OH), OT
Nanshon Wright, Ore. St., CB
Drew Dalman, Stanford, OC
Deontay Anderson, SS, Houston


PROJECTED 2021 DEPTH CHART:

OFFENSE
QB: Justin Herbert; Easton Stick

RB: Austin Ekler; Kenneth Gainwell (R); Joshua Kelly; Justin Jackson

WR: Keenan Allen; Jalen Guyton; Tyron Johnson; Josh Imatorbhebhe (R); KJ Hill; Joe Reed; Jonathan Adams Jr. (R)

TE: Hunter Henry, Donald Parham, Stephen Anderson

LT: Orlando Brown Jr.; Sam Tevi; Storm Norton

LG: Alijah Vera-Tucker (R); Dan Feeney; Quinn Meinerz (R)

OC: Cory Lindsley; Dan Feeney; Quinn Meinerz (R)

RG: Brandon Scherff; Quinn Meinerz (R)

RT: Brian Bulaga; Alijah Vera-Tucker (R); Storm Norton; Trey Pipkins

DEFENSE
4 TECH: Joey Bosa, Jay Tufele (R), Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones

NT: Linval Joseph; Khyiris Tonga (R)

EDGE: Uchenna Nwosu, Joe Tryon (R), Elerson Smith II (R)

ILB: Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquil, Nick Vigil, Kyzir White

CB: Michael Davis; William Jackson III; Tevaughn Campbell; Nanshon Wright

NICKEL: Elijah Molden (R); Tevaughn Campbell

SS: Derwin James; Alohi Gilman

FS: Rayshawn Jenkins; Nasir Adderley

SPECIAL TEAMS
KICKER: Jose Borregales (R)

PUNTER: Ty Long

KR: Nasir Adderley, Joe Reed

PR: KJ Hill


NOTES:
*The trade with WFT will only be possible if one of the QBs is still on the board at #13. I'm including Mac Jones as one of the elite QBs that teams will covet. The Mac Jones hype will rise steadily between now and April. WFT or some other QB needy team will want to jump in front of New England. We'll be glad to make it happen.

*It hurts to part with a 2022 1st rounder, but Orlando Brown Jr. is worth it. An OL of Brown Jr., AVT, Lindsley, Scherff, and Bulaga is an OL to be proud of. John Spanos could get 4 YPC behind that line.

*It also hurts to deal away Mike Williams, but that cap savings allows for key veteran signings at PON.

*Not too sad about Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. William Jackson III and Elijah Molden will be immediate upgrades and inject some much needed youth into our aging secondary.

*The Trai Turner cut is the most obvious and shouldn't require an explanation, especially when we get Sherff and AVT.

Well thought out BD. While I’m not as big a proponent of OBJR, your assembly of talent is fantastic. We can definitely make some real roster improvements this offseason if we are aggressive, prepared, and have a plan to execute.

[Bolt Dude]

Well thought out BD. While I’m not as big a proponent of OBJR, your assembly of talent is fantastic. We can definitely make some real roster improvements this offseason if we are aggressive, prepared, and have a plan to execute.

Just curious: what are your concerns with OBJR?

[like54ninjas]

Just curious: what are your concerns with OBJR?

He lacks mobility exceptionally with lateral agility. He has trouble climbing to the second level and striking DBs in the open field.
He has played in that run scentric Ravens offense with next to no vertical pass sets/protections.
I am not willing to pay him $20+ million yearly. I don’t see him as having that kind of value. In 2020 he gave up 3 sacks and committed 5 penalties. Tevi gave up 2/committed 4.
Yes Orlando is better at the POA but not much else.

Brown greatest assists are things that can’t be coached though. He is physically huge and possesses outstanding length.

[Boltjolt]

Pick 237? I've seen that before on that Simulator. TDN is wrong on that. We have two sixth round picks not sevenths.

[Bolt Dude]

Pick 237? I've seen that before on that Simulator. TDN is wrong on that. We have two sixth round picks not sevenths.

Tell me what the correct numbers are and I’ll make the necessary edits. The player selection, however, will remain the same.

[Boltjolt]

You can Google an official draft order for every round but I think it is 174 & 181...something like that. Not exactly sure. These Sims arent all in sync with our picks it seems and seem off in later rounds

[wu-dai clan]

You can Google an official draft order for every round but I think it is 174 & 181...something like that. Not exactly sure. These Sims arent all in sync with our picks it seems and seem off in later rounds

Are they allowing for comp picks ?

[Boltnut]

BOLT DUDE'S WET DREAM SCENARIO - 1.0

TRADES:
Chargers trade Mike Williams & 2022 1st for Orlando Brown, Jr., BAL
Chargers trade #13 to WFT for #19 + #51
Love the idea of trading MW for a pick (and getting out from under his contract).
Not in love with trading away a 1st rounder.
I'm an OBJ fan, but he'll want a hefty 2nd contract. Might put us in cap trouble down the line.

CUTS:
Casey Hayward (-$9.75M)
Trai Turner (-$11.5M)
Chris Harris, Jr. (-$3.75M)
I'm back and forth about cutting Hayward/Harris. I think both are overpaid.
I was a fan of Jackson III. Cinci has more cap space than us. I doubt he hits the free market.
Look to Steelers FA CB's... Steelers in cap hell.


KEY IN-HOUSE FA SIGNINGS:
Hunter Henry, TE ($11M) Likey
Michael Davis, CB ($6.25M) Likey
Rayshawn Jenkins, FS ($5.5M) Likey
Sam Tevi, OT ($4.5M) No Likey
Dan Feeney, OG ($2.5M) No Likey

KEY OUTSIDE FA SIGNINGS:
Brandon Scherff, OG ($14M) Washington is flush with cap space
William Jackson III, CB ($6.25M) Bengals flush, too
Corey Lindsley, OC ($10M) My #1 FA target.


2021 DRAFT:

#19 (from WFT) -- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G/T Would he be there @ #19? I like AVT!
*Immediate plug-and-play starter at LG. He will slide to RT and fill the Bulaga vacancy in 2022.

#47 -- Jay Tufele, DT Man... 2nd is awfully high for rotational 4-tech. Kicking Tillery to the curb.
*6'3, 315 run stuffer/pocket collapser that draws consistent double teams, freeing Bosa to school guards 1-on-1.

#51 (from WFT) -- Joe Tryon, EDGE Love him.
*Explosive EDGE defender with decent coverage skills. Plug-and-play QB molester on the other side of Nwosu.

#77 -- Elijah Molden, NB Love him, too.
*Super intelligent, versatile player that Staley will LOVE. Great tackler with inherent leadership qualities. Instant starter/upgrade at nickel.

#97 -- Kenneth Gainwell, RB Love him, three!
*A smooth running, well-rounded, yet explosive RB who's creative in space, but can also can run downhill and catch. He’s got elite field vision. Also thought of Rhamondre Stevenson or Trey Sermon here, but in the end, Gainwell is more complete and has more upside.

#117 -- Quinn "Wook Daddy" Meinerz, G/C My big-boy from Whitewater has risen. Love him, four (?)
*The football world reached peak Meinerz hype during Senior Bowl practices. But his stock will cool off between now and April. He'll spend 2021 as IOL depth, then replace AVT at LG once AVT moves to RT in 2022.

#156 -- Elerson Smith II, EDGE Ellerson looked good at the Senior Bowl... may not be there @ #156.
*Can't have too many talented edge defenders in a Brandon Staley defense. At 6'6, 262, Elerson Smith has a ton of upside and showed he belongs with the big boys with his strong Senior Bowl performance.

6th round A -- Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR Really good value @ 6th round.
*A somewhat raw prospect whose stock was diminished by poor QB play at Illinois. At 6'2, 220 he runs in the 4.4s and has an unbelievable 47" vertical. Explosive athlete on the perimeter. Excels in the vertical game and is fearless across the middle. Averaged one TD for every 5 receptions at Illinois. He will be looked back on as a total steal in the 6th.

6th round B -- Khyiris Tonga, NT Good value... replace Joseph after next year. Smart.
*A mammoth of a man at 6'4, 325. Tonga will be groomed to play NT behind Linval Joseph. He's a raw prospect with lots of upside, but will need time to develop.

7th round -- Jose Borregales, PK I ain't watching kickers! I'll take your word for it.
*No more being scared of those 45-55 yarders. Borregales has a monster leg. Let's fix the kicking game for the next decade.

(Notes in blue)

Great research. We like a lot of the same guys. Our FA signings are a bit different.
Always enjoy reading your thoughts...

[Boltnut]

Whoa Nelly.
You so greedy.
The roster that kills.
Nutty's jealous.

:larry:

Woody, on the other hand....

[Bolt Dude]

(Notes in blue)

Great research. We like a lot of the same guys. Our FA signings are a bit different.
Always enjoy reading your thoughts...

Excellent feedback! As always.
Thanks for that.

So here's my counter response...

Your comments about WJIII and Scherff are right on the money. Their teams are flush. But if we made the cuts I proposed then we'd have ~$60M to play with. As of now, the Bengals and WFT have $45M and $43M, respectively. But you're probably right, WJIII and Scherff will most likely stay put. Austin Blythe and Mike Hilton might be more realistic. Not as exciting, but cheaper and much more attainable.

I'll also agree with ya that if we're going to rebuild/remodel our OL, it might not be the best idea to have Feeney and Tevi hanging around. Not good for the locker room. Yes, these guys are professionals, but no starter from a year ago likes being demoted and/or relegated to the bench, no matter how ineffective they were.

A lot of my plan hinges on AVT being there at #19. But as you pointed out, that's kind of a stretch. There's a very good chance AVT won't get passed the Vikings at #14. Need to think of a decent contingency plan for that.

The one thing I'll push back on is the Jay Tufele pick. Seems like a couple months ago he was a sure-fire first rounder. No clue why he's slipped in mocks lately, but getting him at #47 seems like a steal. I want to give Tillery another chance, but I just don't see him having near the impact that a guy like Tufele could generate, especially in terms of drawing doubles so Bosa can do his thing. In my scenario, Tillery might come off the bench for passing downs or for spot relief, but that's about it. Honestly, I'm kinda over Tillery. Hated the pick on draft day and not much has happened since to change my mind. If I could unload him for a 4th or 5th, I would.

Good call on Elerson Smith, too. He probably won't be available in the 5th. After the Senior Bowl I put a late 3rd round grade on him, so I don't know why I'd think he'd be there in the 5th. I want 2 edge rushers in this draft. Not sure who I'd pick in the 5th. Maybe Malcolm Koonce? But dammit, I like Elerson!

Maybe Meinerz will slip the 5th and Elerson's our 4th rounder? Hard to tell.

[Boltnut]

Yeah, some of the guys in my mock probably won't be there either... but it's nice to dream.

I think you nailed the prediction of Vikings taking AVT @#14. In fact, depending on teams in front of us, ATV may not even be there for us. Panthers, Giants, and 49ers could all be looking for an OT.

Man... the 2nd round cluster is stacked for me: CB Tyson Campbell, RB Javonte Williams, LB Chazz Surratt, OC Creed Humphrey, OT Liam Eichenberg... not to mention the inevitable 1st round tumbler. It would be hard for me to pick Tufele over some of those guys.

I hated the Tillery pick. But it is what it is. I'm hoping Staley can get something out of him. Maybe the move from 3-tech to 4-tech will help. Maybe he'll get more 1-on1's with an OLB on his right shoulder...? We need another 4-tech to give Bosa a breather (gonna be rotating the DL a lot). What do you think of later round sleepers Malik Herring and Ta'Quon Graham...? If you're looking for stouter, double team eating 4-tech... Neil Ferrel Jr. is a late round prospect.