2022 Official Bolts Draft Superthread

[Boltjolt]

Henry got a HUGE contract that he would have a hard time justifying in our, or any system. And the reason I say that is it is hard to put up really big numbers as a TE if you are always getting hurt.

I wouldn't have had a problem with the Chargers resigning Henry last season, but it needed to be at a better price point. If you have an injury-prone player, his contract needs to reflect that. Or you just sunk a ton of your salary cap into a player that is not available much of the season.

Cook was a great offseason pickup because we had a very inexperienced TE room, and needed him to fill that void. He looked like a great signing early, but a big part of that is he was cheap. Now, with the other TE all starting to play better, it still works out well. I don't think we will bring Cook back. He looked pretty bad most of last night, even if you recognize the pass on the goalline was out of his reach. But his legs are gone, which is a sign of aging.

But I like the guys at TE and FB, even if Parham is hurt. Parham was flashing true #1 TE stuff. he needed to add consistency, but he was getting better every week. I think Parham, with a little luck and continued development, could turn into one of the better pass-catching TEs in the NFL. Even if he doesn't, he could still be a solid rotational starter with the other TE we have. His injury is a big blow and I hope he can come back (if he wants to).

McKitty player well. He will never be the next Antonio Gates, but I think he is a better version of Virgil Green. He can block, and while he is not a great route runner, if you get him the ball, he has some after-the-catch ability. Stephen Anderson is a similar sort of player. They can run some downfield patterns (mechanically), catch dump off, and you get scheme them open. They need to develop a lot of route running if they will ever be pass-catching TE stuff, but they are good blockers who are positive additions in the passing game and ST.

He had the injury bug with us for sure. Last year he only missed 2 games. He hasn't missed any games this year and only has 35 receptions on 50 targets. Pretty low numbers.

Though last week they only threw 3 passes the entire game.

Last season he had 60 receptions.

[Steve]

The point about Jones is relevant, but he is one of the top 3 or so DT in all of football. And prior to this year, we didn't have players along the OL who could matchup vs even week to week type of matchups. You have to crawl before you can walk, and the whole OL is playing better of late. They just need to prove they can keep it up. Consistency is the bane of all young players.

As far as OT goes, Jones is a 3 tech DT, and while a 3 tech does get blocked by the OT in some plays, it is mostly the OG who had a much easier job last night. Not exclusively, but mostly.

That's the problem with drafting and going for a FA. It pretty much eliminates the competition. If a player is good enough to be used as a starter, then he is going to want to be paid as a starter. Plus, if past seasons are any indication, any guy who can even come close to passing for an NFL starter is going to get a dump truck full of money. The price is going to be steep, and the Spanos clan has a proven track record of forcing the team to play guys who they just paid big money.

It is difficult to let 3 guys fight it out for 1 spot in TC. It can be done, but most positional battles get sorted down to 2 before TC even starts. You want to give them a lot of reps to show what they can do in every situation and with 3 guys there just isn't that shot.

If we sign a FA OT, are they going to let them compete? If you draft a player, he is pretty much guaranteed a roster spot, but can he actually compete with a vet? Certainly, a high pick can, but if they are a high pick, you are back to being forced to start them. And again, even if the coaches will let them will the owners?

Here is a link to the list of guys who are scheduled to be FA. Sort by RT and LT. https://overthecap.com/free-agency/
Remember, half the guys on the list won't even make it to FA as their own teams will sign them to extensions before FA even starts. There may be a few new guys added by the teams who have to cut down to get under the cap.

But 2/3 of the teams in the NFL have a LOT of cap space, so any OL help any of them need, they can afford to pay for.

[Steve]

He had the injury bug with us for sure. Last year he only missed 2 games. He hasn't missed any games this year and only has 35 receptions on 50 targets. Plenty low numbers.

Though last week they only threw 3 passes the entire game.

Last season he had 60 receptions.

They just aren't going to throw the ball much with a rookie QB. Henry is at his best trying to get downfield, which again isn't something NE is going to expose their rookie QB with too much.

The reason they may have gone so heavy for TE, is the shorter throws and better matchups with TE, are easier reads and easier throws for the QB. There is an old saying that a TE is a young QB best friend.

But if we had resigned Henry last year, it would have made it very difficult to have gone after so many OL, and that was the more pressing need last year.

[Steve]

Nice post and I agree with just about everything. The three parts of our current defense that are deficient when compared to last years Rams are DL, nickel, and depth.

The Rams DL was very well suited for Staley’s D. There’s only one Aaron Donald, so unfortunately we can’t replicate his production. Like Derwin, he’s a scheme diverse player who happens to play on the DL instead of the secondary. But their other guys (SJD, Brockers, etc.) were better at controlling gaps than the guys we have, with the exception of Jones. Tillery can play in this scheme, but situationally. He’s a 2nd and 10+ and 3rd and 6+ guy. In other words, obvious passing downs.

Staley needs a nickel who can play the run and get deep if necessary. I know CHJr played under Staley and knows the scheme, but he’s not the player he once was. He’s not as explosive/aggressive, gets burned, and isn’t a great run defender. At this point in his career he gets by on his smarts and savvy, but that can only take him so far. Staley needs a unique player to fill the nickel and he’ll find his guy in FA or the draft.

Depth is the last part and I expect that to start filling out after the season. We’ve got the cap and draft capital working in our favor.

This off-season will be the most pivotal of Telesco’s career, and I hope he has clear lines of communication with coach. My prediction is that Staley hand picks his DL and nickel in FA while Tommy drafts a RT, RB, EDGE, and TE with our first four picks. The remaining selections will be for depth purposes.

The Rams DL thing is more of a smarts and overall experience thing than a physical ability thing. If you look at the Rams DL, they were occupying gaps with smaller, quicker players, which is kind of the opposite of the conventional wisdom. And the players that both Staley and Morris have brought in from outside were bigger, more gap pluggers.

I know what people are saying about Tillery, but he has some very impressive run stops this season. Not many but some. He is overall a poor run defender, but it is not ability, it is just not having the right mentality or outlook or something. When he knows it is coming, and he is focused on his technique, he can be a very good run defender, but something is missing. Can Staley get through to him???????? We will see. He is still very cheap and we won't be able to get a better inside pass rusher for what he is getting paid now, so he is worth keeping for at least 1 more year just as a pass rusher.

Jones might be a very difficult player to bring back. He is a FA, and while he has not played that much this year and didn't play that well the last couple of years, he has played well when he has played this year.

Tyrann Mathieu is the guy I am kinda thinking of as a nickel DB (star position in our D). First, he was a nickel CB early in his career. KC and Hou used him as a sort of hybrid S, but he spends a lot of time in man-to-man and underneath zones. plus, he adds a player who has similar makeup to Derwin James, so he gives us another DB who can cover a really good slot and pass-catching TE. I wouldn't want him right on the line, like when we use Derwin as an OLB type of player, that is not what Mathieu does well. But you line him up 5-7 yards off the ball and let him run to the ball, he can be a good run support guy, which is what Staley's D does. And he has the range and speed to run all over the field, like you point out that Harris is just not able to do anymore. When Derwin is healthy, we would have two of the best combinations of Star and Money players in the NFL, and both can play all over in the base D too. I think he can be had somewhat cheapish, because the NFL doesn't value the nickle-dime DB that much, and that is really what Mathieu is.

[Bolt Dude]

The Rams DL thing is more of a smarts and overall experience thing than a physical ability thing. If you look at the Rams DL, they were occupying gaps with smaller, quicker players, which is kind of the opposite of the conventional wisdom. And the players that both Staley and Morris have brought in from outside were bigger, more gap pluggers.

I know what people are saying about Tillery, but he has some very impressive run stops this season. Not many but some. He is overall a poor run defender, but it is not ability, it is just not having the right mentality or outlook or something. When he knows it is coming, and he is focused on his technique, he can be a very good run defender, but something is missing. Can Staley get through to him???????? We will see. He is still very cheap and we won't be able to get a better inside pass rusher for what he is getting paid now, so he is worth keeping for at least 1 more year just as a pass rusher.

Jones might be a very difficult player to bring back. He is a FA, and while he has not played that much this year and didn't play that well the last couple of years, he has played well when he has played this year.

Tyrann Mathieu is the guy I am kinda thinking of as a nickel DB (star position in our D). First, he was a nickel CB early in his career. KC and Hou used him as a sort of hybrid S, but he spends a lot of time in man-to-man and underneath zones. plus, he adds a player who has similar makeup to Derwin James, so he gives us another DB who can cover a really good slot and pass-catching TE. I wouldn't want him right on the line, like when we use Derwin as an OLB type of player, that is not what Mathieu does well. But you line him up 5-7 yards off the ball and let him run to the ball, he can be a good run support guy, which is what Staley's D does. And he has the range and speed to run all over the field, like you point out that Harris is just not able to do anymore. When Derwin is healthy, we would have two of the best combinations of Star and Money players in the NFL, and both can play all over in the base D too. I think he can be had somewhat cheapish, because the NFL doesn't value the nickle-dime DB that much, and that is really what Mathieu is.

Matthieu is an interesting idea, one I hadn’t considered, but he’ll be 30 next season. I’m wondering how much he’s got in the tank. Do we replace an aging CHJr with another aging player?

For the secondary I’ve been eyeing Darious Williams (for obvious reasons), Donte Jackson, and Levi Wallace—all set to be FAs, all young players. But I think you’re right, bringing in another safety with man cover skills could free up Derwin to play closer to the LOS. Marcus Williams from the Saints might be a younger option with a similar skill set. He’ll be a FA and he’s only 26. Jabril Peppers (26) will be a FA too.

The best guy in the draft for those purposes is Daxton Hill from Michigan. He’s rated as the best nickel coverage guy in the draft, but he’s a sub-4.4 guy and a hybrid safety, kinda like a faster Elijah Molden. He might be available in the 2nd. Using a 1st would be a reach.

[dmac_bolt]

If Davis only plays 1st and 2nd downs + obvious run situations, then he’d have a major positive impact on this team. It’s not just his size, it’s what he can do at his size. They don’t make too many like him.

I’ve seen this board talk themselves out of obviously uniquely talented players that become NFL stars. I’ve also seen this board talk themselves in to great college players with visible flaws that would prevent ever achieving success in NFL that then never do shit again.

I wish i could always tell which was which. This guy was an absolute freak beast all year. Worrying about the weight control of you’re NT - well, shit, how many NTs that have been great in the past does that apply to? Picking the only game they lost as the only tape to review seems like odd scouting to me. Then again, we can go back to the Te’o tape to see a guy that produced a lot in reg games and got absolutely trucked and flattened in the big championship game as the example where the one biggest game tape told it all.

Yes, scouting is hard even if you work hard at it and watch everything. I enjoy reading everything from everyone and trying to synthesize it all by the time of draft day. Thanks everyone

[dmac_bolt]

Telesco focused on OLine last year - this offseason - really has to be the defense. Pipkins playing like he did last night would be a great bonus if you can slide him in at RT. That would help a lot. And that doesn't mean the Oline doesn't need to be hit in the mid Rounds

But defense defense defense. IDL, Edge, CB and more DB help

It’s possible Pipkins won’t ever play RT well, maybe he doesn’t have the same feel for needed movement on the right side he has on left, he did play his college ball on the left side. He’s played alot more RT than LT on the Chargers and played dramatically worse on the right side.

if Pip can simply be a reasonably reliable LT backup, that is fantastic news because there wasn’t one of us left on that board that thought he could be. We’ve got Slater for a decade, if Pip can back him that allows TT to go fix the right side. Stop betting on wounded beluga whales!

[dmac_bolt]

I agree but I sure wish we had a TE like Kelce - the guy's a real stud. When Derwin went out, he took over the game.

Kelce is very good but he’s not Gale Fucking Sayers. It was painful watching DBs who are all faster than him on a treadmill try to tackle him after the catch for 35 yards unsuccessfully. Twice. Bad angles, running into each other, falling down, it was painful because I will again state it - he is NOT Gale Fuckiung Sayers. He’s a goddamn TE.

[dmac_bolt]

They just aren't going to throw the ball much with a rookie QB. Henry is at his best trying to get downfield, which again isn't something NE is going to expose their rookie QB with too much.

The reason they may have gone so heavy for TE, is the shorter throws and better matchups with TE, are easier reads and easier throws for the QB. There is an old saying that a TE is a young QB best friend.

But if we had resigned Henry last year, it would have made it very difficult to have gone after so many OL, and that was the more pressing need last year.

That was one game, they otherwise are not reluctant to throw it. They aren’t running an air attack exactly but they put it up increasingly as their rookie QB grows more confidant. That game, they tried early to lean on the run because of weather and it worked so they just stayed with it. One-off situation (until the next monsoon game, it guess)

[wu-dai clan]

Dax Hill.

[TexanBeerlover]

Kelce is very good but he’s not Gale Fucking Sayers. It was painful watching DBs who are all faster than him on a treadmill try to tackle him after the catch for 35 yards unsuccessfully. Twice. Bad angles, running into each other, falling down, it was painful because I will again state it - he is NOT Gale Fuckiung Sayers. He’s a goddamn TE.

A TE that obviously nobody but Derwin James wants piece of. Everyone else lacks physical presence, toughness. So if Telesco /Staley are going to fix this like they did last offseason with OL, they need to sign at least two Intimidators, Safety and CB then double down via draft. First/Third, however the board falls. That would help tremendously to shore up defense.

[chargeroo]

They just aren't going to throw the ball much with a rookie QB. Henry is at his best trying to get downfield, which again isn't something NE is going to expose their rookie QB with too much.

The reason they may have gone so heavy for TE, is the shorter throws and better matchups with TE, are easier reads and easier throws for the QB. There is an old saying that a TE is a young QB best friend.

But if we had resigned Henry last year, it would have made it very difficult to have gone after so many OL, and that was the more pressing need last year.

Regards the bold above; Not true, we have a lot of $$ left. Some of that could have gone toward keeping HH.