2022 Official Bolts Draft Superthread

[dmac_bolt]

Well, stupid posts from you certainly are not changing.

Johnson was a key factor in the loss to the Raiders just as I said. He was the player that forced Roberts to fumble, which was an important play in the game. Feel free to disagree. I am comfortable with where I am on that issue.

Further, while the stupid decision to cut Johnson is old news from which our team will have to recover, your analytical approach is just wrong. It is completely irrelevant what Johnson did or does as a WR for other teams. It always was.

What matters is his ability to play well for us when playing with Herbert, something he more than demonstrated in 2020. Our very deep (explosive) passing game did take a step back this year as I said it would without Johnson. What Johnson was for us in 2020 was 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and 3 TDs on just 26 targets.

For those failing to grasp the significance of that level of statistical production, the QB rating when we targeted Johnson in 2020 was 156.7, which was the single highest rating for any QB throwing to any receiver regardless of position (WR, TE, RB) in the entire NFL in that season. I would say that pretty damn well proves how good Johnson could be when working with Herbert.

If you wish to claim that there was no meaningful functional rhythm developed between Herbert and Johnson in the face of that combination being the most efficient together in the entire NFL, you go right ahead. Again, I am very comfortable with my very well supported position on this issue.

I think the act of you referring to me by the username of an apparent former poster and taking weak and unsupportable positions just to act as a troll says a lot more about you than it does me, so, by all means, you carry on....

Are you going back to your well worn hypothesis that Tbilly was the single greatest offensive weapon on the Chargers roster and thereby the singular reason for any offensive production shortfall?

Because I thought your revised thesis was that our big loss in Tbilly was the loss of a great punt coverage gunner who strips all return specialists of the ball for turnovers on every kick. Otherwise, i’d say thats a fluke stat. I had to recheck the box score but alas, he caught zero passes for zero total yards for LV in the game so, no, no evidence they found him to be a super receiving weapon. he did have two kick returns avg 20 yards each - which is respectable but hardly game changing.

We lost the game because OAK had 174 yards rushing while we had 85 and we let them convert ~50% on 3rd down. Tbilly didn’t affect those numbers. And we had 108 yards in penalties … cough … zebras … cough. That one fumble was huge, agree, but it doesn’t prove much about Tbilly imo.

[21&500]

TBilly is scheduled to be an UFA
reunion?

He can play special teams now!

[Parcells]

Would be hard to complain about adding a talent like that, even if we have to wait a bit on him...but we would have to have addressed quite a bit in FA to be able to afford such a luxury pick. We have a very effective WR corp, assuming Williams is back...while I am not saying JW couldn't be a factor next season, he would be more of a pick for the future...whereas we can fix this team up for success right now by adding a defender or olineman...just my feeling.

Now...if Pickett is still around in the second, I might even move up a little to get that guy. I get the salivation over pure speed, but this kids hands are like two gravitational singularities...any football in reach seems to be sucked into his hands for a catch...at least in the games I watched him, mostly in previous seasons.

Oh, I definitely understand the idea that it would seem like a luxury. That said, I think he has elite speed and would pair amazingly with Herbert. But he also seems to be more than just fast. Accounts are that he’s a decent kid and a hard worker. He was actually playing special teams and covering punts. He made a few great open field tackles. I wouldn’t use him for this, I just like the blue collar mentality. Do you think the Bengals regret taking Chase? Even though they could have used help on the O-line.

For us to do this, we will definitely need to be very active in free agency addressing the defense. But honestly, when you’ve got more than 80 million in cap space, use free agency to shore up positions of need and then use the draft to get the best available players because those guys can be cornerstones long term. And just think, imagine JW turns out to be elite. We can move on from KA, and even with paying MW, we still won’t have an expensive WR corps until 2027, and by then we’re probably moving on from MW.

[Guest]

Are you going back to your well worn hypothesis that Tbilly was the single greatest offensive weapon on the Chargers roster and thereby the singular reason for any offensive production shortfall?

Because I thought your revised thesis was that our big loss in Tbilly was the loss of a great punt coverage gunner who strips all return specialists of the ball for turnovers on every kick. Otherwise, i’d say thats a fluke stat. I had to recheck the box score but alas, he caught zero passes for zero total yards for LV in the game so, no, no evidence they found him to be a super receiving weapon. he did have two kick returns avg 20 yards each - which is respectable but hardly game changing.

We lost the game because OAK had 174 yards rushing while we had 85 and we let them convert ~50% on 3rd down. Tbilly didn’t affect those numbers. And we had 108 yards in penalties … cough … zebras … cough. That one fumble was huge, agree, but it doesn’t prove much about Tbilly imo.

Johnson definitely was a key factor in the LV game. He created a turnover that led directly to a TD in a small margin game. Contrary to what QSmokey stated, I never stated that Johnson was "the key factor". I said he was "a key factor" in the loss. Though I hate the result, there can be no doubt that Johnson shoved it up our backsides pretty good by forcing that fumble in that game and further that he was a part of why we are sitting at home now (along with defensive issues, a missed FG, bad 4th down play calling by Lombardi from deep in our own end, et cetera). You cannot truthfully say that he was not a meaningful part of the story.

As for the rest, I challenged QSmokey's analysis. Why would I care about what Johnson did for other teams any more than the Palmer lovers care about what he did at Tennessee under circumstances that also do not resemble working with Herbert? When we know what a player can do and has done with Herbert, that is the best evidence, not evidence that he did not succeed playing for a butt fondling head coach who ended up (contrary to my expectation) being out of his depth in the NFL and with a gifted rookie QB who also struggled in the same bad environment.

FWIW, with greater exposure, such as 75-100 targets, I do not think there is any way that Johnson ends up producing at the same rate as he did in 2020. But this notion that Johnson somehow automatically would have been a nobody for us in 2021 when he absolutely kicked ass in 2020 in limited opportunities (which is beyond all reasonable dispute given the numbers I previously cited) makes no sense to me. I think the guy would have helped us in 2021, especially as it relates to the deep and very deep passing game, which was only so out of whack as to be discussed nationally by pundits as a major problem for us (the offense's version of our run defense made all the more incredible by virtue of us having arguably the game's best deep passer).

Of course, we can never know for sure, but it is crystal clear that Guyton only had two very deep ball receptions instead of the four he had in 2020 and that Johnson did not have his four as he was not on the team. Williams did not make up for the drop off either as he had multiple very deep pass receptions last year as well as this year. That part of the passing attack did take a hit. There can be no doubt about that. Also, when Guyton and Williams were out against HOU, it would have been really useful to have at least one legitimate deep passing attack threat. So not having Johnson hurt us in that game too.

Because of that, I am saying we need three very deep passing game threats at WR. One of the reasons I like Burks is that he is supposed to run sub-4.4, is big (like 6' 3" and 230 pounds), has good hands, is good in the air, and runs very well after the catch, including having one of the better stiff arms I have seen from a WR in some time. I am better than okay if the very deep receiving threat(s) that we add can also do other things. But the problem is that there are multiple team needs and WR is not the position of greatest need or even in the top 3.

[Formula 21]

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Quick 6-Rounder. IMO, this is not the year to be hunting QBs or RBs, this from a guy on his couch in L.A., who watches tape.

Pierre Strong Jr. :44. Kid has hands for executing a RPO post-concept at a very high-level. He's also got a goal-line jump-pass that is stellar.

Rack it.

[Boltjolt]

Ah, some things never change. The unending self-righteousness of the all-knowing Yuba. Releasing T-Billy was not "a key factor" any more than it was "the key factor", or any more than his exit "screwed the explosiveness of our offense". You've been pining the loss of a 2-catch WR since he was let go in TC. Not sure why all the man-love, but you've never made a ton of sense, Yuba. Can alon you to be pompous, however.

This team lost because their defense was, to put it lightly, sub-par. Not because a 2-catch WR was cut.

Carry on...

Agree... Not sure how we managed to score 90 more points this season with suffering a "very deep " passing game.. ...and without TBilly. Mystified by that.

Oh maybe it was MW taking up that slack being tied for 1st in the league with 9, 40+ deep catches.

[beachcomber]

coupla few random takes based on what I've been reading this eve here....

think Araiza would cost us our third rounder, and in my world, I'd do it.... am hoping for a Johnson & Johnson 1-2 punch, w/Faalele as a fallback, and.... if Daniel is off the board round three, then I can rely on forum commentary that assures me that my next coupla choices are day three guys, and so.... willing to surrender our third for a flip the field punter and hellah backup K.

and not on any JW bandwagon as of yet, and.... could his injury situation be similar to Jeffery Simmons ?? he came back much quicker than many peoples thought/expected, and don't think Tennessee regretted for a minute drafting him.... very tempting first round consideration me thinx.

am heavily in the camp of moving Feiler to RT, and then going LG in the draft, as not overly excited about adding another key FA to our Oline group.... maybe a backup, but not a key starter.

also not keen on penciling in Nwosu as the starter, as would like to upgrade that position group @least once and perhaps twice over, and.... not sure I see anyone in FA that grabs me ??

do see plenty DTs in FA, and as mentioned before, think we have enough youth @the position as things stand now.

will also volunteer, again as mentioned before, that eye value pass rush much more so than pass coverage abilities/CB.... also seem to remember that there were many decent SCBs available in FA last year ??

[Boltinloudguy]

I keep reading moving Feiler to RT and I just do not understand why?????? He was really good for us at LG and that’s were he is strongest. Why is it so hard to draft a RT and sign a RG or resign Oday or both.

There are 2 veteran RGs available in Mark Glowinski and James Daniels in free agency and there is good depth at RT in the draft which I think should be taken no later than the 2nd. Why mess with what Slater and Feiler are building on the left???

If they pick up Glowinski or Daniels in free agency and draft Abraham Lucas in the 2nd, they will be set on the right side as well.

or for the sake of it sign RT Morgan Moses and draft Darian Kinnard to play RG. I just wouldn’t mess with the left side. No good reason to do it when you have money and draft capital.

[WindsorUK]

I keep reading moving Feiler to RT and I just do not understand why?????? He was really good for us at LG and that’s were he is strongest. Why is it so hard to draft a RT and sign a RG or resign Oday or both.

There are 2 veteran RGs available in Mark Glowinski and James Daniels in free agency and there is good depth at RT in the draft which I think should be taken no later than the 2nd. Why mess with what Slater and Feiler are building on the left???

If they pick up Glowinski or Daniels in free agency and draft Abraham Lucas in the 2nd, they will be set on the right side as well.

or for the sake of it sign RT Morgan Moses and draft Darian Kinnard to play RG. I just wouldn’t mess with the left side. No good reason to do it when you have money and draft capital.

Most Steeler fans felt Feiler was better at RT than G, so there is that. So saying he's strongest at LG may not be the case?
After watching Norton get run over by Crosby in the seasons deciding game, are we as Charger fans willing to cede the RT position to a rookie, when we have a proven veteran who can step right in?
Slater was GREAT this year, as many had hoped as a top pick. But it's got to be easier finding an LG in the 2nd-4th rounds than it is a T? And with the MASSIVE holes we have on D, we can only hope that whoever is making the decisions on draft day uses our top 3 picks to bring in players that can help that side of the football.

[powderblueboy]

I keep reading moving Feiler to RT and I just do not understand why?????? He was really good for us at LG and that’s were he is strongest. Why is it so hard to draft a RT and sign a RG or resign Oday or both.

There are 2 veteran RGs available in Mark Glowinski and James Daniels in free agency and there is good depth at RT in the draft which I think should be taken no later than the 2nd. Why mess with what Slater and Feiler are building on the left???

If they pick up Glowinski or Daniels in free agency and draft Abraham Lucas in the 2nd, they will be set on the right side as well.

or for the sake of it sign RT Morgan Moses and draft Darian Kinnard to play RG. I just wouldn’t mess with the left side. No good reason to do it when you have money and draft capital.

James Daniels might be a good get, because he can kick over to center in a pinch.
An injury to Linsley derails next season....that's my concern.

[QSmokey]

Are you going back to your well worn hypothesis that Tbilly was the single greatest offensive weapon on the Chargers roster and thereby the singular reason for any offensive production shortfall?

Because I thought your revised thesis was that our big loss in Tbilly was the loss of a great punt coverage gunner who strips all return specialists of the ball for turnovers on every kick. Otherwise, i’d say thats a fluke stat. I had to recheck the box score but alas, he caught zero passes for zero total yards for LV in the game so, no, no evidence they found him to be a super receiving weapon. he did have two kick returns avg 20 yards each - which is respectable but hardly game changing.

We lost the game because OAK had 174 yards rushing while we had 85 and we let them convert ~50% on 3rd down. Tbilly didn’t affect those numbers. And we had 108 yards in penalties … cough … zebras … cough. That one fumble was huge, agree, but it doesn’t prove much about Tbilly imo.

Short answer, no, he isn't. One-trick ponies - particularly the know-it-all-kind, like Yuba - never swerve from their unending crusade to be right. All. The. Time. And they will 'prove' it to you in overly long wind-bag post after overly long wind-bag post.

The fact of the matter is, Johnson didn't FORCE that fumble from from Roberts; he FELL on it. It wasn't a great play; he didn't deliver a big hit; or strip the ball away from Roberts. And he certainly wasn't a "key factor". He just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Had it not been Johnson, whoever the gunner was on that side of the field would have probably made the same play.

It's fun watching Yuba melt down every time he's challenged, however. Such an easy target.

[Boltinloudguy]

Most Steeler fans felt Feiler was better at RT than G, so there is that. So saying he's strongest at LG may not be the case?
After watching Norton get run over by Crosby in the seasons deciding game, are we as Charger fans willing to cede the RT position to a rookie, when we have a proven veteran who can step right in?
Slater was GREAT this year, as many had hoped as a top pick. But it's got to be easier finding an LG in the 2nd-4th rounds than it is a T? And with the MASSIVE holes we have on D, we can only hope that whoever is making the decisions on draft day uses our top 3 picks to bring in players that can help that side of the football.

He might have been better then. This year he had his best year as a G and him and Slater were really good throughout the year. I’m just saying, why mess with a good thing that will get better? If they built the left side last year, why can’t they do it in the right side this year?
A veteran G or T in free agency, and a high pick in the draft.

Trust me, I totally understand that they need to focus mostly on the defensive side of the ball. I would sign Glowinski personally for 2-3 years. Being from one of the better run olines in the league and a bit morw seasoned, could pay dividends to a young rook. That gives them a couple years to stock your D and draft a stud G a couple years down the line if they don’t already have one with Jaimes.

I’m all for going after Morgan Moses and drafting Kinnard. I’m also a fan of Cade Mays. RG, RT flexibility.