2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Boltnut]

I would be very surprised if they took a WR at 5. Just does not feel like a Harbaugh Hortiz pick. Bowers at 5 seems closer to the type or player they would draft at 5. Not only a need but also one of the BPA. Oline seems like a pick they would do. I also just do not see them going Oline either with Pips contract. I can see them drafting a OT in the mid rounds like OT Roger Rosengarten to compete with Pip. I think they go C before any other Oline unless they sign a C in free agency.

There are very few GM's that would draft a TE @#5. Maybe the Falcons GM or the Vikings GM.
I think the highest the Ravens drafted a TE was Hayden Hurst (#25). And I think they dealt him away 2 years later.
Jim Harbaugh drafted a TE once. He was a bust... and drafted him in front of Travis Kelce.
They don't seem particularly suited to drafting a TE @#5.

[Critty]

Sorry but Jamar Chase as great as he is won't be the reason Bengals ever win Superbowl. When Burrow played Rams and had the opportunity to win game, even with Chase about to break wide open on route.........he could Not get the throw off and they lost because they OL was not good enough to win.
Mahomes SB wins he had better OL play. Didn't even have Hill the most explosive WR in the game. Draft the Ferrari when you have pot holes and crack in the foundation isn't a good way to start the plan. Invest in OL. It helps the entire team. All three phases are helped by OL play. Both Offense and Special team can be more successful and Defense can rest more. And it protects you #1 asset. The franchise QB.
Joe Alt at #5 or trade back for more picks.
And still draft OL with Rd 1.

[DerwinBosa]

Sorry but Jamar Chase as great as he is won't be the reason Bengals ever win Superbowl. When Burrow played Rams and had the opportunity to win game, even with Chase about to break wide open on route.........he could Not get the throw off and they lost because they OL was not good enough to win.
Mahomes SB wins he had better OL play. Didn't even have Hill the most explosive WR in the game. Draft the Ferrari when you have pot holes and crack in the foundation isn't a good way to start the plan. Invest in OL. It helps the entire team. All three phases are helped by OL play. Both Offense and Special team can be more successful and Defense can rest more. And it protects you #1 asset. The franchise QB.
Joe Alt at #5 or trade back for more picks.
And still draft OL with Rd 1.

The Chiefs signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract last offseason to fill their need at right tackle. They let Juju Smith-Schuster, their top wide receiver, go. They also spent big on guard Joe Thuney a couple of years ago, and he was an All-Pro this season. They drafted wisely on center Creed Humphrey, a Second-Team All-Pro in 2022 and two-time Pro Bowler, and guard Trey Smith. Donovan Smith could have been a stopgap at left tackle this season. They may bring him back next year, but that's a spot they should look into.

The Chiefs also had two First-Team All-Pros on defense--defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Their other cornerback, L'Jarius Sneed, was very good and came up huge by forcing that Zay Flowers fumble in the AFC Championship Game. He's about to be a free agent. They also have a very good linebacker in Nick Bolton, whom they're hoping to sign to an extension this offseason. Their defense was ranked second in the NFL in points allowed. The offense was ranked 15th in points scored.

With Brock Bowers on their minds, many on this forum acted like it was all Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce in this Super Bowl run for the Chiefs. Nothing was further from the truth.

[DerwinBosa]

It will be interesting to see who goes earlier between Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. I'm starting to hear more about Odunze challenging Marvin Harrison, Jr. to be the first wide receiver taken. I'll be quite surprised if that happens.

[northerner]

The Chiefs signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract last offseason to fill their need at right tackle. They let Juju Smith-Schuster, their top wide receiver, go. They also spent big on guard Joe Thuney a couple of years ago, and he was an All-Pro this season. They drafted wisely on center Creed Humphrey, a Second-Team All-Pro in 2022 and two-time Pro Bowler, and guard Trey Smith. Donovan Smith could have been a stopgap at left tackle this season. They may bring him back next year, but that's a spot they should look into.

The Chiefs also had two First-Team All-Pros on defense--defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Their other cornerback, L'Jarius Sneed, was very good and came up huge by forcing that Zay Flowers fumble in the AFC Championship Game. He's about to be a free agent. They also have a very good linebacker in Nick Bolton, whom they're hoping to sign to an extension this offseason. Their defense was ranked second in the NFL in points allowed. The offense was ranked 15th in points scored.

With Brock Bowers on their minds, many on this forum acted like it was all Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce in this Super Bowl run for the Chiefs. Nothing was further from the truth.

good points. it is a fine balance between the Oline and weapons.

KC scored 20 points or fewer in 8 games this year (9 if you count the "2nd stringer" week 18 game against the chargers). they lost 6 of those 8 games.

these were not the same old "light'em up" chiefs, and I wonder where would they have been without Kelce? Difference makers help - how many times in recent years did it look like we had the chiefs beat, and then Kelce killed us. Bowers can be lined up all over the place (Deebo Samuel-ish).

I actually favor your argument for shoring up the Oline and Defense (not sure if the 1st round needs to go there though). A good defense can keep you in every game. I am just pointing out that there is a balance - and the chiefs gave up some firepower in their moves.

Alt or Nabers at #5, or the trade back for Bowers/defense? the Harbaugh / Hortiz dream team can figure it out. I am dizzy from making picks.

[Boltnut]

Riot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1-gLnt_5Ps

[Boltnut]

I'm tired of being a finesse team. I want to punch people in the mouth. I want to run it down the Chiefs throat while Patty sits on the bench and watches. Then, on defense... I want to punch people in the mouth again.

[Bolt4Knob]

I'm tired of being a finesse team. I want to punch people in the mouth. I want to run it down the Chiefs throat while Patty sits on the bench and watches. Then, on defense... I want to punch people in the mouth again.

Totally agree

Tired of the bend but don't break defense that might not give up points but allows the team to move the ball and flip field position. Its why I think DT, after OC - is the biggest need on the roster. That doesn't mean I am taking DT or OC with the 5th pick or even in a trade down - just those two areas are of need.

[Boltnut]

Totally agree

Tired of the bend but don't break defense that might not give up points but allows the team to move the ball and flip field position. Its why I think DT, after OC - is the biggest need on the roster. That doesn't mean I am taking DT or OC with the 5th pick or even in a trade down - just those two areas are of need.

Yep! I wouldn't be surprised if they drafted 2 DT's. Tito could be rotated in... but none of the other DT's look like Ravens/Wolverines. Chris Hinton did play for Harbaugh several years ago, though.

[charger1_sj]

Sorry sj, no one is buying that Pipkins is starting material. He might be marginally better than Parham (who is indeed on the team... not a FA)... but there is nothing to suggest that he can be adequate for a Greg Roman blocking scheme.

The better question is... can a 4th round TE adequately fulfill the needs of Greg Roman...? If so, then reserve your 1st round pick for a premium player at a premium position.

The answer is the same. Pipkins started last year. That makes him a starter. More importantly Sayler played well at LOT. If the coaches think Pipkins won't cut it they could move
Sayler to RT. It's up to the coaches not you.

No a 4th round TE will not cut it. The time to get a TE was last year. We missed the boat. Now there is exactly one TE that will help the Chargers His name is Bowers and he's a top
5 talent this year. Whether you like him or not. Again it's up to the Chargers to decide. I am fine with Alt or somebody else. I favor Bowers because in my opinion the O line can be
fixed with the talent we have plus drafting an OG or two and it won't take a 1st rounder. Bowers gives us an offensive weapon which we desperately need. Imagine if Williams is let
go and Allen gets injured. We would be in deep s**t.

[charger1_sj]

Right tackle is a need, whether you want to believe it or not. Joe Alt appears to be a good option for that spot. So does trading down and taking Taliese Fuaga. I couldn't care less that Pipkins started at right tackle last season. He wasn't good. By your logic, Washington shouldn't draft a quarterback second overall because it still has its starting quarterback from last season, Sam Howell, under contract. The Chiefs shouldn't have traded up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017 because they still had Alex Smith under contract. That's ridiculous. If you have a weakness on your team as bad as Pipkins is at right tackle, why wouldn't you look to improve it if there's a talent such as Joe Alt sitting right there for you? It's what the Lions did when they selected Penei Sewell seventh overall in 2021, even though the offseason before they signed Halapoulivaati Vaitai to a five-year contract away from the Eagles so he could be their starting right tackle for the foreseeable future.

No, I wouldn't take a quarterback in this draft, even if we had the first overall pick. If you have a certain position filled with a great talent, you don't use your first-round pick there. We DON'T HAVE THAT at right tackle. NOT EVEN CLOSE. We HAVEN'T HAD THAT at right tackle for 15+ years.

As far as moving Salyer out to right tackle is concerned, it's an option if Harbaugh and Hortiz don't like what they see in the offensive tackle prospects in this draft. Is it the ultimate solution? No.

You admitted you don't watch much college football, and yet you're on here acting like we have to take Bowers fifth overall and there's no reason to draft a right tackle at that spot. Clearly you don't watch a lot of college football because a few weeks ago you said Darnell Washington barely touched the ball when he was a tight end at Georgia, which was totally false. So, what are you basing your opinions on this in draft? What you read from Mel Kiper and websites run by people who haven't and never will work in an NFL front office?

Yes, we don't have a starting tight end at the moment. Am I worried about it? No. If we choose not to draft Bowers, there are still plenty of other options to fill that spot. We filled it with free agents in 2021 and 2022, after Hunter Henry left for New England following the 2020 season. There are other tight end prospects in this draft we could get after the first round, and they could develop into starters. Many teams have accomplished this over the years, including the two most recent Super Bowl participants, and the teams they beat in the conference championship games. I'm sorry, but if your primary reason to take Bowers fifth overall is because we don't have a starting tight end and you think we're fine with Trey Pipkins at right tackle, that's foolish.

I said after Week 1 or 2 this fall that we needed to move on from Ekeler, whom we chose not to re-sign last offseason, after this season was completed. You did snap. You said he was a top priority to re-sign, which made absolutely no sense because we didn't re-sign him last offseason. I didn't have a crystal ball, but I knew well enough that his prime was running out and there was no reason to bring him back after 2023, especially with the way it went last offseason. You seemed pretty panicked there about losing Ekeler, just as you do now with the idea that we won't draft Brock Bowers. It's all right. We'll be fine if Harbaugh and Hortiz choose to go in a different direction in Round 1.

Sorry but you're the one that thinks we have to take a ROT. I don't. I would be happy with Alt or another top 10 guy. Doesn't have to be an OT though.

Washington barely touched the ball at Georgia when Bowers was healthy. He was drafted and did nothing this year. Some here wanted to draft him when there were 3-4 guys better. I

There is no way to watch every fricken college game for every team. Don't act you know everything by watching highlights. I doubt you watched every single game Alt played in.

We had Allen and Williams. No need for a stud TE back then. Williams is an injury issue and maybe gone. Allen is one year older and also misses games due to injury. We
need fire power on offense.

[CivilBolt]

I'm tired of being a finesse team. I want to punch people in the mouth. I want to run it down the Chiefs throat while Patty sits on the bench and watches. Then, on defense... I want to punch people in the mouth again.

Let’s get a quality DT that can collapse the middle so Patty can’t step up then Tuli/opposite DE can punch him in the mouth if he tries to escape