2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[AK47]

All this talk about the Bengals.

We talk about the Ravens and the trenches. They haven’t beaten the Chiefs. They couldn’t score shit on the Chiefs.

The only team to beat the Chiefs three times and in a AFC championship conference championship game are the Bengals. They would’ve beat them in the Burrowhead Conference Championship if Mahomes wasn’t bailed out with a phantom roughing the passer penalty.

You see the Bengals. You know why the Bengals beat the Chiefs they out scored them and the Chiefs had no answers for their skill players Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins. Yeah and that was Sneed.

You better get some skill guys that the Chiefs are going to be thinking about covering.

In the playoffs you'll face better defenses where you'll need a pocket passer otherwise you'll be one dimensional. Long story short put a Burrow or a Herbert on that Ravens squad then you can beat the Chiefs.

The Chiefs are a Lamar-led Ravens team's kryptonite.

[Fouts2herbert]

I know everybody here has become reserved to having crappy players @RT. It's a Chargers tradition. Fortunately, Harbaugh and Hortiz won't settle @RT. It will take a few years for Chargers fans to adjust. But once the playoff wins start rolling in, they'll start to understand the value of the trenches. I doubt anyone will give us anything for Pip. They'll just wait for him to become a free agent and maybe pick him up to compete against other tomato can @RT for depth.

Trust me, I keep hoping he'll take to coaching. There was a glimmer of hope... briefly. But ultimately, he'll have to be replaced if we're really serious about running the ball or protecting Herbie. If they don't replace him in the draft, I'll cross my fingers that the new coaching staff can be successful in resurrecting a flawed player.

Last offseason (before his re-sign) I was hoping Salyer would get a shot @RT and we would move on from Pipkins. Maybe the new coaching staff agrees. It would allow us to focus on getting a starting RG instead of RT (at a better draft slot). Zac Zinter in the 3rd or 4th would sure help.

As far as trade back in the 1st goes... I'd still do it. There would be players available @#11 that are as good as players @#5 IMO. I know everyone is slobbering over Bowers and the WR's... but I see defensive players that would be just as impactful. Everyone somehow forgets how bad our defense was. Our pass defense was #30. Certainly part of that was the scheme and coaching. But do Mack and Bosa even fit Minter's scheme...? And the cupboard is bare @CB. Most NFL teams play nickel as their base. We have 2 of 5 starting DB's (ASJ and Derwin). I would think we need at least 1 more quality CB. Does that CB have to be a 1st rounder...? Not neccessarily... but don't rule it out either.

I am one of the very few posters here that are open to a defensive player @#10 or #11. The extra picks (3rd and 4th) have to be a consideration (which most are coming around to that thinking).

you basically just made my case for me yourself and this is exactly why they don't have the luxury to go OT high in the draft...pipkins is an average player if coached well and I don't disagree that we could do better at RT, but if there is only half of a hole at RT at this time, why turn it into a full blown hole when the team already has too many full blown holes on the roster? You don't get to tell me that I don't appreciate the trenches, year in year out I've been getting ridiculed on here for saying we needed to invest first and second day caliber draft capital to build a wall in front of our QB...

I do agree with you and also believe they'll need to upgrade the position perhaps as soon as the 2025 draft, but I also don't agree with you in thinking that Salyer is the answer at RT...

[Fouts2herbert]

BTW when we played them Pimpkins wasn’t the issue.

the whole line had a bad 2023 but pipkins is getting singled out, even Slater was not himself last year, it's clear that the unit suffered from bad coaching and losing Corey, but let's keep talking shit about Trey because he's been the punching bag for so long...

[dmac_bolt]

you basically just made my case for me yourself and this is exactly why they don't have the luxury to go OT high in the draft...pipkins is an average player if coached well and I don't disagree that we could do better at RT, but if there is only half of a hole at RT at this time, why turn it into a full blown hole when the team already has too many full blown holes on the roster? You don't get to tell me that I don't appreciate the trenches, year in year out I've been getting ridiculed on here for saying we needed to invest first and second day caliber draft capital to build a wall in front of our QB...

I do agree with you and also believe they'll need to upgrade the position perhaps as soon as the 2025 draft, but I also don't agree with you in thinking that Salyer is the answer at RT...

I see a two-gap hole on the interior defensive line and a gaping hole at OC. We don't have one DT that is as good at their positions as Pip is at RT and Clapp, don't start me up. We might fill those holes first or the marginal improvement of drafting an OT at #5 in order to get a better RT won't amount to ...

[dmac_bolt]

the whole line had a bad 2023 but pipkins is getting singled out, even Slater was not himself last year, it's clear that the unit suffered from bad coaching and losing Corey, but let's keep talking shit about Trey because he's been the punching bag for so long...

exactly - he actually was the 2nd best lineman on the team last year.

[eaterfan]

agree..... KC has won 2 SB's without Hill...... BUT they have mahomes and Kelsey..... great TE's have more impact to an offense than great WR's..... they can block, catch and run and they are the first to get open....if there is a great pass rush that saves a QB..... they are a great QB's best friend..... Chargers have zero great TE's on roster..... Everett is a good number 2 TE.... and he has availability issues...... adding an elite TE like Bowers would improve every phase of the offense: blocking, running, and receiving.....along wiith adding Harbaugh type of toughness.....

Cheifs got ball off so quick it protected their iffy OT's..... and of course Reid always has a series of plays reserved for last drive of the haklf and game when they really need to score......and they always make it look easy.... even if they struggled at other times during game.....

Hopefully Chargers add some picks by trading most of our expensive guys and we can sign some mid range FA's at RT, C, RB, DT, S, CB too help whilerookies deverlop.... so Chargers casn select the best impact player at 5...... if this team improves, we will never be drafting top 5 again so we need to take advantage and draft an ELITE player that will bwe here for years...

BALT and NE have done alot of trade downs, but that s because they always pick at bottom of first round where most first round sure fire talents are gone..... the rest are still potentially good players but much more iffy......so trading down imprpves chances fo finding a great player. nif you are picking late in first round....

The offense has been significantly worse without Hill. The defense has improved tremendously due to awesome drafting. The Ravens won 2 Superbowls with Trent Dilfer and Joe Flacco at QB, it's not why they won.

[blueman]

exactly - he actually was the 2nd best lineman on the team last year.

He sucked less than other guys on a sucky Oline? Not high praise.

[Boltnut]

Pipkins will not be a free agent until the 2026 season. So the options are trade, keep or cut. Cut doesn't make sense with the cap situation we are in. Trade if you can, but leaves a spot
open on the O line either as starter or backup. And I know this has already been stated but our OG play was worse than how Pipkins played.

Trading back makes sense. But the CB position is not that great this year, maybe two guys with a 1st round grade. Edge or DL are better prospects.

Pipkins becomes a free agent after we cut him in 2025 (a $6.75m savings on the 2025 cap). Is it a shame that he will count $8.75m against the 2024 cap...? Yes. Will it be a lot of money to pay a non-starter...? Yes. But I told everyone this last off-season that he just wasn't starter material.

I have exponentially more faith in our guards... they have only 2 years of experience and have switched positions in Year 2. If they continue at their terrible pace... rest assure, I will be calling for their replacement at year's end, too. The OL is just too important to accept poor play... Herbie deserves better.

I believe the CB's are better than the "experts" say they are. How can they obsess over a WR that was shut down by a CB... then give no attention to the CB...? Experts love offensive players... and are easily bored watching defenders. They (offense) are fun to read and write about... but lets not forget that the #2 and #3 scoring defenses played in the Super Bowl.

[Topcat]

Hahaha.
I was being a wee bit cynical.
Hortiz will pleez with trade downs.
There is always risk.
NFL teams can mine for serious value.
You and I hope Joe trades down more than once.
I think @ #37 is for sale,
with overnight to think about it all.
But how many times has a team's guy been snagged one pick before they are on the clock ?
This leads to freakouts and over paying trade ups.
Let's keep the fajitas a sizzlin', Cat.

Wow, u almost had me there for a minute, Wood...that's why I thought trading down for a pick, then picking up JCJ at between #8-11 or so would work better...totally depends on how highly rated they have JCJ though...I do agree C is our top PON...

[Topcat]

the whole line had a bad 2023 but pipkins is getting singled out, even Slater was not himself last year, it's clear that the unit suffered from bad coaching and losing Corey, but let's keep talking shit about Trey because he's been the punching bag for so long...

Suppose we draft JCJ to fix the C spot. Do you think Pip will suddenly improve?

[Fouts2herbert]

Suppose we draft JCJ to fix the C spot. Do you think Pip will suddenly improve?

under this new staff, I think everyone on the team is going to improve, and that includes the O-line and the Trey...

[Topcat]

I liked Creed. I had him as Rd1 talent.
There were 9 OL drafted in Rd 2 of the 2021 draft. Creed was the 9th. He has outplayed the other 8. But from my perspective, I am not surprised since I already had him ranked better than those 8 and worth a rd1 pick. We drafted Slater that year at #13. I would have been fine with Creed at #13.

Trade down to #14 with Saints for #45 and 2025 1st and then draft JPJ would be a very good move IMV. As they can get top 45 player which will likely be a top 30 player on their list. And then will have an addition top 18 pick next year as I doubt Saints make playoffs. And depending on how bad the Saints record is...could be a top 10 pick or even top 5.

I could climb onboard this idea...JPJ @#14, then go IDL early round 2...maybe RB with our other 2nd rounder...I'd still like to get some OT depth at some point...maybe mid rounds...