2021 Official Chargers Season Discusssion

[like54ninjas]

I hope it works out, but either way this line is still a work in progress. I like where we are for the upcoming season, but Bulaga is likely gone and Aboushi is a FA. We are going to have to go after OL next year, too, even if things go relatively well in 2021.

I’m sure that is the plan. TT/staff are aware of player contracts.
Oday, Qberry can be resigned next year if the team values them.
I’m sure the team has sights on Pipkins being our ORT/OST. He was a developmental prospect and this is year 3. We’ll see how he does if Bulaga misses any snaps. I’d give Pip a chance to battle for a job inside as well.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

This is why I think the Chargers need to sign a Larry Warford, Austin Reiter (back up C and probably can play OG if need be) or a Dennis Kelly for depth at OT. They could use a bit more experienced depth for the OLine. And I think the number should be 9/10 OL

Do those guys want to come in as backups for backup money? The only starting spot I really see as undecided at this point is RG where I think Jaimes and Aboushi will battle for the starter. Warford would probably win the job there if he was signed but he’s likely going to take up at least half of our remaining cap, and history shows TT likes to keep 5-10 mill available for in-season use if needed. Jaimes, Feiler, and St. Louis all offer inside-outside versatility. St. Louis was actually the one to fill in for Turner at RG early in the season before he also got hurt, and he played decently.

Looking at a starting 5 of Slater-Feiler-Linsley-Aboushi-Bulaga. Pipkins is the swing tackle (yes I know, no one is thrilled about it but that’s what it is right now) Jaimes backs up 4 spots. Qberry is the best backup center we have. That leaves maybe 1 spot left on the active roster? Compared to years past that’s a pretty promising OL room. Could it be improved? Of course! But after the amount of resources already put into that room this off season and the limited cap space left I simply don’t see it. If we make a signing, which I really doubt, I would prefer someone to bolster the DL. You mentioned Wood from the Cowboys, he’s a NT type so I don’t really see the fit.

[Bolt4Knob]

Do those guys want to come in as backups for backup money? The only starting spot I really see as undecided at this point is RG where I think Jaimes and Aboushi will battle for the starter. Warford would probably win the job there if he was signed but he’s likely going to take up at least half of our remaining cap, and history shows TT likes to keep 5-10 mill available for in-season use if needed. Jaimes, Feiler, and St. Louis all offer inside-outside versatility. St. Louis was actually the one to fill in for Turner at RG early in the season before he also got hurt, and he played decently.

Looking at a starting 5 of Slater-Feiler-Linsley-Aboushi-Bulaga. Pipkins is the swing tackle (yes I know, no one is thrilled about it but that’s what it is right now) Jaimes backs up 4 spots. Qberry is the best backup center we have. That leaves maybe 1 spot left on the active roster? Compared to years past that’s a pretty promising OL room. Could it be improved? Of course! But after the amount of resources already put into that room this off season and the limited cap space left I simply don’t see it. If we make a signing, which I really doubt, I would prefer someone to bolster the DL. You mentioned Wood from the Cowboys, he’s a NT type so I don’t really see the fit.

If you are unemployed and somebody offers you $2m -- are you going to listen or wait for $3m? Maybe somebody will wait because they hope a player gets hurt and the price goes up. Like what happened with the guy in Denver and now the available RTs are being discussed with Denver. Thats a fair point but maybe somebody wants to get paid. Maybe I am too early - maybe the "just want to get paid crowd is before training camp

My post about wanting more depth - sure it focuses on the Oline but it also could be Dline, Edge or CB. The team was 3-9, got their arses handed to them by the Patriots, had terrible OLines and Special Teams -- I think more depth is better. And sure - you are right IDL might be a bigger need than OL.

As for the salary cap -- the Chargers have 20.5m of cap space - which is 8th most left - so this limited cap space is not true. If they so choose, Telesco can sign a guy for 2m and you know how much cap space they will have left? About19.3m. Still plenty for the slush fund for the season, plenty for rookies and plenty to roll into 2022

[eaterfan]

With luck, one will become a starter.

In 2021 and 2022 we will have 20 picks barring a trade. I doubt all these picks are making the roster in 2022.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

If you are unemployed and somebody offers you $2m -- are you going to listen or wait for $3m? Maybe somebody will wait because they hope a player gets hurt and the price goes up. Like what happened with the guy in Denver and now the available RTs are being discussed with Denver. Thats a fair point but maybe somebody wants to get paid. Maybe I am too early - maybe the "just want to get paid crowd is before training camp

My post about wanting more depth - sure it focuses on the Oline but it also could be Dline, Edge or CB. The team was 3-9, got their arses handed to them by the Patriots, had terrible OLines and Special Teams -- I think more depth is better. And sure - you are right IDL might be a bigger need than OL.

As for the salary cap -- the Chargers have 20.5m of cap space - which is 8th most left - so this limited cap space is not true. If they so choose, Telesco can sign a guy for 2m and you know how much cap space they will have left? About19.3m. Still plenty for the slush fund for the season, plenty for rookies and plenty to roll into 2022

That 20 mill doesn’t take into account the forthcoming rookie contracts. That will take up about half of that 20 mill, so we are sitting at just over 10 mill, which is usually where TT likes to be come TC. Chargers like to roll salary cap into the next year and to have some for during the season should injuries force a pickup.

Veteran players annually hold out into TC waiting for the inevitable injuries to raise their price. I don’t see Warford taking 2 mill now when Aboushi was worth $1.6 at the start of FA. At this point in the off season if you’re a FA it’s because you either just got cut post draft or because you weren’t offered a contract you think is worth your value. Or you really suck but we aren’t talking about those guys. If teams were willing to pay Lamp and Feeney I guarantee you all the guys you mentioned were offered money, they aren’t on a team because they know injuries will force teams into offering them more than what was on the table before.

[Xenos]

That 20 mill doesn’t take into account the forthcoming rookie contracts. That will take up about half of that 20 mill, so we are sitting at just over 10 mill, which is usually where TT likes to be come TC. Chargers like to roll salary cap into the next year and to have some for during the season should injuries force a pickup.

Veteran players annually hold out into TC waiting for the inevitable injuries to raise their price. I don’t see Warford taking 2 mill now when Aboushi was worth $1.6 at the start of FA. At this point in the off season if you’re a FA it’s because you either just got cut post draft or because you weren’t offered a contract you think is worth your value. Or you really suck but we aren’t talking about those guys. If teams were willing to pay Lamp and Feeney I guarantee you all the guys you mentioned were offered money, they aren’t on a team because they know injuries will force teams into offering them more than what was on the table before.

Popper had it broken down where if you take everything into account (rookies, emergency FAs, etc.) we still have roughly $10 million to spend on FA this year. So I can see another potential FA signing now that the draft is over.

[Bolt4Knob]

That 20 mill doesn’t take into account the forthcoming rookie contracts. That will take up about half of that 20 mill, so we are sitting at just over 10 mill, which is usually where TT likes to be come TC. Chargers like to roll salary cap into the next year and to have some for during the season should injuries force a pickup.

Veteran players annually hold out into TC waiting for the inevitable injuries to raise their price. I don’t see Warford taking 2 mill now when Aboushi was worth $1.6 at the start of FA. At this point in the off season if you’re a FA it’s because you either just got cut post draft or because you weren’t offered a contract you think is worth your value. Or you really suck but we aren’t talking about those guys. If teams were willing to pay Lamp and Feeney I guarantee you all the guys you mentioned were offered money, they aren’t on a team because they know injuries will force teams into offering them more than what was on the table before.

You are wrong about how much the rookies will cost NET to the cap. Rookies wil be <$4m net to the cap. There are players on the roster at the cut off making 780k - so when Slater signs and say his cap hit is $3m, the net to the cap will be $2.2m basically as he will "replace" one of the guys making 78k in the top 51 The draft choices below like the 5th round won't even have cap hits of 780k.

Your last point is fair - players know they can always get the minimum or a bit more. But if they wait for injuries - they might be able to get even more.

[like54ninjas]

In 2021 and 2022 we will have 20 picks barring a trade. I doubt all these picks are making the roster in 2022.

Or we can look to trade some of the late day 3 capital to move up in rounds 5,4,3.

[QSmokey]

Do those guys want to come in as backups for backup money? The only starting spot I really see as undecided at this point is RG where I think Jaimes and Aboushi will battle for the starter. Warford would probably win the job there if he was signed but he’s likely going to take up at least half of our remaining cap, and history shows TT likes to keep 5-10 mill available for in-season use if needed. Jaimes, Feiler, and St. Louis all offer inside-outside versatility. St. Louis was actually the one to fill in for Turner at RG early in the season before he also got hurt, and he played decently.

Looking at a starting 5 of Slater-Feiler-Linsley-Aboushi-Bulaga. Pipkins is the swing tackle (yes I know, no one is thrilled about it but that’s what it is right now) Jaimes backs up 4 spots. Qberry is the best backup center we have. That leaves maybe 1 spot left on the active roster? Compared to years past that’s a pretty promising OL room. Could it be improved? Of course! But after the amount of resources already put into that room this off season and the limited cap space left I simply don’t see it. If we make a signing, which I really doubt, I would prefer someone to bolster the DL. You mentioned Wood from the Cowboys, he’s a NT type so I don’t really see the fit.

Jaimes is a rookie; Aboushi is, really, a journeyman. Either one is probably an upgrade to what we paraded out there last year, but I think Warford is an immediate upgrade to both. That puts Aboushi first in line for depth and Jaimes would have the luxury of being brought along more slowly. So Warford would be coming in as the starter, and would have to be paid as such. But the fact that he's still unsigned gives the Chargers a bit of leverage, IMO. It's not like teams are tripping over themselves itching to sign the guy.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

Jaimes is a rookie; Aboushi is, really, a journeyman. Either one is probably an upgrade to what we paraded out there last year, but I think Warford is an immediate upgrade to both. That puts Aboushi first in line for depth and Jaimes would have the luxury of being brought along more slowly. So Warford would be coming in as the starter, and would have to be paid as such. But the fact that he's still unsigned gives the Chargers a bit of leverage, IMO. It's not like teams are tripping over themselves itching to sign the guy.

Agreed, I said Warford would win the starting job if we brought him in. I think teams were low balling him after the year off and he thought he was worth more. He’ll sign with a team during TC.

[DragonIce]

I’m sure the team has sights on Pipkins being our ORT/OST. He was a developmental prospect and this is year 3. We’ll see how he does if Bulaga misses any snaps. I’d give Pip a chance to battle for a job inside as well.

As a new guy here can you (or someone) break down where Pipkins is falling short?

Just based on PFF scores he had a serviceable first year (63.3), but instead of improving he slid back his second season (54.8)

Lacking physical tools, technique, passion? Is there much more ceiling?

[Maniaque 6]

Do the Chargers really need a guy like Warford ?
I would put my money elsewhere.