2021 Official Chargers Season Discusssion

[BoltUp InLA]

They are probably more reasons than what I can think of but here are some:

1. You don't have to draft a kicker. There was one (1) kicker drafted this year. You can sign any other kicker out there. Yeah, 6th and 7th rounders are often throw aways, but even a 5% chance they become a solid starter or a 10% chance they become a solid contributor through depth isn't worth a pick when your can sign even the second best kicker as a UDFA.

2. There is a lot of variation between kickers year over year. The Chargers attempted 33 field goals last season, their opponents attempted 32. Each kick is about 3% of the sample size do one or two fluke kicks makes a kicker look good or bad and it's hard to evaluate true talent level. You even pointed out several kickers who were inconsistent or bad with the Chargers who have gone on to have success elsewhere. This shows it's probably not a talent issue.

3. It probably doesn't make a ton of difference. When you combine points one and two, you reach point three. Most guys who will be brought in will be within percentage points of each other and it's such a small sample and field goals are only worth 3 points and extra points are only worth one, so one year it might cost you 12 points or get you 12 points. An extra 2 TDs over a season are just worth more and it's easier to figure out how much of that is luck and how much is talent.

4. Teams are going for it more on 4th down. Field goal attempts are going to go down and further devalue the place kicker.

I'm talking about the difference between the above average kicker to the below average kicker. An upgrade from total crap to the best kicker is good, but unless you are drafting an all time great kicker, there's virtually no difference between kickers. It's just 99% luck. Let's not forget we've seen plenty of drafted kickers bust, so it's not like you are guaranteeing a better kicker by drafting one.

Very well said!! I was in more agreement with Velo, but your counter argument made a lot of sense to me, which explains to a great extent as to why a couple of kickers leave the Chargers only to have much more success elsewhere. Great points!!

[equivocation]

I keep forgetting about Fackrell. He's a lunch pail guy who can take some solid snaps. Still would like another edge but not as bad as I thought.


Lots of young guys on D. Gonna have to wait and see how they do in a modern defense.

[like54ninjas]

I keep forgetting about Fackrell. He's a lunch pail guy who can take some solid snaps. Still would like another edge but not as bad as I thought.


Lots of young guys on D. Gonna have to wait and see how they do in a modern defense.

Fackrell was a 3rd round pick by the Pack.
Our current EDGE group......

Bosa - 1st
Nwosu - 2nd
Fackrell - 3rd
Rumph - 4th
Egbule - 6th
Lemonier -UDFA

An all but one are drafted in this position group.

[PhilaBoltster]

Here's something that puzzles me. Why hasn't Telesco ever drafted a kicker? Given the chronic kicking problems the chargers always seem to have, I would think it would be a priority. Kickers are pretty important and often they lead their team in scoring. Of the nine kickers who had 90+ percent success rate on FGs in 2020, 5 were drafted and 4 were not. The 5 were drafted between the 5th and 7th rounds. The Bengals were the only team to draft a kicker this year: Evan McPherson out of Florida in the 5th #149. Telesco did bring in competition for M. Badger among the UDFAs, Alex Kessman out of Pitt. He's 6-3 and has powerful leg (which M. Badger lacks) but he wasn't that great in college - hitting under 73 percent of his FGs in college. He hit 12/18 from 50+ in four years at Pitt. M. Badger's success rate on long FGs is abysmal (as we all have suffered through). But I don't know if Kessman will beat out M. Badger if he isn't consistent from all distances.

The Bengals draft pick McPherson was 51/60 (.850) on FG attempts in three seasons at Florida and was 149/150 on XPs. I don't know if that makes him the best kicking prospect in the draft this year, but he was the only one drafted. It seems to me that 6th and 7th rounders are often throw-away picks. It seems to me it is worth it to draft a kicker if there are a few on the board that really stand out and seem like a pretty sure thing.

I agree. Jose Borregales out of Miami was highly rated. If he stinks in preseason you can cut him and big deal if you lost a 7th round pick. But he could have been a noticeable upgrade over Badgley.

Kickers win or lose games, and often playoff games. My opinion, they might be the 2nd most important position on the team. They are severely underrated.

[like54ninjas]

Kickers should be discussed on a non football board or go join a soccer board to talk kicking.

[Formula 21]

Here's a sample from the Athletic for those interested in trying them out. They have lots of good articles.


Chargers depth chart: Projected starters, position battles after a productive NFL Draft




By Daniel Popper 5h ago 8




Over the last two months, Chargers GM Tom Telesco has remade his roster while working with Brandon Staley and the new coaching staff.
The bulk of that work came along the offensive line, where the Chargers will have four new starters, including left tackle Rashawn Slater, the first of nine players the organization added in the draft this past weekend. But the additions and subtractions extend to all facets of the roster, as the team implements new schemes on both sides of the ball. Staley will call the defense, and Joe Lombardi, former Saints quarterbacks coach, will lead the offense.
Let’s reset the depth chart.
Quarterback

Starter: Justin Herbert
Depth: Chase Daniel, Easton Stick
Herbert is the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Chargers signed Daniel, an 11-year veteran, in free agency, and he is the odds-on favorite to win the backup job. He has a lot of experience in the Sean Payton Saints offensive system Lombardi will be installing as the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Daniel spent his first three NFL seasons with the Saints from 2010-2012 and returned as Drew Brees’ backup for one season in 2017. At minimum, Daniel will be a valuable resource for Herbert as he learns the new scheme over the next few months. The experience gives him the upper hand over Stick to win the backup job outright. The Chargers like Stick’s athleticism and overall skill set. But missing out on preseason games last year was detrimental to his development. He has attempted only one pass in a game since the 2019 season ended, and Tyrod Taylor was running the scout team in practice for the majority of 2020. The Chargers are saying this will be an open competition, but Daniel’s knowledge of and comfortability in the system will be hard to pass up. Stick will need to show out in the three preseason games this year to make this a genuine competition.
Running back

Starter: Austin Ekeler
Depth: Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley, Darius Bradwell, Larry Rountree III (R)
Ekeler will be the feature back. In his introductory press conference, Lombardi compared Ekeler to Saints running back Alvin Kamara, so expect Ekeler to be used in a versatile role as a runner and pass-catcher. Jackson, Kelley, Rountree and, to a lesser degree, Bradwell will be battling for the two other RB spots on the 53-man roster. Bradwell, a former undrafted free agent, was an Anthony Lynn favorite, so he will have to prove himself to the new coaching staff to really be in the mix. Jackson is an immensely talented back with great vision, shiftiness and hands out of the backfield. He just has not been able to stay healthy. I am still really high on Kelley, whom the Chargers took in the fourth round last year. But the Rountree pick makes his roster spot less secure. This will be a fascinating competition to watch in camp.
Fullback

Starter: Gabe Nabers
Nabers caught two touchdowns last season, both of them in the red zone. And that receiving threat gives him some added value at fullback. He also can line up inline as a tight end if called upon, though he did not line up there in any games in 2020. The Saints kept a fullback on their 53-man roster in each of the past five seasons, for what it is worth.
Wide receiver

Starters: Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton
Depth: Tyron Johnson, Josh Palmer (R), Joe Reed, K.J. Hill, Jason Moore, John Hurst, Eli Stove (R)
I still have Guyton as the leader in the clubhouse for the WR3 spot. He struggles with drops but is nonetheless an explosive deep threat who had a breakout season in 2020 with 28 catches for 511 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went for 70 or more yards. The Chargers are going to be a more matchup-driven team with Staley and Lombardi in charge, cycling through a lot of different personnel packages. So there will be a rotation at that third spot depending on who defenses have on the field. If they want speed, they can go with Guyton or Johnson, two sub-4.4 guys. If they want more physicality, they can go with Palmer, who is a detailed router runner with excellent hands. Reed, Hill, Moore, Hurst and Stove, an undrafted free agent added Saturday, will be battling for what is likely to be one roster spot. Reed, a 2020 fifth-round pick, provides the most versatility out of those players. He was also one of the nation’s best kick returners at Virginia, though that did not show up in his rookie season. Hill is the best route runner in the group.
Tight end

Starter: Jared Cook
Depth: Tre’ McKitty (R), Donald Parham, Stephen Anderson, Matt Sokol, Hunter Kampmoyer (R)
Cook and Parham will be the receiving threats in this group. Hunter Henry walked in free agency, and the Chargers signed Cook to a one-year deal as his replacement. McKitty, whom the Chargers took at No. 97 Friday, will fill primarily an inline blocking role as a rookie. Cook spent the last two seasons with the Saints and Lombardi. While he was there, New Orleans rostered Josh Hill as their inline blocker. Cook lined up inline only 15 percent of the time last season for the Saints, according to PFF. Hill lined up inline 83 percent of the time. They also had rookie Adam Trautman in the mix. He lined up inline 51 percent of the time. Cook, McKitty and Parham should be the group coming out of camp. Kampmoyer is an undrafted free agent from Oregon.
Left tackle

Starter: Rashawn Slater (R)
Depth: Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton, Brenden Jaimes (R)
Slater fell to the Chargers at No. 13 overall and comes in as the starter at left tackle ahead of Pipkins. Jaimes was a three-year starter at left tackle for Nebraska and will be pushing Pipkins for the swing tackle spot.
Left guard

Starter: Matt Feiler
Depth: Jaimes, Tyree St. Louis, Nate Gilliam, Ryan Hunter, Kyle Spalding (R)
Feiler was an outstanding free-agent acquisition for the Chargers. He is a proven NFL starter with tackle flexibility. And they signed him to a reasonable three-year contract. Jaimes will appear often on this depth chart. He was a tackle in college but the Chargers feel like he also can play both guard spots. His physical profile is more in line with guard than tackle at this level, largely because of his shorter arms. Spalding is an undrafted free agent from San Diego State. He was a tackle in college.
Center

Starter: Corey Linsley
Depth: Scott Quessenberry
Linsley was the Chargers’ biggest splash signing in free agency. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2020 with the Packers and will provide the Chargers with a steady and intelligent anchor in the middle of their offensive line. The Chargers struggled to diagnose and handle stunts last year. Linsley will help them in that area. A great center is a force multiplier, and Linsley will make all the players around him better, including Herbert. Quessenberry, a 2018 fifth-round pick, will be Linsley’s backup.
Right guard

Starter: Oday Aboushi
Depth: Jaimes, St. Louis, Gilliam, Hunter, Spalding
This is the only starting offensive line spot not set in stone. I could see Jaimes pushing Aboushi in training camp. With that being said, Aboushi is coming off his best pro season with the Lions last season. He brings a nasty attitude and bruising mentality to the line of scrimmage, and that is a big reason why he appealed to Staley.
Right tackle

Starter: Bryan Bulaga
Depth: Pipkins, Norton, Jaimes, Darius Harper (R)
The Chargers signed Bulaga to a three-year deal last offseason, but he suffered a slew of injuries and played less than 40 percent of the snaps in 2020. Staley said last month that his sports performance team, led by former Broncos trainer Anthony Lomando, will generate an individually tailored plan for Bulaga to help him stay healthy. Staley mentioned what Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth has done at 39 years old as a blueprint of sorts. We will see what that plan looks like for Bulaga. Keeping him healthy is essential. They do have a contingency plan, though. Feiler started at right tackle for the Steelers for two seasons and might be a better right tackle than guard. So he can kick out there if Bulaga goes down. And Jaimes could slide in at left guard. Harper is an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati.
Defensive line

Starters: Justin Jones, Linval Joseph, Jerry Tillery
Reserves: Breiden Fehoko, Cortez Broughton, Joe Gaziano, T.J. Smith, Jared Goldwire (R), Forrest Merrill (R)
I think the Chargers are lacking depth here. They opted not to draft a defensive lineman. Staley said Saturday that he likes the young pieces they have between Broughton (2019 seventh-round pick), Fehoko (2020 UDFA) and Gaziano (2020 UDFA). Fehoko is a nose tackle. Broughton is a more versatile piece and can play nose or 3-4 defensive end. He had some flashes on tape in his first two seasons. Gaziano is a 3-4 end. I would not be surprised if the Chargers add another defensive lineman through free agency. Goldwire is an undrafted free agent from Louisville and provides some interior length at 6-foot-5. Merill, an undrafted free agent from Arkansas State, is a run-stuffing 322-pound nose tackle.
Edge rusher

Starters: Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu
Depth: Kyler Fackrell, Chris Rumph II (R), Jessie Lemonier, Emeke Egbule
Melvin Ingram is gone, and the Chargers will not be re-signing him. That clears the way for Nwosu to play starting snaps for the first season in his career. I think he will benefit from the shift to a 3-4 defense, which should give him more opportunities to rush from wider alignments and use his speed. Nwosu is my defensive breakout candidate. I am fascinated to see how Staley uses Bosa in his scheme. He is generally more comfortable with his hand in the dirt. Staley mixes up his defensive fronts a lot. There will be plenty of snaps in which the Chargers have four down linemen. Still, Bosa likely will be standing up more than he has in the past. Fackrell, a free agent signing, had 10.5 sacks in 2018 and also provides special teams experience. Rumph had stellar production in college, and Staley said Saturday he thinks his new rookie pass rusher has a lot of versatility in where he can line up despite being a little undersized.
Linebacker

Starters: Drue Tranquill, Kenneth Murray
Depth: Kyzir White, Nick Niemann (R), Cole Christiansen, Amen Ogbongbemiga (R)
I liked the depth and talent of this inside linebacker group heading into the draft, and the Chargers added another athletic piece in Niemann, whom they drafted with the first pick of the sixth round. He will help on special teams. Staley will have more talented linebackers with the Chargers than he did with the Rams. Tranquill is coming off a severely broken ankle, but he was great as a rookie. Murray struggled early but really came over the final four games of 2020, especially in diagnosing run-pass. Ogbongbemiga is an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State.
Safety

Starters: Derwin James, Nasir Adderley
Depth: Alohi Gilman, Mark Webb (R), Ben DeLuca (R)
If James can stay healthy, the Chargers have a chance to be an elite defense. But that is no sure thing. James has missed 27 games over the last two years after his All-Pro rookie season. The depth behind James and Adderley is not great. But Webb, whom the Chargers took in the seventh round, is an intriguing prospect. He transitioned to the secondary from wide receiver as a freshman at Georgia and went on to fill primarily a slot role for the Bulldogs. Webb is a bigger defensive back at over 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds. Staley believes he can play anywhere — slot, dimebacker and deep. Gilman is a box safety who did not offer much value as a rookie.
Cornerback

Starters: Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr., Asante Samuel Jr.
Depth: Ryan Smith, Brandon Facyson, Tevaughn Campbell, John Brannon, Donte Vaughn
I listed three starters because the Chargers will have five or more defensive backs on the field 70-80 percent of the time. When they are in base, Davis and Harris will be the cornerbacks. When they go to nickel or dime — nickel is five DBs, dime is six DBs — Harris will move into the slot, and Samuel will come on as the second outside cornerback. The Chargers think Smith, a free agent signing, has some defensive upside. He filled only a special teams role as a gunner for the Bucs.
Kicker

Starter: Michael Badgley
Competition: Tristan Vizcaino, Alex Kessman (R)
Badgley struggled last season and is 7-for-18 on field goals over 45 yards in his career, including 3-for-12 in 2020. They brought in Vizcaino as his primary competition. Vizcaino was in training camp with the Bengals last summer, but he did not make the roster. The Vikings then signed him to their practice squad for three weeks before he joined the 49ers practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in Week 17 while Robbie Gould was out because of COVID protocols. Vizcaino made all three of his field goals and both extra points in that game, including a 47-yarder. The Chargers signed him in early March. It appears this will be a three-man battle after the Chargers added Kessman, an undrafted free agent out of Pitt. Kessman was 12-for-18 on field goals of 50 or more yards in his college career.
Punter

Starter: Ty Long
Competition: Lachlan Edwards
The Chargers signed Edwards to their practice squad last season. But I do not think this is as much of a competition as kicker. Long’s protection was atrocious last season, and that was the primary issue on punts.
Long snapper

Starter: Cole Mazza
Competition: Ryan Langan (R)
Mazza struggled in protection in 2020. Langan, a finalist for the collegiate long snapper of the year award in 2020 while at Georgia Southern, should push Mazza for this roster spot.

[dmac_bolt]

Kickers should be discussed on a non football board or go join a soccer board to talk kicking.

[cmplxgal]

Chargers depth chart: Projected starters, position battles after a productive NFL Draft

Popper agrees with the roster/depth chart I posted Sunday.

[Formula 21]

Bye Bye Money Badger.

[Bolt4Knob]

Bye Bye Money Badger.

The Chargers know what they will get from the Money Badger

Will make a good % under 45 yards unless its a critical time of the game. And that could be in the first half just to get points on the board or to cut the lead from 10 to 7. Just not late in game
Will probably miss anything close to over 50 yards
short kick-offs

[Boltnut]

Now that we've re-built the OL... we no longer need a FG kicker. Just a kickoff guy. TD's only.

[richpjr]

The Chargers know what they will get from the Money Badger

Will make a good % under 45 yards unless its a critical time of the game. And that could be in the first half just to get points on the board or to cut the lead from 10 to 7. Just not late in game
Will probably miss anything close to over 50 yards
short kick-offs

Badgley started off well and got progressively worse as the stench of Stewart engulfed him. Lynn's stubborn loyalty to him probably cost him his job and certainly ruined Badgley. Can a real NFL coach salvage him?