2021 Official Chargers Season Discusssion

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Wednesday pressers………

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[Formula 21]

Brees tutoring Herbert? Please, don’t wake me up.

[wu-dai clan]

For those who undervalue Joey...

And he is VERY good vs the run.

Brandon Thorn watches a lot of trench film...his takes are impeccable.

[Formula 21]

More Popper


Chargers minicamp: Details on team’s low vaccination rates, a special visitor and more takeaways from Day 2

By Daniel Popper 2h ago 2
The Los Angeles Chargers wrapped up their two-day mandatory minicamp Wednesday in Costa Mesa. Players are now off until they report to training camp on July 27.

Here are my takeaways.
What’s going on with vaccinations?


The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Chargers are among four NFL teams “not doing as well with their player-vaccination rates,” along with the Colts, Jaguars and Cardinals.

From what I am hearing, this is accurate. And quarterback Justin Herbert all but confirmed it Wednesday by saying only a “small group” of players on the Chargers roster have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Herbert said Wednesday he is vaccinated and included in that group.

The reasons for the decisions vary. The organization, of course, would prefer a higher rate of vaccinations. The league is expected to institute some sort of vaccination threshold that would allow teams to avoid protocols if a certain percentage of their players are vaccinated, similar to what MLB did with its 85 percent threshold. Reaching that threshold — which has not yet been specified — would make life much easier for everyone in the organization.

At the same time, the Chargers are not going to pressure players into getting vaccinated. They have provided players with all the pertinent information and expertise, and it is up to the players to make their own decisions.

“We actually had a talk yesterday,” running back Austin Ekeler said, “and we’re open to the fact that, hey, we are all grown men in this organization, on this team, and we all have our own opinion as far as how we see the vaccination. And so we’re open and we will work through if people are vaccinated or if they’re not.”

As it stands, players who are vaccinated do not have to go through daily testing, while unvaccinated players do. A memo sent to teams Wednesday states unvaccinated players will face restrictions beyond testing, like wearing masks inside the facility, physically distancing inside the facility, quarantining after a high-risk exposure and not being allowed to leave the team hotel for meals.

It is clear the league wants players to get vaccinated, and these protocols are an incentive for them to do so.

There are five weeks before the start of training camp, and I would expect the Chargers vaccination rate to increase by then.

“These things have a way working themselves out the closer you get to competition,” head coach Brandon Staley said. “And I know our players are fully aware of what’s at stake.”
A friendly face


Former Chargers quarterback and Saints legend Drew Brees was at practice Wednesday. He is gearing up for his new role as an NFL analyst for NBC, and the Chargers welcomed him and broadcaster Al Michaels to their facility for a mock production meeting, among other things, to help Brees get acclimated to the TV business.

Brees looked on at practice while chatting with owner Dean Spanos and president of football operations John Spanos. He also sat in on a quarterbacks meeting earlier Wednesday morning and got to chat with Herbert.

“I have actually been really impressed with him,” Brees said of Herbert. “His physical tools are as good as anybody I’ve ever seen.”



Brees has a close relationship with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who spent 13 seasons as the Saints quarterbacks coach before joining the Chargers. Chase Daniel, whom the Chargers signed this offseason, was Brees’ backup for four seasons in New Orleans. And Staley has known Brees since 2009, when he sat in the Saints quarterbacks room for a week while he was still an assistant coach in college.

The Brees-Herbert relationship is worth monitoring. Brees is a master in the offense Lombardi is implementing with the Chargers. He surely has plenty to share with Herbert.

“He’s a guy that I’m going to reach out to continuously,” Herbert said of Brees.
Joey Bosa’s new role


A jovial and refreshed Joey Bosa spoke with reporters Wednesday for the first time since the 2020 season ended.

“I like everything that’s going on here right now,” Bosa said. “Just feels great to be a part of the Chargers. Coaches, players, everything — it just feels like we’re headed in the right direction.”

Bosa’s responsibilities will be slightly different in Brandon Staley’s 3-4 defensive scheme. Bosa is now technically an outside linebacker — though Staley prefers the term “edge rusher.” Bosa is not working with the defensive linemen and DL coach Giff Smith, who was his position coach for the past four years in Gus Bradley’s 4-3 scheme. Instead, he is working with outside linebacker coach Jay Rodgers along with Uchenna Nwosu, Kyler Fackrell, Chris Rumph, Emeke Egbule and Jesse Lemonier.

What does that mean? Well, as Bosa said, his primary job is still to “get the quarterback.” That won’t change. But he is going to be dropping into coverage more. He will be involved in more levels of the field, and the team will be demanding more from him mentally. Bosa said this new challenge has actually revitalized him a bit as he enters his sixth NFL season.

“It’s been tough for me the last couple days,” said Bosa, whose first day on the practice field was Tuesday for the start of mandatory minicamp. “It’s just an adjustment. Like anything, it takes some time getting used to new things. And there’s a lot more to this defense than I’ve ever been a part of before. So it’s something that will take some time, but I’m confident in it, and I’m confident that the coaches will do a great job teaching me.”

Bosa, who has been on the video meetings all spring, said one of key differences in this scheme is the amount of “different looks and misdirections.”

“At the core, it’s getting the best players in the best positions,” he said.

Bosa is coming off back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods. Last season, he was dominant despite battling a series of injuries, including two concussions. He said he is not feeling any lingering effects of those injuries.
Other notes


• Staley said he installed more than 90 percent of his defense this spring. He referred to the remaining tidbits as “designer things” — essentially calls that are niche and will not pop up frequently.

• Staley specifically mentioned Brandon Facyson as a player who impressed this spring. Facyson has been working with the first team at outside corner when Chris Harris moves into the slot.

• Linebacker Kenneth Murray, who had offseason shoulder surgery, did not participate in practice for the second straight day. He expects to be ready for training camp.

• Safety Nasir Adderley was working as a gunner on special teams.

[Formula 21]

Yeah to Facyson, we always need corners. but not happy with Adderly as a gunner.

[like54ninjas]

[Formula 21]

I don’t think Bosa has the quickness or foot speed to drop into coverage. I guess the qb just sees a defender in a zone and looks elsewhere. But if I see him chasing a wr down the field, I won’t be happy.

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[wu-dai clan]

I don’t think Bosa has the quickness or foot speed to drop into coverage. I guess the qb just sees a defender in a zone and looks elsewhere. But if I see him chasing a wr down the field, I won’t be happy.

Nah, that's Tranquill's job.
:lol:



In all seriousness, OLBs cover shallow Zones almost exclusively,
the flats, in the StaleyD.

We got this.
:nod:

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Bradwell is looking thick buff and not out of shape as he was coming in last year.
An F350 Powerstroke this season.

T. Johnson on the post corner looking smooth…