2021 Official Chargers Season Discusssion

[Bolt Dude]

Keep an eye on Hunter Kampmoyer. He is a good blocker and he has good hands, and he has a knack for getting open.

Good call.

Plus, he’s a former DE, so, for STs, his tackling ability should be on-point.

[Xenos]

So McKitty is the only holdout?

[like54ninjas]

So McKitty is the only holdout?

Looks like. I’d expect him to sign today. He definitely can’t afford to miss time.

[Bolt-O]

Jeff Miller :

The Chargers reported to camp Tuesday morning in Costa Mesa, with the team'™s first training camp practice set for 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Over the next three-plus weeks, they will hold 16 open-to-the-public workouts at Jack Hammett Sports Complex and a 17th at SoFi Stadium (on Aug. 8).

Quarterback Justin Herbert returns after a rookie season that began with him on the bench and ended with him on top. He was named the NFL'™s Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Attempting to build on that, Herbert now faces expectations that exploded during and since his record-setting debut.

"I'™m trying not to look into all the things that are going on in social media and stuff like that," he said. "As long as I keep working hard, doing things the right way and never giving up, I think that we'll be in a pretty good position."

After their numbers lagged through training camp, the Chargers now are close to having 90% of their players fully vaccinated or in the process of being fully vaccinated.

Tight end Tre'™ McKitty is the only rookie who remains unsigned after offensive lineman Rashawn Slater signed Tuesday morning. McKitty is expected to sign soon. Players cannot practice until they are under contract.

The Chargers drafted Slater in the first round to be their starting left tackle. They took McKitty in the third round. Considered more of a blocker than receiver, he'™s expected to back up veteran Jared Cook.

[Xenos]

Jeff Miller :

[Xenos]

It’s done!

[Bolt Dude]

It’s done!

Hello McKitty!!

Welcome aboard. Now get to work and prove your draft status.

[Topcat]

Hello McKitty!!

Welcome aboard. Now get to work and prove your draft status.

Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow,
Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow,
Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow,
Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow....

[Xenos]

Popper’s early 53 man projection:

https://theathletic.com/2732154/2021/07/27/chargers-53-man-roster-projection-a-pre-training-camp-look-at-the-biggest-battles/

Training camp is here. Chargers players are reporting to the team facility in Costa Mesa on Tuesday morning. The first practice starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and the jostling for roster spots will begin in earnest.

The Chargers will enter training camp with 86 rostered players, four short of the 90-player maximum. That number will need to be trimmed to 85 by Aug. 17, after the first preseason game. The next round of cuts will need to be completed by Aug. 24, after the second preseason game, when teams can have no more than 70 rostered players.

Final cuts need to happen by Aug. 31, after the third and last preseason game. That is when the initial 53-man roster will be announced.

Who is a contender to make the active roster? Who is in danger of being cut? That is what we will get into below in my first 53-man roster projection of the summer. I will have a second and final 53-man projection after the third preseason game, which will serve as my official prediction for those keeping score at home.

Quarterbacks (3)
Justin Herbert, Chase Daniel, Easton Stick

Who’s out: Nobody, for now …

The Chargers might add a fourth camp-body quarterback either before the first practice or sometime early in camp. But that will not affect the outcome. Daniel and Stick are battling for the backup job. I think Daniel wins it because of his experience and familiarity with the offensive system. In the end, though, I think Stick and Daniel make the initial roster.

Running backs (3)
Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree III

Who’s out: Justin Jackson, Darius Bradwell

For now, I think the Chargers will only keep three running backs, which means either Kelley, Rountree or Jackson will miss the cut. Rountree was hand-picked by the current coaching staff as a sixth-round pick in April. Kelley is just a second-year player and has a ton of potential. Even though Kelley is a holdover from the Anthony Lynn regime, the front office is the same, and he was a fourth-round pick in 2020. As we head into training camp, Jackson seems to be in the most danger. He just has not been able to stay healthy in recent seasons, and as such, he has become somewhat unreliable despite his apparent talent and versatility. This could absolutely change over the course of training camp, and the Chargers could decide to keep four running backs. They have that flexibility with the way the roster is currently constructed. Something to monitor, for sure.

Fullbacks (1)
Gabe Nabers

Who’s out: Nobody

Nabers is the only fullback on the roster. This is his job. He caught two touchdowns last season and showed some functionality in the passing game, especially in the red zone. He also can line up at tight end if called upon.

Wide receivers (5)
Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson

Who’s out: Joe Reed, K.J. Hill, Jason Moore, John Hurst, Michael Bandy, Austin Proehl

The Chargers have a very talented and deep wide receiver room. They could keep six wide receivers, and in that case, Hill and Reed would have a shot to make the 53-man. But if they go with five, I think Guyton and Johnson will claim those spots. Those two players really ascended last season. Reed struggled to carve out a role offensively, and Hill failed to convert a solid training camp into regular-season success.

Tight ends (4)
Jared Cook, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty, Stephen Anderson

Who’s out: Matt Sokol, Hunter Kampmoyer, Matt Seybert

Anderson is the player I am most unsure of out of this group of four. But I keep going back to something coach Brandon Staley said about his tight ends in early April: “It’s a position that if you have a deep room and a versatile room, it creates a big advantage for you schematically.” Cook is the clear No. 1 tight end option in the passing game. McKitty will be the in-line blocker. Parham is a big target who can thrive in the red zone. Anderson provides a slightly different body type and skill set. If Anderson can show some improved blocking in camp and provide some depth on special teams, I think he cracks the roster.

Offensive line (10)
Corey Linsley, Bryan Bulaga, Matt Feiler, Oday Aboushi, Rashawn Slater, Brenden Jaimes, Trey Pipkins, Scott Quessenberry, Storm Norton, Tyree St. Louis

Who’s out: Nathan Gilliam, Kyle Spalding, Darius Harper, Ryan Hunter

I wavered between keeping nine or 10 offensive linemen. But, as they could last season, teams will be allowed to have 48 players active on game days instead of 47 as long as that extra player is an offensive lineman. Because of this, I think the Chargers will try to be as deep in this position group as possible. That 10th offensive lineman is Tyree St. Louis. He has tackle-guard flexibility.

Defensive line (6)
Justin Jones, Linval Joseph, Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington, Cortez Broughton, Breiden Fehoko

Who’s out: Joe Gaziano, Forrest Merrill, Jared Goldwire, Frederick Smith Jr., Willie Yarbary

Jones, Joseph, Tillery and Covington are locks. The final two spots are very much up for grabs. I went with the most experienced players in Broughton and Fehoko. But this is a position battle to keep an eye on.

Outside linebackers (5)
Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu, Chris Rumph II, Kyler Fackrell, Jessie Lemonier

Who’s out: Emeke Egbule

Egbule was a sixth-round pick in 2019 during the Lynn regime. Lemonier was an undrafted free agent last season. Lemonier has shown me more as a pass rusher than Egbule. I think he wins the fifth spot. But they will be jockeying during camp.

Inside linebackers (4)
Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill, Kyzir White, Nick Niemann

Who’s out: Cole Christiansen, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Damon Lloyd

I like the depth of this group, and I do not see my prediction changing during camp. Murray, Tranquill and White are definitely making the 53-man. Niemann was a sixth-round pick in April and will be a major contributor on special teams.

Defensive backs (9)
Derwin James, Nasir Adderley, Chris Harris, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandon Facyson, Ryan Smith, Mark Webb, Alohi Gilman

Who’s out: Tevaughn Campbell, John Brannon, Donte Vaughn, Kemon Hall, Ben DeLuca

James, Adderley, Webb and Gilman are the safeties. Harris, Davis, Samuel, Facyson and Smith are the corners. The Chargers could go with 10 defensive backs. In that case, Campbell would likely earn his way onto the roster because of his inside-outside flexibility and experience.

Specialists (3)
K Tristan Vizcaino, P Ty Long, LS Ryan Langan

Who’s out: K Michael Badgley, K Alex Kessman, P Lachlan Edwards, LS Cole Mazza

I think we will see significant changes to the Chargers’ specialist group. Vizcaino beats out incumbent Badgley and undrafted free agent Kessman for the kicker job. Langan beats out Mazza at long snapper. Those are the real specialist competitions. I do not see Long losing his punter job to Edwards.

[cmplxgal]

Popper’s early 53 man projection:

I'd rather keep Jackson and stash Stick on the practice squad. I also can't believe they won't add another safety.

[Maniaque 6]

If B. Facyson make the 53, it would be a disappointment for me.

[chargeroo]

Unless he gets injured again, Jackson is too good to cut. I think Kelley has something to prove to make this roster. He wasn't impressive last year. What I saw of Roundtree in college makes me think he could be a bust in the NFL