State of the linebacker corps going into 2021 season

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  • Grinners
    Registered Charger Fan
    • Jun 2013
    • 601
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    #13
    This kid is small for a LB but has a nose for the ball.



    Chargers 90-in-90: LB Damon Lloyd



    Another Spring League alumni hopes to make his NFL dreams a reality.

    Born and raised on the east coast, Damon Lloyd was an uber-productive linebacker at John Carrol High School where he was named the state’s Mr. Football as a senior. In back-to-back seasons to end his prep career, he led the state in tackles with 152 and 175, respectively. The two-time defensive captain also helped lead his team to a 12-0 record and a MIAA State Championship in 2015.

    Lloyd’s success did not end there, however.

    As a member of the IUP Red Hawks, Lloyd started three seasons and helped lead his squad to three playoff appearances, including a spot in the national semifinals and a conference title. Following his sophomore and senior seasons, he was named an All-American and earned the honor of being the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year.

    At his pro day, Lloyd ran a 4.62 in the 40, went sub-7.00 in the three-cone drill, and did 21 reps on the bench press.

    After failing to land an opportunity in the NFL, Lloyd signed with the Blues of The Spring League after the team selected them in the league’s annual draft.

    Lloyd and three other Spring League alumni signed with the Chargers on June 18.
    Basic Info


    Height: 6’0
    Weight: 230
    College: University of Indiana, PA
    Experience: 0
    Years with team: 0
    Contract Status


    “Damon Lloyd signed a 3 year, $2,425,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including an average annual salary of $808,333. In 2021, Lloyd will earn a base salary of $660,000, while carrying a cap hit of $660,000.” - Spotrac.com
    The Good


    Lloyd was a productive linebacker at IUP where he was a leader of the defense for the majority of his career. Recording 122 tackles as a senior is nothing to scoff at en route to All-American honors. His natural nose for the ball is likely what piqued the interest of the Chargers and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares throughout the preseason in a fairly shallow position group.
    The Bad


    Like other small-school prospects, Lloyd didn’t have the same opportunities he would have had in a normal, non-pandemic stricken offseason. Due to the lack of time in front of NFL scouts, Lloyd did the best he could by landing in the Spring League where things obviously have worked out up to this point.
    Odds of making the roster/What to expect in 2021?


    Lloyd is at the bottom of the depth chart and I do not expect him to have a viable shot at making the 53-man roster. Crazy things happen all the time in the NFL, but he’d have to beat out Amen Ogbongbemiga and Cole Christiansen to make it happen.





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    • Bearded14YourPleasure
      Fluent in Sarcasm
      • Jun 2013
      • 1776
      • Iowa
      • Man of the People
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      #14
      The nice thing with Staley running the D is it finally feels like all the guys we have drafted will be able to do the things they are good at instead of having to rigidly play a different type of football than what made them successful when we drafted them. This conversation is the perfect example as we just discuss the skill sets of these different LBs and how they are useful in different sets instead of any of the previous ‘Will they be able to make the transition to x role after they spent all off season with the coaching staff telling them to prepare for y role despite the z role they previously played last year or in college’. Really looking forward to this team graduating to chess from Lynn’s checkers.

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      • Formula 21
        The Future is Now
        • Jun 2013
        • 16349
        • Republic of San Diego
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        #15
        I need to see something more from our LBs than what I saw last year. Those were not all-pros running around that I saw.

        Hopefully the scheme allows them to play better.
        Now, if you excuse me, I have some Charger memories to suppress.
        The Wasted Decade is done.
        Build Back Better.

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        • sonorajim
          Registered Charger Fan
          • Jan 2019
          • 5301
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          #16
          Originally posted by Formula 21 View Post
          I need to see something more from our LBs than what I saw last year. Those were not all-pros running around that I saw.

          Hopefully the scheme allows them to play better.
          A lot of things are different. 4-3 to 3-4 base Scheme, new coaches, players. Perryman & Vigil are gone, Tranquill & White are healthy, DBs & Edge players share some responsibilities with the LBs depending on the call.
          I don't know about All-Pro LBs. Pretty sure points allowed will go down and D stops & takeaways go up.

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          • Ghost of Quacksaw
            Beef Before Gazelles
            • May 2021
            • 2785
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            #17
            Lots of recent history of getting our hopes raised-- and then dashed-- with the acquisition of LB prospects.

            Te'o. Attaochu. Perryman. Each was selected in Round 2. The Bolts even gave up additional draft capital, trading up for the first two.

            Neither Te'o nor Attaochu impressed after leaving the Chargers, either. We'll have to see about Perryman, who missed significant time with injuries and was a liability in coverage, but hit like a freight train. Perryman signed with the Carolina Panthers this past offseason.

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            • Topcat
              AKA "Pollcat"
              • Jan 2019
              • 18001
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              #18
              Originally posted by Ghost of Quacksaw View Post
              Lots of recent history of getting our hopes raised-- and then dashed-- with the acquisition of LB prospects.

              Te'o. Attaochu. Perryman. Each was selected in Round 2. The Bolts even gave up additional draft capital, trading up for the first two.

              Neither Te'o nor Attaochu impressed after leaving the Chargers, either. We'll have to see about Perryman, who missed significant time with injuries and was a liability in coverage, but hit like a freight train. Perryman signed with the Carolina Panthers this past offseason.
              Hopefully with the good coaching Staley provides, we'll see Tranq, Nwosu, White and Murray blossom...maybe even Oggie...

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              • Bolt Dude
                Draftnik
                • Oct 2020
                • 2738
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                #19
                Originally posted by sonorajim View Post

                A lot of things are different. 4-3 to 3-4 base Scheme, new coaches, players. Perryman & Vigil are gone, Tranquill & White are healthy, DBs & Edge players share some responsibilities with the LBs depending on the call.
                I don't know about All-Pro LBs. Pretty sure points allowed will go down and D stops & takeaways go up.
                Just having Derwin back is going to make our ILBs look a lot better.
                Our quarterback is a golden god.

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                • powderblueboy
                  Registered Charger Fan
                  • Jul 2017
                  • 9145
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                  #20
                  I'm going to miss not having Kyzir White practice at Will,Mike & Sam/Otto

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                  • DragonIce
                    Registered Charger Fan
                    • Mar 2021
                    • 584
                    • Arizona
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                    #21
                    Originally posted by Velo View Post
                    Pro Football Focus's ranking of the top 32 linebackers has Kenneth Murray at No. 23. But there are several other lists out there don't even include Murray, and no other Chargers linebacker is even on the radar.

                    It seems like the Chargers have not had good linebackers since the days when Merriman and Shaun Philips where on the outside and Randall Godfrey and Donnie Edwards were on the inside. The role of linebacker means different things in a 3-4 compared to a 4-3, so I don't know where to list a player like Melvin Ingram, who played at OLB and DE as a Charger. There have been a plethora of failures in Telesco's time, starting with Manti T'eo, who Telesco raved about after trading up to draft him high in the 2nd round in 2013. They paid Donald Butler, who looked like he might be the next great Chargers inside LB, but after getting his money he ceased to care about being in the NFL. Then there was Perryman, who never lived up his billing after Telesco drafted him in the 2nd round in 2015. For years they've tried to piece together a serviceable LB corps with players like Jatavis Brown, Kyle Emmanuel, Korey Toomer, and every year the LB corps stank.

                    But, I have a feeling this is going to be the season LB becomes a strength again. Drue Tranquill was a 4th round steal in 2019 and I think he's going to prove it in 2021, with Kenneth Murray entering his 2nd season, maybe a Pro Bowl candidate (maybe Tranquill too). Kyzir White is no worse than average (every player can't be a Pro Bowler) in the middle, and I think there is a chance that Nick Niemann bumps White down the depth chart. It looks like the kid out of Okiehoma State, Ogbongbemiga, might be the best of the UDFA crop this year.

                    This is the first season in a long while that I'm bullish on our linebackers.

                    BTW, Drue Tranquill is also an accomplished baseball player. Out of high school he was preparing to play baseball in college with hopes of getting to the majors, but decided to play football instead at the last moment. At Notre Dame, he was a runner-up for the "Academic Heisman," majoring in mechanical engineering. He's a bit like Phil Rivers, deeply religious from his family background, married to his high school sweetheart, already started a family. And he led all LBs in the bench press at the Combine two years ago.
                    Wow. Lot to root for. As a new fan I'm still working my way through the roster. I was hyped about Murray, but I didn't realize what a player and man the Chargers have with Tranquill. Fired up!

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                    • DragonIce
                      Registered Charger Fan
                      • Mar 2021
                      • 584
                      • Arizona
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                      #22
                      Originally posted by Formula 21 View Post
                      I need to see something more from our LBs than what I saw last year. Those were not all-pros running around that I saw.

                      Hopefully the scheme allows them to play better.

                      With these coaches I anticipate we will see gains from numerous angles:
                      -Optimization of player to role
                      -Creation of uncertainty in opposing QBs (QB can't figure out what the hell are they doing, lineman miss who to block)
                      -Treachery and deception
                      -Freeing playmakers

                      Everyone will get a chance to feast

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                      • Velo
                        Ride!
                        • Aug 2019
                        • 11085
                        • Everywhere
                        • Leave the gun, take the cannolis
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                        #23
                        Originally posted by DragonIce View Post

                        Wow. Lot to root for. As a new fan I'm still working my way through the roster. I was hyped about Murray, but I didn't realize what a player and man the Chargers have with Tranquill. Fired up!
                        Tranquill has the tangible attributes to play LB, but what sets him apart IMHO is that he is really smart and focused.

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                        • sonorajim
                          Registered Charger Fan
                          • Jan 2019
                          • 5301
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                          #24
                          Originally posted by Ghost of Quacksaw View Post
                          Lots of recent history of getting our hopes raised-- and then dashed-- with the acquisition of LB prospects.

                          Te'o. Attaochu. Perryman. Each was selected in Round 2. The Bolts even gave up additional draft capital, trading up for the first two.

                          Neither Te'o nor Attaochu impressed after leaving the Chargers, either. We'll have to see about Perryman, who missed significant time with injuries and was a liability in coverage, but hit like a freight train. Perryman signed with the Carolina Panthers this past offseason.
                          I don't subscribe to the theory that if a GM has drafted multiple players at a position that were unimpressive, he can't find a good one.

                          Tranquill's problem was injury. Bright & physically gifted, he played surprisingly well. K9 set a Chargers rookie record for tackles.
                          They ain't too shabby. White - inj's. If they stay healthy, this D will showcase their talent.
                          Perryman missed a lot of games, sucked in coverage, hit like a truck when he met a RB coming through the OL. Limited range. I wish him well.

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