Eric Williams the genius

[Antonio's Gates]

Released a 53 man projection today and had the team carrying 6 corners with Mager getting cut. I laughed.

[Screeme]

Released a 53 man projection today and had the team carrying 6 corners with Mager getting cut. I laughed.

I just saw that and thought the same thing. No way we cut our third round pick...

It was generally a pretty safe roster prediction though. Of course, it will be wrong. There's always a training camp surprise or two. Plus, the competition at WR looks surprisingly fierce. That will be fun to watch.

[Panamamike]

Where did he post it?

[Steve]

http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-chargers/post/_/id/11741/san-diego-chargers-53-man-roster-projection

San Diego Chargers 53-man roster projection
Eric D. Williams, ESPN Staff Writer
The San Diego Chargers open training camp on July 30 at Chargers Park in San Diego, California.

Veteran tight end Antonio Gates likely will begin the regular season on the NFL’s suspended list while serving his four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. That means Gates will not count as part of San Diego’s 53-man roster to start the regular season.

Quarterbacks (2): Philip Rivers, Kellen Clemens (cut: Brad Sorensen, Chase Rettig)


Rookie Melvin Gordon should sit atop the running back depth chart from day one. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Running backs (4): Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, Branden Oliver, Donald Brown (cut: Jahwan Edwards, Dreamius Smith)

Wide receivers (6): Keenan Allen, Malcom Floyd, Stevie Johnson, Jacoby Jones, Dontrelle Inman, Javontee Herndon (cut: Austin Pettis, Torrence Allen, Titus Davis, Tyrell Williams, Demetrius Wilson)

Tight ends (3): Ladarius Green, John Phillips, David Johnson (cut: David Paulson, Kyle Miller, Brian Parker, Eric Frohnapfel)

Tackles (4): King Dunlap, D.J. Fluker, Joe Barksdale, Chris Hairston (cut: Tyreek Burwell, Forrestal Hickman)

Guards (3): Orlando Franklin, Johnnie Troutman, Jeremiah Sirles (cut: Kenny Wiggins, Craig Watts, Michael Huey, Ben Beckwith)

Centers (2): Chris Watt, Trevor Robinson (cut: none)

Defensive tackles (3): Sean Lissemore, Ryan Carrethers, Mitch Unrein (cut: Damion Square)

Defensive ends (4): Corey Liuget, Kendall Reyes, Tenny Palepoi, Ricardo Mathews (cut: Darius Philon, Cameron Botticelli)

Outside linebackers (5): Melvin Ingram, Jeremiah Attaochu, Tourek Williams, Kyle Emanuel, Cordarro Law (cut: Colton Underwood, Brock Hekking, Ryan Mueller)

Inside linebackers (4): Donald Butler, Manti Te’o, Denzel Perryman, Kavell Conner (cut: Chi Chi Ariguzo, Curtis Grant, Nick Dzubnar)

Cornerbacks (6): Brandon Flowers, Jason Verrett, Patrick Robinson, Steve Williams, Richard Crawford, Greg Ducre (cut: Craig Mager, Chris Davis, Lowell Rose, Manuel Asprilla)

Safeties (4): Eric Weddle, Jimmy Wilson, Jahleel Addae, Darrell Stuckey (cut: Adrian Phillips, Gordon Hill, Johnny Lowdermilk)

Specialists (3): Nick Novak, Mike Scifres, Mike Windt (cut: Josh Lambo)

[Formula 21]

[Formula 21]

Mager and Philon cut? I think not. A lot of silence on TE Brian Parker so far, but I think the opportunity is there for him to take a spot from one of the journeyman. And tough competition at wr and cb, TT has put together some adequate depth on the outside.

[Steve]

Several things I disagree with.

1). Not convinced we will keep Brown at RB. I don't think the Chargers have made a decision, but he is going to have to perform in camp. We have a numbers crunch at several spots on O, so I don't think they necessarily carry him. I think his poor performance last year had a lot more to do with being hurt and the poor OL play, but being a high priced FA with a high performing UDFA from last year (Oliver) and a rookie 1st round pick cannot be good unless you excel on ST, and Brown got Scfries hurt by blowing an assignment in punt protection.

2). I do think if anyone shows anything, we carry 4 TE other then John Phillips. Phillips is a FA at the end of the year, and I liked when we signed him, but he hasn't done anything for us, outside of get away with some holding calls at some outside zone plays. If Parker or Paulson can play well on ST and show anything as blockers, then I can see them being carried in place of Phillips, who might get a temporary pass while Gates is suspended.

3). I see Unrein as a DE, not a DT for us. He may take some token snaps there, but he have 2 true DT in Carrethers and Lissemore. And if Carrethers can win the starting spot, Lissemore is likely to get snaps at DE, which is where he played his 1st season with us. And I don't see Palepoi making it, not with a draft pick pushing him (Philon).

4). Richard Crawford and Greg Ducre over Craig Mager? I could see several scenarios playing out in the secondary, especially with Wilson back there, but I don't see Mager being cut in any of them. Wilson can play CB and S, so it gives the coaches flexibility. Another guy on the hotseat has to be Stevie Williams. He did have a decent game vs SF replacing Wright, but he has struggled some and needs to some something at some point.

[6025]

Brown should be cut just for the Scifres injury alone.

[Geezbolt]

I think Herndon is definitely on the bubble as a WR. If Pettis puts his mind to it he has the skills. And if Tyrell Williams shows he can compete at this level it's going to be hard to hide him. It will be interesting to see if Craig Watts can press Sirles for the 3rd guard spot. I agree there is no way Mager will be cut and I think Philon will make the team.

[Steve]

If the Chargers were so high on Palepoi, why would they have drafted Philon in the 1st place? Palepoi has a year of experience, so he is almost certainly going to look better in OTA's relative to the rookies. But that being said, coaches know that the individual tools and where a Palepoi was last year to use as a judge of where Philon is, and be able to judge how they measure up against one another.

[Steve]

Brown should be cut just for the Scifres injury alone.

I don't think you can ever cut guys just for one mistake. What would your workplace look like you fired people for a single mistake. It is not a healthy environment for guys to work if they are scared of their shadow. IN environments like that, players tend to all play tentative, and that cause a lot more mistakes than just being stupid.

That being said, I think Brown has to step it up, because we keep waiting for him to turn it on. I don't have a problem with him getting paid what he is as a backup. Some guys get more and some get less. But he is getting a lot of money and not adding much to the skills and production. He seemed like he was ready to step up when we signed him, because he was coming off such a strong finish to his last season in Indy, especially the playoff game vs KC. But he is back to being like Mathews. Talented RB who just can't seem to put strong series together. I do have an issue with paying him what we are for that. We can pay a rookie almost nothing to get that sort of inconsistency, plus the rookie might eventually develop the skills and work his way through that, which doesn't seem to be the case with Brown.

[6025]

It was one huge, season breaking mistake on top of all the other shortcomings this guy brought to the table.