2022 Official Chargers Season Discussion

[Boltnut]

Like I said for years, if a Jerry Rice is there at 17, you got to grab him !

There's only one Jerry Rice.

[Riverwalk]

I get we have a lot of positions of need, but Penning is a no brainer at 17

i don’t care if Jerry Rice II is available with that pick. Our WR corps is set and both them and RB’s will improve if Herbert has more time in the pocket.

[Guest]

I think they showed getting by at RT/RG can be done. The team ranked 5th in points last year with Storm and Schofield.

But, remember the special teams and how the addition of Hopkins and Roberts did much more than any coaching staff ever was able to with the previous available personnel.

Remember Slater and how great he makes the coaching staff look by telling them to get out of his way and stop chipping his guy.

RT and RG are PONs until the current personnel proves it is not. Pipkins resume says he is a back up OT and needs to be upgraded until he proves that isn't true. Competition must be added to compete for the RT and RG starter spots.

All that said. Adding Sauce and locking down the best secondary in football is a defense wins championships Superbowl move to me. And even though RT is a PON, I don't think it's a must get a RT in Rd1 at all cost PON.

As of right now, I don't see any must get PON at #17.
They can draft the BPA on the board. Which is also why I like the going for a premium player move up and draft the Best DB Available.
To me Rd1 is all BDBA whether a move up or staying put.
Gardner, Stingley, McDuffie, Hill is what I wanted added to the defense.

Assuming Sauce plays in the NFL like he did in college, I agree with your logic. The move would make Vato CB4, assuming Samuel plays the slot, which is where I think he should have played all along. That would give us some nice CB depth.

That said, just how high would we have to go to get Sauce and how would we get there? Our first and third would not get that job done. It would probably take this year's and next year's first round picks to get to somewhere between #6-10 overall, which is probably the only way we would get anywhere near Sauce.

And we still do not have two starting caliber ILBs on the roster. I am more than a little nervous about what is happening, or more accurately, not happening with Kyzir White. IMO, he needs to be re-signed ASAP whether or not we draft an ILB.

We also do not have a starting caliber RT or RG (completely agree with your take about Pipkins). And, Tillery still appears to be a starter on the DL, which simply cannot happen as we would be better with an UDFA starting. Our refusal to cut Tillery is a complete mystery. Someday, one of our coaches will figure out that one sack every 3+ games is not worth repeatedly surrendering huge running plays.

There is still some work to be done, but we are getting a lot closer to where we need to be.

[Guest]

Don’t just draft Penning because he’s a need. If he’s the right guy for our team then fine. But I would try to trade down first, or draft an OG and move Feiler to RT before reaching again. We have options even without an RT in FA.

I like trade backs in general, but absent disproportionate consideration (like Pittsburgh giving us their second round pick so they can move up to take Willis), there is no way we should be passing on Penning at #17 assuming he is still on the board. With Penning on the board, waiting for picks at #18 and #19 would be be very uncomfortable. But man, it would be so worth it if we picked up the draft capital and were able to draft Penning.

The free agency options at RT have really dried up at this point.

[Parcells]

I disagree. You have to account for the probability that he has not turned the corner. If Pipkins has turned the corner, then great, we have our swing tackle. But what we should never do is to assume that Pipkins has it covered and then have nobody to start at RT without disrupting LG.

We definitely need to draft a RT this year just like we had to draft a QB in 2004 after three years of Brees generally sucking. We need to avoid overthinking this. We need to avoid upsetting the top level performing middle/left side of our OL. That part is not broken, so we need not to tinker with it. The Slater-Feiler-Linsley combination worked very well together, so let's not get cute and screw it up here.

So what do we do when Penning is gone at 17? Because there aren’t any other tackles that remotely justify a first round pick.

[blueman]

Panic. The usual.

[Xenos]

How do you know that Feiler will work as RT?

I spoke with Steelers diehard last year who said he is not this good as a tackle but a steal as IOL.

Please share with us why do you want to break left side of just repaired line in order to one big "?".

I rather not break the left side of the OL. But Feiler’s ability to play both gives us option in the draft especially considering that there’s really no good RT FA left that’s an upgrade over him. If Penning is the guy at 17, then fine. But if he’s not, then don’t just pick him because of a need. That’s how we ended up with Fluker.

[equivocation]

The player that Penning comps to in last year's draft is Leatherwood. Great athletic measurables but plodding in his pass set.

The difference is that Leatherwood had 4 years of Alabama coaching, where Penning has had much less opportunity. So you'rr betting on that development.

[equivocation]

Preemptive counter to "LOL Leatherwood is not a great athlete."

[Guest]

The player that Penning comps to in last year's draft is Leatherwood. Great athletic measurables but plodding in his pass set.

The difference is that Leatherwood had 4 years of Alabama coaching, where Penning has had much less opportunity. So you'rr betting on that development.

I have seen zero similarity between Leatherwood and Penning. Virtually all pundits had Leatherwood as a second or third round prospect. Virtually all pundits have Penning as a first round prospect. Penning is bigger, longer, faster, moves better and is more powerful. Penning's RAS is higher than Leatherwood's and the highest for OTs in the draft class.

I think Penning is like a more powerful Taylor Lewan.

[Guest]

So what do we do when Penning is gone at 17? Because there aren’t any other tackles that remotely justify a first round pick.

Then, we may have to consider drafting Zion Johnson and moving Feiler to RT. I do not favor that approach as I do not think it gives us the best group of 5, but it is a fall back possibility. I also do not like the value of Johnson at #17. I think most of us do not like the idea of either Norton or Pipkins starting at RT for us this year, so Feiler or free agent would be the only way to avoid that, assuming a third round or later RT is not going to start for us on day 1. And the free agent RT pool is pretty much dried up at this point.

If Penning is gone, I would be hopeful for a potential trade back to late round 1. Obviously, though, we would need a trading partner to make that happen, which may or may not be available.

The other possibility, of course, is just to bypass OL altogether and take the BPA at a position of need.

[equivocation]

I have seen zero similarity between Leatherwood and Penning. Virtually all pundits had Leatherwood as a second or third round prospect. Virtually all pundits have Penning as a first round prospect. Penning is bigger, longer, faster, moves better and is more powerful. Penning's RAS is higher than Leatherwood's and the highest for OTs in the draft class.

I think Penning is like a more powerful Taylor Lewan.

Is it only preemptive arguments that don't work on you, or is it all arguments?

Anyway, as I JUST POSTED, Penning's RAS is 0.10 higher, his arms are 1/8" longer, and he's 2" taller, which actually works against him because of his bend issues. Leatherwood has a thicker build, especially in the lower half.

The comparison is "guys who are more athletic in the underwear olympics than on the football field." Specifically, they both have plodding pass sets despite their scores. And wide hands.

I don't give a flying fuck what the pundits say about guys I've scouted myself. I had a 3rd round grade on Leatherwood due to above. I have a 2nd round grade on Penning as he's had less coaching and is more likely to improve.

At least one franchise thought Leatherwood was a top 17 pick. Probably looked at his RAS instead of his film.

Aside, but Leatherwood is also working with Manyweather this off season so he may improve.