POLL: Will TT Pick Up Tillery's 5th Year Option?

[Velo]

It doesn't mean they don't want Tillery...it's just that they're not going to guarantee him almost top dollar for average performance. No one's signing him for $14 mil no matter what so why guarantee him $11 mil when there is zero risk other than him just walking out of spite. Plenty of very good players can be had for $11 mil anywhere in the NFL.

:hello:

This. It's the guaranteed salary Tillery would be entitled to if his option gets picked up that forces Telesco, IMO, not to pick it up.

[Fouts2herbert]

At this point I’d be very very surprised if they pick up his option. I voted no…

[Bolt4Knob]

If Telesco picks up the option, Tillery's salary for 2022 & 23 become guaranteed, so cutting him would not be an option. Spending that kind of guaranteed money on a depth option is not an option IMO, you don't want to spend that kind of money for depth. That is why I say Telesco won't pick up the option and Tillery will have to earn a 2nd contract based on his play this season.

Is there an option for "Awww Hell Effing No" as that is what I choose

And Velo is right - new rules with picking up the 5th year option has the salary guaranteed. Mike Williams class was the last year you could pick up the option and still waive without penalty

The Chargers cannot risk 11m of cap space today on Tillery. If he has a great year, cross that bridge next year.

[cmplxgal]

It would be incomprehensible if they picked up the option, since the option pick-up guarantees both the fourth and fifth year salary. Without it, he becomes a free agent, but the Chargers could still re-sign him.

Here's an option pickup tracker from the NFL:

https://www.nfl.com/news/fifth-year-...2019-nfl-draft

[Velo]

Here's kind of my take on the situation, giving it some thought.

Telesco at his heart is a softy, a really nice guy who views the team as family. He genuinely likes Tillery and thinks of him as part of the Bolt family. It would weigh on his conscience if he does not pick up the option, even though Telesco knows Tillery just has not played well enough to earn it. Tillery probably works hard and is generally well-liked and respected, and that makes it harder for Telesco to do the right thing.

Staley, on the other hand, while he is also a really good guy, I think is more ruthless than Telesco and is able to better separate his personal feelings and reality, and has told Telesco he doesn't think picking up the option on Tillery is in the team's best interest.

They have moved on from every starter on the front 7 whose contract had expired: Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyzir White. They are purging the defense of anybody they can who was responsible for run defense last season, and have brought in new people: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kahlil Mack. I just can't see them paying a big chunk of guaranteed money to Tillery, it would be illogical IMO in light of what they are trying to accomplish.

[Velo]

I just want to add, that Tillery has not been a complete bust. There are some good things about his game. As has been noted by posters here, he has been the best pass rusher among IOL players, he did have 4.5 sacks last season. But he's just too much of a liability against the run, and that is his downfall as a player.

[equivocation]

His '22 salary is largely guaranteed already.

We can't afford that cap number in '23.

[Topcat]

Here's kind of my take on the situation, giving it some thought.

Telesco at his heart is a softy, a really nice guy who views the team as family. He genuinely likes Tillery and thinks of him as part of the Bolt family. It would weigh on his conscience if he does not pick up the option, even though Telesco knows Tillery just has not played well enough to earn it. Tillery probably works hard and is generally well-liked and respected, and that makes it harder for Telesco to do the right thing.

Staley, on the other hand, while he is also a really good guy, I think is more ruthless than Telesco and is able to better separate his personal feelings and reality, and has told Telesco he doesn't think picking up the option on Tillery is in the team's best interest.

They have moved on from every starter on the front 7 whose contract had expired: Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyzir White. They are purging the defense of anybody they can who was responsible for run defense last season, and have brought in new people: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kahlil Mack. I just can't see them paying a big chunk of guaranteed money to Tillery, it would be illogical IMO in light of what they are trying to accomplish.

^ This. Apparently, Staley is able to balance out and counteract some of TT's weak points...and apparently to really push him to sign some solid FA's this off-season...this is the most FA signing activity (for actual DECENT FA's) I can remember since Telesco became our GM...Hopefully, Staley and Staff are also able to continue their influence over TT in the draft...(starting with NOT drafting mediocre Golden Domers and JAG RB's like Kelley and Rountree)...

[ChargersPowderBlue]

Tillery has competition this year at IDL.
Depending of the draft, his situation could be even worse.

He's a first round pick. They can't just make him take a backseat. If the team picks a DT at 17, then that could shake things up. Consider this also; which of the other players on the IDL group rushes the passer or gets to the QB better than Tillery? None of them are better than him when it comes to that.

Covington isn't a guarantee to make the roster. Fehoko, Gaziano, and Merrill have to prove themselves again.

I'm not all that happy with Tillery's play, but I voted yes, because with those key D-line FA signings lately, he's now a depth piece who may do better this year in a lighter rotation...he will at least help keep our D-line fresher than what we've seen...how many times did our D look gassed in the 4th quarter? If the Bolts can find a depth upgrade over Tillery, fine, cut him...if not, we may need him for depth...warts and all...

CBs and safeties can play 100%, all snaps on defense. The LBs depending on who. The D-linemen are the ones who get worn down.

Staley needs to learn to rotate the IDL and edge players better, and not overwork the guys up front. Him not putting that much emphasis on the interior linemen was another fault. I wish Staley catches on and learn what coaches on other teams do who know how to work the rotation of DL and edge players.

They are purging the defense of anybody they can who was responsible for run defense last season, and have brought in new people: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kahlil Mack.

The defense wasn't just bad because of the poor run defense. Another weakness was not enough pass rushers aside from a couple of guys. This has been shown and proven time and time again. Who knows if Joey Bosa can play 17 games. Bosa's injuries are a concern, and we've seen how bad the team is without him. They don't have much pass rush on the interior aside from Tillery. This has been troublesome for a long time now; not having enough pass rush on the IDL. If the team doesn't address this issue they will continue to have this hindering the defense's full potential.

[Chargerfreak]

Here's kind of my take on the situation, giving it some thought.

Telesco at his heart is a softy, a really nice guy who views the team as family. He genuinely likes Tillery and thinks of him as part of the Bolt family. It would weigh on his conscience if he does not pick up the option, .

I would translate that as Telesco drafted Tillery with a First Round pick and will fight to save face and not let it be a failure.

Just keeping it real here folks.

[Topcat]

I would translate that as Telesco drafted Tillery with a First Round pick and will fight to save face and not let it be a failure.

Just keeping it real here folks.

Could be. Similar to the Bolt Brass signing Orlando Franklin to that big fat contract...and reportedly he was the one that needed to be benched, but MM said, "it's out of my hands"...

[Riverwalk]

I would translate that as Telesco drafted Tillery with a First Round pick and will fight to save face and not let it be a failure.

Just keeping it real here folks.

Staley will weigh in and he won’t care about saving face if he can upgrade the position.

I would say this is Tillery’s last season as a Charger unless he steps up his game quite a bit.