2022 Training Camp Thread

[Fouts2herbert]

I think this might be a bit presumptuous. Will he our RT? Yes. But someone will have to be there. By this definition Storm was "serviceable" last year. I'm not sure how much better he'll be than Storm as last year. I think there's a fairly large gap between what Norton did last year and "serviceable" and then another gap between average and another big gap to "good". I'm not saying Pipkins can't be serviceable, I just don't think it's proven yet.

I also am not sure using a 3rd round pick on a guy who takes 3 years to get to serviceable is a good strategy. You burn all his cheap years and if he's good, as we hope he will be and you mention at the end of your post, he's going to get paid and we probably can't keep him. He's got the athletic traits that someone will pay him more than the Chargers can if he is a top 20 RT.

I think he’ll be like norton was last year, up and down depending on the pass rusher he’s facing and having a solid game here and there. The results might be eerily similar even tho he’ll be an overall better player than norton and he’ll help improve the run game…but once he’s isolated on an island in games where the team needs him to hold alone? I think he’ll be exposed too, just like norton was…I hope and pray for a 70-72 PFF grade type of season from him, but I think we’ll get closer 62-64 range in the end…still better than norton but not by much…

[Fouts2herbert]

He'll ultimately have a lot to do with whether the Bolts are successful running the ball.

If Pip can be competent in that phase, defenses won't be free to assume that a key short yardage effort is going to go to the other side of the line. It will make the Chargers' short yardage offense less predictable.

he’ll improve the running game, I have no doubt about that, I’m not sure by how much but it will be better than with norton…

[Topcat]

I also am not sure using a 3rd round pick on a guy who takes 3 years to get to serviceable is a good strategy. You burn all his cheap years and if he's good, as we hope he will be and you mention at the end of your post, he's going to get paid and we probably can't keep him. He's got the athletic traits that someone will pay him more than the Chargers can if he is a top 20 RT.

Pip was a reach and a project in round 3, and I'm guessing the Bolt brass was hoping he'd improve faster than he did...how'd that work out?

[Topcat]

I think he’ll be like norton was last year, up and down depending on the pass rusher he’s facing and having a solid game here and there. The results might be eerily similar even tho he’ll be an overall better player than norton and he’ll help improve the run game…but once he’s isolated on an island in games where the team needs him to hold alone? I think he’ll be exposed too, just like norton was…I hope and pray for a 70-72 PFF grade type of season from him, but I think we’ll get closer 62-64 range in the end…still better than norton but not by much…

Yep...Lombo needs to dial up more chips for sure...

[eaterfan]

I think he’ll be like norton was last year, up and down depending on the pass rusher he’s facing and having a solid game here and there. The results might be eerily similar even tho he’ll be an overall better player than norton and he’ll help improve the run game…but once he’s isolated on an island in games where the team needs him to hold alone? I think he’ll be exposed too, just like norton was…I hope and pray for a 70-72 PFF grade type of season from him, but I think we’ll get closer 62-64 range in the end…still better than norton but not by much…

I'm not worried about the run game much either, and I think people are too focused on a few unsuccessful 3rd and 4th and short plays. If you think the offense was limited because it could only run left on those plays, let me tell you how limited it was by not being able to pass protect.

Justin Herbert was tied for 22nd in percentage of passes that travelled 20+ yards in the air (tied with the corpse of Big Ben). This team couldn't throw deep because of pass blocking limitations. Having that ability will really open up the field. Hopefully, Pipkins lets us do that, but I'm not sure that's realistic.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Yep...Lombo needs to dial up more chips for sure...

Staley has already said that they're prepared to do this.

One measure of Pipkins' development, moving forward, will surely be how much less frequently he requires that assistance.

[Xenos]

Pip is going to prover you wrong. Campbell - I can’t vouch for.

Covington may be the Tillery of the DL while Tillery is decorating condos in NYC. Who knows …

We know Campbell should not be a starter. But he’s fine as depth. Just not someone you want to see on the field longer than necessary.

[Xenos]

I think this might be a bit presumptuous. Will he our RT? Yes. But someone will have to be there. By this definition Storm was "serviceable" last year. I'm not sure how much better he'll be than Storm as last year. I think there's a fairly large gap between what Norton did last year and "serviceable" and then another gap between average and another big gap to "good". I'm not saying Pipkins can't be serviceable, I just don't think it's proven yet.

I also am not sure using a 3rd round pick on a guy who takes 3 years to get to serviceable is a good strategy. You burn all his cheap years and if he's good, as we hope he will be and you mention at the end of your post, he's going to get paid and we probably can't keep him. He's got the athletic traits that someone will pay him more than the Chargers can if he is a top 20 RT.

Ideally he would have redshirted his rookie season and been ready in year 2. Things obviously happened. Some on him. A lot on everything else outside his control IMO.

[Heatmiser]

Pipkins looked actually....pretty good in the games he started last season. Remember how when Slater had Covid and we all ripped on Pip? And he came out and played well. It was only 2 games but I thought at the time he had played better than Norton. So he might not be as bad as we think as a 2022 starter.

TG

[sonorajim]

I think he’ll be like norton was last year, up and down depending on the pass rusher he’s facing and having a solid game here and there. The results might be eerily similar even tho he’ll be an overall better player than norton and he’ll help improve the run game…but once he’s isolated on an island in games where the team needs him to hold alone? I think he’ll be exposed too, just like norton was…I hope and pray for a 70-72 PFF grade type of season from him, but I think we’ll get closer 62-64 range in the end…still better than norton but not by much…

That should only happen with the wide speed rush and he's either better or he isn't. Inside stunts have supposedly been addressed with Zion.
If a team is beating him more than they did Norton - when JH was 6th fewest sacked QB, put Norton back in and /or quit holding the ball.
Stay out of obvious passing downs. Play like Brady, take the dink & dunk 5 - 10 yds & YAC. Make 'em play pass D on their side of LOS instead of kill the QB. Run.
We were friggin awesome on O last year. Get that dipstick crap about Maxx out of you heads. D was our problem. Stop the other guy. limit their scoring. Get takeaways. Give our O more shots. Give them a short field. Do that and last year's OL would have won some playoff games. Cincy was in the SB with MUCH lousier OL blocking.

[blueman]

He'll ultimately have a lot to do with whether the Bolts are successful running the ball.

If Pip can be competent in that phase, defenses won't be free to assume that a key short yardage effort is going to go to the other side of the line. It will make the Chargers' short yardage offense less predictable.

Pip has always been a strong run blocker.

[Fouts2herbert]

Pipkins looked actually....pretty good in the games he started last season. Remember how when Slater had Covid and we all ripped on Pip? And he came out and played well. It was only 2 games but I thought at the time he had played better than Norton. So he might not be as bad as we think as a 2022 starter.

TG

If I recall both teams were missing a couple of key players but chris collingsworth kept saying over and over again how lucky the chargers were that the steelers didn’t have fitzpatrick and tj watt…I don’t recall if he talked about how we didn’t slater and pipkins filled in for him…