2023 Official Roster Build Thread - The Initial 53 / Practice Squad

[powderblueboy]

Wait. What are we arguing about again?

If Staley is Prince Valiant or a goat headed demon.

Pick sides!

[Boltnut]

I understand the depth of the AFC at the QB position. I think Denver with a better head coach will be much better. Miami with a healthy Tua and the roster upgrades, can be better. Another team from the AFC North will be tough to be. So thats 7 teams right there exclusing the Chargers. So to say they have to win a playoff game seems like a high bar. But, my point was more about the philosophy, to date, of Telesco/Staley to pretty much keep the same roster, but tweak the coaching staff, hope for continuity and help and see what the draft brings. And if that fails, they are not the right people for the job. Hell, I think Telesco is in over his head anyway but this year - lets hope he proves me wrong

The offseason so far has been about pushing the chips in for 2023. The draft can't be all in for Bijan - but it also can't be a few projects like Craig Mager, Trey Pipkins and JT Woods. I think the Chargers need the players in Rounds 1-4 to play and contribute. Maybe lower ceiling but higher floor type players.

Once Staley was brought in, the roster under-went many changes. The IDL was replaced with SJD and Austin Johnson... both players I really liked.
The ILB position got re-vamped, too. Perryman, White, and Tranquill were Gus Bradley guys... none of them got re-signed with Staley as coach. Kendricks was brought in because he fits better. K9 was a Gus Bradley guy... I doubt he gets re-signed after the season.
Nwosu was replaced by Mack. Total fit for the StaleyD. Nwosu is not a bad player... just not a Staley fit.
TT/Staley brought in Fox and Callahan... more StaleyD fits.
ASJ was brought in to replace Casey Heyward.
The defensive roster was so far away from what Staley likes to do. It's getting close in year 3.

In regards to Telesco... he got off to a terrible start. After his DJ Fluker and Manti Teo drafting... I was ready to replace him two picks into his career! Picking Keenan in the 3rd settled my rising indigestion. Mager, Pipkins, and Woods were all head-scratchers for me... along with Tillery in the 1st... or trading picks away to move up for MG3 and K9.
But every GM makes bad picks. Overall, I think he has improved as time has gone by. The Justin Herbert pick alone (very few here liked the pick) probably saved his job. He followed that up with Slater, ASJ, Mack, and Zion. Josh Palmer is quietly becoming a pretty good pick. If Pipkins becomes an above-average RT... then you'd have to say that TT has been above average in his last few years. His off-season acquisitions (add Corey Linsley) have been pretty good lately.

[dmac_bolt]

I understand the depth of the AFC at the QB position. I think Denver with a better head coach will be much better. Miami with a healthy Tua and the roster upgrades, can be better. Another team from the AFC North will be tough to be. So thats 7 teams right there exclusing the Chargers. So to say they have to win a playoff game seems like a high bar. But, my point was more about the philosophy, to date, of Telesco/Staley to pretty much keep the same roster, but tweak the coaching staff, hope for continuity and help and see what the draft brings. And if that fails, they are not the right people for the job. Hell, I think Telesco is in over his head anyway but this year - lets hope he proves me wrong

The offseason so far has been about pushing the chips in for 2023. The draft can't be all in for Bijan - but it also can't be a few projects like Craig Mager, Trey Pipkins and JT Woods. I think the Chargers need the players in Rounds 1-4 to play and contribute. Maybe lower ceiling but higher floor type players.

We don’t know what the 2023 roster will be yet. We knew they didnt have money to make big FA splash signings before the draft, don’t see TT and Co had a huge choice on what they have done so far. There were no legitimate possible CAP savings that didn’t also subtract a key player. Let them do their job between now and Sept, I do agree they are responsible.

[Bolt4Knob]

We don’t know what the 2023 roster will be yet. We knew they didnt have money to make big FA splash signings before the draft, don’t see TT and Co had a huge choice on what they have done so far. There were no legitimate possible CAP savings that didn’t also subtract a key player. Let them do their job between now and Sept, I do agree they are responsible.

I agree - they have more time to still build the roster. And the draft will be a huge step in that process.

[Boltinloudguy]

We don’t know what the 2023 roster will be yet. We knew they didnt have money to make big FA splash signings before the draft, don’t see TT and Co had a huge choice on what they have done so far. There were no legitimate possible CAP savings that didn’t also subtract a key player. Let them do their job between now and Sept, I do agree they are responsible.

Agree with this… I think they still sign at least 2 more free agents after the draft. I think Leonard Floyd is a good possibility as well as John Johnson. More depth at DB for a reasonable price there is Rock Ya Sin, Ronald Darby, Bryce Callahan, Troy Hill to name a few. I think we will see some movement afterwards. Another player I can see them going after is DT Shelby Harris.

[ChargersPowderBlue]

Once Staley was brought in, the roster under-went many changes. The IDL was replaced with SJD and Austin Johnson... both players I really liked.
The ILB position got re-vamped, too. Perryman, White, and Tranquill were Gus Bradley guys... none of them got re-signed with Staley as coach. Kendricks was brought in because he fits better. K9 was a Gus Bradley guy... I doubt he gets re-signed after the season.
Nwosu was replaced by Mack. Total fit for the StaleyD. Nwosu is not a bad player... just not a Staley fit.
TT/Staley brought in Fox and Callahan... more StaleyD fits.
ASJ was brought in to replace Casey Heyward.
The defensive roster was so far away from what Staley likes to do. It's getting close in year 3.

In regards to Telesco... he got off to a terrible start. After his DJ Fluker and Manti Teo drafting... I was ready to replace him two picks into his career! Picking Keenan in the 3rd settled my rising indigestion. Mager, Pipkins, and Woods were all head-scratchers for me... along with Tillery in the 1st... or trading picks away to move up for MG3 and K9.
But every GM makes bad picks. Overall, I think he has improved as time has gone by. The Justin Herbert pick alone (very few here liked the pick) probably saved his job. He followed that up with Slater, ASJ, Mack, and Zion. Josh Palmer is quietly becoming a pretty good pick. If Pipkins becomes an above-average RT... then you'd have to say that TT has been above average in his last few years. His off-season acquisitions (add Corey Linsley) have been pretty good lately.

Telesco's improvement is thanks to Staley. When Lynn was HC, the team had no direction. Same with Mccoy. TT is as good as the guy he has next to him. Staley is showing and doing what he can to improve and build a better roster. But some people just want to disregard his efforts.

[beachcomber]

Agree with this… I think they still sign at least 2 more free agents after the draft. I think Leonard Floyd is a good possibility as well as John Johnson. More depth at DB for a reasonable price there is Rock Ya Sin, Ronald Darby, Bryce Callahan, Troy Hill to name a few. I think we will see some movement afterwards. Another player I can see them going after is DT Shelby Harris.

think the two most likely guys are Van Noy 'n Callahan, and.... after that, not sure if they'd have any monies left over ??

[Boltjolt]

think the two most likely guys are Van Noy 'n Callahan, and.... after that, not sure if they'd have any monies left over ??

Not much. I wouldnt expect us to sign Floyd unless he signs very cheap. He would have to have no other prospects. I mean maybe for 3 mil but no Van Noy, and maybe we can sign Callahan for vet min. I think thats pushing it unless we release someone after the draft. Who IDK.

[beachcomber]

Except something else will go off the rails this upcoming season, and that's what we'll point to in puffing up staley again.

For now, we are stuck with him .... it's time for him to stop posturing and start producing.

personal suspicion is that we're gonna have a decent season this go 'round, albeit me thinx our ceiling is as far as young John is capable, and just not convinced his is exactly sky high.

have suggested many a time that we hire this guy as a consultant to young John, and as far as I'm concerned, for the if and when Major Tom is no longer w/the Bolts, think that this guy is as good as any to spell him, as this org has been missing the sand for its oyster ever since AJ departed....

https://www.detroitlions.com/team/front-office-roster/john-dorsey

[beachcomber]

I imagine the Donkies will go 9 - 8 next year with Payton.
Like us, they had a lot of injuries....along with lackluster coaching,

They might even be 2nd in the division next year.

The Raiders are hopeless

could be a bit lofty.... thinkin' more like 7-10.... very relieved that Payton is not a Chargers HC.

[beachcomber]

to be or not to be, and.... for better or worse,

QB * better * think the odds are that not only is Justin gonna be healthier, but wiser, and us the better team @QB for it, and that's despite a rather questionable decision to only go Easton deep here on the depth chart, as think a better move woulda been to find some monies for Gardner, otherwise guessin' we dredge up some UDFA backup from round 8 as a token third here.

RB * as you were * think Austin balls out, Kelley shows out, and that Spiller disappoints more than one of his dorights here.... Rountree is a STs maven and guessing we draft a day three somebody to spell Horvath who doesn't survive camp w/Kellen.... also would say that, and for the second time 'round, we missed another boat in FA by not signing D'Ernest Johnson.

WR * better * think Keenan shows for a full season, albeit MW is his usual spotty self durability wise, and that Moore figures out a better usage for Jalen, and that Palmer is Palmer, and.... suspect a day three draft pick to come in not unlike a young Malcom Floyd (DFW).

TE * much better * polite reminder for those that think Dalton Kincaid was a backup for a reason, that our beloved Marshall Faulk was.... fifth string once upon a time. think DK starts off slow, but by the end of the year and into the playoffs, dude will be on everybody's radar.... just a really good complement to JH. think Gerald will continue to be a solid, but wouldn't be counting on the either of Parham nor McKitty, as thinkin' we'll be lookin' TE again for the '024 draft as well.

OT * better * obviously havin' Rashawn back is a plus, and.... not gonna minimize what Jamaree did for us last year.... invaluable, and.... we still have ?s outside of Slater, as over the course of a 20 game season, not sure Pips wins too much more than the half of his battles, and Manywhether or not, not sure Sarell is ready to step in for the if and when Trey is unavailable.

OG * as you were * do think Zion improves, and.... despite all the chit piled on Matt, still not sure Salyer outplays him as the starter ?? do think we draft someone pretty good (some day three talent this year), and don't think Jaimes' odds are too good to survive camp/preseason on the 53.

OC * worse * fearful that Corey is gonna miss a coupla few more games than he did last year, and that Clapp is gonna be Clapp.... hopefully we can add some Juice here and hedge our bets some, and.... top priority heading into the '024 draft.

[Boltjolt]

personal suspicion is that we're gonna have a decent season this go 'round, albeit me thinx our ceiling is as far as young John is capable, and just not convinced his is exactly sky high.

have suggested many a time that we hire this guy as a consultant to young John, and as far as I'm concerned, for the if and when Major Tom is no longer w/the Bolts, think that this guy is as good as any to spell him, as this org has been missing the sand for its oyster ever since AJ departed....

https://www.detroitlions.com/team/front-office-roster/john-dorsey

Isn't that the guy that was GM briefly for the Browns and picked Baker Mayfield and others that didn't pan out? I mean all GMs miss picks we know that. I know the Browns ownership is bad but didn't they fire him? Or did he step down?