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

[Boltjolt]

Here's my list of complaints:
-Only 10 catches last year on 18 targets...with an average of 4.0 yards per targeted play. Success rate when targeted?* An ugly 22%
-I don't see any YAC
-Nothing much as a blocker
-A PFF score of 31.8!

I have no earthly idea why this guy is on the roster.


*Success rate = A successful reception gains at least 40% of yards required on 1st down, 60% of yards required on 2nd down, and 100% on 3rd or 4th down. Denominator is targets

I'd have to see all his targets to get a better feel for that %, but the 4 YPC is on Lombo and his offense last year with more short passes than usual with Herbert hurt.

Don't really care about PFF scores. I think they are skewed and I can't take them seriously.

I've never solely focused on McKittys blocking but he was involved in some nice runs for us this preseason.

They didn't draft a TE in a deep class and he is still on this team so I'm gonna go with the coaches having better insight than us. He will be in the field a lot more this season so we shall see.

He is by no means a star and was over drafted imo but he has another season (his 3rd) to draw a grade.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Don't remember who the writer was, but shortly after the draft, his article outlined how at the juncture of each of the Bolts' picks, there was virtually always a better player available at a position of need OTHER THAN tight end.

They could have had their pick of ANY of the TE class in Round One, but selected QJ. Understandable, right? Not a regrettable decision.

In Round Two, Tuli Tuipolotu was a better player-- at a higher priority position-- than the best TE also available.

And if there were better tight ends still available for the taking when the Chargers were busy selecting Daiyan Henley, Derius Davis or Scott Matlock? I'd like to know who they are.

So, no, the Bolts didn't take any tight ends in the recent draft, but that doesn't mean they were happy with the TE group they already had. The draft just didn't unfold in a way that the TE talent was a good value when the Chargers were on the clock.

[Boltnut]

I'm with BoltJolt and Quacksaw on this issue with McKitty.
I thought the late 3rd round was too high for him... he wasn't really on my radar.
Super small sample for any sort of true evaluation/grade.
Lombardi got nothing out of his blockers (which is what the Chargers drafted him for).

His highlights @Florida State... looks like he had pretty good hands.
His "highlights" @Georgia... never really used as a receiver... looked like a pretty good blocker.

I'm gonna trust Kellen Moore when it comes to his offense... and his personnel decisions.
Based on where McKitty lined up in pre-season, I think Moore may see him as the best pass blocker (maybe help out Pipkins against guys like Maxx Crosby). I can see the value of trying to protect Justin Herbert.

[YAC]

Don't remember who the writer was, but shortly after the draft, his article outlined how at the juncture of each of the Bolts' picks, there was virtually always a better player available at a position of need OTHER THAN tight end.

They could have had their pick of ANY of the TE class in Round One, but selected QJ. Understandable, right? Not a regrettable decision.

In Round Two, Tuli Tuipolotu was a better player-- at a higher priority position-- than the best TE also available.

Confession: I didn't like the Quentin Johnston pick. I wanted us to trade down and get two-for-one. And I hoped we we'd land one of prized tight ends in the second round or later.

As it turned out...the tight ends I most often mocked and relished...got picked off the board before expected, and I might have ended up (as the Chargers did) with none of them. Kincaid, LaPorta, Musgrave, Schoonmaker, even Brenton Strange all went higher than most projected.

After the draft, I just wanted this team to acquire on their roster an above average blocker who can catch a bit. I still fantasize that they can work a trade for such a guy, but time is running out, and hopes for that are evaporating.

If the Chargers are right about QJ they will embarrass my draft day wishes. He has a ceiling of contribution beyond most all the tight ends and I'm eager to eat crow. I'm just nervous my numerous concerns w/him will hold true.

[gzubeck]

Confession: I didn't like the Quentin Johnston pick. I wanted us to trade down and get two-for-one. And I hoped we we'd land one of prized tight ends in the second round or later.

As it turned out...the tight ends I most often mocked and relished...got picked off the board before expected, and I might have ended up (as the Chargers did) with none of them. Kincaid, LaPorta, Musgrave, Schoonmaker, even Brenton Strange all went higher than projected.

I just want this team to feature on their roster an above average blocker who can catch a bit. I still fantasize that they can work a trade for such a guy, but time is running out.

I wasn't disappointed I was confused at first until after the draft. Looking back 3 years out this draft could be just as pivotal as drafting Herbert.

[YAC]

I'd have to see all his targets to get a better feel for that %, but the 4 YPC is on Lombo and his offense last year with more short passes than usual with Herbert hurt.

Don't really care about PFF scores. I think they are skewed and I can't take them seriously.

I've never solely focused on McKittys blocking but he was involved in some nice runs for us this preseason.

They didn't draft a TE in a deep class and he is still on this team so I'm gonna go with the coaches having better insight than us. He will be in the field a lot more this season so we shall see.

He is by no means a star and was over drafted imo but he has another season (his 3rd) to draw a grade.

I'll hope you are smarter on this than me.

There are only a handful of things I really have strong conviction about where I'm doubting the Charger's thought process with roster decisions.
Rountree and Zorvath were two. Glad their gone. McKitty is my one remaining complaint.

*I hasten to add I don't know how good these guys are in special teams, which is a blind spot for we simple fans.

[gzubeck]

I'll hope you are smarter on this than me.

There are only a handful of things I really have strong conviction about where I'm doubting the Charger's thought process with roster decisions.
Rountree and Zorvath were two. Glad their gone. McKitty is my one remaining complaint.

Rountree was a miss
Horvath was a victim of scheme changes and better players available
Mckitty is salvageable if he continues to block well.

[YAC]

Looking back 3 years out this draft could be just as pivotal as drafting Herbert.

Quite a bold claim, and frankly something I struggle to see as a possibility.

If we end up with 3 near average (or +) starters, and two good role players it's a very good draft. It takes lot of optimism, IMO to visualize that. Even then...A franchise QB is something different altogether.

[gzubeck]

Quite a bold claim, and frankly something I struggle to see as a possibility.

If we end up with 3 near average (or +) starters, and two good role players it's a very good draft. It takes lot of optimism, IMO to visualize that. Even then...A franchise QB is something different altogether.

The first four players we drafted were carefully chosen...I think they are depth pieces this year but could be more starting next season.

[YAC]

Mckitty is salvageable if he continues to block well.

I'm unclear why you think he's ever blocked well. We couldn't average 4.0 yards a carry last year...bottom dwellers in that department.

Watching a highlight or two where McKitty made a serviceable block doesn't mean a lot. PFF has some smart people--3 sets of eyeballs-- isolating on each player for every given play. McKitty was blocking in the majority of his reps, yet couldn't score even 40. I'm not sure I've ever seen any NFL player in any position grade at 31.

Closer to home, Steven Haglund (Guilty as Charged) has tweeted 5-alarm warnings about our tight ends and their inability to block. Steve is a former college o-lineman and studies the Chargers obsessively

[YAC]

I'm gonna trust Kellen Moore when it comes to his offense... and his personnel decisions.
Based on where McKitty lined up in pre-season, I think Moore may see him as the best pass blocker (maybe help out Pipkins against guys like Maxx Crosby). I can see the value of trying to protect Justin Herbert.

I'm a huge Moore fan, and believe he'll raise the Chargers scheme and play calling two full grades.

As for Kellen having much push in personnel decisions, we disagree. Moore is miles from an alpha personality and is the new kid in town. I don't see him pushing at all hard on personnel choices, esp. against previous choices championed by Telesco or Staley.

[blueman]

Rountree was a miss
Horvath was a victim of scheme changes and better players available
Mckitty is salvageable if he continues to block well.

One more thing about McKitty’s passes: seems about 80-90% of our passing plays last year we’re broken plays due to poor blocking Herbie was trying to save, just dumping off to whomever. McKitty is probably not the player to average more than a couple yards on any such like catches he happens to get. Doesn’t have the wheels. Yeah, 3rd was probably a couple rounds high for him, too much development needed even if the coaches thought they saw a higher ceiling. Draft those guys later. That said, so far a lot of these support O guys are looking suspiciously not like they did in Lombo’s scheme…