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

[gzubeck]

Shouldn't you be asking TT that question?

You have my permission to forward this message to TT. LOL!

[TexanBeerlover]

I don’t think there’s a more important FA to sign than Pipkins. Callahan next.

Trade Bosa & Allen so you have the cap room. Take slot CB and RT off your draft needs list and focus on replacements @ Edge and WR.

[Bolt4Knob]

TT has us in a bad spot. I agree to rip the bandaid off; replace TT, build for 2024 behind JH and some good OL pieces. Start drafting DL pieces. JC, DJ, MW, KA, Bosa, Mack, etc are overpaid. They need to take a significant pay cut or be gone. Should always invest cap $$ in QB, OL, DL. See Kansas City.

When I think of moving on from Bosa or Allen - it is more to make the entire team better at multiple positions. This isn't hte NBA, where if healthy, a couple guys can carry a team. You need to be pretty good across the board

So for Bosa + Allen --granted, its Telesco picking the players - they can fill a lot of needs and also set themselves up cap wise long term

But I am not sure what I saw of last years team is worth kicking the can on these players just for one more try. With Herbert - make it the next 5 year window.

[Scotty Boy]

One BIG personnel decision from last off-season, which in hindsight, appears to be a big miss and adversely affecting the Chargers some years to come.

Not re-signing Uchenna Nwosu and trading for Khalil Mack.

Nwosu signed w/ the Hawks for 2 years $19 million; Mack cost a 2nd round pick + has cap hits of $27+ for this year and next. Nwosu is ascending and Mack, while solid and a great leader, is not.

What could have been….

[chargeroo]

Is it just me or do others feel like the salary cap is turning the NFL into a four season team? It seems as though teams are forced to let good players leave about every four years. If you sign players to a new contract after 3/4 years their salary becomes a burden so you let them go and draft replacements. If the replacements are any good, you send them packing 3/4 years later and do it all over again. Only the very best QB's get to stay on their original team for an entire career.

[nomad1946]

Is it just me or do others feel like the salary cap is turning the NFL into a four season team? It seems as though teams are forced to let good players leave about every four years. If you sign players to a new contract after 3/4 years their salary becomes a burden so you let them go and draft replacements. If the replacements are any good, you send them packing 3/4 years later and do it all over again. Only the very best QB's get to stay on their original team for an entire career.

My personal feeling is that no player should get more than 10% of the cap in any year. That would spread out the cap to all players and not make things so drastic when one player has like 40+% of the cap

[Bolt4Knob]

Is it just me or do others feel like the salary cap is turning the NFL into a four season team? It seems as though teams are forced to let good players leave about every four years. If you sign players to a new contract after 3/4 years their salary becomes a burden so you let them go and draft replacements. If the replacements are any good, you send them packing 3/4 years later and do it all over again. Only the very best QB's get to stay on their original team for an entire career.

One of the keys to good salary cap management is drafting well after the first round combined with hitting on some UDFAs. After the first round, the contracts are for four years, but are pretty cheap over the life of the contract. UDFAs - I think the team has cost certainty for three if not four years

The Chargers are in cap problems because of the drafting of Tom Telesco - or a large percentage. Free agency should be used to augment the roster. Last year, Telesco used premium cap space for Mack,. JC Jackson, Austin Johnson, Gerald Everett and Sebastion Joseph Day. In addition to signing Mike Williams. Now since the cap numbers were smaller last year - they go up this year

In free agency, three picks from four eyars ago: Nwosu, Kyzir White and Justin Jones all left not getting a second contract.

And this year, Easton Stick will not get a second contract, Nasir Adderley. Kenneth Murray is not showing up; they might need to draft another TE as McKitty has been average. JT Woods - who knows. Kelley and Spiller at RB.

So yes, good players leave after their initial contract but the drafting needs to improve

[chargeroo]

When I think of moving on from Bosa or Allen - it is more to make the entire team better at multiple positions.

I have understood your thinking on this subject ever since the TPB started discussing what needs to be done this offseason, my problem with the idea is our GM. I just can't see any reason to trust TT to make the right picks when he replaces guys like Bosa and Allen. I can see him letting them go and replacing them with players that aren't even good enough to be starters.

[richpjr]

One guy's take on freeing up cap space:

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-fixing-teams-least-salary-cap-space-2023-free-agency

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS


Current projected 2023 cap space: (-$20,511,524)

• Restructure EDGE Joey Bosa (+$15,223,333)
• Release OL Matt Feiler (+$6,500,000)
• Restructure EDGE Khalil Mack (+$10,867,500)
• Restructure DI Sebastian Joseph-Day (+$2,710,000)
• Extend RB Austin Ekeler (+$2,170,000)
  • Approximation without getting into the weeds of what an extension could look like

End result 2023 cap space: $17,959,310

The Chargers may have to make several more moves beyond these, with a major decision looming on wide receiver Keenan Allen, who is owed $19 million in 2023. Allen missed roughly half the season, breaking a streak of five straight years with at least 100 receptions (including playoffs), but he earned an 84.4 receiving grade and averaged nearly 10 targets, 7.5 receptions and 87 receiving yards from Week 11 through the end of the regular season once healthy.

While cornerback J.C. Jackson’s five-year contract provides a lot of flexibility, the Chargers may not want to push too much cap into the future given his injuries in 2022, with no guarantees beyond 2023. A massive extension for quarterback Justin Herbert should come this offseason and will require more room, and that's in addition to the draft class and any internal or external free agents the team wishes to bring aboard.

[DennisR91]

Yes it kind of like fantasy football keeper league you can only keep a handful of core players

and yes sometimes it seems they are drafting what looks good on paper at times and not really notating what skill set will transfer over from college is what it appears to me sometimes

maybe this year they can steal a few picks in the draft haha wow I didn’t know that guy would be that good

[TexanBeerlover]

One of the keys to good salary cap management is drafting well after the first round combined with hitting on some UDFAs. After the first round, the contracts are for four years, but are pretty cheap over the life of the contract. UDFAs - I think the team has cost certainty for three if not four years

The Chargers are in cap problems because of the drafting of Tom Telesco - or a large percentage. Free agency should be used to augment the roster. Last year, Telesco used premium cap space for Mack,. JC Jackson, Austin Johnson, Gerald Everett and Sebastion Joseph Day. In addition to signing Mike Williams. Now since the cap numbers were smaller last year - they go up this year

In free agency, three picks from four eyars ago: Nwosu, Kyzir White and Justin Jones all left not getting a second contract.

And this year, Easton Stick will not get a second contract, Nasir Adderley. Kenneth Murray is not showing up; they might need to draft another TE as McKitty has been average. JT Woods - who knows. Kelley and Spiller at RB.

So yes, good players leave after their initial contract but the drafting needs to improve

Telesco is a reflection (both draft and free agency roster building) void in continuity. Ownership must exercise caution with regime changes (reason Staley should finish his four-year contract). It's painful for sure. Bad luck and injuries have certainly derailed Charger projected process. Lombardi a bad choice to pair with Herbert, this has impacted everything including draft. Moore should be far more effective creating a more finished product that matches roster composition. Promoting new DC from within most defiantly helps improve continuity on defensive side under Staley umbrella. All that said, really think Telesco must go after his contract expires end of April which unfortunately includes one more draft.

[Bolt4Knob]

I have understood your thinking on this subject ever since the TPB started discussing what needs to be done this offseason, my problem with the idea is our GM. I just can't see any reason to trust TT to make the right picks when he replaces guys like Bosa and Allen. I can see him letting them go and replacing them with players that aren't even good enough to be starters.

100% valid. And with Telesco - it might be smarter to stick with status quo -

If this were Tommy Prothro back in 1975 when he one of the best drafts in Chargers history: I think it was Kelcher, Woody Lowe, maybe Bob Horn at LB, the DB - Williams maybe. It was stout.. I would have more faith

I had to look
Big Hands, Kelcher, the DB Williams, Fred Dean, Mike Fuller, Billy Shields, Ricky Young (they traded for Big Ed White)

So, you make spot on point Roo ...