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

[Bolt4Knob]

At the time, my mood was that of staunch opposition to the entire draft process: all rounds entirely.
No offense intended.

We will be fine without the rooks. Go Chargers!

If there is a true difference maker, like top 15 talent (not QB) - but at TE, WR, Bijan or even CB - and there is such a talent gap between that player and the next player on the board - take that player for sure. I would prefer that player to be WR or Bijan -- but drafting the 19th player on your board at 21 when they are closer in draft grade to 25 than 17 - thats where it gets murkier for me

[powderblueboy]

I get that there are good DB's in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. But for me, I see a CB/DB as the BPA @#21.
I also assume that Bijan, Quentin, and Jaxon are off the board... along with OT's Skoronski, Johnson, and Jones.

Here is my list of prospects probably off the board...

QB: Stroud, Young, Richardson, Levis (need pick)
WR: Quentinn, Jaxson, Hyatt (maybe)
RB: Bijan
OT: Skoronski, Paris, Jones

EDGE: Anderson, Murphy, Wilson
IDL: Carter, Bresee (maybe)
CB: Porter Jr, Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Branch

That's 20 players... these are players that regularly go top-20 in mocks... or are ranked by pundits



Best Players Possible IMO:

WR: Addison, Flowers, Downs
TE: Kincaid, Mayer
OT: Wright
RB: Gibbs

EDGE: Smith (probably 4-3 OLB), Ojulari, McDonald, Foskey, Anudike-Uzomah, Van Ness (over-rated IMO)
CB: Phillips, Ringo, Banks
LB: Simpson, Sanders

My cluster: Phillips, Wright, Banks, Addison, Flowers, Simpson, Kincaid, Sanders

My understanding is that the Chargers have met/shown interest in Addison and Flowers. These guys might be at the top of their list (as far as guys they think will be available). But IMO, Clark Phillips is a better player that Addison (see their matchup in 2002). And I ran into an interesting quote when scouting Phillips...
"He's a self-starter who desires to be great" -AFC WEST COAST SCOUT-

IMO, he has the best instincts of all of the CB's. He reads/reacts as well as any of the top CB's. He's a film junkie that understands formations, tendencies, and routes. He beats receivers to their spots often (as evidenced by his nation-leading 6 interceptions last year). Of his 9 career interceptions, 4 of them have been pick-sixes. So he has ball skills and playmaker abilities. Game-changer. The pundits will knock him for his stature... or say that he is "slot-only". But we all know that Staley doesn't shy away from CB's just because they don't fit size requirements (see Rams). We all know that Staley values instincts, football IQ, and work ethic... And we all know which lone-starting roll is vacant ATM... slot-corner.

Do we need depth @RB, WR, Edge, TE, LB...? Absolutely! But those positions are as deep (if not deeper) than CB. Quality RB, WR, and TE are regularly found in the mid-rounds. Kellen Moore regularly used Tony Pollard (late 4th round) and Dalton Schultz (late 4th round) in Dallas. Our best WR (Allen) is a 3rd rounder... The Edge class is super deep (see available EDGE above).

If we're going to adhere to BPA draft philosophy... then IMO, Clark Phillips is that guy. Shake off the pundits pre-conceptions about Clark Phillips. Clark Phillips is my Abraham Lucas (circa 2023).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QOSzn2hSMY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVGhjqcynbI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ThAWYJs33o

Never opposed to taking bpa in the first: if its a cb, fine!

[charger1_sj]

The Chargers are sending out signals that they will be drafting for offensive weapons for Herbert. Soooo don't be surprise if one or both of our picks in
rounds 1, 2 are for the defense. It is after all the month of lying.

[gzubeck]

The Chargers are sending out signals that they will be drafting for offensive weapons for Herbert. Soooo don't be surprise if one or both of our picks in
rounds 1, 2 are for the defense. It is after all the month of lying.

As long as rounds 3-5 are RBs and receivers I'm good with that!

[Bolt4Knob]

As long as rounds 3-5 are RBs and receivers I'm good with that!

Agreed

First five rounds need to check off the boxes:
Edge, CB, RB, TE and WR

[powderblueboy]

What if by some strange chance murphy is still on the board? I mean crap we could always move our second rounder up to grab phillips.

The San Francisco model values dline over cb and linebacker.
They seem to have done fine.

Bosa, Tillery, Attoachu, Nwosu, Jones, .....the only Dlinemen taken before day 3.
Nwosu was probably drafted to be a Sam, so you can discount that draft pick.
Tillery shouldn't count: blinded by his Notre Dame allegiance.
Most here hated the pick at the time.

Telesco has undervalued Dlinemen in his drafts.
His defenses have always struggled just to be average.


He prefers drafting inside linebackers high for some reason: Teo, Perryman, Murray
San francisco has the opposite strategy.

Telesco's seems to be a failed draft philosophy. Yeah, take Murphy over Boltnut's beloved cbs.

[Boltnut]

What if by some strange chance murphy is still on the board? I mean crap we could always move our second rounder up to grab phillips.

If Murphy is on the board... hell yeah, I'd pick him. Then I would cross fingers for a good, starting caliber CB to still be there in the 2nd.
I really hesitate trading up in this draft... rounds 2-5 are loaded with talent. At the very least, very good depth.

[gzubeck]

If Murphy is on the board... hell yeah, I'd pick him. Then I would cross fingers for a good, starting caliber CB to still be there in the 2nd.
I really hesitate trading up in this draft... rounds 2-5 are loaded with talent. At the very least, very good depth.

I think he stupidly drops like Derwin and supermel. Here's to wishful thinking as Simms doesn't even have him in his top 5.

[Boltnut]

The Chargers are sending out signals that they will be drafting for offensive weapons for Herbert. Soooo don't be surprise if one or both of our picks in
rounds 1, 2 are for the defense. It is after all the month of lying.

I hope you're right.
Right now, my top desires are CB and EDGE. Mainly because I think those positions are deep... and will be the BPA in rounds 1 and 2.
Plus, I like some WR's, RB's, and TE's in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds.

[Boltnut]

I think he stupidly drops like Derwin and supermel. Here's to wishful thinking as Simms doesn't even have him in his top 5.

I like Simms... he's helpful.
Whatever he says is usually the opposite.

[chargeroo]

I get that there are good DB's in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. But for me, I see a CB/DB as the BPA @#21.
I also assume that Bijan, Quentin, and Jaxon are off the board... along with OT's Skoronski, Johnson, and Jones.

Here is my list of prospects probably off the board...

QB: Stroud, Young, Richardson, Levis (need pick)
WR: Quentinn, Jaxson, Hyatt (maybe)
RB: Bijan
OT: Skoronski, Paris, Jones

EDGE: Anderson, Murphy, Wilson
IDL: Carter, Bresee (maybe)
CB: Porter Jr, Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Branch

That's 20 players... these are players that regularly go top-20 in mocks... or are ranked by pundits



Best Players Possible IMO:

WR: Addison, Flowers, Downs
TE: Kincaid, Mayer
OT: Wright
RB: Gibbs

EDGE: Smith (probably 4-3 OLB), Ojulari, McDonald, Foskey, Anudike-Uzomah, Van Ness (over-rated IMO)
CB: Phillips, Ringo, Banks
LB: Simpson, Sanders

My cluster: Phillips, Wright, Banks, Addison, Flowers, Simpson, Kincaid, Sanders

My understanding is that the Chargers have met/shown interest in Addison and Flowers. These guys might be at the top of their list (as far as guys they think will be available). But IMO, Clark Phillips is a better player that Addison (see their matchup in 2002). And I ran into an interesting quote when scouting Phillips...
"He's a self-starter who desires to be great" -AFC WEST COAST SCOUT-

IMO, he has the best instincts of all of the CB's. He reads/reacts as well as any of the top CB's. He's a film junkie that understands formations, tendencies, and routes. He beats receivers to their spots often (as evidenced by his nation-leading 6 interceptions last year). Of his 9 career interceptions, 4 of them have been pick-sixes. So he has ball skills and playmaker abilities. Game-changer. The pundits will knock him for his stature... or say that he is "slot-only". But we all know that Staley doesn't shy away from CB's just because they don't fit size requirements (see Rams). We all know that Staley values instincts, football IQ, and work ethic... And we all know which lone-starting roll is vacant ATM... slot-corner.

Do we need depth @RB, WR, Edge, TE, LB...? Absolutely! But those positions are as deep (if not deeper) than CB. Quality RB, WR, and TE are regularly found in the mid-rounds. Kellen Moore regularly used Tony Pollard (late 4th round) and Dalton Schultz (late 4th round) in Dallas. Our best WR (Allen) is a 3rd rounder... The Edge class is super deep (see available EDGE above).

If we're going to adhere to BPA draft philosophy... then IMO, Clark Phillips is that guy. Shake off the pundits pre-conceptions about Clark Phillips. Clark Phillips is my Abraham Lucas (circa 2023).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QOSzn2hSMY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVGhjqcynbI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ThAWYJs33o

I think we are full up on starters except for CB and S. Looking back at TTs previous draft, he has always taken the best player available at a position of need, so Boltnut may be on to something here. A CB may well be the pick.

[sonorajim]

The San Francisco model values dline over cb and linebacker.
They seem to have done fine.

Bosa, Tillery, Attoachu, Nwosu, Jones, .....the only Dlinemen taken before day 3.
Nwosu was probably drafted to be a Sam, so you can discount that draft pick.
Tillery shouldn't count: blinded by his Notre Dame allegiance.
Most here hated the pick at the time.

Telesco has undervalued Dlinemen in his drafts.
His defenses have always struggled just to be average.


He prefers drafting inside linebackers high for some reason: Teo, Perryman, Murray
San francisco has the opposite strategy.

Telesco's seems to be a failed draft philosophy. Yeah, take Murphy over Boltnut's beloved cbs.

There are a variety of opinions about who runs the Chargers draft. Many of us think Staley gets a full yea or nay vote and that he will confer with his staff & friends.
My opinion is that the draft & FA have been different since Staley came on board, making pre-Staley draft tendencies immaterial.
Staley values CBs and DB depth- which was an obvious need vs Jax in particular. So there's that.
I further extrapolate that Staley and Telesco want to feature Herbert in new OC Moore's offense and will have an eye on offensive stars. So, there's that.
IMO we are drafting TE - WR- DB early in order of BPA when on the clock.
Murphy would probably be the same kind of deal breaker as Bijan.Not likely to be there. Too good to pass on..