Elijah Dotson Makes the Initial 53 (Was Poll)

[Whydachargers?]

If Dotson keeps impressing into the regular season do we trade Ek in late September for a quality defensive player? I think we could use quality upgrades/depth at every defensive spot. Even at edge where we have talented but injury-prone older players.

[powderblueboy]

I didn't vote because there was no unadulterated 'no' option

[Boltjolt]

Still too early. He looked good but so did Kelly and Spiller. Spiller had 80 yards erased from penalties otherwise he has a 100 yard day.
Still two games to go but because he is a bit cheaper I think Spiller ends up the #2.

[Boltjolt]

I doubt Horvath is on the roster, so yeah he will at best end up on the PS. Kellen Moore doesn't use a FB. In Dallas for the past two seasons he carried 3 RBs 0 FBs. But if both Spiller or Dotson continue to run like they did tonight, he will have to carry 4 RB, unless he wants to let go of Kelley. They won't be able to sneak Spiller or Dotson through on the waiver wire. They will get claimed by another team.

Rountree is history.

RBs are a dime a dozen I doubt he gets claimed. So many good ones aren't even signed by a team yet. Hunt is still out there and plenty of others will get cut.
Agree that Horvath won't make the team, doubt Rountree does either.

All the RBs asside from Rountree had a good day today.

[gzubeck]

RBs are a dime a dozen I doubt he gets claimed. So many good ones aren't even signed by a team yet. Hunt is still out there and plenty of others will get cut.
Agree that Horvath won't make the team, doubt Rountree does either.

All the RBs asside from Rountree had a good day today.

It's so bad out there for RBs that Zeke Elliot can't even land a league minimum contract. They are waiting until after the season starts so his money is not guaranteed. At least Zeke is a solid blocker in the backfield for a team out there. Once a RB loses his edge a rookie RB can just take his place. LOL!

[ChargersPowderBlue]

Gawd I hope so. Kelley had a decent showing though, 6 ypc. He was just the only RB not named Rountree who didn't take one to the house.

Kellen Moore only carried 3 RBs on his Dallas offensive rosters. It will be interesting to see what happens. If Dotson and Spiller continue to light it up in the preseason, he can't take the chance of cutting either one because they will never get through waivers and they will end up on the Raiders or Broncos. Moore may have to carry 4 RBs.

If that happens to be the case, one or two of them is gonna have to contribute on special teams. That includes making tackles on the special teams tackling unit. Where there's a chance one of them could get injured from making hits. Backup players at RB, WR, and TE play there alongside the players on defense. Ekeler used to make tackles on special teams, he was even among the leaders in special teams tackles back in his early career. Guys like Mike Tolbert and Michael Turner played on ST tackles unit too. Another thing is when they block to protect the punter on the punting unit, that phase can help them to learn to block for Herbert or the other QBs.

Also, Moore has used players on defense for help to score in the end zone. Dallas had a player on defense catch a pass for a TD, in one of the years when he was OC with the Cowboys. Scott Mattlock, who the team drafted, was used on offense in college. Moore can try exploiting that. I hope he does.

If I was going to lose one of them it would be Kelley because he’s been in the league a few years already. I think we’ve seen his cieling. Spiller looks like he’s just scratching the surface. Dotson is our new Darren Sproles

Too early to tell such things.

Kelley has the experience that the other two don't. He's more proven than the younger guys. And he hasn't been bad. Not as bad as those who aren't a fan of his think he is.

[Bolt-O]

At this point I think he makes the team, because you can't teach speed, (against 3rd teamers, though). As far as his rank, too early to tell. We don't have what he's done in practice, and like other said, no idea about pass protection. I want to see more inside running as well.

[Fouts2herbert]

I say dotson has already shown more in OTAs, Camp, and 1 preseason game than Rountree has in 3 years...if they keep four backs then he should have a case for a roster spot. He has special teams value as a legit returner, he had 1-2 returns for touchdowns in college and he is already an accomplished receiving threat which we didn't even get to see last night. the guy has the burst to hit the edge and to turn the edge and the only other RB we have that can do that consistently is ekeler. His immediate impact kind of reminds me of ekeler a bit too. He's a little bit bigger than ekeler but he seems to have a similar burst and speed. hopefully we get to see his receiving ability in the next game.

He should make the roster over both rountree and horvath, right away he would be active on STs as a backup returner and perhaps as a gunner. plus he would add injury insurance for the RB room on game days. I think he's faster than his 4.53 second forty or 1.61 10 yard split times that he was credited with in college. Sometimes these smaller school guys don't get the proper training for the combine type stuff.

[Fouts2herbert]

I doubt Horvath is on the roster, so yeah he will at best end up on the PS. Kellen Moore doesn't use a FB. In Dallas for the past two seasons he carried 3 RBs 0 FBs. But if both Spiller or Dotson continue to run like they did tonight, he will have to carry 4 RB, unless he wants to let go of Kelley. They won't be able to sneak Spiller or Dotson through on the waiver wire. They will get claimed by another team.

Rountree is history.

I reminder some one here posting that Horvath was as good as gone when they signed Kellen Moore as the new OC...there could be something there...it's not Horvath has really done much to justify being on the 53 man roster either...he is a draft pick but so is rountree and rountree got cut his second year then later added back to practice squad...I think Horvath is a guy that would clear waivers just like rountree has and will again...both of those guys are headed to the PS...I don't think dotson clears waivers after what he did last night, and we haven't even seen him in the passing game or return game which are two of his calling cards...

[Fouts2herbert]

At this point I think he makes the team, because you can't teach speed, (against 3rd teamers, though). As far as his rank, too early to tell. We don't have what he's done in practice, and like other said, no idea about pass protection. I want to see more inside running as well.

I agree, he might be faster than ekeler...like ekeler he's also a proficient receiver out of the backfield...AND he adds legit return skills on STs...

[Velo]

So many good ones aren't even signed by a team yet. Hunt is still out there and plenty of others will get cut.

The reasons Hunt, Zeke, Cook etc have not been signed have more to do with money than anything else. Dotson is a rookie UDFA on a rookie UDFA salary. He is five years younger than those has veterans and has no NFL miles on his body. If Dotson continues to impress in the preseason and then he appears on the waiver wire during the cut downs, you don't think he will be claimed?

[Bolts&noles]

What if there both better then Kelley?
They definitely seem to have a higher ceiling.
Of course it's just one preseason game but Kelley has been very mediocre his first three years.
We heard last year about how he would be better but it didn't seem that impressive.