Official 2026 Chargers News | Acquisitions | Transactions | Injuries

[Boltjolt]

I agree that jobs aren't won but impressions are made. TC and pre season will determine the starters for week 1. And that may be subje t to change as the season goes on.

Exactly. My response was more to about what Dmac said. I don't want to post an essay on the matter but one comment he said Pip was the OTA clear winner or something like that.

Pipkins won't win a RG job til he goes out there and shows he can beat out Salyer and McFadden. He hasn't played OG so like Harbaugh told Rice, you have to go out and show it.

OTAs for the Rice types are willingness to work and show he can get better. Leave an impression like you said and like I said Woods needs to do.

Our starters at some possitions will be won in TC and preseason. Not OTAs and we all should know that by now. Who sticks on the roster at WR and how many we keep will be something to watch as well.

Like I said, OTAs just gives us something to talk about in this dead time,...but then the music conversation was more exciting to me lol.

[Boltjolt]

Okay, if OTAs don't mean anything, be honest, if you were putting money right now on who starts at RG, who would you put your $ on, Pipkins or Salyer?

I wouldn't bet on that. Not sure how it's relevant to OTAs. Who have they been blocking so far?
Pipkins I'm not sure he is the assumed starter at RG now. Harbaugh said the best 5 will play. He has competition. Salyer wasn't that good at RG after playing OT for some years. Pips in the same boat.

You can bet your money, I won't and honesty I don't care who wns. Just want improvement.

[dmac_bolt]

You may be right,.....but since they have not starting hitting, or tackling or any real blocking or had any real practices as far as anything close to TC, I won't assume anything.

OTAs don't mean shit..

I might be wrong too . Everyone here might be wrong, and everyone here will be right at times just due to the volume of opinions we all post. throw a 100 darts and even the worst dart player will stick 10 of them on the board.

I’m on record with three primary calls

1. Ladd is gonna smoke it
2. Q is gonna rise
3. Pipkins will win RG

… i think thats about it. Oh, I think Dobbins is gonna shine and stay relatively healthy (for him) this year, he’s got blazing speed and skills and will be wicked paired with Herbie as a check valve. I’m hearing Spiller is gaining some coach’s smiles in OTAs but as you note, OTAs don’t mean shit. Except when they do

[dmac_bolt]

Disagree all you want.

OTAs means nothing in terms of a player winning a possition. I said your bolded and your bolded isn't exactly right. It's not real critical but it matters because we have a new staff and why we get extra practices from the league.
They are learning their schemes and assignments right now. Trying different things with the players.
Switching on and off with others getting first team reps and going thru their new training routines with Ben. There is no tackling, no blocking, no pads. Just learning.

They will learn a lot more in TC as well. They won't have everything thrown at them in OTAs. The earlier OTAs aren't even mandatory.

You think Pipkins is going to win the RG job from OTAs?
No....he will win it from TC and in preseason. They will also move a couple or few OL guys around in TC and PS well in a game to see how they do.

Just facts.

I'll guarantee you this,....there will be NO jobs won from OTAs. That is a fact.
If you don't believe that then just go look at our depth chart.
Nobody is winning anything right now, so saying "he is clearly the winner at OTAs" is just crazy talk. Jaimes is listed as our starting OC right now. RG is empty.

Curious = why do you say that? What do you have supporting your hypothesis? If they are switching multiple players in and out, that to me signals they are giving guys a chance. When they narrow down to just one set of guys - that’s saying something in my view. to say it doesn’t mean anything seems just … well … made up. Coaches arent just fucking around out there, they are getting a team ready to compete. If they are only working 5 guys on OL1, they have a reason. Doesn’t mean it can’t change, could be they just wanted to give that grouping extended work. if the next time they come back they work a different set of 5, the assumption may be wrong, or it may be they are looking at how backups will fit in with starters - one thing about this coaching staff is they will have the team prepared for situations the last several crews never did.

unless you got some actual facts and figures to teach me how I’m wrong that we shouldn’t believe what we see with our eyes?

[dmac_bolt]

If Storm Norton beats you out @RT in your 3rd year of "development"... you have a foot-speed problem.
If your team throws a rookie 6th-round guard prospect out there @LT when your starter goes down... you have a foot-speed problem.
I'm not sure what you were watching in 2022... maybe we just have different standards. Joe Alt was drafted for a reason.

BoltJolt is right... OTA's are for installment only.
Full speed practices and pre-season games will give us a better idea.
I have no expectations or evaluations to give at this time. Let them compete.

Thanks for the Hep. Hopefully Harbaugh is the cure.

I’m not comparing Pipkins to Alt, I’m comparing him to Fluker. He has better feet.
his slow development years before are irrelevant to today.

Pipkins gave up 2 sacks in 2022, the question isn’t what I saw but what the hell you watched. He played decent, enough to get a contract. He’s not all pro or pro bowl and Alt will be an upgrade, and thats cool with me.

2023 - Last year all 5 OL players played like shit, I know this gang likes to single out Pipkins but Salyer played worse next to him. DCs regularly ran overloads stunts and blitzes against them because they were not coached up for shit to handle it and Moore was very much less when it came to adjusting to what defenses were doing. Pipkins played several games with a banged up ankle too, the couple times Sarrell came in for him was a very visible drop off.

Boltjolt is guessing like the rest. Whats the theory of sitting your desired starter on the sideline and “installing” with a guy you plan to be backup? That makes as much sense as pointing to 2019 as evidence of Pipkins in 2024.

[Boltjolt]

Curious = why do you say that? What do you have supporting your hypothesis? If they are switching multiple players in and out, that to me signals they are giving guys a chance. When they narrow down to just one set of guys - that’s saying something in my view. to say it doesn’t mean anything seems just … well … made up. Coaches arent just fucking around out there, they are getting a team ready to compete. If they are only working 5 guys on OL1, they have a reason. Doesn’t mean it can’t change, could be they just wanted to give that grouping extended work. if the next time they come back they work a different set of 5, the assumption may be wrong, or it may be they are looking at how backups will fit in with starters - one thing about this coaching staff is they will have the team prepared for situations the last several crews never did.

unless you got some actual facts and figures to teach me how I’m wrong that we shouldn’t believe what we see with our eyes?

Hmm, really?
When he we ever named starters during OTAs asside from the obvious starters like Herbert, Bosa, Mack?

That's what TC and mostly preseason is for.
What are they doing in OTAs that you say wins somebody a starting position for say Pip vs Salyer? Who are i they blocking? Who are they even hitting? Are they judging by who hits the sled the hardes

Harbaugh said the best 5 OL will play. You think he determined that from sled drills? They still working on their offensive scheme.

Do I really need to explain this? This isn't your first rodeo with OTAs. Pip very well may win but he has to show it just like he told Rice. Salyer may be much improved. McFadden may be improved.

Even in TC you will see OL , DL and DBs move around and get looks. I don't see any settling going on yet.

Go take a look at the depth chart if you think it's settled. There is a blank at RG, WR , RB, DL.

The official depth chart isn't posted till much later. Like you know, near the end of preseason after they have made final cuts. Starters may be there before then though as the last preseason game is usually all 2nd and third stringers, and on the bubble guys fighting for roster spots.
Don't take my word for it, take a look here.

https://www.chargers.com/team/depth-chart

[Fouts2herbert]

I wouldn't bet on that. Not sure how it's relevant to OTAs. Who have they been blocking so far?
Pipkins I'm not sure he is the assumed starter at RG now. Harbaugh said the best 5 will play. He has competition. Salyer wasn't that good at RG after playing OT for some years. Pips in the same boat.

You can bet your money, I won't and honesty I don't care who wns. Just want improvement.

Salyer's rookie season (2022) continues to get blown out of proportion, he was a stop gap and folks tend to remember it fondly because we had no one better, that's on TT for failing to create better depth on the roster and Salyer was just acceptable as the starting LT, but because no one else was available to fill the role he became this 'savior' type persona with fans...

[Topcat]

I might be wrong too . Everyone here might be wrong, and everyone here will be right at times just due to the volume of opinions we all post. throw a 100 darts and even the worst dart player will stick 10 of them on the board.

I’m on record with three primary calls

1. Ladd is gonna smoke it
2. Q is gonna rise
3. Pipkins will win RG
4. Harbo will improve the Bolts

… i think thats about it. Oh, I think Dobbins is gonna shine and stay relatively healthy (for him) this year, he’s got blazing speed and skills and will be wicked paired with Herbie as a check valve. I’m hearing Spiller is gaining some coach’s smiles in OTAs but as you note, OTAs don’t mean shit. Except when they do

There...fixed it for 'ya!

[dmac_bolt]

Hmm, really?
When he we ever named starters during OTAs asside from the obvious starters like Herbert, Bosa, Mack?

That's what TC and mostly preseason is for.
What are they doing in OTAs that you say wins somebody a starting position for say Pip vs Salyer? Who are i they blocking? Who are they even hitting? Are they judging by who hits the sled the hardes

Harbaugh said the best 5 OL will play. You think he determined that from sled drills? They still working on their offensive scheme.

Do I really need to explain this? This isn't your first rodeo with OTAs. Pip very well may win but he has to show it just like he told Rice. Salyer may be much improved. McFadden may be improved.

Even in TC you will see OL , DL and DBs move around and get looks. I don't see any settling going on yet.

Go take a look at the depth chart if you think it's settled. There is a blank at RG, WR , RB, DL.

The official depth chart isn't posted till much later. Like you know, near the end of preseason after they have made final cuts. Starters may be there before then though as the last preseason game is usually all 2nd and third stringers, and on the bubble guys fighting for roster spots.
Don't take my word for it, take a look here.

https://www.chargers.com/team/depth-chart

I’d caution you that the Chargers have not updated public depth charts for 2024, nor will the publicly release them for a long time. You think that means they have no idea who their starters will be, I’m less certain of that. don’t take what you read on the interwebby as indicative of coaches’ current depth thinking or plans. Ladd is not on the depth chart at all, neither is Chark, Bozeman, or the two new TEs. All they have done on the publicly published depth charts on Chargers.com is delete 2023 players no longer on the team as best I can tell. If you’re reading other sites, they don’t know.

Appreciate your response - to simplify: you said you don’t know and don’t have any real facts. I have said it could change but we have a couple actual data points to go on for now:

1. Harbaugh said Pipkins is one of his 5 best OL
2. They started OTAs with a lot of rotation in OL players. They concluded OTAs with a fixed set of 5 on OL1. For now, they include Pipkins in that 5. You say you didnt see it. Ok, many of us did. You say that means absolutely nothing, I say it might mean something.

We operate under the theory that coaches are not just dicking around out there - they have purpose. If they had wanted to rotate and look at more of them, they would have.

And of course it can change, I’ve said that consistently. I don’t know for sure Pipkins is the starter, and you sure as hell have no information to say he’s not. My bet is based on Pipkins body of work and abilities, he’s in a strong lead position. You can believe whatever you want, but you don’t know a thing.

[Chargers8491]

I wouldn't bet on that. Not sure how it's relevant to OTAs. Who have they been blocking so far?
Pipkins I'm not sure he is the assumed starter at RG now. Harbaugh said the best 5 will play. He has competition. Salyer wasn't that good at RG after playing OT for some years. Pips in the same boat.

You can bet your money, I won't and honesty I don't care who wns. Just want improvement.

I think the only thing you can really glean from OTA's as far as the oline goes is who the coaches envision as the starting 5 by who's running with the 1's and 2's especially if one player is getting more reps, but that doesn't mean they will be anointed the starter. They still have to earn in in TC.

Pip has the tools to be a really good guard. The question is does he have the mind set to be a guard.

[Chargers8491]

I might be wrong too . Everyone here might be wrong, and everyone here will be right at times just due to the volume of opinions we all post. throw a 100 darts and even the worst dart player will stick 10 of them on the board.

I’m on record with three primary calls

1. Ladd is gonna smoke it
2. Q is gonna rise
3. Pipkins will win RG

… i think thats about it. Oh, I think Dobbins is gonna shine and stay relatively healthy (for him) this year, he’s got blazing speed and skills and will be wicked paired with Herbie as a check valve. I’m hearing Spiller is gaining some coach’s smiles in OTAs but as you note, OTAs don’t mean shit. Except when they do

I agree with your calls and mine are the same. My going out on the limb is Vidal will be the starter at RB by the seasons end.

[Critty]

The impression I get is they draft Alt and Pipkins lost his job.
Pipkins only opportunity to be a starter is RG. And he ain't the only one that wants that job. Good problem to have.
I'm not betting on Pipkins. I'm taking the field to get the RG job.