Official 2025 Chargers Discussion | 2025 Roster Build | Free Agency and Draft

[jamrock]

Which TE did we make a RB?

Probably referring to Rod Bernstine

[dmac_bolt]

Probably referring to Rod Bernstine

Thx J!

[Caslon]

I dont think this is about the owners. They have opened the purse strings on a very expensive coaching staff, top level facility, and spend to the cap

“They have opened the purse strings on a very expensive coaching staff.” You mean after their chosen debacle GM and his coach got them looking laughable which caused them to have to something?

“top level facility”. The Eagles just won the SB with the leagues worst facility.

”spend to the cap?” Don’t look for any big swings from these “football guys.”

So far, two blowout losses in the first round of the playoffs and with Herbert no less! Naw, can’t have anything to do with the check signers.

Third times a charm. Just bits and pieces away, that’s all.

[Boltjolt]

The main long term solution is through the draft. This roster churn with FA is more about building better short term depth while also hopefully getting comp picks in return when these one year deal leave for more money next FA.

True but we likely arent getting ay comp picks this year. We signed a lot of guys that were FAs. I think its pretty even right now or even we down 1.

[Chargers8491]

Really the only thing left to do is to get Slater extended. I would love to see them have him extended before the draft. I still think they are going to trade for a player. Right now, I'm thinking Hendrickson, but I think the Bengals are asking too much.

[Chargers8491]

True but we likely arent getting ay comp picks this year. We signed a lot of guys that were FAs. I think its pretty even right now or even we down 1.

Over the cap has us even right now but don't know how up to date it is.

[Boltjolt]

Which TE did we make a RB?

Yes, Rod Bernstine. Drafted him as a TE. He was 6'3", 238,...1st round pick #24 overall. He was pretty good at RB. With us he had 407 carries, 2007 yards, 17 TDs and a 4.9 YPC. Started giving him some carries in his 3rd season, and a full time RB by his 4th season. With us he never averaged UNDER 4.7 YPC. Went to Denver as a RB, had one decent year, though his YPC were way down to 3.7 and then fizzled. Must have got injured, i dont recall.

[Boltnut]

@RB: Harris was a nice pick-up. But I think we still go out and try to find another similar RB in the draft. If Hampton is there @#22, I think we draft him. If not still there @#22, I think we target Quinshon Judkins @#55. Rinse and repeat in the 3rd round if Judkins isn't there @#55. I don't think we're looking for "lightning". I think we're looking for "Thunder v2" to spell Harris. We're dead-in-the-water if Harris goes down... and no one to take over the role.

@WR: MW was another nice pick-up. An X-WR to challenge the 2-deep safety alignments and create space for Ladd and a new TE. I think we go after another X-WR in the draft... but not a round 1-3 guy. A guy that can develop and provide depth. The WR class is very deep. Kaden Prather is a prototypical prospect that could go as late as round 5 in a deep class. The Chargers met with Roc Talor. Donte' Thornton and KeAndre Smith-Lambert are other developmental X-WR prospects with size and speed. Jaylen Royals and Savion Williams are guys that I would consider in round 3 if they were BPA and we have RB/TE taken care of in round 1 and 2.

@TE: I would be looking for TE in the 1st or 2nd round. Get a really good one. Occupy the safeties with your outside WR's (QJ and MW). Let Ladd frustrate defenders at the short/mid-levels... drive a stake through the defense's heart with a quality TE that can press the seam and work the middle and sidelines. He should be able to line-up everywhere... needs to be a decent blocker.

Ideal: 1st: RB Hampton/Johnson... 2nd: TE Taylor/Orroyo
Also ideal: 1st: TE Loveland... 2nd RB Judkins

3rd/4th: BPA @DT/EDGE... deep classes @both positions

[Fouts2herbert]

I think this FA class was mediocre and Hortiz would rather spend money on building up depth than overpay for a big name like Telesco did. Maybe this will lead to same bad results in the end. But at least he’s trying something new and different than Telesco.

Definitely the FA class was not good, but despite all that I still think that Hortiz extracted some really good value, sifted thru all the trash to find something worthwhile and usable from this class, he kept it low risk short term deals and didn't overpay for anyone while filling most all of holes on the roster...watching Hortiz work has been a revelation, it's made me realize what Telesco was by comparison...Staley is to Harbaugh what Telesco is to Hortiz, it's that big of a divide, ridiculous that the family had him run the show for a decade, absolutely ridiculous...

that's two years in a row now we see Hortiz pull some rabbits out of the hat and work the cap like a rented mule...now the draft, and don't think for a second that he won't surprise people again, picking someone like Tarhib Still at the top of the fifth and everyone wondering who the fuck he was...even the pundits were saying he was a wasted pick and a guy that should've been a priority free agent, now they are mocking him as a 1st rounder in the re-draft mocks, LOL!!!

[Fouts2herbert]

Thats a good point to remember...this wasnt a banner FA class.

That said, i dont think we will ever see Hortiz be a big spender in FA.

Depends what you mean by big spender...for instance, once this roster is ready to take that next step and the cap situation is healthy I can definitely see Hortiz swing for the fences on a market setting deal if the RIGHT guy is there at the RIGHT time that we need him to put us over the top into Super Bowl winning type team mode, why not?

But as long as the team is still building it would be irresponsible of him to do something like that...these coaches and FO don't want to use the word rebuilding and they don't want to admit it, but anyone that has eyesight can see what 2024 was and what 2025 is also, these are transition years, they are cleaning house on all the rumphs, otitos, mcfaddens, jaimes, salyers...etc...when final cuts come right before this season starts and 18 months into the Hortiz/Harbuagh era, there will be less than 19 guys left from the TT era on the roster and only a handful of them have a role going forward into the new era, so the rest of them will probably be gone by the start of the 2026 season...if that's not a rebuild then I don't know what is...

[Fouts2herbert]

Really the only thing left to do is to get Slater extended. I would love to see them have him extended before the draft. I still think they are going to trade for a player. Right now, I'm thinking Hendrickson, but I think the Bengals are asking too much.

Slater is not going anywhere, the only way Slater gets traded is if someone comes with two #1 picks and other considerations...

[Boltjolt]

@RB: Harris was a nice pick-up. But I think we still go out and try to find another similar RB in the draft. If Hampton is there @#22, I think we draft him. If not still there @#22, I think we target Quinshon Judkins @#55. Rinse and repeat in the 3rd round if Judkins isn't there @#55. I don't think we're looking for "lightning". I think we're looking for "Thunder v2" to spell Harris. We're dead-in-the-water if Harris goes down... and no one to take over the role.

@WR: MW was another nice pick-up. An X-WR to challenge the 2-deep safety alignments and create space for Ladd and a new TE. I think we go after another X-WR in the draft... but not a round 1-3 guy. A guy that can develop and provide depth. The WR class is very deep. Kaden Prather is a prototypical prospect that could go as late as round 5 in a deep class. The Chargers met with Roc Talor. Donte' Thornton and KeAndre Smith-Lambert are other developmental X-WR prospects with size and speed. Jaylen Royals and Savion Williams are guys that I would consider in round 3 if they were BPA and we have RB/TE taken care of in round 1 and 2.

@TE: I would be looking for TE in the 1st or 2nd round. Get a really good one. Occupy the safeties with your outside WR's (QJ and MW). Let Ladd frustrate defenders at the short/mid-levels... drive a stake through the defense's heart with a quality TE that can press the seam and work the middle and sidelines. He should be able to line-up everywhere... needs to be a decent blocker.

Ideal: 1st: RB Hampton/Johnson... 2nd: TE Taylor/Orroyo
Also ideal: 1st: TE Loveland... 2nd RB Judkins

3rd/4th: BPA @DT/EDGE... deep classes @both positions

I know nobody sees it, but im betting Rice is still a guy they think can be a X reciever for us and they redshirted him last season. I agree we likely will draft a X reciever though. Im just not disregarding Rice yet till we see if he has progressed but it wont stop them from drafting a X reciever. They did let Fehoko walk who was ahead of Rice last year.

Im not big on Roc Taylor but do think Don'te Thornton can be a good one late for us. I still like Savion but the class is deep. Id love Royals as well. Im like you and want TE/RB rounds 1-2, whichever order that is. Id be fine with Mason Taylor round 2.