Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | 2nd Wave Of Free Agency

[CanadianBoltFan]

I think Trevor Sikkahema (sp) is pretty good

I like Jeremiah the best
McShay was okay

Sikkema, Brugler, Jeremiah....my 3 favorites whose opinions I will listen to

[Lone Bolt]

Problem is Im pretty sure Silemma hasn't any idea what we will do. Just a PFF talking head. He watches tape gives his opinions and I respect that but to put out that.......lol

Yea...I love watching those guys analyze, discuss, and rank prospects...but their mock podcasts are more about speculation and just foolin' around...they do so many, they shake things up to entertain, less they be boring...and their knowledge of prospects far outclips their organization knowledge or contacts...even the professional journalists are just guessing...outside of Cam to the Titans, lol

[CanadianBoltFan]

Yea...I love watching those guys analyze, discuss, and rank prospects...but their mock podcasts are more about speculation and just foolin' around...they do so many, they shake things up to entertain, less they be boring...and their knowledge of prospects far outclips their organization knowledge or contacts...even the professional journalists are just guessing...outside of Cam to the Titans, lol

I think they get more right than you give the credit for ..in what is not an exact science or always easy to predict. I think they will get more right than Can Ward at #1. Hunter at 2 sounds done. Carter at 3, Campbell at 4, Graham at 5, Jeanty at 6...some of those will be right

[Boltnut]

You make a great point,. If the draft board is pretty similar from 15 to 60 or whatever as DJ pointed out - why would a team trade up

That said, a team like the Bills - they might trade up because they are in full on "its time to effing win now" -- they have been knocking so its time to kick the door down

Granted, is that for Grant or Harmon IDL
Maybe Ebuka at WR

So if the board is truly pretty even from 20 to 60 - that would mean taking the path of "okay, we are taking position X in Round 1 as there is great depth at these other positions in Rounds 2-4"

Here's what I'm hearing... and I agree.
The CB class is pretty good at the top... 1st round thru mid-2nd round.
The middle part of the CB class (value-wise) is missing. Then the 5th-6th rounds... CB's start being BPA again.
@the top of the CB class... there is another phenomenon going on. Some of these guys had injuries during the season.

Jahdae Barron... Limited man coverage and short arms may relegate him to nickelback. Probably gone by #22.
Will Johnson... Turf toe and foot injury caused him to miss the second half of the season. Regardless, he should be gone by #22.
Shavon Revel... Traits-laden player who tore his ACL early last season. If medicals check out, he should be gone by #22, too.
Benjamin Morrison... Missed the last 10 games to a hip injury. Inconsistent coverage and has short arms.
Trey Amos... this is the CB that the Chargers had an official top-30 visit with. No injuries... made a seamless transition from Sammy-Small-School to the big boy program (Alabama and Ol Miss).
Maxwell Hairston... missed last half of the season with a shoulder injury. Traits guy with slender build... liability as a tackler.
Azareye'h Thomas... His speed may not be NFL-caliber. Lack of speed causes him to be hands-y.

Why does this matter...? There aren't many NFL teams that are only 1 player away from being a SB team. The Buffalo Bills are one of them, though. Their entire roster is pretty good. Except at 1 position.... CB. I think it would behoove the Bills to upgrade from CB Dane Jackson.

The problem is this... With 3 CB's probably gone by pick #22, and the remaining CB's with injury (or traits) issues, they better hope the right one is there @#30. Compounding the problem... there are 2-3 teams ahead of them that could use CB help (Packers, Rams, Ravens).

The Bills have another problem. They are 31st in cap space ($6m left). With draft picks to sign, and an in-season cache for FA's, they will need to cut/trade 2 or 3 players. Sure they could re-structure/void years on a contract... but they've already done that on many of their contracts. Micky Loomis is embarrassed for them. If I were the Bills GM... I'd cut James Cook (replace in the draft) and trade Connor McGovern. They drafted Sedrick Van-Pran in 2024 draft. Depending on Sedrick's development, McGovern may be replaced without much drop off. A trade from #30 to #22 makes sense for them financially and PON-wise. To pull off the drafting of the best available CB... they would have to have #22 (in front of Packers). #30+McGovern would be a good deal for both the Bills and Chargers.

[sonorajim]

I just go back to the DeCosta press conference on Tuesday,. And yes, Joe Hortiz is running his own shop now but he was brought up under Ozzie with DeCosta and Kokinis and that crew
DeCosta said they have buckets of players based on grade. And if two players are close enough, they will pick NEED
If two players are in different buckets, the lower bucket is not jumping ahead of the better player just to fill Need

So if Hortiz picks IOL - its not becaues Harbaugh loves trenches - -its because he is the best player on the board in all likelihood.

BPA on Hortiz' Chargers board. Which may not find widespread agreement.
Membou and Booker are top 10 on some boards.Zabel is late 1st consistently. Jackson early 2nd.
No matter. In Hortiz I Trust.
We will be tough at IOL because not being is unacceptable.

[Jack Burton]

Here's what I'm hearing... and I agree.
The CB class is pretty good at the top... 1st round thru mid-2nd round.
The middle part of the CB class (value-wise) is missing. Then the 5th-6th rounds... CB's start being BPA again.
@the top of the CB class... there is another phenomenon going on. Some of these guys had injuries during the season.

Jahdae Barron... Limited man coverage and short arms may relegate him to nickelback. Probably gone by #22.
Will Johnson... Turf toe and foot injury caused him to miss the second half of the season. Regardless, he should be gone by #22.
Shavon Revel... Traits-laden player who tore his ACL early last season. If medicals check out, he should be gone by #22, too.
Benjamin Morrison... Missed the last 10 games to a hip injury. Inconsistent coverage and has short arms.
Trey Amos... this is the CB that the Chargers had an official top-30 visit with. No injuries... made a seamless transition from Sammy-Small-School to the big boy program (Alabama and Ol Miss).
Maxwell Hairston... missed last half of the season with a shoulder injury. Traits guy with slender build... liability as a tackler.
Azareye'h Thomas... His speed may not be NFL-caliber. Lack of speed causes him to be hands-y.

Why does this matter...? There aren't many NFL teams that are only 1 player away from being a SB team. The Buffalo Bills are one of them, though. Their entire roster is pretty good. Except at 1 position.... CB. I think it would behoove the Bills to upgrade from CB Dane Jackson.

The problem is this... With 3 CB's probably gone by pick #22, and the remaining CB's with injury (or traits) issues, they better hope the right one is there @#30. Compounding the problem... there are 2-3 teams ahead of them that could use CB help (Packers, Rams, Ravens).

The Bills have another problem. They are 31st in cap space ($6m left). With draft picks to sign, and an in-season cache for FA's, they will need to cut/trade 2 or 3 players. Sure they could re-structure/void years on a contract... but they've already done that on many of their contracts. Micky Loomis is embarrassed for them. If I were the Bills GM... I'd cut James Cook (replace in the draft) and trade Connor McGovern. They drafted Sedrick Van-Pran in 2024 draft. Depending on Sedrick's development, McGovern may be replaced without much drop off. A trade from #30 to #22 makes sense for them financially and PON-wise. To pull off the drafting of the best available CB... they would have to have #22 (in front of Packers). #30+McGovern would be a good deal for both the Bills and Chargers.

It’s just my suspicion but I think Hortiz/Harbaugh want out of 22 too. Pick up a 2nd and a 4th, double up in those rounds which allow them to move up if they want and go back to 30 in the 1st. I think ideally they or any team for that matter want 4-5 picks in the top 100 picks of this particular draft.

[Bolt4Knob]

BPA on Hortiz' Chargers board. Which may not find widespread agreement.
Membou and Booker are top 10 on some boards.Zabel is late 1st consistently. Jackson early 2nd.
No matter. In Hortiz I Trust.
We will be tough at IOL because not being is unacceptable.

I am good with the pick if its IOL - it fills a need for sure
I just don't think it will be because "Harbaugh likes trenches" - which he does. But Harbaugh also wants to win and he isn't turning down better talent to fill OL
there are many ways to improve this team

[dmac_bolt]

Looks like the Eagles are wanting a 4th round pick for Goeddert. Going to say it again, would rather trade a 3rd this year to move up for Loveland than trade a 4th or even 5th for Goeddert. One is a two year stop gap who will make $14m for one year. One is a long term play that will make like $20m for the first four years

https://twitter.com/JosinaAnderson/s...62963521360362

I agree with that choice between your two options too. Will it cost a 3rd? how far up does Joe need to trade to? Joe could sign a former 3rd round FA for less than $14M to replace it and Colston is going to be better.

[dmac_bolt]

LOL, its not so much i think he is a clickbate krank....im just pretty certain he hasnt a clue what we will do. I like the kid but we arent telling him a thing. If i were a GM id lie my ass off too. If i wanted Loveland im tell him im maybe trading up for a WR ....Tmac or Golden. But gee man i really like that Hampton kid too. And id say it like im throwing him a secret bone.

Thats what id do. Maybe Joe did that lol

you're dead center over the target. 100% this.

[Boltjolt]

I think they get more right than you give the credit for ..in what is not an exact science or always easy to predict. I think they will get more right than Can Ward at #1. Hunter at 2 sounds done. Carter at 3, Campbell at 4, Graham at 5, Jeanty at 6...some of those will be right

We aren't talking about predicting where players will go. I am talking about him saying we are one of three teams likely to trade up in round 1.

He has no way of knowing that but he makes it sounds like an absolute and he knows who we are targeting.

It's just a guess as me saying we should trade down to #28 -30 and get extra picks and draft Taylor. I've also no way of knowing that Taylor is our target.

[Boltnut]

It’s just my suspicion but I think Hortiz/Harbaugh want out of 22 too. Pick up a 2nd and a 4th, double up in those rounds which allow them to move up if they want and go back to 30 in the 1st. I think ideally they or any team for that matter want 4-5 picks in the top 100 picks of this particular draft.

If pundits are right (only 15 true 1st round grades)... then Hortiz would love to trade back to #30.
If I were the Bills... I'd trade McGovern and cut James Cook. They have to create cap space... this would do it.

Then, I'd draft a CB with #22 (biggest need), draft a DT with #56 (2nd biggest need)... then replace Cook with the #62 pick.
With the 109th pick, I'd draft center Seth McLaughlin and get WR depth with #132.

[Boltnut]

We aren't talking about predicting where players will go. I am talking about him saying we are one of three teams likely to trade up in round 1.

He has no way of knowing that but he makes it sounds like an absolute and he knows who we are targeting.

It's just a guess as me saying we should trade down to #28 -30 and get extra picks and draft Taylor. I've also no way of knowing that Taylor is our target.

In his mind we are targeting Colston Loveland.
Last year, we were taking Malik Nabers [in his mind].