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

[sonorajim]

Yep...Matlock was an experiment that was only partially successful...case closed...

In your opinion. not mine.
I believe we will have a FB on the 53 and Matlock returns to training camp as a FB and has to be beaten out by someone Harbaugh and Roman prefer.

It'll depend on the work Matlock has put into training and studying IMO. He has a head start on the competition who have no experience as Roman's FB.

[Topcat]

In your opinion. not mine.
I believe we will have a FB on the 53 and Matlock returns to training camp as a FB and has to be beaten out by someone Harbaugh and Roman prefer.

It'll depend on the work Matlock has put into training and studying IMO. He has a head start on the competition who have no experience as Roman's FB.

Oops...I amended my "case closed" to "the jury's still out on Matlock"...wow, that was a quick response...

[Formula 21]

Harbaugh likes BIG, so I don’t write off Matlock this early in the season.

[dmac_bolt]

???

Concede that Matlock won't end up being the team's FB?!?

I've already conceded that it's not probable. You're telling me that's not good enough?

You crack me up, you silly wabbit.

My reading comprehension deficiencies have caught up with me again because I cannot for the life of me extract “I conceded he won’t be” from this laudatory blubbering of hope and promise (below). You said we haven’t seen his best, he’s worked on his game and we will see a better version of him. ‘Yes You Do’. Dude is a competitor.

I concede you offer no ironclad guarantee, but nothing in this lil-train-that-could ode says it’s not probable, I rather inferred the inverse that he is possible if not likely. I will regroup and read harder next time. Regrets are not enough, I know. Your patience is much appreciated, good sir.

Matlock was absolutely new to the FB position last year. I doubt that we saw his 'best', because there's a learning curve.

Doesn't mean that Matlock is, or should be, the Bolts' FB this season. But do I expect that he's worked on his game, and that we'll see a better version of him this summer? Yes, I do. Doesn't mean it will be enough, but... dude us a competitor. And those are welcome in Chargerland.

[dmac_bolt]

Oops...I amended my "case closed" to "the jury's still out on Matlock"...wow, that was a quick response...

Don’t fold under their withering pressure attacks. Matlock is not a FB, he misses way too many blocks to be a FB. He’s not a receiver - he’s a DT who they threw 4 passes to. They could have thrown the same 4 passes to any declared-eligible OT. He’s got some generally above-average DL athletic abilities (vs the population, not NFL players) but he’s in a league that requires elite specialists, not generalists.

I’m going to give Coach Jim more credit for intelligence and assume he not so stupid that he will completely ignore actual performance just because a guy is “big”. I again challenge the entire TPB nation to start listing FBs that weighed 300 lbs who were effective in the NFL. Klotz will add 5-10 lbs and be the perfectly prototypical size for an NFL FB and prove he is a much more effective lead blocker out of the FB position because he is faster and more agile while having good point of attack strength and much better blocking technique. Matlock tried to block (ineffectively) for one season as a converted DT, go back and watch every rush play and be surprised at how many blown up plays have him right in front missing a lead block. in the meantime Klotz was blocking extremely effectively his entire college career and pancaking the shit out of defenders all over the field.

I am saddened that so many here think our coaches are blind and stupid and so rigidly doctrinaire about “size” that they can’t see their own players play. It’s the same mindset that blindly assumes Jim will pick a squad full of Wolverines because he knew them, as if he cannot evaluate player talent from other schools and pick the best players from across the nation. Does TPB really think the coaches simply line players up from fat to skinny and pick the starters from the fat end of that line?

Matlock will be a good blocker on PKs against opposing ST scrubs, and an occasional rotation backup DT - how’s that?

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Don’t fold under their withering pressure attacks. Matlock is not a FB, he misses way too many blocks to be a FB. He’s not a receiver - he’s a DT who they threw 4 passes to. They could have thrown the same 4 passes to any declared-eligible OT. He’s got some generally above-average DL athletic abilities (vs the population, not NFL players) but he’s in a league that requires elite specialists, not generalists.

I’m going to give Coach Jim more credit for intelligence and assume he not so stupid that he will completely ignore actual performance just because a guy is “big”. I again challenge the entire TPB nation to start listing FBs that weighed 300 lbs who were effective in the NFL. Klotz will add 5-10 lbs and be the perfectly prototypical size for an NFL FB and prove he is a much more effective lead blocker out of the FB position because he is faster and more agile while having good point of attack strength and much better blocking technique. Matlock tried to block (ineffectively) for one season as a converted DT, go back and watch every rush play and be surprised at how many blown up plays have him right in front missing a lead block. in the meantime Klotz was blocking extremely effectively his entire college career and pancaking the shit out of defenders all over the field.

I am saddened that so many here think our coaches are blind and stupid and so rigidly doctrinaire about “size” that they can’t see their own players play. It’s the same mindset that blindly assumes Jim will pick a squad full of Wolverines because he knew them, as if he cannot evaluate player talent from other schools and pick the best players from across the nation. Does TPB really think the coaches simply line players up from fat to skinny and pick the starters from the fat end of that line?

Matlock will be a good blocker on PKs against opposing ST scrubs, and an occasional rotation backup DT - how’s that?

That's a lot of intensity and disproportionate frustration, for a minor position battle we'll have no tangible data points about until camp starts. Clearly, missus Dmac is offering no sugar this week.

[wu-dai clan]

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

My reading comprehension deficiencies have caught up with me again because I cannot for the life of me extract “I conceded he won’t be” from this laudatory blubbering of hope and promise (below). You said we haven’t seen his best, he’s worked on his game and we will see a better version of him. ‘Yes You Do’. Dude is a competitor.

I concede you offer no ironclad guarantee, but nothing in this lil-train-that-could ode says it’s not probable, I rather inferred the inverse that he is possible if not likely. I will regroup and read harder next time. Regrets are not enough, I know. Your patience is much appreciated, good sir.

Doesn't mean that Matlock is, or should be, the Bolts' FB this season. But do I expect that he's worked on his game, and that we'll see a better version of him this summer? Yes, I do. Doesn't mean it will be enough, but... dude us a competitor. And those are welcome in Chargerland.

Not sure how you can read this as any kind of confidence that Matlock will prevail.

It's also pretty logical-- not some preposterous proclamation-- that Matlock (1) will come to camp better prepared to do the job than he was a year ago, and (2) he'll make the other candidates work harder if they're going to win the job.

It's called 'competition', and it's why Harbaugh welcomes competitors.

[dmac_bolt]

That's a lot of intensity and disproportionate frustration, for a minor position battle we'll have no tangible data points about until camp starts. Clearly, missus Dmac is offering no sugar this week.

eh, more like its theatrical for dramatic effect. sometimes emphatic points land with more vigor and thicker heads need harder knocks. you cannot deny there are long-running themes here at TPB that Jim will pick Wolverines because they are/were Wolverines, and that Jim loves size above other attributes. These assumptions are lazy and reductive to the point they insult his creative brilliance. Here's another one: He once had a QB who could run better than he could pass, a QB who could run as well or better than any other QB in the league (perhaps). The TPB conclusion wasn't that Jim was brilliant to recognize and best utilize this existing talent - no, it was translated into Jim wants a running QB and Herbert will therefore become a running QB, despite Herbert being one the best pure pocket passers on the planet. That has slowly died out, still not completely, and only after a year of witnessing LAC's offense under Jim.

you could debate or rebut my thesis that too many theories about Harbaugh are simpleton observations of a past data point, but sadly no - you simply send insults. try and engage on ideas, its fun!

Mrs Dmac is as adorable and lovely as the day I met her, we live in harmony and bliss - I'll ignore your last comment, written in ignorance.

[Boltjolt]

Don’t fold under their withering pressure attacks. Matlock is not a FB, he misses way too many blocks to be a FB. He’s not a receiver - he’s a DT who they threw 4 passes to. They could have thrown the same 4 passes to any declared-eligible OT. He’s got some generally above-average DL athletic abilities (vs the population, not NFL players) but he’s in a league that requires elite specialists, not generalists.

I’m going to give Coach Jim more credit for intelligence and assume he not so stupid that he will completely ignore actual performance just because a guy is “big”. I again challenge the entire TPB nation to start listing FBs that weighed 300 lbs who were effective in the NFL. Klotz will add 5-10 lbs and be the perfectly prototypical size for an NFL FB and prove he is a much more effective lead blocker out of the FB position because he is faster and more agile while having good point of attack strength and much better blocking technique. Matlock tried to block (ineffectively) for one season as a converted DT, go back and watch every rush play and be surprised at how many blown up plays have him right in front missing a lead block. in the meantime Klotz was blocking extremely effectively his entire college career and pancaking the shit out of defenders all over the field.

I am saddened that so many here think our coaches are blind and stupid and so rigidly doctrinaire about “size” that they can’t see their own players play. It’s the same mindset that blindly assumes Jim will pick a squad full of Wolverines because he knew them, as if he cannot evaluate player talent from other schools and pick the best players from across the nation. Does TPB really think the coaches simply line players up from fat to skinny and pick the starters from the fat end of that line?

Matlock will be a good blocker on PKs against opposing ST scrubs, and an occasional rotation backup DT - how’s that?

Ravens FB Ricard is listed at 300 but he dont look like it. He is big tho. Has 48 career receptions, 10 carries, zero rushing TDs in 8 seasons. He also was a DT?FB and stayed at FB in year 3.

Id think Stevo, if he shows well in TC will be the FB and let Matlock concentrate on being a DT again. Klotz has more experience as a FB than Matlock does and it dont matter if its in Romans offense or not. He is blocking! Matters more that he is blocking NFL defenders.

No reason to keep trying to make Matlock a FB since they picked one up but we'll see how he developes.

[dmac_bolt]

Not sure how you can read this as any kind of confidence that Matlock will prevail.

It's also pretty logical-- not some preposterous proclamation-- that Matlock (1) will come to camp better prepared to do the job than he was a year ago, and (2) he'll make the other candidates work harder if they're going to win the job.

It's called 'competition', and it's why Harbaugh welcomes competitors.

nowhere in your post did you say or imply its not probable. the only points you offered were a series of reasons why he could win the role, you wrote nothing about why he will not. competition blah blah blah ... don't be trite and cliche, sharpen your steel, bro. perhaps the issue wasn't reading comprehension after all, its the writing.

Edit: All my best to Mrs Quack

[Topcat]

Don’t fold under their withering pressure attacks. Matlock is not a FB, he misses way too many blocks to be a FB. He’s not a receiver - he’s a DT who they threw 4 passes to. They could have thrown the same 4 passes to any declared-eligible OT. He’s got some generally above-average DL athletic abilities (vs the population, not NFL players) but he’s in a league that requires elite specialists, not generalists.

I’m going to give Coach Jim more credit for intelligence and assume he not so stupid that he will completely ignore actual performance just because a guy is “big”. I again challenge the entire TPB nation to start listing FBs that weighed 300 lbs who were effective in the NFL. Klotz will add 5-10 lbs and be the perfectly prototypical size for an NFL FB and prove he is a much more effective lead blocker out of the FB position because he is faster and more agile while having good point of attack strength and much better blocking technique. Matlock tried to block (ineffectively) for one season as a converted DT, go back and watch every rush play and be surprised at how many blown up plays have him right in front missing a lead block. in the meantime Klotz was blocking extremely effectively his entire college career and pancaking the shit out of defenders all over the field.

I am saddened that so many here think our coaches are blind and stupid and so rigidly doctrinaire about “size” that they can’t see their own players play. It’s the same mindset that blindly assumes Jim will pick a squad full of Wolverines because he knew them, as if he cannot evaluate player talent from other schools and pick the best players from across the nation. Does TPB really think the coaches simply line players up from fat to skinny and pick the starters from the fat end of that line?

Matlock will be a good blocker on PKs against opposing ST scrubs, and an occasional rotation backup DT - how’s that?

Well, I'm not exactly folding...I'm willing to give Matlock ONE more chance to prove himself in TC and the PS games...meanwhile, there are others waiting in the wings to also show what they can do..."line 'em up 3 deep and let 'em compete!"