The Official 2026 Chargers Season Discussion - (0-1)

[powderblueboy]

Who would you rather make the offensive line calls?

[Boltnut]

Who would you rather make the offensive line calls?

I'm going with the 2-time All-American.

Most importantly, he seems to be able to identify the blitzing LB and able to pick up the stunt... something neither Bozeman nor Zion seemed to be able to do.

Mekhi Becton had a 35.7 pff score last year. They say that was 79th among 81 OG's. I can't imagine who OG#80 and OG#81 were... but it wasn't Cole Strange.

I'll worry when there's something to worry about.

[Boltjolt]

That was a big part of it .... just no communication, .... and they (the interior) looked good game #1 against KC and Chris Jones. What happened?

Maybe Zion had to focus too much on giving help to the LT, and the shaky communication with Bozeman got stretched beyond the limit.
And Becton's back problems disallowed practicing next to Bozeman ... remember how he took a good part of camp going back to philly for some ceremony.
Becton had every incentive to perform well.

Is Becton signed anywhere yet?

[beachcomber]

Based on what tho? The coaches have never had him there at all during TC.

based on nuthin', other than it's a thought that has some appeal to me....

isn't Joe less of an injury concern than Rashawn ??

Rashawn is obviously an upgrade over Kayode, and w/the thought that a move inside might lessen the load on his injury concerns ??

think Jake is a wash w/Tyler by season's end.

Cole is Cole is McD's boy howdy.

and guessin' Big Jim would start Trey here, albeit not sure Burke wouldn't be on a developmental arc to succeed there once Pips suffers his inevitable nagging dose of injuries 'n ailments.

and so, guess the query is: do you prefer Awosika @LG, or Pips/Burke @RT ?? which combo makes us the better Oline/team ??

[CanadianBoltFan]

The interior will play together much better as a group. It is wrong headed to compare the two groups individually.

But what about last years crew?

As of now, Andre James / Bradley Bozeman / Mekai Becton / Austin Deculus / David Sharpe are all out of the league,
Foster Sarell / Bobby Hart are on practice squads,

That means 7 out of the 11, or so, of last year's olinemen are not good enough to be on any NFL active roster.

Trevor Penning / Branson Taylor / Joe Alt are currently with the team.
Taylor is, by all oppinions, a much better football player this year; and some here think that Penning has improved, being more comfortable in the Mike McDaniel's offense.

That I can fully agree with, the group is better

[beachcomber]

Is Becton signed anywhere yet?

Someone should take another shot on Mekhi Becton

Becton is 27. That alone separates him from most recognizable players sitting unsigned in September.

The Jets chose him 11th overall in 2020 because human beings his size aren’t supposed to move like he did. Then came injuries, conditioning concerns and years of uneven football. His move to guard in Philadelphia briefly changed the conversation before a disappointing season with the Chargers sent his value crashing again.

Fine. Make him a backup.

Becton has played guard and tackle. He’s 6-foot-7 and weighs more than 360 pounds. He may never become a dependable starter, but plenty of teams employ reserve linemen with half his physical ability.

There’s no need to romanticize this one. Give him a minimum contract, make him compete and cut him if the same problems return. The potential payoff beats cycling through another anonymous lineman who has already established his ceiling.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

To declare he’s an improvement over Zion at this point just seems like a preposterous overreach to me.

Awosika was legit 'serviceable' for the Lions last year. As you're aware, the majority of the players who paraded through as fill ins on the O-line last year for the Bolts were world's away-- in the wrong direction-- from being 'serviceable' NFL players. Awosika doesn't impress you, because he's not impressive! But since he has a recent season that demonstrates his serviceability, it's an upgrade (and a serious one) over what we saw last fall, even though it isn't eye catching.

Zion Johnson tested like Tarzan, but played like Jane. Being an outstanding athlete doesn't ensure you'll be an outstanding football player. Zion proves it!

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Someone should take another shot on Mekhi Becton

Becton is 27. That alone separates him from most recognizable players sitting unsigned in September.

The Jets chose him 11th overall in 2020 because human beings his size aren’t supposed to move like he did. Then came injuries, conditioning concerns and years of uneven football. His move to guard in Philadelphia briefly changed the conversation before a disappointing season with the Chargers sent his value crashing again.

Fine. Make him a backup.

Becton has played guard and tackle. He’s 6-foot-7 and weighs more than 360 pounds. He may never become a dependable starter, but plenty of teams employ reserve linemen with half his physical ability.

There’s no need to romanticize this one. Give him a minimum contract, make him compete and cut him if the same problems return. The potential payoff beats cycling through another anonymous lineman who has already established his ceiling.

Doesn't all of this strongly suggest that Becton lacks the mental makeup to play football well on the highest level?

IMO, with rare exceptions, you are either BORN with the warrior mentality, or you just don't have it. If you don't embrace the brutality of football, then you're just surviving it, and you won't be out there on the field kicking ass and taking names.

I think that most of us here in this forum would acknowledge that we, as individuals, don't possess the mental framework and disposition that it takes to be successful as an MMA fighter. No shame in that, right? Likewise, I suspect that Becton can't be developed into a player who could capitalize on his physical skills, because the necessary mental framework is absent.

If he had it in him to flip the switch, it would have happened by now.

[beachcomber]

jftr, have no interest in Becton…. just answering Jolt’s query as to whether he was signed or not ??

[Boltjolt]

Someone should take another shot on Mekhi Becton

Becton is 27. That alone separates him from most recognizable players sitting unsigned in September.

The Jets chose him 11th overall in 2020 because human beings his size aren’t supposed to move like he did. Then came injuries, conditioning concerns and years of uneven football. His move to guard in Philadelphia briefly changed the conversation before a disappointing season with the Chargers sent his value crashing again.

Fine. Make him a backup.

Becton has played guard and tackle. He’s 6-foot-7 and weighs more than 360 pounds. He may never become a dependable starter, but plenty of teams employ reserve linemen with half his physical ability.

There’s no need to romanticize this one. Give him a minimum contract, make him compete and cut him if the same problems return. The potential payoff beats cycling through another anonymous lineman who has already established his ceiling.

I'm just curious how he will do elsewhere. But, I guess nobody wants him lol.

As for the Slater to LG I'm just trusting the coaches on that. Slater said recently he is 100%.

[KrazyLegs]

Doesn't all of this strongly suggest that Becton lacks the mental makeup to play football well on the highest level?

IMO, with rare exceptions, you are either BORN with the warrior mentality, or you just don't have it. If you don't embrace the brutality of football, then you're just surviving it, and you won't be out there on the field kicking ass and taking names.

I think that most of us here in this forum would acknowledge that we, as individuals, don't possess the mental framework and disposition that it takes to be successful as an MMA fighter. No shame in that, right? Likewise, I suspect that Becton can't be developed into a player who could capitalize on his physical skills, because the necessary mental framework is absent.

If he had it in him to flip the switch, it would have happened by now.

Becton has them Jared Gaither vibes

[Topcat]

Doesn't all of this strongly suggest that Becton lacks the mental makeup to play football well on the highest level?

IMO, with rare exceptions, you are either BORN with the warrior mentality, or you just don't have it. If you don't embrace the brutality of football, then you're just surviving it, and you won't be out there on the field kicking ass and taking names.

I think that most of us here in this forum would acknowledge that we, as individuals, don't possess the mental framework and disposition that it takes to be successful as an MMA fighter. No shame in that, right? Likewise, I suspect that Becton can't be developed into a player who could capitalize on his physical skills, because the necessary mental framework is absent.

If he had it in him to flip the switch, it would have happened by now.

Would u say Becton kind of pulled a Gaither?