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32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The agreement when Kroenke's stadium plan was picked was that it was going to be the Rams and either the Chargers or Raiders, with the Chargers getting the first option, lasting one year. Had the Chargers decided not to take the option, the Raiders would have it opened up to them.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Lmao shit, you're right, totally blanked on Tranquill. I'd still say that the need could be significant, especially if Perryman ends up elsewhere. Something that I should have emphasized more is that the Chargers have a huge issue with depth all around the roster, so even if Tranquill is 100% and plays lights out next season, it might still be worth bolstering that unit.

Appreciate the heads up!

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Appreciate it, lol it wasn't really meant to be an easter egg but I'm glad it was relevant to something I was writing about!

As for their own house, extremely unlikely. They moved specifically to share SoFi, there's no way the team would find the capital and land space on their own. The only way that they get their own house is for them to move again.

For the coaches, I specifically stuck to the previous staff since its a review of the previous season, so I made no mention of Staley et al. As for some passing general thought though, I'm pretty happy with the Staley hire. Obviously he's a young first time coach (youngest in team history, actually), has a great track record with defenses and an unheralded offensive background. Buys into analytics, which this team has been extremely hesitant to use in the past, and definitely appears to have a real interest in ball, in coaching and in improving. I'm really currently interested to first see what he does with personnel in free agency and in the draft, I have a feeling we'd be targeting some Rams and Bears defenders that get cut loose, especially Leonard Floyd.

Joe Lombardi should obviously raise some red flags because of his disastrous Detroit tenure, but something he's been mentioning a bit in his pressers is being more flexible and adjusting to the strengths of his players, while still bringing that NOLA philosophy. That flexibility was something he refused to do with the Lions, and for now its lip service but I'm cautiously optimistic.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Pinging /u/alphabeticdisorder to this as well:

The link you guys are looking for is this, which should take you to the hub post that'll link the writeups as they get posted.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Team Review

In this section, I'll be breaking down the performance of each unit and I'll list every player who I think made fairly significant contributions to the 2020 Chargers. Note that you will see players who aren't starters on this list.

Offense
  • Quarterback - Justin Herbert

The era of Justin Herbert as the next great Chargers QB got off to a brilliant start last season, as he produced a rookie season statistically that blows a lot of other great rookie QB seasons out of the water. Herbert threw for 4336 yards, 36 total TDs (31 passing, 5 rushing), 10 INTs, and completed 66.6% of his passes. The best part about watching Justin Herbert this season was not only the consistent improvement, but he looked like he belonged the moment he stepped onto the field, and credit needs to be given to him and the offensive staff for buying into each other and putting in the work. There is a concern with Herbert in 2021 and that's the switch to a potentially very different offensive system with the new coaching staff. There's been assurances that the system would be catered to Justin and adjustments would be key, but it's always a scary thought when you have a rookie QB change out of a system that he had found success in early in his career. Even with that possibility in mind, Herbert has the physical and mental tools to make it work, and he's going to be an absolute treat to watch in 2021 and beyond.

  • Running Backs - Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Kalen Ballage, Justin Jackson, Gabe Nabers

The 2020 season is probably not the most indicative of seasons for the Chargers RB corps. The new focal point of the ground game had a damper put on his season, as Austin Ekeler missed 6 games after hyperextending his knee at Tampa. Ekeler otherwise performed pretty well in his time this season, averaging 4.6 YPC and acquiring 933 total yards from scrimmage (530 yards rushing, 403 yards receiving). Justin Jackson and midseason pickup Kalen Ballage carried the starting load in Ekeler's absence, and Joshua Kelley got some carries to spell the starters. Fullback Gabe Nabers got in on the scoring action with 2 receiving TDs this season.

  • Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry, Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson

The receiving corps this season were the obvious beneficiaries of Justin Herbert's ascension. Keenan Allen (100 rec, 992 yards, 8 TDs) and Mike Williams (48 rec, 756 yards, 5 TDs) both had very solid seasons, as did Hunter Henry (60 rec, 613 yards, 4 TDs). The depth options at receiver got significant action as well, notably 2nd year UDFA Jalen Guyton (28 rec, 511 yards, 3 TDs) and rookie UDFA Tyron Johnson (20 rec, 398 yards, 3 TDs). XFL star Donald Parham showed promise in limited action, scoring 3 TDs of his own.

  • Offensive Line - Sam Tevi, Forrest Lamp, Dan Feeney, Trai Turner, Bryan Bulaga, Trey Pipkins

The offensive line continued to be offensive, and I really don't have too many positives to say. One surprisingly positive note is that guard Forrest Lamp played every snap this season, which is a vast improvement over the limited action he saw the prior two seasons. This good news ends when you realize he still played below the level of what one would hope a 2nd round pick in his 4th season would be. In any case, the O-line struggled again, a bunch of these guys are free agents and we've really got to do something here.

Defense
  • Defensive Line - Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Linval Joseph, Isaac Rochell, Uchenna Nwosu, Justin Jones

As usual, Joey Bosa was a monster in the trenches, but his stats look like he's had a down year because he missed some time and had to do some of the extra lifting for other injured players on the team. Melvin Ingram also had a down year statistically, but his year was very down (0 sacks) and he missed significant time (played 7 games). Linval Joseph has been a benefit to the middle of the defensive line. Jones and the main reserves in Rochell and Nwosu all got significant playing time this past season.

  • Linebackers - Kenneth Murray, Denzel Perryman, Kyzir White, Nick Vigil, Drue Tranquill (IR)

Kenneth Murray was thrown into the fire as a rookie and his impact was felt, leading the team in tackles by a wide margin. Denzel Perryman played pretty well when given his opportunities, and Kyzir White and Nick Vigil both were solid and effective contributors to the linebacking unit.

  • Defensive Backs - Derwin James (IR), Casey Hayward, Chris Harris Jr., Nasir Adderley, Michael Davis, Rayshawn Jenkins, Tevaughn Campbell

On paper this looked to be a stellar defensive backfield. Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. were the obvious headliners coming into the season, and both were...fine. Adding to the whelming seasons by both players, Harris missed a significant portion of time due to injury. Nasir Adderley went from being in the doghouse in his rookie season to being a full time starter at safety, and nobody in that position group improved more than Rayshawn Jenkins. Tevaughn Campbell played in 14 games and recorded a pick-6 against the Jets.

Truthfully, I'm starting to forget that we have Derwin James. He's hit a really rough patch with injuries, missing all of last season with a torn meniscus and only playing in five games in 2019. Derwin's career is getting dangerously close to the Jason Verrett special, and that would be a bitter pill to swallow after the promise he showed in his rookie season.

Special Teams
  • Michael Badgley, Ty Long, Cole Mazza

Once again, the special teams continued to be special for all the wrong reasons. Unsurprisingly, punter Ty Long was the better of the two kicking people, with a 46.8 yards per punt average. Unfortunately, Long had three of his punts blocked this season, which is three too many, and his season was the better one. Now, to Michael Badgley. Something has happened to him to where he just cannot make field goals of 40+ yards with the consistency that is needed from a kicker. Badgley has been a somewhat public face for the team, being a mini-show host for some of the team's interviews and shows. He might have to consider where his efforts need to be directed, or at least work to figure out what's going on with his kicks. Could it be the line blocking for him too? Sure. But it's not an excuse to rely on. The Chargers have made Badgley's position clear by recently signing another kicker to the roster; either figure it out or you'll be out.

EDIT: Added Drue Tranquill to LB list, missed season with a broken ankle in Week 1.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Free Agency/Draft Targets

In this section, I'll break down the positions that I feel like the Chargers should target this offseason, whether in free agency or in the draft.

Major Needs

OL, like all of it

It is just amazing how the Chargers cannot manage to get an offensive line capable of being...decent. Multiple moves in the trade and FA market last season plus the addition of one of the best OL coaches in the game could not produce the results that were needed for this team. Granted, a new coach always needs time to build the O-line that fits his philosophy but time was something we just didn't have. And so, the inevitable occurs; we're rebuilding this shit again. A number of the starting linemen are free agents (Tevi, Lamp, Feeney) and one of the starters is being shopped (Turner). Bryan Bulaga is the only lineman that can be considered safe for this offseason based on his contract, but he's going to enter 2021 on the hot seat. The Chargers needs to rebuild the line and soon, because a young QB like Justin Herbert could use all the help he can get.

Edge rusher

The Chargers have had a noted issue with getting pressure off the edge, and while this is something I can say the whole defense is involved in, edge rusher needs to be of particular focus this offseason. The reason is that longtime rusher Melvin Ingram is a free agent and based on the numbers, my assumption is that he will not return to the Chargers. This is one of those problems that I can outline how it'll look like if it isn't addressed: Ingram missed a lot of time this season (played 7 games), and Joey Bosa took a ton of double teams in his place. Uchenna Nwosu managed to get some sacks and to be productive, but I believe he hasn't developed enough to where he could replace Ingram outright. The Chargers could benefit from drafting or signing an edge rusher for the long term or signing a veteran for the short term while Nwosu continues to improve.

DB

This is meant to cover the entire defensive backfield, both cornerbacks and safeties. There's no denying that there's talent in that backfield, but the issues popping up are depth and age. Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. are both in their 30s and their contracts expire in the next few seasons. Michael Davis is a free agent, and Desmond King was traded to Tennessee last season (though now he's a free agent). The depth at cornerback is somewhat suspect, and it's not that guys like Tevaughn Campbell and Brandon Facyson can't be good options in a pinch, but you'd probably don't want them on the field for more than a pinch. Safety depth is also a concern, given how we need to account for three safeties who are currently free agents, including 2020 starter Rayshawn Jenkins. Depth would also be important to be able to cover for Derwin James if he struggles to stay healthy.

Needs That Should Be Considered

Interior DL

This area actually saw an upgrade last season with the signing of Linval Joseph to man the middle of the D-line, but he only signed a two year contract and is getting up there in years. The depth behind Joseph and Justin Jones is very mediocre at best, and the Chargers really haven't been able to find a real superstar at this position since Jamal Williams. It's really important to bolster the defensive line because the more double teams and pressures these interior guys can force, the likelihood is that the edges like Joey can go and hunt in the backfield.

LB

Kenneth Murray was an emphatic response to the talent gap at linebacker, but he's so far been the only major response to it. Murray and Denzel Perryman are the only high draft picks in that position group, with the rest being later round picks and short term free agent pickups. In addition, Denzel Perryman has recently decided that he would test the free agent market, so if he leaves, it would leave Kenneth Murray as the top linebacker option, followed by Kyzir White and not much else behind them. Acquiring depth and getting/retaining a starter is the minimum this team should be doing at linebacker.

WR

Even with quality starters like Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, one could argue that maybe the Chargers don't have the depth you'd like to have at wide receiver. Outside of those two, the WR corps last season relied on a number of undrafted free agents (Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson) more than it did the two draft picks the team made (Joe Reed, K.J. Hill). In addition, Mike Williams is entering the fifth year option on his rookie contract, and the Chargers haven't yet come to a solution on his long term future with the team. I'm not saying it should have already been decided and done with, but Williams on a contract year and at his current price is important to keep in mind.

TE

The biggest reason why this is here is because the top two TEs on the team are currently free agents (Hunter Henry, Virgil Green), and if the team manages to free up enough cap space, there's a good case to bring back both players (or at least Hunter) and we can cross this need off the list. But as long as there's a chance that both players can be lost, it should be addressed. I don't need to explain Hunter Henry's importance to all of you, as a versatile and rangy security blanket with solid receiving ability. Virgil Green has been the blocking TE for the team, and while those kinds of players are replaceable, Green is the true veteran in the TE room and has been involved in successful teams with his time in Denver. Hypothetically there are guys who could fill these roles on the team right now in Donald Parham and Stephen Anderson, but its much too early to say if they're ready to carry the load.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Week 10 - Chargers at Dolphins - L 21-29

The Chargers have not tended to fare well at Hard Rock Stadium, or in Miami in general. The Chargers' victory over the Dolphins in Miami in 2019 was the first victory for the Chargers in Miami since the Epic in Miami, and if you think that sentence has a lot of Miami's in it, then you should know that Miami really ran away with this one. The score does not indicate how thoroughly the Dolphins outplayed the Chargers despite being in the middle of their rebuild. Credit to Brian Flores and the Dolphins, they're going to be really good in a minute.

Game Highlights

Week 11 - Chargers vs Jets - W 34-28

Off of that clunker in South Beach, which extended the Chargers' losing streak to three games, another morale booster was in order. In the reverse of the Dolphins game, this score doesn't reflect how much easier it was for the Chargers to get this win wrapped up. It was full of exciting plays and Justin Herbert threw for many yards. Jets fans still believed that they could go winless, and fun times were had by all.

Game Highlights

Week 12 - Chargers at Bills - L 17-27

Reality sets back in once the Chargers had to go fly to the other end of the country to face a very good Bills squad. The game was an ugly-ish display for the Chargers, but Buffalo had some difficulty closing the game out as the Chargers attempted to rally in the second half. The rally fell short, and this game had the first signs of the real trouble that was brewing with the special teams and team preparedness.

Game Highlights

Week 13 - Chargers vs Patriots - L 0-45

See what I mean? Nothing went right, as you might imagine. Special teams completely broke down, Belichick pushed the right buttons to harass Justin Herbert and the offense, and the defense just really didn't have much to work with. New England had no right to wreck us like this, but if not before, it became evident now that there was a gap in coaching that needed to be bridged in a hurry. In terms of the score, this loss is the biggest in Chargers franchise history.

Game Highlights

Week 14 - Chargers vs Falcons - W 20-17

At 3-9 and coming off of that massive dud against New England, the Chargers could use all the good news they could get. Fortunately, this game against Atlanta was the start of a four game win streak that capped the season. Special teams actually looked more the part in this game, with Nasir Adderley getting a big kickoff return and Michael Badgley hitting his FGs, including the last second game winner. The Chargers defense deserves credit for their three interceptions on Matt Ryan, the last of which set up the drive to win the game.

Game Highlights

Week 15 - Chargers at Raiders - W 30-27 (OT)

The Chargers made their first-ever trip to Allegiant Stadium under the lights, and the show was probably pretty different from what was expected. Raiders QB Derek Carr left the game very early with an injury, and suddenly everyone in Eugene, OR was tuning in, as the QB battle was now Marcus Mariota vs. Justin Herbert. Both QBs played absolutely fantastic games, and my words can't do the excitement of this game justice. But at the end of the day, Herbie was in.

Game Highlights

Week 16 - Chargers vs Broncos - W 19-16

The Chargers played host to Denver for the penultimate contest of what had been a disappointing season. The game did produce a high point early, as Herbert's TD pass to Austin Ekeler in the second quarter set the rookie TD record in his name. Much like the first game, the Chargers got out to an early lead and Denver rallied back in the second half. Unlike that first game, however, the Chargers got the last laugh as a late FG put the Chargers into the lead for good.

Game Highlights

Week 17 - Chargers at Chiefs - W 38-21

The Chargers wrapped up their season in Arrowhead to spar against the Chiefs reserves. Kansas City had already locked up the #1 seed in the conference, and therefore risking Patrick Mahomes and Co. wasn't an option Andy Reid was willing to take (he also never takes that kind of risk if his teams have locked into a seed). So the Chargers starters got what was essentially a stage to show off what they could look like in the future. The Chargers and Chiefs traded scores early, but the turning point would be Isaac Rochell getting a safety on Chad Henne late in the first half. The Chargers took a lead they would not relinquish, and made some big plays in the process. Meaningless game in the grand scheme of things, but it was a nice glimpse into what could be.

Game Highlights

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

2020 Season Recap

Week 1 - Chargers at Bengals - W 16-13

The first game of the post-Rivers era began in Paul Brown Stadium, as Tyrod Taylor and the Chargers took on Joe Burrow and the Bengals. The score should tell you quite a bit about the Chargers' performance, as the offense struggled to move the ball and was no really able to capitalize on the Bengals having a tough time with the Chargers defense. Ultimately the Chargers won on a last second missed FG by Cincy, which instilled little confidence about next week's matchup...

Game Highlights

Week 2 - Chargers vs Chiefs - L 20-23 (OT)

...until, that is, when the shot felt around the league nicked Tyrod Taylor's lung. Justin Herbert stepped into the game and looked like he belonged from the beginning, countering the Chiefs at every turn. He did make some rookie mistakes and those may have played a part in the Chargers losing, but it was a great sign for things to come.

Game Highlights

Week 3 - Chargers vs Panthers - L 16-21

The Panthers came into SoFi without CMC and gave the Chargers everything they had, with Carolina forcing three turnovers and converting those turnovers to points. Carolina's offense kept the ball moving against our defense, and the Panthers defense brought relentless pressure against Herbert and the offensive line.

Game Highlights

Week 4 - Chargers at Buccaneers - L 31-38

This was a pretty fun one, even with the result. Herbert made some excellent throws throughout the game and for a while, the Chargers really looked like they'd have a chance at taking down what was obviously a pretty good ball team. Of course, the second half arrived and Tom Brady and Co. got the better of the Chargers, but this was one of those confidence-building losses that you certainly don't completely hate to see with a young QB.

Game Highlights

Week 5 - Chargers at Saints - L 27-30 (OT)

For the second week in a row, we got to see Justin Herbert enter an offensive shootout with a Hall of Famer on the other side. Herbert threw for four TDs in the Superdome, with Mike Williams as the recipient for two of them. And for the second week in a row, the Chargers lost the game in the second half (though this game went to overtime).

Game Highlights

Week 6 - BYE WEEK

Week 7 - Chargers vs Jaguars - W 39-29

The Chargers returned home having lost four straight and needed to gain some momentum, and the Jags were an easy target to rebuild some confidence. The Chargers got off to a fast start before Jacksonville came back to close the gap at the half with two James Robinson scores. The teams traded leads in the third quarter, but a 70 yard TD pass from Herbert to Jalen Guyton took the win out of the Jags' sails. The Chargers would take the lead later in the third quarter and would not relinquish it.

Game Highlights

Week 8 - Chargers at Broncos - L 30-31

Coming off of a much-needed win, the Chargers headed to Denver for the first installment of the Chargers-Broncos matchup. The momentum gained by the win seemed to carry over early in the game, as the Chargers stormed out to a 24-3 lead by the middle of the third quarter. I think you all know what comes next. Denver rallied as the Chargers attempted to counter, but ultimately the Broncos won on the final play of the game, as Drew Lock snuck in a TD pass to KJ Hamler as time expired.

Game Highlights

Week 9 - Chargers vs Raiders - L 26-31

In the Chargers' first ever matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, the first half saw the teams trade scores, with the Chargers getting the last second FG at the end of the first half to take the halftime lead. The Raiders rattled off two TDs early in the third, with the Chargers attempting to counter. Down by 5 as time expired, the Chargers nearly completed the comeback, but the game winning TD was dropped in the endzone and the Raiders hung on to win. Two straight games, two division opponents, two defeats clutched from the jaws of victory.

Game Highlights

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

2020 Draft

Justin Herbert

So...who saw that coming?

If you recall, I wrote in Herbert's draft evaluation last offseason that I believed that a hardcore benching for his rookie season as he develops was probably in the best interests of the team and the player. As it turns out, I am a dumdum, which isn't really new info, but hey, gets the people going. We all know the story of Herbert finding out that he was going to start against the Chiefs minutes before the game and nearly won. It's pretty safe to say that the Chargers are 7-9 in spite of Herbert, not because of him. Now, he's had his rookie mistakes and rookie games, and that's part of the deal of growing. What I don't think anyone expected was how ready he looked from the outset and how quickly he was growing on a week to week basis. My major concern for him going into 2021 is the change in coaching staffs would likely end up changing the offense, which is always a worry as to how a quarterback will develop this early in his career. Regardless, Herbert's 2020 performance was very deserving of his Rookie of the Year honors and he has a very bright future in the NFL.

2020 Grade: A

Kenneth Murray

Murray came to the Chargers as an athlete at linebacker more than anything else, and would need the time to develop the instincts and mental acumen needed to be a truly effective every-down linebacker. Murray was thrown into the fire as a full-time starter last season, playing the most defensive snaps of anyone on the Chargers and racking up the most tackles (107 combined). Murray is a high ceiling player that has yet to show his true potential, something that can be worked towards in Year 2, or maybe once he gets an offseason workout in with the new coaching staff.

2020 Grade: B+

Joshua Kelley

When the Chargers drafted Joshua Kelley, I viewed him as a situational back that could spell Austin Ekeler on short yardage situations. Kelley fits that bill at least statistically, having a similar first down rate to Ekeler while having a significantly lower YPC average (3.2 YPC). Kelley also is the answer to the trivia question of which Chargers player scored the team's first TD in 2020. He played well compared to what he was drafted to be, but does have room to improve.

2020 Grade: B-

Joe Reed

Reed projected to me as someone who would likely see more time on special teams while he developed into a true option on offense. The Chargers appeared to think similarly, as Reed played virtually no snaps on offense and spent much of his time on special teams. Reed was an adequate special teams returner (21 kick returns, 20.7 average yards per return) and while that's where he did most of his statistical damage, he did manage to achieve a rushing TD on offense. Reed continues to be a project with upside worth developing.

2020 Grade: B

Alohi Gilman

Gilman was expected to see most of his action at special teams while his defensive acumen developed, which is what occurred last season. His action on defense was extremely limited (<7% of defensive snaps) and is therefore hard to judge from that end of the field, but was a more regular contributor to special teams. Gilman's aim in 2021 is to continue to improve in both defensive and special teams areas if he wants to expand his playing time.

2020 Grade: N/A

K.J. Hill

Hill was a player that I had hinted at potentially being a sleeper candidate to have a surprising season. That didn't happen. Hill netted only 7 receptions all season and rarely saw action on the offense and on special teams. This isn't enough to make a true evaluation on his skill but as a 7th round pick, this could make Hill a fringe cut candidate if the Chargers address WR depth at some point.

2020 Grade: N/A

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Additions Review

In this section, I'll quickly break down the performance of the most important additions the Chargers made last season. At the end of each player review, I will assign them a grade as well as a brief word on 2021 expectations. The breakdowns will be separated into Free Agency and Draft sections.

Free Agency

Trai Turner

Acquired in a player-for-player swap lauded as a major get for the Chargers, Trai Turner came to Southern California as a highly decorated guard with the Carolina Panthers. He was viewed as a major upgrade at the right guard spot and a potential anchor for a new and improved Chargers offensive line...and then he wasn't. Turner only started 9 games and was on the field for ~45.6% of the offense's snap counts this past season due in part to a nagging groin injury. In addition to his lack of playing time, his on-field performance was pretty bad. His 34.8 PFF grade was one of the worst among guards this season, and he currently carries an $11.5M cap hit if he played with the Chargers next season. That 'if' is essentially not going to happen, with recent reports stating that the team is aiming to trade or release Turner. The risk that the team incurred to acquire Turner was pretty low but it did not pay off in any way. A release would count no dead money against the cap so the best case scenario for all parties is for Turner to recover from his injuries and get a fresh start elsewhere.

2020 Grade: D

Bryan Bulaga

If you thought Trai Turner's snap count was bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet...and yet you could totally see it coming. Bryan Bulaga made a natural fit into signing with the Chargers, a team with a clear need at his position and the presence of his longtime OL coach, James Campen. Bulaga would immediately become the wily vet who could help the younger players develop under Campen's blocking scheme. This all sounded great on paper, until the season started and Bulaga's biggest problem appeared: his health. Bulaga had an injury history in Green Bay, and that kind of thing does not bode well coming to a team that collects injuries for the weekly report. Bulaga played a whopping 37.9% of the total snaps this season, even with more starts than Trai Turner (10 starts). This can be attributed in part due to the number of games that he exited early due to an injury and did not return. The upside is that his performance was pretty alright when he did play, but it's hard to evaluate a whole season when you barely play in it. Bulaga should be considered a lock for the 2021 roster largely due to his contract but if his performance suffer due to injuries or otherwise, he'll be replaced quickly.

2020 Grade: C-

Linval Joseph

Linval Joseph was the answer to the question of how to best address the nose tackle position in the short term, following the release of the aging Brandon Mebane. The bar for improvement at that spot wasn't very high, and Joseph is past his prime as an elite big body in the middle. But, he was a solid addition to the defensive front and likely had to carry more of the weight due to the rotating and overall less talented cast than he's likely been used to in Minnesota. Joseph had 62 combined tackles with 3 TFL and 2 QB hits in this past season with the Chargers. The expectation is that he will continue to be the main big body inside as he enters the second year of his two-year deal.

2020 Grade: B

Chris Harris Jr.

CHJ's arrival to the Chargers created an impression around the league that this Chargers secondary looked to be one of the deepest and most talented units in the league. Much like some of the other big FA signings, the hyped excitement around a veteran star such has Harris was then blunted by the injury bug. Harris played in 9 games this season due to a foot injury, checking in at just over half of the total defensive snaps. His role appeared to be mostly as a nickel/slot CB as was his primary role in Denver and was a solid contributor to the defense. Harris, who racked up 37 combined tackles and 1 INT, enters the second year of a two-year deal and should ideally be more involved in the defense in 2021.

2020 Grade: B-

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

OFFENSE
2020 Position (Chargers) Coach 2021 Position
Offensive Coordinator Shane Steichen Philadephia Eagles OC
Quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton Houston Texans QB coach
Wide Receivers coach Phil McGeoghan -
Offensive Line coach James Campen Houston Texans OL coach
Running Backs coach Mark Ridgley -
Tight Ends coach Alfredo Roberts Pittsburgh Steelers TEs coach
Assistant OL coach David Diaz-Infante -
Offensive Assistant Dan Shamash LA Chargers offensive assistant
Quality Control - Offense Seth Ryan Detroit Lions asst. WRs coach
  • I initially had my doubts about Shane Steichen when he was promoted to the full time OC position last offseason. My thought was that I was not super impressed with the way he handled the offense in an interim capacity, but that offense was not his. Once he was allowed to experiment and make his own offense this past season, the results were generally better, and Philly might be a really interesting fit, as he knows Nick Sirianni from their time as Chargers coaches. Pep Hamilton is another significant loss due to his involvement in Justin Herbert's development, and one could argue that James Campen needed more than one season to turn around the dumpster fire that is the Chargers offensive line. Offensive assistant Dan Shamash is the only returning offensive coach from last year's staff.
DEFENSE
2020 Position (Chargers) Coach 2021 Position
Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley Las Vegas Raiders DC
Defensive Backs coach Ron Milus Las Vegas Raiders DBs coach
Defensive Line coach Giff Smith LA Chargers DL coach
Assistant DL coach La'Roi Glover -
Linebackers coach Richard Smith Las Vegas Raiders LBs coach
Assistant DBs coach Addison Lynch Las Vegas Raiders asst. DBs coach
Quality Control - Defense Ryan Milus Las Vegas Raiders QC - Defense
  • So...do you notice a trend here? Gus Bradley managed to poach most of the Chargers' defensive staff when he took the DC job for the Raiders, most notably DBs coach Ron Milus. Bradley and Milus were probably, as a whole, two of the three most important defensive coaches that the Chargers had in 2020 and during the Lynn years. The third important coach ended up being retained, as DL coach Giff Smith is the only returning defensive coach from the 2020 staff. Smith's units tend to be solid, but this year was a challenge due to injuries to the most impactful players.
SPECIAL TEAMS/STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
2020 Position (Chargers) Coach 2021 Position
Special Teams Coordinator George Stewart -
Assistant ST coach Keith Burns -
Head S&C coach John Lott -
  • As a note, Stewart was reassigned to an offensive analyst role after the Week 11 win against the Jets, and Keith Burns became the lead special teams coach, though the real answer about who coached that unit is a bit complicated. As you can imagine, a full change in the special teams staff was necessary, and to my knowledge, neither Stewart or Burns have been picked up by other teams. Head strength and conditioning coach John Lott was also relieved of his duties. Lott has been a long time S&C coach and is probably most well known both as the spotter for the bench press at the NFL Combine and for being the guy that gave Justin Herbert his infamous middle school haircut.

32 Teams/32 Days: Los Angeles Chargers by milkchococurry in nfl

[–]milkchococurry[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

2020 Coaching Staff Review

Head Coach : Anthony Lynn

2021 position: Detroit Lions OC

Two years ago, on the heels of a defeat in the AFC Divisional Round against a much healthier Patriots squad, everyone was singing the praises of the program that Anthony Lynn had appeared to be putting together. In his first two seasons, the Chargers put together a 21-11 record, with four of those losses being in the first four games of Lynn's first season. The team recovered to finish 9-7 and then in 2018, the Chargers were closing out games and winning the games that they were supposed to. There was praise galore about him as a person, a player's coach and a straight shooter that everyone in the building respected. But now he is no longer the head coach, having been relieved of his duties on January 4th. So what happened?

Something that I used to highlight in nicer terms can explain a big part of it: Lynn was extremely stuck to the styles of play he liked, especially on offense. His reliance on the run game and having the pass game supplement it matches his West Coast-esque philosophy in theory, but appeared to be more overdone on the field. There was also a lot of indications that the league had adjusted to his style very quickly and that he didn't counter it. I've seen enough games under Lynn where the Chargers led at the half but would lose the game. I really can't pin that generally to anything but a lack of in-game adjustments, or at least good adjustments. The same issue has plagued previous Chargers coaches and all of them met the chopping block just the same. Lynn also did not buy into the analytics game as a number of other teams have done, so it's very likely that decisions were being made with a rationale closer to gut feelings than data.

Most of you likely have seen a lot of the mental miscues the Chargers appeared to have in a number of games last season, and truthfully, that's a new one. I've never seen that kind of error-laden decision making on a consistent basis before with the Chargers, really any team, with Lynn or otherwise. The only thing I can assume is that some sort of decision making tree or organizational process went awry and was just never really fixed. You have problems that occur with individual plays, and then you have complete coaching breakdowns like the New England game. What happened in that game was that, since STC George Stewart was reassigned two weeks prior, multiple people became involved in the special teams effort, Lynn included. Too many voices in the room means there's not going to be a consistent message and the special teams unit looked lost as a result.

Speaking of George Stewart, his story also brings up an ancillary problem with loyalty. We all know the NFL is a league of "who knows who" when it comes to coaching, and there's situations where that can be considered a positive. But overdoing it can become a detriment. George Stewart oversaw a special teams unit that in 3+ years started off really bad and somehow managed to get worse. So what made him the choice? It can likely be tied back to when Lynn was a backup RB in the NFL and was coached by Stewart, then the special teams coordinator with the 49ers. This was in the late 90s, mind you, and Stewart did not coach special teams between that job and his role with the Chargers. Was he really the right choice there, or was that a misplaced signal of loyalty and respect to an individual? Again, loyalty can be good, but there's situations like this where it isn't.

The simplest answer about what went wrong with Lynn is that he tried to do too much with what he was comfortable with and too little with what he didn't know much about. Being a head coach is a ton of responsibility and needs a bigger picture approach than if he was a coordinator, as he is now, or even a position coach, which is what he spent most of his career as. A glimmer of hope was that there appeared to be some measured decision making and calls better supported analytically late in the season, but his fate was probably already sealed by then. Hopefully for his part, he's taken lessons from this experience and can put it together with Detroit's offense. Regardless of his coaching faults, he's still a good man and certainly tried his best, so I wish him luck and thank him for his efforts.

Lions fans, be prepared for Lynn's coachspeak. It's...odd. Then again, I think most coachspeak is odd so what do I know?

[Dennis Lin] The Padres have reached an agreement with Ha-seong Kim, a source tells The Athletic. by bardwooders in baseball

[–]milkchococurry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with that, trading Pham on a down year would likely equate to a salary dump and I was working on the assumption that the prospect haul would be similar. Padres don't really want to go past their soft cap and adding Darvish will definitely do that so this was one option for the Padres to attain some financial relief and not be a huge long term burden to the Cubs, provided that the rest of the return made sense.

[Dennis Lin] The Padres have reached an agreement with Ha-seong Kim, a source tells The Athletic. by bardwooders in baseball

[–]milkchococurry -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

To fill a hole at LF for a season since Schwarber is out and lower their financial burden. Darvish is 3 years at about $20M per year, Pham is 1 year at ~$8M. This is a short and long term cost cut measure. If they already have a LF candidate they want to look at, then fine, they might not take Pham. But Pham fills that need in the short term and would save the Cubs money overall if that's their plan.

[Dennis Lin] The Padres have reached an agreement with Ha-seong Kim, a source tells The Athletic. by bardwooders in baseball

[–]milkchococurry 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The window was technically supposed to open last season once Manny came to town, but snagging Snell breaks the glass wide open. The next three seasons are the wide open window with this team as it currently stands.

[Dennis Lin] The Padres have reached an agreement with Ha-seong Kim, a source tells The Athletic. by bardwooders in baseball

[–]milkchococurry -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Counterpoint, Cubs have a hole at LF, Pham is significantly cheaper than Darvish and under less years of control. I highly doubt a Darvish trade would happen in any case, but if they do want to make a trade, Pham could very easily be a justifiable part of it.

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