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It’s our turn.
That’s the way San Diego Chargers fans are thinking leading up to the 2010 NFL season.
This year the Chargers have finally reached the pinnacle of their building phase. The light is as green as it has been in, well, ever, and it’s not going to stay that way too long.
After this season, the only team Vincent Jackson, Philip Rivers, Marcus McNeil, Darren Sproles, Shawne Merriman, and Malcom Floyd may suit up on together is probably a Pro Bowl team.
No, people don’t play for the love of a community or team anymore. The only factor that lures players is money, and, sadly, we all know it.
This offseason shows a team that made huge moves out of what some people would call necessity and others would call urgency. The Chargers put all their money on the table and threw the dice.
For us Chargers fans, we are close—really close. The Chargers don’t lose games by more than a score and are always there to the bitter end. All experts near the end of the season spotlighted the Chargers as being the scariest and the ones to watch.
Yeah, the Chargers got rid of Antonio Cromartie, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Jamal Williams this offseason. That’s bad for jersey sales, but it’s pretty darn good for the team, in my opinion. It’s been well stated that CRO and LT were overrated the last couple seasons and thus more expensive than we could afford.
As for Jamal Williams, well, let’s look at it this way: His age (34), his health (two major knee operations), and his price tag ($5.3 million). No-brainer.
In my opinion, he was replaced last season. When The Chargers went 13-3. His last season they were 8-8.
If we hadn’t already filled the hole with rotational players, Cam Thomas sure will. It’s crazy the Bolts got him in the fifth round. After stepping up to grab linebacker Donald Butler and safety Darrell Stuckey, we really lucked out.
Nathan Vasher will play the corner with Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason, and I don’t think we will see the complacency, inept tackling, and bewilderment that fans have got used to seeing.
The defense is as strong as it’s been in 10 years. Brandon Siler, Stephen Cooper, Shaun Phillips, Kevin Burnett, Antoine Applewhite, Larry English, and Shawne Merriman should be atop the linebacker corps in the league.
I think the lack of interest in Merriman by other teams and the Chargers looking for offers on him may really spark an aggressive need in him to get back into the limelight. Not to mention the signings of two rookie linebackers yesterday. Lights on? Certainly the radars are!
Stuckey will help the secondary a lot, along with Eric Weddle, Steve Gregory, and Paul Oliver. I think we will also see a lot more of CJ Spillman this year. Ron Rivera does an excellent job in rotating players, and he has a rare blend of youth and experience to work with.
Offensively, the passing game will even be stronger. Rivers, Gates, Legedu Naanee, Floyd, and Jackson should be one of the most potent passing combos in the league. I think adding Seyi Ajirotutu would make them even deeper.
When it comes to the running game, look no further than Ryan Matthews for a reason to be confident. Obviously with a 22-year-old who led the nation last season with 157 yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry, the run game will get tons better. I see Sproles getting used in screen plays and dump-off passes and being really successful in the run game.
The Chargers have a true fullback in Cory Jackson who is everything to blocking that Matthews is to running. That secret ingredient will help tremendously, and of all free agents, I like his chances the best at making the team.
Defenses double-covered Chargers receivers last season because of our lack of running. Matthews will change all that. Playing zone and prevent against the Chargers worked last year, because LT rarely cut the corner, thats all over now. Playing Linbackers and safeties on receivers will get defenses stung nearly every time now.
So here The Chargers cruise into the next season, with an 11-game regular season win streak to build on. They have made upgrades and are an improved, younger, stronger and hungrier team. The coaching staff and team leaders are one year wiser.
In all my life, this is the most balanced I’ve ever seen the Chargers. they’ve had the big pass before, no run, strong defense, weak offense. Now they have it all. Even brought in a kicker in the event of a Nate Kaeding meltdown.
But the window of opportunity is closing.
So it’s “go time,” and the Chargers organization knows it. The team has responded brilliantly and aggressively this offseason, and I am starting to think it is indeed “our turn.”
Heck, even Autumn Wind and Ramone Brown can see it.
So, is it all or nothing? To me it sure looks that way. The Chargers are as close as they’ve ever been to bringing home a Lombardi. They have moved aggressively on both sides of the ball in free agency and the draft.
Is it an act of desperation? Could be, but I have to admit as a Chargers fan that tey have reached the top of the summit, and the window of opportunity is closing!
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Very similar to the safety position, San Diego has great depth at the inside linebacking position while lacking any true game-breaker.
The rotation among Stephen Cooper, Brandon Siler, Tim Dobbins, and Kevin Burnett is much more active, with non-starters Dobbins and Burnett still seeing a lot of field time even when the lineup is completely healthy.
Because of the stability and depth, it is unlikely for San Diego to actively pursue an additional middle linebacker (the actions of the 2009 draft even before Siler’s emergence help to suggest this).
Therefore San Diego’s pursuit of an inside linebacker should cover one of two venues: either a dynamic middle linebacker to supplant one starter and provide a higher-profile force in the middle or a late choice for a deep reserve to supplant James Holt (and potentially become a Brandon Siler-like find).
Few middle linebackers project to be worthwhile in the top 40 picks, the lone name Rolando McClain likely to be gone before San Diego chooses at 28.
Pat Angerer is perhaps a bit undersized, which makes him more inclined to play in a 4-3 scheme, but he is also more athletic and could supplant one of the four (Dobbins?) to play on passing downs. That rotational role could be a great fit as he should prove a superior coverage linebacker to any of the current ILBs on the San Diego roster, having netted his fair share of interceptions and passes broken up across his career at Iowa.
Draft faller Brandon Spikes could be a boom-bust mid-round choice. Terrible measurables in offseason workouts and concerns over his range have dropped him from a possible late first-rounder to as low as the fourth round.
If he should make it to the back of that fourth round it might be worth the risk. He is a strong tackler, and would make a nice, solid inside linebacker whose size could be valuable should the team elect to go with its current rotational crop of undersized nose tackles.
His poor speed affects his range, but he has shown decent coverage skills, which is also a weakness of the current linebacking crew. He is too much of a risk for a relatively secure position to make an attempt in the third, but his ability as a gamble in fourth could be enough to make it a possibility.
More likely is that San Diego ignores ILB entirely or waits until its later picks to fill out the depth chart. Of the three members of the rotation that began their careers in San Diego, none were taken higher than the fifth round, with starters Brandon Siler and Stephen Cooper going in the seventh round and undrafted, respectively.
Reggie Carter could be that late-round find. He does not excel in any one individual area, and a knee injury early in his college career set him back, but he is strong and alert. His good recognition and ability to make quick reads could make him a great candidate to eventually supplant Stephen Cooper as the ‘quarterback’ of the defense.
He could continue a Chargers linebacking trend of limited quickness/coverage skills, but any player found in the back reaches of the draft will have concerns. His great drive and energy coupled with good instincts make him a prime candidate to emerge from the late rounds as an eventual starter.
Given all considerations, coupled with the team’s plethora of positions that could use upgrades in a similar fashion, the reality is that this is not a particularly well-stocked middle linebacking pool.
It would not be altogether surprising to see only three or four ILBs go within the first three rounds of the draft.
Therefore, while this preview series has generally taken the stance of examining each position on the assumption it will be drafted into, this position above all others rates as the most likely to be passed up in this year’s draft.
See the rest of the ongoing Chargers Positional Needs series:
Part 5: Running Back (With Links the rest of the offense)
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Since the beginning of AJ Smith’s tenure as a GM in San Diego, Chargers additions in free agency have always been few to non-existent, with the team addressing its biggest needs mainly through the draft.
This year will be no exception.
The trades of Antonio Cromartie to the New York Jets and Charlie Whitehurst to the Seattle Seahawks, left many Chargers fans– myself included– with the dream that San Diego could use some of the high picks acquired in this and next year’s draft to trade for a franchise player that would fill the team’s primary needs at nose tackle or running back.
A blockbuster trade that would bring in, say, a feature back in the mold of Steven Jackson (for a first round pick, and maybe more) or Marshawn Lynch (for a second round pick), to join Darren Sproles and form one of, if not the most, dangerous backfield tandems in the league.
Picture Steven Jackson and Sproles alongside Rivers, Gates, and Jackson. No defense would ever want to face that, right?
Or maybe a trade up the draft to land one of the premier talents available at nose tackle. A guy like Gerald McCoy or Ndamukong Suh, to provide a staple to Ron Rivera’s 3-4 defense for years to come. How exciting is that?
Now, since we all should know AJ Smith by now, we should also know how many chances there are to see a move like that this off season.
Zero.
Let’s face it. With the way things are turning out, there is absolutely no chance to see the Chargers sign a big name in free agency. The little hope I had vanished when Chester Taylor and Mike Bell–whom I thought would look especially good in powder and blue– got signed by non-Chargers teams.
Although intriguing, a trade to get Cal alumnus Marshawn Lynch for a second or third round draft pick looks risky, with question marks surrounding his production and all the off-the-field issues that he’s had in the past. And a move up the draft for Gerald McCoy (better suited than Suh to make a 3-4 nose tackle) might not make that much sense, since the depth of this year’s draft would still allow the Chargers to draft a quality nose tackle like Dan Williams or Terrence Cody with their first or second pick.
Besides, let’s not forget–a big trade is just not in AJ’s style.
Smith has always been reluctant to make glamorous, big-money moves to sign the “best guy” on the market, but rather preferred signing the “right guy,” one who can fill in the position of need and who can provide an instant contribution for the team.
This year, it was Donald Strickland and Marcus Mason. The former New York Jet is a very interesting addition. Strickland will not only provide the much needed nickel back that was missing in obvious passing situations last year, but he will also be competing for a starting job at corner with Antoine Cason. Should Cason turn in more shaky performances, expect the veteran Strickland to step into the starting lineup sooner than later.
Marcus Mason, like Strickland, is a player that fits just right in the Chargers’ schemes. He is obviously not the answer as a starting running back, but is familiar with running plays out of the shotgun, as well as catching the ball out of the backfield. Expect him to make a decent contribution to the team, with some carries and catches here and there, and maybe some special teams play.
These two additions are actually smarter moves than they may appear.
Strickland provides enough depth at corner, so that the Chargers can afford to use their first two picks to draft at nose tackle and running back (in this order), taking a corner back in later rounds.
Mason will at least be very good competition for any candidate to the third-string back spot in San Diego, and his presence will probably be as needed in training camp as it will be on the field.
Smith might not be signing any big names, but he’s definitely signing the right names. Let’s not forget, Smith signed players like Lorenzo Neal, Kris Dielman, and Kevin Burnett, who never commanded big paychecks but did– and still do– an outstanding job for the Chargers.
San Diego Fans, you are in good hands.
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Q: Why would the Cowboys not draft a LT prospect to rotate with Flozell Adams a few plays per game—and do the same with other OL personnel (Colombo/Free)?
John Coleman, Bassett, VA
A: Line substitutions have traditionally been limited to the defensive side of the ball, but we kind of like your thinking here. Football has evolved into a sport of personnel packages. The Cowboys bring in different packages of skill positions players on offense based on down and distance. They do the same with the entire defense.
So why does the offensive line—on basically every NFL team—remain stagnant? Our best guess is that you always want your best players protecting your quarterback. It could be risky, for example, substituting a rookie for Flozell Adams in a 3rd-and-long situation.
Still, there do seem to be situations when the idea makes a lot of sense. The Cowboys loved what they saw in Doug Free last season, so why not rotate him with Marc Colombo at right tackle? We graded Free as superior to Colombo in pass protection, so perhaps the Cowboys should consider substituting Free in during passing situations—just as they do with Tashard Choice.
These “linemen packages” do not necessarily have to tip the defense as to a certain play. The substitution of Choice on third down, for example, does not guarantee a pass. Further, during situations such as 3rd-and-long—when the defense all but knows a pass is going to be dialed up—why not have your best pass protectors in the game?
The problem with substituting a rookie for Adams is that the veteran left tackle’s weakness is obviously pass protecting. Trusting a rookie on 2nd-and-5 is a bit different than 3rd-and-10 on Romo’s blind side against the opponent’s best pass rusher. However, you could make the argument that he would still be better than Adams in pass protection at this point.
Q: When will the NFL announce the compensatory draft picks for this year? Do you think Dallas will receive anything better than a single pick at the end of the sixth round? Thanks!
Edward Toerner, Lafayette, LA
A: Good question, Edward. Compensatory picks will be awarded at the annual NFL meeting, this year being held from March 21-24.
Unfortunately, Dallas does not stand to receive anything too worthwhile again this season in terms of compensatory selections. These picks are based not only on free agents a team loses, but also those a team signs.
So while the squad could have benefited greatly from Chris Canty signing with the Giants—or even a little from Kevin Burnett signing with the Chargers—these losses are negated because Dallas picked up players such as Keith Brooking, Gerald Sensabaugh, and Igor Olshansky.
Now a team can still be awarded selections for losing better free agents—i.e. ones who sign for more money—so the Cowboys should be in line to receive a selection by that route. The problem is that, without losing more free agents than they signed, the Cowboys cannot attain any higher than a seventh-round selection for any players lost.
Further, salary is not the sole determiner of a player’s value—although it is the primary factor. Playing time also counts some. Remember, though, that Canty got injured and missed basically the entire season.
Altogether, don’t bank on the Cowboys receiving anything special here in the coming week.
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A flurry of high-profile moves have already dominated headlines around the NFL at the relative start of free agency.
In the foggy mist of an uncapped season, most fans and commentators are still making sense of the rule adjustments and scenery changes in the league.
However, one expected occurrence has been made blatantly clear: The gap between the haves and the have-nots has certainly widened.
How this affects the AFC West is still somewhat of a mystery, but certain patterns have emerged.
At this point, only a number of small to mid-major transactions have been completed, with talk focusing more on player departures (LaDainian Tomlinson, Brandon Marshall) within the division.
With plenty of time to go, just what are the biggest questions facing Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, and San Diego in the free agency period?
1) Will San Diego “attack” free agency?
Whether it’s been because of an imposed budget conscience or strictly due to philosophy, Chargers president Dean Spanos and general manager A.J. Smith have not been eager to pull the trigger on many big moves in free agency over the past few seasons.
Last season’s biggest acquisition, for instance, was LB Kevin Burnett, a former second-string player for the Dallas Cowboys who was given the chance to start for San Diego in 2009.
Now that we have an idea of who’s leaving southern California, several holes have sprung up in San Diego’s depth chart.
In the past, said holes were tended to in the draft. This year, there might not be enough picks (or talent) to plug the deficiencies on the roster.
A weak and already dwindling RB market already pushed San Diego to tender Darren Sproles, but the Chargers could be shopping for defensive and special teams help, with Jamal Williams and Kassim Osgood gone.
While you shouldn’t expect any blockbuster moves, expect an increased presence in the market from Spanos, Smith and Co.
2) Where will Brandon Marshall end up?
The disgruntled Denver WR will finally get his wish after a drama-heavy ’09 campaign.
It became very clear last season that the Broncos were Josh McDaniels’ team, and thus the talented but controversy-prone, outspoken playmaker will be sent the way of Jay Cutler.
Speaking of which, with Chicago’s blitzkrieg of the market so far, is it possible that Marshall and Cutler could be headed for a Windy City reunion?
Seattle has also emerged as contenders for Marshall’s services, with owner Paul Allen’s deep pockets and T.J. Houshmanzadeh on the other sideline boons morsels in Brandon’s food for thought.
Unlike last season’s debacle though, expect one thing to be certain: Marshall definitely will not be a Denver Bronco in 2010.
3) Where will Nnamdi Asomugha play next season?
The non New York-based members of the AFC East were spared a major blow when it was Antonio Cromartie and not Asomugha heading to the Big Apple via trade.
Even with that possibility nixed, rumors have still swirled around the All-Pro cornerback’s potential destination.
One of the best corners in the league—bar none—teams will be faced with a pretty steep price in order to acquire Asomugha.
A price that the Jets were obviously turned off by when it took them just a third (potentially second) round pick to wrestle Cromartie away from the Chargers.
With Al Davis at the helm, fans are always bracing to expect the unexpected, but unless the right offer comes around, Nnamdi should remain an Oakland Raider this coming fall.
4) Is Jamal Williams a boom or bust signing for Denver?
There’s no questioning the amount of talent for football that former San Diego NT Jamal Williams has in his 350-pound body.
It is also no question that injuries and age have slowed down the former All-Pro to the point of missing 18 games in the past three seasons.
Denver’s outgoing defensive coordinator Mike Nolan set up a 3-4 scheme in Denver, and now the current staff is surely banking to get the 2008 version of Williams, who started all 16 games for the division rival Chargers, than the 2009 model who only played in one.
For years, San Diego anchored its version of the 3-4 around Williams’ massive run-stopping power.
The Broncos already impressed many observers with their stifling defense in 2009 before collapsing late in the season. Is Williams the missing piece to their defensive puzzle?
5) Does the Chiefs re-signing Chris Chambers mean a halt to other WR pursuits?
There was talk of Anquan Boldin becoming a Chief before his eventual trade to Baltimore.
When that possibility was squashed, KC personnel guru Scott Pioli turned to his existing roster and re-upped Chris Chambers to a multi-year deal.
An intriguing possibility might be New Orleans’ Lance Moore, who was tendered with a second-round pick by the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Chiefs hold an extra second-round pick stemming from their trade of Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons last season, and could easily part with it if it means obtaining Moore.
Beyond that, it’s a thin market both in free agency. Perhaps Dez Bryant would be acceptable to Chiefs fans?
6) Is Stephen Jackson to the Chargers a real possibility?
It is definitely a talent-rich draft if you’re low on running backs this year.
And while this label definitely applies to San Diego, the Bolts also hold a relatively low first-round pick (28) and have many other needs (offensive line, defensive line, cornerback, safety).
The Chargers might be turned on by Jackson’s obvious talent, but they might equally be turned off by what St. Louis might ask in return.
Also, this year’s market features other solid backs like Cadillac Williams and LenDale White, who fit the mold of physical backs who could succeed behind San Diego’s underwhelming offensive line.
This, however, could be a major draft-day move should top RB prospects be gone by the time San Diego’s on the clock.
7) Will Oakland shop for a quarterback?
To be honest, there’s not much out there in the QB market.
It’s clear to everyone except Al Davis that JaMarcus Russell is not the solution and the rest of Oakland’s depth chart isn’t too impressive, either.
There’s no way anyone gives up a first-round pick for Jason Campbell, and while Oakland fared well with a former Cleveland QB this season (Bruce Gradkowski), chances of Derek Anderson arriving in the Bay Area are slim.
Al Davis values veteran leadership, so there’s a chance a guy like Jake Delhomme or Rex Grossman to get a shot at a backup role.
Then again, the last time Davis brought a veteran QB in (Jeff Garcia), things got ugly fast.
Is the Darren Sproles sign-and-trade deal still a possibility?
It becomes increasingly apparent that San Diego brass don’t know what they want to do with Darren Sproles.
San Diego needs to hold on to any semblance of running backs on its depth chart, and Sproles is an excellent return man/backfield receiver, but he is far from a full-time, front-line back.
As mentioned before, San Diego is dealing with a lot of holes going into next season. Sproles continues to be a luxury at this point for the Chargers more so than a necessity.
Should a team be willing to offer up something useful to San Diego, say, offensive or defensive line help, it should be no surprise to anyone to see Sproles in a different uniform next season.
9) How will Kansas City continue to approach the market?
The Chiefs are a young team undergoing a rebuilding process in the way of new front-office and head coaching philosophies.
They have some good talent in place at the right positions, but still lack depth and a couple of game breakers on each side of the ball.
It’s clear they have some money and that, under Pioli, are willing to make a big splash (i.e. trading Tony Gonzalez last season) in order to get better.
However, most of the big fish are spoken for at this point and they have too many holes to plug using solely the draft.
At this point, it looks as if they’re content with filling their roster with the Thomas Jones’ of the world.
10) Will the Broncos shop for offensive help?
Again, Brandon Marshall will most likely be out of Denver in the coming weeks. Kyle Orton showed to be effective over stretches of the 2009 campaign, and Knowshon Moreno appears to be talented enough to blossom into a top back, but will that be enough?
With Marshall gone, teams will be able to zero in on Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler in the passing game.
Denver’s emphasis in free agency so far has been defense, but there is no reason to suspect that, for head coach Josh McDaniels, addition might come in the way of subtraction in the Marshall situation.
Expect a couple of fringe signings at the very least, a major upgrade via the draft, or a trade involving Marshall that sees some pieces go Denver’s way.
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