2022 Official Bolts Draft Superthread

[21&500]

Here's a good article on the way the NFL's passing games (and defenses) have changed...

https://www.the33rdteam.com/how-the-short-passing-game-has-changed-the-nfl

Offenses are changing. IMO, pass rushers aren't as valuable as corners who can read, react, and tackle. I think Staley has referenced his wish for players who can do these things.

100%

[Steve]

It's the chicken and the egg argument. Both pass rush and coverage are important. Neither can be completely effective without the other.

Pass rushers can help hide deficiencies in CB by forcing the QB to throw before they want. If the DB and LB in coverage know that, they can be much more aggressive and try and jump routes and at least tackle the receiver quickly, minimizing yardage given up, if not breaking up the pass or creating turnovers.

If the coverage holds up, making the QB hold the ball longer, the pass rushers have a chance to get to the QB. Sacks, and throw aways make it much harder to sustain drives, plus put offenses behind the on down and distance.

[Fleet 1]

My gut tells me we go after a premium D guy. A guy you hope earns a 20M a year contract on his next go around. Edge and CB would be my top 2 guesses and are positions with massive market rate contracts. Both needs. Good chance that BPA where we draft in round 1 will be those 2 positions anyways. Kind of feeling like a stud WR at that point makes sense if we do indeed tag MW. My hope is we get him locked up and it keeps this years hit low. But if tagged maybe we look at our next ace in round 1. Good draft for big and fast guys. Ill just say i like some of these top end WRs a lot.

[Formula 21]

Stanley says they are looking at the DL. I shade it towards edge first. Corner or RT in the 1st if the draft breaks with a run on edge. IDL in the 2nd. I’d love a wr in the 1st too but I expect MWill to be tagged. However they go, there’s a nice player sitting at 17.

[equivocation]

I hope DL is addressed through FA. Better idea what you're getting, less premium contracts.

[dmac_bolt]

It's the chicken and the egg argument. Both pass rush and coverage are important. Neither can be completely effective without the other.

Pass rushers can help hide deficiencies in CB by forcing the QB to throw before they want. If the DB and LB in coverage know that, they can be much more aggressive and try and jump routes and at least tackle the receiver quickly, minimizing yardage given up, if not breaking up the pass or creating turnovers.

If the coverage holds up, making the QB hold the ball longer, the pass rushers have a chance to get to the QB. Sacks, and throw aways make it much harder to sustain drives, plus put offenses behind the on down and distance.

One good pass rusher makes it better on 5 DBs. All 5 DBs have to be perfect to give that one rusher more time. Its a math thing.

[dmac_bolt]

It's the chicken and the egg argument. Both pass rush and coverage are important. Neither can be completely effective without the other.

Pass rushers can help hide deficiencies in CB by forcing the QB to throw before they want. If the DB and LB in coverage know that, they can be much more aggressive and try and jump routes and at least tackle the receiver quickly, minimizing yardage given up, if not breaking up the pass or creating turnovers.

If the coverage holds up, making the QB hold the ball longer, the pass rushers have a chance to get to the QB. Sacks, and throw aways make it much harder to sustain drives, plus put offenses behind the on down and distance.

Oh, at first I read your post starting “its the chicken and egg Parma …”. I thought huh, throwing an egg in there? Ok, I’ll try it.

[Leslie Grossman]

Agree with the pass rush vs corner debate versus the pass....however corners can't come up and tackle or set an edge like an edge player, or lay the wood to a QB or RB and take him out of the game.
Give me a dominant front 6 or 7 over a dominant secondary every day of the week. Especially on the road in cold weather playoff games.

[Parcells]

Stanley says they are looking at the DL. I shade it towards edge first. Corner or RT in the 1st if the draft breaks with a run on edge. IDL in the 2nd. I’d love a wr in the 1st too but I expect MWill to be tagged. However they go, there’s a nice player sitting at 17.

I very much agree that the value will be there for edge, RT, or CB in round 1 and DT or RT in round 2.

[Boltnut]

Agree with the pass rush vs corner debate versus the pass....however corners can't come up and tackle or set an edge like an edge player, or lay the wood to a QB or RB and take him out of the game.
Give me a dominant front 6 or 7 over a dominant secondary every day of the week. Especially on the road in cold weather playoff games.

Nickel and Dime defenses are being played nearly 85% of the time during the 2021 season. You better have CB's that can tackle.
Offenses are getting rid of the ball quicker... shorter routes etc.

[Critty]

One good pass rusher makes it better on 5 DBs. All 5 DBs have to be perfect to give that one rusher more time. Its a math thing.

I agree one good pass rusher makes it better on the backend
But, I also think one true lockdown CB can be just as impactful as one good pass rusher. And Chargers already have Bosa.

You get a true lockdown corner and now the other DBs can double and tighten throwing windows. And if you mix up pre snap looks and post snaps rotations with the QB who rather not test your lockdown corner, then he will have to throw into tighter windows and with looks and rotation that will cause a bit of confusion for the QB causing him to hold it longer. Giving your front a chance to get there. And you can send a 5th pass rusher instead of using that player in coverage to help your lack of a CB1. So what Staley can do with his defense changes All by having one lockdown corner used on an island. Another pass rusher doesn't allow Staley to put his CB1 on an island with confidence. So his defense play calls have to work with what he has.

What really works is both to unlock the Staley defense.
And is what the Rams have.
CB1 lockdown island corner that QBs reluctantly test.
DL1 requires double team to slow down.

Now the rest of the front and backend can eat because your CB1 and DL1 are setting the table with elite play.

IMO because Chargers have Bosa and an Improving Nwosu, the need for a CB1 ranks as a higher need to improve defense and allows Staley to do more with his play calls. Another pass rusher is great, but you still can't put any of your CB on and island and tighten the windows.
Between Bosa and Nwosu and others, I think the Chargers can get necessary pressure. They just don't have anyone on the backend that locks anyone down other than Derwin on TEs.

If I'm a great WR, I look at Chargers DBs and think I'm going have a great day. I don't see anyone who can really cover me 1 on 1.

My list of top 3 needs are:
CB1 lockdown
RT upgrade
RB depth

Ekeler is not nearly enough and Jackson cannot be trusted to stay healthy. The offense production with and without Ekeler is obvious.

I think the RT and RB depth can also help the defense with complimentary football. More possession time of ball, more first downs and scores. More leads. And a more rested defense playing from ahead where they can really pin ears back and go after QB. And if you got that CB1 on the field and your playing with the lead. Bosa and Nwosu will make plenty of plays. And you can send a 5th rusher like Derwin after the QB too.

[Steve]

One good pass rusher makes it better on 5 DBs. All 5 DBs have to be perfect to give that one rusher more time. Its a math thing.

One good pass rusher doesn't fix the pass rush. You will get the occasional sack and occasional pressure, but you won't get CONSISTENT pressure. You need at LEAST 3 (2 edge rushers to keep the QB in the pcket and 1 to push the middle and prevent stepping up) to consistently get pressure on a QB. And when those guys get tired, you need depth.