2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[DerwinBosa]

We've used more 1st round picks on OL in the last 3 years than Andy Reid has in 10 years at KC

Not necessarily true if you count the first-round pick Reid used to trade for Orlando Brown.

We've used two first-round picks on wide receivers since 2017. That's the same amount of first-round picks Reid has used on wide receivers in his 25 years as a head coach.

[jamrock]

Not necessarily true if you count the first-round pick Reid used to trade for Orlando Brown.

We've used two first-round picks on wide receivers since 2017. That's the same amount of first-round picks Reid has used on wide receivers in his 25 years as a head coach.

If you wanna count trades we should probably add the big ticket FA's like Linsley and Bulaga.

point is Reid hasn't invested more in OL. He's just a better coach and they have been better evaluators. Rashee Rice turned out better than QJ. Tyreek was 1st round talent but had personal issues. They also found Pacheco in the 7th. What Reid has done is drafted defensive players well.

hopefully we have a coach and staff that can maximize our guys

[jamrock]

I said BOTH sides of the line. On the offensive line they spent the first overall pick on Eric Fisher. In 2021 they traded their first-round pick for Orlando Brown. They also used second-round picks on Mitch Morse and Creed Humphrey. They signed Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80 million contract in 2021. They signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract last year. They let Tyreek Hill go after the 2021 season and replaced him with Juju Smith-Schuster on a cheap, one-year deal and Marquez Valdez-Scantling on a three-year, $30 million deal. Smith-Schuster left after last season for more money in New England.

They've used first-round picks on Dee Ford, George Karlaftis, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. They traded the 2019 first-round pick for Frank Clark.

Add it up, and that's six first-round picks dedicated to both sides of the line. ZERO for wide receivers and tight ends. The $160 million they spent on Thuney and Taylor is about four times as much as they spent on Smith-Schuster and Valdez-Scantling. It's not hard to see that Reid values offensive and defensive linemen over weapons.

Never mind that he did the same thing in Philadelphia.

What's interesting is the number of defensive players they draft high like CBs, DL and LBs. All areas of need for us. But he hasn't more in the OL than we have. Eric Fisher was 10 years ago. What you can say is that they get more out of later round picks than others.

[dmac_bolt]

I said BOTH sides of the line. On the offensive line they spent the first overall pick on Eric Fisher. In 2021 they traded their first-round pick for Orlando Brown. They also used second-round picks on Mitch Morse and Creed Humphrey. They signed Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80 million contract in 2021. They signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract last year. They let Tyreek Hill go after the 2021 season and replaced him with Juju Smith-Schuster on a cheap, one-year deal and Marquez Valdez-Scantling on a three-year, $30 million deal. Smith-Schuster left after last season for more money in New England.

They've used first-round picks on Dee Ford, George Karlaftis, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. They traded the 2019 first-round pick for Frank Clark.

Add it up, and that's six first-round picks dedicated to both sides of the line. ZERO for wide receivers and tight ends. The $160 million they spent on Thuney and Taylor is about four times as much as they spent on Smith-Schuster and Valdez-Scantling. It's not hard to see that Reid values offensive and defensive linemen over weapons.

Never mind that he did the same thing in Philadelphia.

Fisher was a lousy over-draft pick, he flailed for years to become serviceable. That’s it - that is the totality of KC’s 1st round OL trench draft in a decade. Stop with the Andy Reid keeps drafting OL in the first round, everyone - he hasn’t. I don’t say he is against it - I just say he hasn’t.

What baffles me is I look at our OL, and I see OC as the top gap and the next worst positions last year were LG and RG. I take one step back and I ask who the fuck is going to play DT for us in 2024? yet this forum is fixated on RT.

Pip was second best OL player last year, and he played better in 2022. The 5 yr blah blah doesn’t mean anything, who cares about that? Yet another example of the backwards looking lack of focus here at TPB. Today and every day are new days to be better. I think our coaching sucked because not one of our OL players really stood out as good last year and often their failures were very basic failure to switch off during stunts, pick up assignments on blitzes, and execute at a high level after moving/pulling/etc. That is coaching, not talent. Pip did not get a pro bowl contract. And we conceivably have another RT in waiting sitting at RG. I’m not against drafting an OT, but that is truly way down our list of trench needs.

Because right across the LOS, our DL is a barren desert. SBJ gone. AJ gone. Who is going to play DT? Ottito is our star? Really? Fuck me. Over in KC, Andy’s 3rd best player is a DT, a difference maker that wins games.

If Rd1 pick goes in the trench, it should go to the DL where we have zero quality professional starters. It’s elementary, my dear Watsons …

[blueman]

You got most of it correct... run the F-ing ball. He has said it over and over again.
I think your confidence in late round centers and OT's is misguided.
As for WR's... I agree. The class is deep. They won't replace MW, though. But, they won't have to.

The other thing Harbaugh has said over and over again... we like our WR group.

The entire league runs on mid and late round OL. With a sprinkling of rare first rounders. If we start three rookies out of five, so be it and fuck you TT.

[Kylars]

Yup

We can go on about Pipkins and it is not a stretch to say we can do better at RT, but that doesnt mean it has to be done with the 5th overall pick, certainly not in the of the deepest tackle drafts in recent memory.

And this is exactly the logic to NOT pick a WR with the first pick.....

[Boltnut]

The entire league runs on mid and late round OL. With a sprinkling of rare first rounders. If we start three rookies out of five, so be it and fuck you TT.

I would say at least half of the best tackles are 1st rounders. You want to build the IOL with mid-rounders...? Be my guest. But I wouldn't wait too long on a center. The best ones are all early rounders.

[Boltnut]

And this is exactly the logic to NOT pick a WR with the first pick.....

Exactly. The WR class is deep! Way deeper than the tackle group. That is always the case.
Run the ball better. Protect the QB. Play defense. Everyone knew it was coming when we hired Harbaugh.
People will have to change their mindset.

[Boltnut]

Anybody see the Mina Kimes interview the other day...? Mina was trying to talk Chris and Money down off the ledge about picking a WR or TE @#5. Smart girl.

The IOL is having trouble with issues that can be corrected by coaching. Recognition, stunts, passing players off to others. But Trey's issues go beyond coaching. Hell, he's had an OL guru working with him the last 2 off-seasons. His issue is foot speed. His issues are balance and body stiffness once he got heavier.

If I'm holding out hope on players/positions... it would be @WR with QJ. Or @OG with Zion and Jamaree. Or @safety with JT Woods... @RB w/Spiller... @LB w/Henly... @DT w/Tito... @WR w/DD... All of those players are younger and haven't gotten the playing time necessary for evaluation purposes.

Nobody is seriously talking about potential defensive players in the 1st round.
Everyone admits that a trade back is most desirable... so many needs.
So if we land @#10-15 with a trade back... there will be some players/positions that become viable.
I attempted to have a conversation about CB and Edge earlier. That was shut down pretty quickly.
Anyone ready to talk about it now...? IMO, there are 4 or 5 defensive players that make sense @#8-15.

Almost every team that beat the Chiefs last year created turn-overs on defense. How do we do that? How would Minter do that? Do we have the players @DT @CB @LB. Either Bosa or Mack will be gone next season. Maybe both. Are we so fixated on offense that we can't have a conversation about defense...? It aint sexy. But the #2 and #3 defenses were in the Super Bowl. The #1 defense was the Ravens... whose assistant GM is now our GM. How can this conversation be ignored? Slobbering over WR's and TE @#5 was fun for a while.

[Bolt4Knob]

Yup

We can go on about Pipkins and it is not a stretch to say we can do better at RT, but that doesnt mean it has to be done with the 5th overall pick, certainly not in the of the deepest tackle drafts in recent memory.

Arjun Menon had some information yesterday after Pipkins. Arjun blames a lot of Pipkin on not getting the help from the coaching staff as they put him in some tough positions. So, agree, it doesn't have to be the 5th pick of the draft. I would feel much better about RT with pick 8 and even better with pick 11 in Round 1 and get some extra draft picks. Build a deep roster

This is a two draft rebuild. They will be able to use free agency to fill in with guys on cheap one year prove it deals but the team needs to be built via the draft for longer term success.

Cincinnati Reds GM - I think it was him said it - "this isn't about being competitive, this is about winning."

And for me winning is not the 7th seed and losing WC week end. Winning is winning the division, getting to the AFC Title game and eventually the Super Bowl.

[Bolt4Knob]

Exactly. The WR class is deep! Way deeper than the tackle group. That is always the case.
Run the ball better. Protect the QB. Play defense. Everyone knew it was coming when we hired Harbaugh.
People will have to change their mindset.

Chargers need to fix the OLine, Interior DL and LB. And this is based on I think Mack will be back with Tuli.

STart at those areas - build the infrastructure and the base of the house

[electricgold]

And this is exactly the logic to NOT pick a WR with the first pick.....

Okay then with the 5th pick in the 2024 draft the Los Angeles Chargers select Linebacker Dallas Turner from Alabama!

There you go we now have our version of Micah Parsons...