2024 Chargers News | Acquisitions | Transactions | Injuries

[wu-dai clan]

AJ Finley got a mention ffom mic'd up Minter. We may have a journeyman Combo Safety already. Safety is mostly about tackling and rapid processing.

[Xenos]

stick could not get wins against any of the backup QB's who beat uas last year..... no organization keeps a bad player like Stick this many years when he has shown nothing..... now maybe he looked way better in practice against staleys horrible defense that was not allowed to hit him?.....

I am hoping at least one of our backup QB's actually looks like a decent backup in pre season this year..... hopefully they actually let the QB's throw the ball so we can all see how they do?...rather then just hand off and run out clock like Staley and Lynn did before him......

It’s a new HC/GM that resigned him to a one year deal. So they must see something we don’t.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

AJ Finley got a mention ffom mic'd up Minter. We may have a journeyman Combo Safety already. Safety is mostly about tackling and rapid processing.

I noticed that, too. Finley has a lot of tools, and if can get things properly assembled, he'd figure to be at least as good as Alohi Gilman.

[dmac_bolt]

*copied below...

Agreed...I would like to add a little to this discussion though.

Why not proclaim Ladd an upgrade from Slayer ? Agree - I've been wrong before, but I see it. I get the "wait-to-see" positions of others.
Herbert forced the ball to Keenan, elevating his stats. Agree
Caleb is starting slow. I'm not in the Caleb club, highly suspicious and would have been scared shitless as a GM to draft him. I've been wrong before
This has a good chance of not being so good in Chicago for KA. Agree

We definitely have more speed as desired. Even QJ can be considered fast, due to his capabilities as a long strider. Agree

QJ did make tough catches at TCU. The Pro Day was a disaster of drops. Didnt see his pro day

Dude needs to relax and work. Practice and route refinement should yield better results.

The 2024 OL changes everything, yes Agree

[Xenos]

I wished there was a way for Popper to review film from previous years and not just 2023 to see if Bozeman did much better.

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz have turned over their roster pretty drastically in their first offseason together. A major piece of that process was using newly created salary-cap space to add veteran free agents, many of them on cheap, short-term contracts.

The Chargers have added 12 veteran free agents this offseason. They started in March and have remained active in this market into May. They have added at least one veteran free agent to all but three position groups: quarterback, safety and specialists. Many of these free agents are in line to have significant roles as starters or rotational players. As such, this free-agent class will have a big impact on how the Chargers perform in 2024.

Over the next two months, we will be focusing on some of the more important members of this class by watching their film from past seasons.

What can these players provide the Chargers?

We still begin the series with center Bradley Bozeman, whom the Chargers signed in March. Bozeman is in line to start at center this season. He was working at that spot with the first-team offense when the Chargers opened organized team activities Monday. They did not end up drafting a center last month. Brenden Jaimes is the only other center on the roster with regular-season NFL experience.


Bozeman spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He played 2022 on a one-year deal before signing a three-year, $18 million extension in 2023. Bozeman played 1,822 snaps at center for Carolina in 2022 and ’23. The Panthers cut him in March, and the Chargers signed him to a minimum one-year deal.

I watched three of Bozeman’s games from 2023: Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts and Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons.

I will start each of these film breakdowns with a notebook dump — a few observations as I was watching the tape.

• Big-body center at 6 feet 5, 325 pounds. Power and movement on downhill runs, especially on double-teams.

• Stout on initial push in the run game, but a lack of movement skills and slower feet prevent him from consistently getting to the second level and successfully blocking off-ball linebackers.

• Those movement skills show up when he is forced to play in space, particularly on screens. He is at his best when he can fire off the ball downhill. He is inconsistent when forced to move laterally. In the run game, that showed up sometimes on outside zone blocking schemes or when he was asked to pull. His lack of body control will lead to misses in space.

• Strong anchor in pass protection when matched up with bigger bodies. But he is not a natural pass protector. He does not play with great leverage in pass pro and can rely on his size too often. He tends to play pretty upright and also lean. That makes him susceptible to rip moves.

• He struggles against quick inside moves. He does not have the short-area quickness or movement to match up with speedier inside rushers. This popped up in the Seahawks game. Seattle matched up Jarran Reed against Bozeman regularly. Reed had five pressures, most of them when utilizing his get-off to create immediate penetration.

Let’s dive into a few plays.

This was a third down in the second quarter against the Seahawks. Bozeman, circled in yellow, was at center, snapping to quarterback Andy Dalton. (Bryce Youngwas out with an ankle injury.) Reed is circled in red and aligned off Bozeman’s right shoulder.



Dalton took the snap, and Reed already had a step on Bozeman.



As Dalton hit the bottom of his drop, Reed had leverage on Bozeman and was in Dalton’s throwing lane.



Reed won easily and forced an incompletion.



Bozeman struggled on similar rushes against the Colts and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Bucker had an almost identical rush that led to a sack in that game. The only difference was it came off Bozeman’s left shoulder instead of his right.

He can lose in these situations. However, he is an extremely strong player. And if he can get his hands on rushers with good positioning, then his strength and base take over and he can win pass pro reps.

Bozeman did it against Buckner later in the game.

This next play was a first down late in the first half. Bozeman, circled in yellow, was at center. Buckner, circled in red, was off Bozeman’s left shoulder.



As Young took the shotgun snap, Bozeman quick set to his left and got his hands to Buckner’s chest.



Then Bozeman used his size to wall off Buckner’s rush lane.





You can see in these still images how upright Bozeman plays sometimes in pass pro. But if he gets his hands on defenders, he can compensate for the higher pad level with his size and strength.

The size and strength shine when he can attack downhill in the run game, like on this rush play against the Colts. The Panthers aligned in pistol formation, and Bozeman, again circled in yellow, was at center.



Young took the snap and turned to hand it off to running back Miles Sanders. Bozeman executed a double-team with right guard Austin Corbett.



Sanders read the blocking as Corbett moved to the second level.



Bozeman had great leverage and drove his legs forward to effectively clear out three defenders. The hole up the middle was massive.








This would have been an explosive gain if right tackle Taylor Moton had held on to his block.

Overall, Bozeman is a better run blocker than pass protector. The Panthers had a dreadful offense in 2023. Their run scheme did not play to Bozeman’s strength. The Chargers, under Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, are planning to implement a downhill running game that should fit Bozeman’s skill set more aptly. The Panthers were also playing from behind every week, which forced them to drift away from the running game. That put their poor pass-blocking offensive line in compromised positions quite often. All important context when assessing Bozeman’s 2023 tape.

Bozeman played center in Roman’s Baltimore Ravens offense in 2021. That was the best season of his career. So there is already hard proof that this scheme fits Bozeman’s play style.

Bozeman will likely have some down moments in pass protection this season. But the scheme should elevate Bozeman’s strengths as a run blocker. He still has plenty in the tank in that area, as long as he is used correctly.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

It’s a new HC/GM that resigned him to a one year deal. So they must see something we don’t.

Signing Stick to a one year deal sounds like prudent ass covering, to me.

It's not a guaranteed contract (he has to make the roster for the contract to kick in, correct?) and provides the coaches with the chance to see what they have in the others. Worst case scenario is that Stick returns, which isn't *bad*, it's just 'meh'.

And I'd expect Hortiz to be scanning final cuts for QB prospects. There are certainly a few guys he'd be interested in picking up, if he had the opportunity. I'm talking about guys who are more NFL worthy prospects than Max Duggan.

[wu-dai clan]

Agreed...I would like to add a little to this discussion though.

Why not proclaim Ladd an upgrade from Slayer ? Agree - I've been wrong before, but I see it. I get the "wait-to-see" positions of others.
Herbert forced the ball to Keenan, elevating his stats. Agree
Caleb is starting slow. I'm not in the Caleb club, highly suspicious and would have been scared shitless as a GM to draft him. I've been wrong before
This has a good chance of not being so good in Chicago for KA. Agree

We definitely have more speed as desired. Even QJ can be considered fast, due to his capabilities as a long strider. Agree

QJ did make tough catches at TCU. The Pro Day was a disaster of drops. Didnt see his pro day Apparently neither did Telesco. There were reports circulating of alarming QJ drops at PD.

Dude needs to relax and work. Practice and route refinement should yield better results.

The 2024 OL changes everything, yes Agree

I touted QJ, based on one particular catch while sandwiched between two defenders near the goalline.

We all saw Zay Flowers in '23. QJ needs to focus here in '24, or he will be my worst tout ever.

[dmac_bolt]

I touted QJ, based on one particular catch while sandwiched between two defenders near the goalline.

We all saw Zay Flowers in '23. QJ needs to focus here in '24, or he will be my worst tout ever.

Q will redeem you this year. I wanted Zay in that draft. Zay and Ladd have some similar traits (not identical). But Q can still win hearts and minds here. those that are quick to hate are also usually quick to love. passion for team gets the better at times, I understand.

[sonorajim]

I'm hoping that Harbaugh/Roman envision QJ's routes to be completely different than what KM had him running last year.
Once his long strides start eating up cushion in a hurry... I expect him to get over the top of a lot of #2CB's.
If safeties are worried about the run (and they should)... they're gonna start cheating up and leave no help over the top on QJ.
That's where QJ will be deadly. Once that happens, the CB will have to give cushion and play farther off.
Once that happens, Q's gonna start breaking routes off and getting catches in space. We'll get to see some of that YAC.

100% he'll have to stop telegraphing his routes. Start simple (go routes and slants) then add to the arsenal later.
An effective run game will open things up for QJ, IMO. Got to believe that drag routes will be employed more often, too.
These coaches are no dummies. That will be refreshing.

And I agree... Ladd will be used in multiple patterns and in multiple levels of the field.

I would expect more polish, sharper execution. WR Coach Sanjay Lal and Pass Game Coordinator Marcus Brady are pros.
I was really disappointed in last year's coaching, aside from STs.
QJ, the pass offense and the O in general will be better.
Improved OL, an actual run game ans real coaches opens many doors for our players.

[Boltnut]

I'm no scouting expert or WR coach, and I would welcome/defer to true expert opinions here. but it looked like he was working on that in the several drill video tapes we've seen since last season ended

Here's a QJ breakdown in early 23 season by Brett Kollman (kind of a fan-boy more than expert).

https://www.chargers.com/video/the-breakdown-quentin-johnston-2023

Here's acutual Week 7 tape of him in 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km5jVHyA7tU

IMO, he had a lot of trouble getting off the LOS in Week 7. A lot of wasted steps without much separation. Also, a lot of completions to other receivers before QJ had a chance to get separation. Early contact from the defender seemed to be something he didn't experience much of in college. It also looks like he didn't have to defeat press-man, early hands in 2023 TC.

Hopefully the coaches have him concentrate on defeating press-man @the LOS. Maybe design something for him in play design. I remember Mike McDaniel designing that quick-motion for his Dolphin receivers last year.

I think you were referring to QJ's and MHJ running drills together this off-season.

https://www.tiktok.com/@lobstersports_/video/7362618346480700703

His footwork looks more efficient... even though MHJ is farther downfield after cuts. But I didn't see a lot of LOS work (not enough) to determine if this area needs more work.

[chargeroo]

Think back - to the rosters Bobby Ross had. I see a lot of similarities with this year's roster. A powerful RB (Means/Edwards), two run blocking TE's, a solid OL (that remains to be seen). Ross had a solid Center (Cortney Hall), that may be the missing ingredient to this team. Overall, it looks like we're building the same kind of team as the 1994 team.

[Chargers8491]

KA had 108 receptions for 1200+ yards in 13 games last year... 13 games!
Extrapolated out over a 17 game season = 140 receptions for 1600 yards.

I'm not down on Ladd... I really like the pick. I'm just pumping the brakes on Ladd > KA right now.
Let the kid show us what he can do first. Don't put that kind of pressure on a young player.

Yeah, I totally get it. Need to see what he does during the season before anointing him. Not going to argue with KA's receptions because he was a reception machine and Ladd has big shoes to fill in that regard. The reason I'm saying at this stage he is an upgrade is because like I said Ladd has more explosives and is faster than KA at this stage. Too many times we saw KA go down on first contact. While KA's route running is more polished, Ladd as the opportunity to be just as good of a route runner than KA. Chemistry and health is going to be a key for Ladd this year. IMHO, Ladd and Vidal have an outstanding chance to be OROY this year. It's going to be a fun battle to watch.