2024 Chargers News | Acquisitions | Transactions | Injuries

[Boltjolt]

The Chargers targeted McConkey, because is the perfect replacement for KA.

The Patriots wanted a WR, obviously had a pool of acceptable WRs, and the swap of our 4th for their 5th enticed them to make the deal for whomever was there at #37.

That in no way means they wouldn't have drafted Ladd at #34 had they stayed there, or at #37, if he was still available.

Not disputing the bolded above.
But if New England wanted McConkey and they were targeting him, they wouldnt have traded out with us.....no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They werent targeting him so they made it. Obviously they liked Polk better and even more enticing to swap picks and get a tad less contract out of it.

We did NOT trade down of round 1 because they targeted Alt. And i agree with Hortiz. Id rather have McConkey over Polk but apparently NE didnt feel that way. We both win.

Ive no idea what ATL or WA wanted but seems JH did. Good move for us imo if they had a inside scoop.

[sonorajim]

I’d hold that the QB can help make the WR great, whereas the OL has to make himself great. Bad QBs do not help WRs rack up the big stats.

Not exactly. It takes some good qualities in both QB and WR and Brady made so-so OL look good, Linsley made his teammates better, etc.

Top players elevate their teammates and bad coaching can take them down. We have the QB and coaches, and the O looks well balanced in quality.

[powderblueboy]

Yep...especially for a wideout...they're more easily replaceable, like RBs...now a good OT, that's different, depending on how much they want, I'd try to do everything I could to keep good OT talent...

Not only that, but you can get great production from a rookie receiver .... they, and running back, get up to speed quicker than any other position in the NFL.

That is why I'm less high than others on QJ .... although, I can buy to some extent that argument that he was more raw than most receivers coming out, and that Brandon Staley was a monumental, meddling, screw up of a head coach,
where rookies just do not develop under his watch.

Was there a rookie from the first two draft classes under Staley's watch that took a big step forward in year 2/3?

Slater/Zant? They seemed to take steps backwards or sideways.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Was there a rookie from the first two draft classes under Staley's watch that took a big step forward in year 2/3?

Slater/Zant? They seemed to take steps backwards or sideways.

Herb had a better Year 2 under Staley than he had Year 1 under Anthony Lynn.

A bit scapegoat-y to single out Asante, when EVERYthing that Staley touched on defense turned to shit.

I thought Slater's first two years were high quality. Then in his third year, he played with injuries on a clusterfuque of an O-line. With the upgrades in talent around him and a new offensive philosophy that involves ramming the ball down opponents' throats (instead of putting o-linemen in pass protection 3 downs out of four, where they absorb a beating, instead of delivering one) I fully expect Rashawn to be FINE.

I'll be interested to see whether Kenneth Murray prospers in his new situation with the Titans where, presumably, he was signed because his strengths match the defense they operate.

[powderblueboy]

Herb had a better Year 2 under Staley than he had Year 1 under Anthony Lynn.

A bit scapegoat-y to single out Asante, when EVERYthing that Staley touched on defense turned to shit.

I thought Slater's first two years were high quality. Then in his third year, he played with injuries on a clusterfuque of an O-line. With the upgrades in talent around him and a new offensive philosophy that involves ramming the ball down opponents' throats (instead of putting o-linemen in pass protection 3 downs out of four, where they absorb a beating, instead of delivering one) I fully expect Rashawn to be FINE.

I'll be interested to see whether Kenneth Murray prospers in his new situation with the Titans where, presumably, he was signed because his strengths match the defense they operate.

Not if you go by the stats (Herbert played 2 more games in 2021 than 2020).

Herbert's 2020 was better in completion %, TD-interceptions ratio and passer rating behind a much worse offensive line.
Herbert's 2021 was better in yards - per game: 294 to 289 and tds.
Herbert throws for around 5,000 yards in 2020 if he started 17 games.

2021	Chargers	completion % 65.9	passing yards 5,014	TD 38	Interceptions 15	passer rating 97.7
2020	Chargers	completion % 66.6	passing yards 4,336	TD 31	Interceptions 10	passer rating 98.3

[sonorajim]

Not only that, but you can get great production from a rookie receiver .... they, and running back, get up to speed quicker than any other position in the NFL.

That is why I'm less high than others on QJ .... although, I can buy to some extent that argument that he was more raw than most receivers coming out, and that Brandon Staley was a monumental, meddling, screw up of a head coach,
where rookies just do not develop under his watch.

Was there a rookie from the first two draft classes under Staley's watch that took a big step forward in year 2/3?

Slater/Zant? They seemed to take steps backwards or sideways.

Staley didn't coach offense That was Lombardi - Moore. O in general took a step back with Moore. OL in particular.

[dmac_bolt]

Wrt Jefferson and WR’s in general. Not pointing at any one post as you guys are forming a fanatical group-think bond together and we need to break the hysteria quick before someone gets hurt here.

There’s nothing in current data to indicate teams suddenly stopped valuing elite WRs. You guys now equating WR to the RB market is just a bunch of interwebby guys making shit up. Talking like you can’t throw a stick down the center aisle of a SW Air flight without hitting 5 or 6 superstar WRs in wait ls a a laugher - you guys already forgot the line of JAGS that shuffled thru LAC lineup in just the last 4 years, and when one of our top starters went down the entire pass game went to shit? Really?

Some of the signings just this off-season, and I’d argue none of them are really the top elite WRs that are under contract

(annual avg pay)
Evans $26M
Pittman $23M
Higgins - franchise tagged
Ridley $20.5M
MDub $15M
M Brown $11 (he’s a fucking #2/#3 receiver)
…

you guys are so far out over your skis y’all are about to faceplant. Put some padding on, at least …

[Boltnut]

Wrt Jefferson and WR’s in general. Not pointing at any one post as you guys are forming a fanatical group-think bond together and we need to break the hysteria quick before someone gets hurt here.

There’s nothing in current data to indicate teams suddenly stopped valuing elite WRs. You guys now equating WR to the RB market is just a bunch of interwebby guys making shit up. Talking like you can’t throw a stick down the center aisle of a SW Air flight without hitting 5 or 6 superstar WRs in wait ls a a laugher - you guys already forgot the line of JAGS that shuffled thru LAC lineup in just the last 4 years, and when one of our top starters went down the entire pass game went to shit? Really?

"Interwebby guy" Joe Hortiz on the state of today's WR classes...

Hortiz was asked about both groups, beginning with a wide receiver class that features big names such as Marvin Harrison, Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.

But Hortiz pointed to the overall depth of the wide receiver group, something he said has shown up in previous years and will be true going forward due to the rise of 7-on-7 camps.

"Certainly, the position has increased in pay, so you have to take that into consideration when you're valuing players," Hortiz said of the wide receivers. "But in terms of depth — I've said it before, I'll say it again, I'll say it next year and I'll say it in five years from now — I can promise you wide receiver is going to be a deep position in the draft every year.

"It's just the way the game has changed and evolved," Hortzi added. "It's a passing game and has certainly increased the past 20 years. Players are coming out more polished."

[LarryAW]

Not disputing the bolded above.
But if New England wanted McConkey and they were targeting him, they wouldnt have traded out with us.....no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They werent targeting him so they made it. Obviously they liked Polk better and even more enticing to swap picks and get a tad less contract out of it.

We did NOT trade down of round 1 because they targeted Alt. And i agree with Hortiz. Id rather have McConkey over Polk but apparently NE didnt feel that way. We both win.

Ive no idea what ATL or WA wanted but seems JH did. Good move for us imo if they had a inside scoop.

The only thing we know is that the Patriots liked Polk, and our 4th round pick, more than Ladd and keeping their 5th round pick. The Chargers clearly wanted Ladd more than any-remaining WR.

The Chargers preferred Alt to any other OT, but if some team had offered enough compensation, they would have traded down and likely drafted another OT. You certainly can't say they would have preferred that OT to Alt. They would have preferred the overall compensation to just Alt. You can bet the Cardinals would have traded out of #4 had enough compensation been offered.

[Boltjolt]

The only thing we know is that the Patriots liked Polk, and our 4th round pick, more than Ladd and keeping their 5th round pick. The Chargers clearly wanted Ladd more than any-remaining WR.

The Chargers preferred Alt to any other OT, but if some team had offered enough compensation, they would have traded down and likely drafted another OT. You certainly can't say they would have preferred that OT to Alt. They would have preferred the overall compensation to just Alt. You can bet the Cardinals would have traded out of #4 had enough compensation been offered.

Hortiz said it would of had to be a significant offer which means .....and I think he said multiple firsts and not just say AZs or Minnesotas two this year,.. ..would of cost more with a first in 2025 at least which was said they wouldn't do.
So yeah Offer something ridiculously in our favor then sure.... Which didn't happen.
I'd have taken the two firsts but Alt wasn't on my radar.

But clearly their target was Alt and they weren't moving unless a team were willing to get raped and Tennessee was thinking we were going WR and they wanted Alt.

NE traded with us by just swapping picks with us and not even getting an extra pick to do it so clearly McConkey wasn't their target.

Again, when you get a call about a trade ,they always ask who you are targeting and sure you could lie but if you take their guy afterwards saying you were targeting someone else, don't expect to ever get a deal from them again and word spreads....and I'm sure we would hear about it on social media.
Can't say I've ever heard that happening.

Now,....you said the Patriots liked Polk better than McConkey.....which is what I was saying the whole time. Our 4th for their 5th was just a minimul compensation to move back 3 spots.

[dmac_bolt]

"Interwebby guy" Joe Hortiz on the state of today's WR classes...

Interesting quote by noted interwebby dude. But he doesn’t refute my thesis and the data is the data - WRs are still getting paid. The best remain highly coveted and paid accordingly, very much different than RBs.

Will that modulate some - tbd. Idunno. Modulate some doesn’t get them close to the RB market, which cratered. We will not in a position to have to decide this for several years, LAC will not be the franchise to watch on this question.

Go ahead and ignore all other franchises in the meantime because hey - LAC didn’t sign a $20M receiver so it must be a universal truth, right?

[21&500]

Happy Memorial Day to all, very thankful for my freedom.
thank you to the fallen warriors and condolences to their families.
Never forgotten.
RIP.