2014 Training Camp Observations Thread

[Beerman]

WR - Allen, Floyd, and Royal are locks. Reese seemingly has taken over the #4 spot. He just brings a different dimension to the group. Worst thing that could happen to Brown is get dinged up. It opened the door and Reese sprinted through it. Brown, Tutu, and Inman are in a battle for the last few spots. Starting to think Brown gets axed since he doesn't bring anything to special teams. Brown could be a potential trade candidate.

CB - Flowers, Wright, Williams, and Marshall have been getting the most reps. Ghee seems to be on the outside looking in right now. Verrett is being brought along slowly. Didn't see him playing in the 11 on 11's today (just the 7 on 7s with no real contact). Chris Davis makes plays when he's been on the field and has an outside shot of making the team. Seems like a lock for the PS at least.

TE's - Gates/Green were locked in. Johnson will not be running more than 5 yard patterns. He did have a nice seal block on 11 on 11's on an outside run. I can see Phillips getting cut if they decide to keep more WR's.

OLB - Tourek Williams and Cordarro Law were visible. Getting plenty of reps. I saw Attaochu dropping into coverage a lot today, nice first step explosion on the lone pass rush snap I was able to focus on him. Keiser is either injured or just not getting reps for whatever reason. Freeney looked good. Ingram was working a lot on the strong side so couldn't see much of him from the stands.

Didn't pay much attention to the interior line on either side of the ball. Troutman did seemingly take most 1st team snaps at RG.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Beerman
Gilchrist starting at SS.

UGH. Not this again.

Don't get too hung up. You teach teh defenses starting with the base D, and that has only 4 DB playing. Addae and Gilchrist will probably be back in their regular spots since our real defense is a 425 and we need that 11th starter to come on the field, and depending on how you look at it, it is either Gilchrist or Addae, but in either case, they are the starters, and the guys like NT are the backups.

[SDFan]

It was hot as hell and I was just sitting on the bleachers.

I was in the bleachers too from warmups until they started ST period. Way too hot, but you could get a little breeze standing up on the bench in the back row where I was. It was cool they had 1 on 1s and 7 on 7s basically right in front of us. Agree the bottom of the roster WRs sucked, but thought everyone else had some really nice catches. Inman does reminds me of Floyd, Tutu looked great and Reese looks small compared to the others- even though they listed him at 5'10", 170. I thought he looked like Spiderman out there- great body control and caught every pass thrown to him while I was there. Not just GO patterns, but adjusted and came back to QB, over shoulder, etc. He can really pluck it well away from his body too. As much as I was skeptical before seeing them, both Inman and Reese looked like legit prospects, but still need to see them in games. Should be an interesting battle at WR all preseason. I also thought the DBs made a bunch of good plays. Flowers and Verrett each had a knockdown or 2 and there was at least 1 INT. I think the days of Crezdon Butler, Marcus Cromartie types are gone now and we're going to actually be cutting some good DBs at the end this year.

[Beerman]

Yea the preseason games will be interesting this year. Our backups don't completely suck now. I'm calling at least 1 bomb from Clemons to Reese.

[blueman]

Be great if Tutu stepped up and locked his roster spot.

Anybody see if Davis was getting any reps on ST?

[zoom]

From Tom Krasovic

(Fluker Comment (from JA) is funny)

The Chargers completed their third practice of training camp – and first in pads – on Saturday. Here’s what I saw:

• When overheating caused Johnnie Troutman and Craig Watt to exit, the fourth-string right guard, Kenny Wiggins, worked with starters. “Kenny was ready, knew all the plays,” D.J. Fluker said. Troutman left Thursday’s practice with leg cramps; the 330-pounder sees gains in his game but said he’d like to drop a few pounds.

• Jeromey Clary, the incumbent at right guard, is on the Physically Unable to Perform list – but when Zach Boren and Tourek Williams scuffled, Clary broke them up. Imagine if a PUP player hurt himself breaking up a fight. “I don’t know what he is doing,” Reggie Walker said, smiling. “Someone tell him to sit down. Go sit down.”

• Three defenders picked off passes: Walker snagged Crezdon Butler’s deflection of a Kellen Clemens' pass, Richard Marshall jumped Malcom Floyd’s out route and Chris Davis, a rookie corner undrafted out of Auburn, outmaneuvered rookie Tevin Reese. Davis’ theft caused former Cowboys talent man Gil Brandt to shake his head. “Davis made a play again,” said Brandt, attending for NFL.com. “You sit there and wonder how a guy like (Davis) doesn’t get drafted.”

• Dwight Freeney used a spin move to beat D.J. Fluker in pass-rush drills.

• For the second day in a row, Fluker knocked rookie Jerry Attaochu to the ground as he tried to bend the edge. “He told me, ‘Man, you’ve got some long arms,’ " Fluker said.

• A drone operated by a Chargers photographer circled overhead, and King Dunlap wasn’t sure what to think. “Big Brother’s watching – you never know,” he said.

• A man wearing a Brady Quinn Cleveland Browns jersey, long pants and a Browns ski cap joined the crowd of an estimated 3,000, despite venue and 82-degree heat. “Whoa, what is that-- a Browns fan?” said a man wearing a Chargers “Seau” jersey. “Somebody go give that boy a hug.”

[Bolt-O]

I'll echo that is was hot today, sticky as heck. I noticed that the OL all had knee braces on, I hadn't noticed that in previous camps. The big guys were working hard today, its hard to figure out where they are with pass protection, but T. Williams was noticeably quick when he was in there. I don't think Vincent Brown is yet in danger of losing his job, he looked very good at the Thursday practice, but Reese didn't lose much with pads on. A little early, but you can't expose that guy to waivers to sneak him onto the PS. The level of talent is definitely higher for the DBs, even Marshall looks pretty good, and if Flowers is still getting acclimated, I can't wait to see him once he's not translating terminology.

As far as Davis on ST, he wasn't with the main group, but was practicing with the other DBs what appeared to be gunner drills. He's not taking punts... it's Royal, Allen, Herndon and Reese for now

[blueman]

Yeah, Davis might make it as a gunner.

[Formula 21]

Chris Davis, a rookie corner undrafted out of Auburn, outmaneuvered rookie Tevin Reese. Davis’ theft caused former Cowboys talent man Gil Brandt to shake his head. “Davis made a play again,” said Brandt, attending for NFL.com. “You sit there and wonder how a guy like (Davis) doesn’t get drafted.”

Keep it up Chris, make them cut a journeyman for a future talent.

[Bolt-O]

Merge em.

[blueman]

^ Theme of this year's camp.

[Formula 21]