2014 Training Camp Observations Thread

[Beerman]

He played his way into being an asset. Keep him.

He hasn't played himself into shit yet. No pads = doesn't count

[Beerman]

Could be (and probably is) a shot at just about everyone who started out in our secondary last year.

The numbers sure support that.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Marshall is solid when healthy, and a veteran presence in a very inexperienced defensive backfield.
IMO he is not going anywhere.

Are you describing a MILF?

[blueman]

From a couple days ago, for the Tutu crowd:

"Tutu working in the slot with 2nd team and was constantly open on routes. But passes kept going to Inman. Not sure what was up with that. He looked a bit frustrated walking back to the bench."

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Uh oh!

[blueman]

But, but, he was open! Constantly!

[Beerman]

From a couple days ago, for the Tutu crowd:

"Tutu working in the slot with 2nd team and was constantly open on routes. But passes kept going to Inman. Not sure what was up with that. He looked a bit frustrated walking back to the bench."

I have a feeling Inman is going to have a very good preseason. So will Green. Both guys constantly got looks from Clemons in practice.

[Boltjolt]

Nah, would never hope for anything but positives from a Charger player. I really do hope his performance last season was because he wasn't fully recovered.

I'm just not buying it till I see it on the field in live game situations.

In any case, he's already down to like 4th on the pecking chart, so I'm ok with it. Verrett will soon make him 5th.

I'm all in with Stevie Williams. (Despite all the supposed offseason greatness of Marshall, Williams is getting 1st team reps over him just 1 week into camp).

The depth chart don't mean a thing til Sept. I'm certainly not sold on 5th rounder Steve Williams at this point.

[Mister Hoarse]

Are you describing a MILF?

Gaping Mas logo:

[Grinners]

The depth chart don't mean a thing til Sept. I'm certainly not sold on 5th rounder Steve Williams at this point.

I am, he has game!

The Secondary has some good competition this year and it will come down to making some difficult decisions for the Management. But damn, I do love the competition. Maybe they move some of the CB's into the Safety role if they have potential? I wonder why CB Rose was picked up, can he play Safety in a year or so? Good height, good speed, but can he play the position?
He will not be a CB on this team, of that I have no doubt!

[Antonio's Gates]

The depth chart don't mean a thing til Sept. I'm certainly not sold on 5th rounder Steve Williams at this point.

I'm sure McCoy is just devastated

[Beerman]

If nothing else in the last year, Chargers cornerback Richard Marshall developed sympathy for movie critics. It’s no fun sitting through a clunky movie, even if you’re paid to do it.

When Marshall watched football film of his 2013 season, his first with the Chargers, it was sort of like chewing stale popcorn.

“I don’t feel like I was 100 percent last year,” he said. “I was disappointed in myself.”

The Chargers signed him last August, just 18 days before the season. The Dolphins had cut him, saving $4.55 million against their salary cap.

Though pleased enough to use him in all 18 games and sign him in March to a one-year deal, San Diego signed Brandon Flowers, a former Chief coming off a Pro Bowl season, in June, and placed him ahead of Marshall when training camp opened July 24th.

Marshall praised Flowers, saying “he’ll do nothing but help this team.”

But Marshall also considers himself a better player than a year ago. As proof, the 29-year-old cited his film reviews of spring and summer practices.

Fresh popcorn.

“I just look like a different player,” he said. “I’m moving differently. I’m quicker. I have my legs under me. I look like myself again.”

Marshall said the leap owes to the 13 pounds of muscle gained in the offseason, a long-awaited windfall. Back surgery in November 2012 to repair two ruptured disks prevented him from training as normal in the 2012-‘13 offseason, and when he joined the Chargers, his weight and strength were down.

He said the games last season, far more so than the practices, brought home how important those 13 pounds were.

The 114.9 passing rating and 71.4-percent completion rate against him were each the second-worst total of his seven-year career. Nor was his tackling up to par, though Marshall nonetheless outperformed in all facets Derek Cox, the high-paid starter he replaced at midseason.

Back to his normal weight, the 5-foot-11, 196-pounder is more able to play to his strength, now that he actually has NFL strength. He is jamming and jabbing pass-catchers, either as a corner or slot corner.

“When he gets his hands on you, you feel it more,” said receiver Vincent Brown, who in spring practices often went against Marshall.

Flowers singled out Marshall for praise.

“He’s a physical guy,” he said. “This is a guy that has a motor. He’s been in the game longer than I have. His mental game might be sharper than mine."

The Chargers have several weeks to decide which cornerbacks to keep. Shareece Wright is again the right-side starter. Behind him in recent practices was rookie Jason Verrett, a first-round draftee who is practicing in a red jersey because the team wants to protect his surgically repaired shoulder. Flowers has missed the last three practices and may not be ready to face the Cowboys in the first exhibition Thursday.

Tom Telesco draftee Steve Williams has filled in for Flowers, with Marshall working at both slot corner and as the No. 2 left corner. Backup Crezdon Butler, undrafted rookies Chris Davis and newcomer Brandon Ghee, a fifth-year player, and others figure to work against the Cowboys. Friday, the Chargers signed another corner, Lowell Rose.

Article posted today from the UT talking about his improved strength and conditioning (see I'm not that biased!! ignore the bolded part!!)

As the 5th CB, I'm quite alright with him being on the team. The question is whether the Chargers prefer his experience or if they want to develop guys like Ghee (2 year deal) or Chris Davis (3 years + RFA option). I don't think a guy like Davis clears waivers.