My thoughts on the Chargers 53-player roster to start the season.
For me, QB Cardale Jones making the cut was the biggest surprise. Jones didn't play well during the preseason and I didn't think the Chargers would go with three QBs. Anthony Lynn brought Jones over from Buffalo after Lynn took over as Head Coach of the Chargers last season. All I can figure is that Lynn isn't ready to give up on Jones just yet.
You just gotta root for the undrafted free agents that make the team. Chargers have an obscure record of 22 straight seasons with at least one UFA making the team. This year three made it.
RB Detrez Newsome. I wrote about Newsome in my last Chargers post. The way he played during the preseason there was no way he could be cut. Newsome won't get many touches during the season with RBs Melvin Gordon, Austin Eckler, and 7th round pick Justin Jackson also on the team, but he's proven he can carry the load should Gordon suffer an injury (42 carries, 159 yds, 2 TDs in the preseason). This is an interesting group with Eckler and Jackson adding big play capabilities.
CB Brandon Facyson just played well. At 6'2" 197 lbs he's a big corner. Getting the chance with Jason Verrett's season ending injury, Facyson just played solid corner whenever he was in the game. Chargers are keeping seven CBs and even without Varrett, this is a very talented group.
WR JJ Jones made the team as a return specialist. He didn't see the field much as a WR, but averaged 12.6 yds on seven punt returns (including a 72 yd. TD) and averaged 22.8 yards on six kick off returns. At 5'10" 172, Jones is one of those quick guys with break away speed that is a threat to break one anytime. Travis Benjamin returned punts last season and it's yet to be seen if Jones will take over those duties or just return kick offs.
Other than that it was pretty much what everyone expected.
Despite rumors of bringing TE Antonio Gates back, Chargers stuck with former Bronco Virgil Green and Sean Culkin who was the best of rest during the preseason. I still found it strange that they signed Je'Ron Hamm after Culkin played well in the first preseason game. Hamm didn't seem to make any impact.
K Caleb Sturgis is the guy with all the pressure on him. With the Chargers kicking woes last season being given as one of the major reason for the team not making the playoffs the spot light will be pointed directly on Sturgis on every kick. I can't imagine how tense it will be when he has to attempt his first game winning kick.
Bring on the Chiefs, I can't wait for the season to start!
Showing posts with label Detrez Newsome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Detrez Newsome. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Los Angels Chargers - Preseason look after the first 2 games
Half way through the preseason seems like a good time to take a look at what's going on with the Chargers. Questions that have risen to the top of the list...
Who will be the FG kicker?
Caleb Sturgis is listed at the top of the depth chart over Roberto Aguayo. In the vacuum of two 2018 preseason games Sturgis is 1 of 2 in FGs and Aguayo is 5-5 in extra points and made his lone FG attempt. The story is in their pasts. Aguayo has more to prove since he was a draft bust making only 71% of his FG attempts in his lone season in Tampa Bay (2016). Sturgis made 84.8% of his attempts in 3 seasons with the Eagles, only losing his job last season when he got injured. I'm not in the know about what's going on in practice and you can't evaluate kick offs unless you know what the plan is (are you trying to kick to specific area to force a return or going for distance an force the touch back) so maybe Stugis is establishing himself in practice. IMO this is still wide open.
Which TE's will be on the Chargers roster in Week 1?
With Antonio Gates released and his promising replacement Hunter Henry out for the season former Bronco Virgil Green is listed as the starter, but he's primarily a blocking TE and none of the rest have been receiving threats in college. One of the front runners is former Missouri Tiger Sean Culkin who made an impression in the first preseason game against Arizona. What really caught my attention was that the Chargers signed ex-Seahawk TE Je'Ron Hamm after that game. I'm not sure why they would sign Hamm, who is on the small size for a TE and doesn't have anything that stands out in his resume. Up until they signed Hamm I though Green and Culkin would be the only TEs. Now I'm not sure what the Chargers are trying to do.
Who will be the backup QB?
I was rooting for Cardale Jones and wasn't a fan of Geno Smith. Word out of camp is that the competition is "neck-and-neck," but after watching 2 preseason games it's obvious that it's Smith position to lose. The eye test tells me Smith has more command of the offense. He's more decisive and is more accurate. Jones should have had the advantage since he came to the Chargers last season, but it's obvious to me that, right now, Smith is the better QB.
How are the young guns doing?
The Mike Williams hype was growing in camp. Reports were streaming in about Williams standing out in practice. Head Coach Anthony Lynn even added to the hype, saying that Williams size reminded him of Terrell Owens. In the annual Blue-White game (an inter-squad scrimmage) Williams caught two impressive TDs. But that's practice. "Practice?!" (Okay, I was tempted but won't do it :-D). When the fake real (read preseason) games started Williams had a ho-hum 2 catch 16 yard performance in Game 1. Then he showed why he was drafted 7th overall last year in Game 2. Still over hyped, but with Keenan Allen drawing the #1 CB and Tyrell Williams/Travis Benjamin attracting safety attention with their speed, Mike Williams will have a lot of changes to duplicate this highlight.
Last year's 2nd round draft pick, OL Forrest Lamp still isn't 100%. Lamp suffered a season ending ACL tear last year and was released off the PUP list but still hasn't played in the preseason. Lamp is expected to take the RG spot occupied by Michael Schofield. IMO RT Barksdale is the weak link of the OL and Schofield played RT in 5 Games last season when Barksdale was injured. I would guess that Schofield would slide over to RT if Lamp is ready to play. Still the odds of Lamp starting in Week 1 lowers with each passing preseason game.
Are there any surprises?
There's the season ending injuries to Hunter Henry and CB Jason Verrett. Hunter was set for a breakout year with the release of Gates. Verrett's story is tragic. A Pro Bowl DB that had a season ending injury in Week 1 last year and now a season ending injury before playing a game. It's unfortunate, but it looks like another "he had the talent, but injury shortened his career" story.
Relatively unknown RB Detrez Newsome drew some attention in Game 1 versus Arizona showing good speed and quickness in catching 4 passes for 36 yards and also had a 37 yd TD run called back for holding. He followed that up with 19 carries for 78 yards against Seattle. Highly touted rookie Justin Jackson is nursing a hamstring injury and hasn't been in either preseason game. Newsome is making a strong case for making the team.
Who will be the FG kicker?
Caleb Sturgis is listed at the top of the depth chart over Roberto Aguayo. In the vacuum of two 2018 preseason games Sturgis is 1 of 2 in FGs and Aguayo is 5-5 in extra points and made his lone FG attempt. The story is in their pasts. Aguayo has more to prove since he was a draft bust making only 71% of his FG attempts in his lone season in Tampa Bay (2016). Sturgis made 84.8% of his attempts in 3 seasons with the Eagles, only losing his job last season when he got injured. I'm not in the know about what's going on in practice and you can't evaluate kick offs unless you know what the plan is (are you trying to kick to specific area to force a return or going for distance an force the touch back) so maybe Stugis is establishing himself in practice. IMO this is still wide open.
Which TE's will be on the Chargers roster in Week 1?
With Antonio Gates released and his promising replacement Hunter Henry out for the season former Bronco Virgil Green is listed as the starter, but he's primarily a blocking TE and none of the rest have been receiving threats in college. One of the front runners is former Missouri Tiger Sean Culkin who made an impression in the first preseason game against Arizona. What really caught my attention was that the Chargers signed ex-Seahawk TE Je'Ron Hamm after that game. I'm not sure why they would sign Hamm, who is on the small size for a TE and doesn't have anything that stands out in his resume. Up until they signed Hamm I though Green and Culkin would be the only TEs. Now I'm not sure what the Chargers are trying to do.
Who will be the backup QB?
I was rooting for Cardale Jones and wasn't a fan of Geno Smith. Word out of camp is that the competition is "neck-and-neck," but after watching 2 preseason games it's obvious that it's Smith position to lose. The eye test tells me Smith has more command of the offense. He's more decisive and is more accurate. Jones should have had the advantage since he came to the Chargers last season, but it's obvious to me that, right now, Smith is the better QB.
How are the young guns doing?
The Mike Williams hype was growing in camp. Reports were streaming in about Williams standing out in practice. Head Coach Anthony Lynn even added to the hype, saying that Williams size reminded him of Terrell Owens. In the annual Blue-White game (an inter-squad scrimmage) Williams caught two impressive TDs. But that's practice. "Practice?!" (Okay, I was tempted but won't do it :-D). When the fake real (read preseason) games started Williams had a ho-hum 2 catch 16 yard performance in Game 1. Then he showed why he was drafted 7th overall last year in Game 2. Still over hyped, but with Keenan Allen drawing the #1 CB and Tyrell Williams/Travis Benjamin attracting safety attention with their speed, Mike Williams will have a lot of changes to duplicate this highlight.
Last year's 2nd round draft pick, OL Forrest Lamp still isn't 100%. Lamp suffered a season ending ACL tear last year and was released off the PUP list but still hasn't played in the preseason. Lamp is expected to take the RG spot occupied by Michael Schofield. IMO RT Barksdale is the weak link of the OL and Schofield played RT in 5 Games last season when Barksdale was injured. I would guess that Schofield would slide over to RT if Lamp is ready to play. Still the odds of Lamp starting in Week 1 lowers with each passing preseason game.
Are there any surprises?
There's the season ending injuries to Hunter Henry and CB Jason Verrett. Hunter was set for a breakout year with the release of Gates. Verrett's story is tragic. A Pro Bowl DB that had a season ending injury in Week 1 last year and now a season ending injury before playing a game. It's unfortunate, but it looks like another "he had the talent, but injury shortened his career" story.
Relatively unknown RB Detrez Newsome drew some attention in Game 1 versus Arizona showing good speed and quickness in catching 4 passes for 36 yards and also had a 37 yd TD run called back for holding. He followed that up with 19 carries for 78 yards against Seattle. Highly touted rookie Justin Jackson is nursing a hamstring injury and hasn't been in either preseason game. Newsome is making a strong case for making the team.
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