Chargers Training Camp Updates

[KempBolt 498]

Marty Caswell ‏@MartyCaswell 3h Just like last camp, Eddie Royal catching everything thrown his way. Meachem working with 2nd team. Interesting to watch Gilchrist work at S

 

Marty Caswell ‏@MartyCaswell 3h Watching Dunlap/Starks mix reps at LT w/Rinehart at LG reminds me that neither starter on Left side last yr are in NFL. Gaither/Green

 

Marty Caswell ‏@MartyCaswell 1h Eric Weddle interrupts Te'o press conference to announce "the rookie's had enough time. Get in there & get some work done."

 

Michael Gehlken ‏@UTgehlken 3h Chargers ILB D.J. Smith (ACL) practicing for first time since April signing. Working with 3rd-team unit. Likely ascends to 2nd by camp's end

 

Michael Gehlken ‏@UTgehlken 3h King Dunlap begins first 11-on-11 as Chargers' left tackle, but Max Starks will rotate in. Starks, more experienced, the favorite to win job

 

Michael Gehlken ‏@UTgehlken 3h Dwight Freeney (left leg) hobbled off field, got taped up during first team drill of camp. Walking fine. Larry English now working with 1s.

 

Michael Gehlken ‏@UTgehlken 3h Chargers LB Jonas Mouton carted off practice field. 2011 second-round pick already fighting for roster spot.

 

Michael Gehlken ‏@UTgehlken 2h Dwight Freeney able to finish practice with left leg taped. He looks fine.

 

UTKevinAcee ‏@UTKevinAcee 4h I'm very concerned about secondary. Nonetheless, receivers pretty much brilliant in first one-on-one drill.

 

UTKevinAcee ‏@UTKevinAcee 3h Does it excite you that Eddie Royal and Danario Alexander are catching everything thrown near them?

Edited July 25, 2013 by KempBolt

[theMileHighGuy 656]

I still miss Eddie Money. I really hope he has a big year, I took him late in fantasy.

 

Looks like there's still lots of questions surrounding the secondary. Interesting to see Marcus Gilchrist moved to safety, I wonder if that meant opposite Weddle?

[KempBolt 498]

Glad Freeney is fine. Bummer about Mouton, but he was a fringe roster guy so no big impact there. Sounds like the receivers looks good and the secondary needs time. Also glad that D.J. Smith is all ready to go, as he's our main backup at ILB. Eric Weddle is awesome.

[KempBolt 498]

I still miss Eddie Money. I really hope he has a big year, I took him late in fantasy.

 

Looks like there's still lots of questions surrounding the secondary. Interesting to see Marcus Gilchrist moved to safety, I wonder if that meant opposite Weddle?

 

Yeah, he's at strong and Weddle is at free (though they're essentially the same thing in Pagano's defense). I think it may be a more natural position for him. They opted to go that route with him when it became apparent that Brandon Taylor's ACL tear recovery would spill into camp. I think he's still going to be playing nickel when we use sub-packages. I'm expecting some growing pains in the secondary- only Eric Weddle returns as a starter from last year. But growing pains are preferable to death throes, which is what we had to watch in 2012.

 

Royal did this last year too. He just needs to stay healthy in-season. If he does, I'd say we run 5 deep with quality players at WR- and then Meachem on top of that as I guy who might return to being modestly productive. Wouldn't mind trading away from the position for help elsewhere actually. Malcom Floyd for a pass rusher or something like that.

[KempBolt 498]

Just to go tit for tat with theMileHighGuy .

 

Playmaker: Receiver Vincent Brown has a knack for pulling away while deep into a route. He showed it at San Diego State, as an NFL rookie, in training camp last year -- and in the camp opener on Thursday. Brown ran a fly pattern down the right sideline with cornerback Johnny Patrick stride for stride as Charlie Whitehurst aimed a pass about 15 yards ahead of them. Brown then ran away from Patrick, reached out and caught the ball before safety Jahleel Addae arrived.

 

Malcom Floyd, too, made a difficult catch, snagging a 50-50 ball from Derek Cox.

 

Te’o watch: Rookie Manti Te’o, practicing with the first team, misread one inside run but usually went where he was supposed to go. Sniffing out a zone run, he impressed former Chargers linebacker Billy Ray Smith. “Manti took a perfect first step, and that’s the key,” Smith said. “He was able to fill in the gap. The guard tried to reach him, but just wasn’t able to get to him. It brought tears to my eyes.”

 

But players were wearing soft shells, not full shoulder pads -- so it was anyone's guess whether Te'o or teammates would've made actual tackles.

 

Medical report: Inside linebacker Jonas Mouton was carted off with a knee injury that kept him down for several minutes. Eric Weddle and Melvin Ingram (who tore an ACL in May) spoke to the prone Mouton, who was practicing with the second team as Te'o's backup. A second-round choice of A.J. Smith’s in 2011, Mouton has appeared in three games, none as a starter. Inside linebackers D.J. Smith and Bront Bird practiced with the third team.

 

About midway through practice, end-linebacker Dwight Freeney walked stiffly on the sideline and received a wrap over his left calf before sitting out a few drills. After practice he walked without a limp. Keenan Allen, the rookie wideout, said his breakfast caused him an upset stomach that led him to throw up and miss several drills.

 

From the sideline: “The thing that amazes me is, this is the first practice, but it looks likes these guys have been working together for two weeks. It’s very organized.” – former Dallas Cowboys talent man Gil Brandt, praising Mike McCoy. Brandt wore a diamond ring honoring the Cowboys' win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XII.

 

Miscellany: On Wednesday, a day before opening Chargers Park to the media and public, the Chargers put all healthy players through a conditioning test. According to Eric Weddle, no one failed. Weddle said the test, compared to previous conditioning tests under Norv Turner, was a “little more difficult” but easy for him. "I could have run it three times," Weddle said. Players ran across the field and back – 107 yards – 10 times, never exceeding 16 seconds. “I breezed through it,” Danario Alexander said. As with most NFL teams, the Chargers are emphasizing speed, flexibility and body composition in their conditioning, and Weddle said it seems the Chargers, as a whole, are physically fit. "The strength coaches really take it to you, they're really helping us," Weddle said...Te'o said he received several texts during the recent ESPYs after someone at the show made a crack about his fake girlfriend hoax. "Everybody started texting me, 'Are you at the ESPYs?" he said. "I'm like, I wish I was." ...The Chargers are limiting Te'o to group interviews with the media; someone joked to Weddle that he doesn't receive that kind of star treatment, and Weddle jokingly told reporters, "It's because I don't think I've hit that star-esque level."

[KempBolt 498]

Lol Keenan Allen... first he takes a twitpic of himself in a Raiders hat while drinking an In-N-Out shake and this morning he's puking because of a bad shake. Stay away from shakes!

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Sucks to see injuries in camp, especially on day one. Mike McCoy's organization OCD showing early. One credit to him is that he can definitely put a good practice together.

 

How are the big guys supposed to do that conditioning test. 107 yards in 16 seconds or less 10 times? Damn.

 

Just to go tit for tat with theMileHighGuy .

 

Hey it's our job to get the info out there :beerchug:

[KempBolt 498]

Sucks to see injuries in camp, especially on day one. Mike McCoy's organization OCD showing early. One credit to him is that he can definitely put a good practice together.

 

How are the big guys supposed to do that conditioning test. 107 yards in 16 seconds or less 10 times? Damn.

 

 

 

Hey it's our job to get the info out there :beerchug:

 

If Eric Weddle is to be believed, it was "easy." I have my doubts.

 

The reason I'm excited about McCoy is because he wants to be a true head coach. A guy who oversees everything, has a hand in everything, and can direct the ship. Norv's downfall, IMO, was trying to double as the OC. I think it affected how the team practiced and I know it it caused him to mismanage games.

 

McCoy kept our very good DC and hired a very good OC. He clearly intends to let them do their jobs so that he can do his.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Ryan Mathews arrived at Chargers camp weighing ten pounds fewer than his 2012 reporting weight.

"That's one thing I wanted to focus on," said Mathews. "Losing the weight and not being so bulky. I feel quicker, and I feel faster ... I feel healthy. Last year, coming out of the first practice, my legs were tired. Not today." Mathews also defended himself against offseason reports he parties too much. "I don't go out every night," he said. "Yeah, I go out on the weekends when I can in the offseason. I don't usually go out during the season."

Source: Union-Tribune San Diego

Edited July 26, 2013 by RogerGoodellSucks

[Crash 105]

If Eric Weddle is to be believed, it was "easy." I have my doubts.

 

The reason I'm excited about McCoy is because he wants to be a true head coach. A guy who oversees everything, has a hand in everything, and can direct the ship. Norv's downfall, IMO, was trying to double as the OC. I think it affected how the team practiced and I know it it caused him to mismanage games.

 

McCoy kept our very good DC and hired a very good OC. He clearly intends to let them do their jobs so that he can do his.

I'm very interested to see how Mike McCoy does as a head coach with his decision making. He has been a part of the John fox staff for a while so I'm curious to see if he has the same cautious decision making

[housemd 338]

Chargers ILB Jonas Mouton is out for the season after tearing his right ACL on the first day of training camp.

 

A 2011 second-round pick, Mouton missed his rookie season with a shoulder injury and then earned just five snaps last year. His third campaign is over before it starts. Mouton was vying for a backup role behind Donald Butler and Manti Te'o. It's the second season-ending injury the Chargers' linebacker corps has suffered in the last three months; Melvin Ingram tore his ACL at minicamps.

[housemd 338]

Ryan Mathews has been rotating between the first- and second-team offenses so far at Chargers camp, and new coach Mike McCoy says the club will likely employ a running back rotation in 2013.

 

Mathews, Danny Woodhead, and Ronnie Brown have all seen time with the first team. The situation has serious fantasy headache potential behind one of the NFL's poorest offensive lines. "I’ve been raised with John Fox in this league," said McCoy. "We always played with a couple of backs. It doesn’t matter who’s in there. Keep them fresh. Play the hot hand while you roll."

[KempBolt 498]

I'm all for the committee approach. But if we're going to do it right, we need one more guy. A decent roster cut perhaps. Or maybe a youngster will separate himself in the preseason.

[Bay 2,003]

Derek Cox has been a corner I've liked for some time. Called him to break out a little too early but whatever. One of my favorite if not most favorite thing to follow about the Chargers in 2013.

[KempBolt 498]

Derek Cox has been a corner I've liked for some time. Called him to break out a little too early but whatever. One of my favorite if not most favorite thing to follow about the Chargers in 2013.

 

He just needs to stay healthy. That's been his issue. But it sounds like he's getting his feet under him and Shareece Wright reportedly looks better. I don't expect our corners to be amazing this season, but I do know they're definitely going to be a big step up from Jammer/Cason in 2012. Watching those two guys was excruciating.

[KempBolt 498]

Getting really mixed reviews on Fluker. Some people say he's in over his head and some people say he's balling out.

That probably means that there's a little of both going on. I'll see what's up once the preseason rolls around.

[KempBolt 498]

Here are some tidbits from what I'm gathering around the web. Of course all of this, good or bad, comes with the huge caveat that this is camp and won't necessarily hold true for the season.

 

-King Dunlap has been the first team left tackle through camp so far with the only exception being some time on the sideline with a minor muscle pull. I'm personally gratified, as I view Dunlap as an ascending player and Starks as a guy whose best days are behind him.

 

-In regards to both pass pro and receiving work, Ryan Mathews looks much improved this season. He's reportedly been reliable in picking up the blitz, and has burned linebackers in the receiving game.

 

-While Mathews may be better in the passing game this year, all reports indicate that Danny Woodhead is on another level. He's worked from the slot and the backfield, caught everything thrown his way, and apparently already has total mastery of the playbook.

 

-It would seem that Manti Te'o is already very comfortable with the starters. Most observers have noted, regardless of run or pass, he's always right where he's supposed to be.

 

-Robert Meachem apparently still has issues with being on the same page with Rivers and dropping easy passes.

 

-Undrafted free agents Jahleel Addae (safety) and Kwame Geathers (defensive line) have both impressed in the early going. Addae is practicing with the second team at strong safety and Geathers has made some impressive plays in one-on-one drills (though he reportedly has techical lapses like he did at Georgia).

 

-So far, so good for Jeromey Clary's transition to guard. It would seem that taking him away from that outside speed rush has made a difference.

 

-The tempo is, by all accounts, much faster than in years past.

 

-Luke Tasker and/or Dan DePalma are this year's short, white receiver who catch everything with the 3rd team. I'm guessing there will be a lot of fans who want one or both on the roster. Maybe one can make the practice squad.

 

-Derek Cox is getting noticably more comfortable, and Shareece Wright looks like the team's best cornerback so far.

 

-John Pagano said that Marcus Gilchrist's transition to safety has been effortless and he looks great in that role.

 

-Former Cowboys tight end John Phillips has been impressive in camp, and a better receiver than advertized.

 

-Larry English is, once again, having a great camp by all accounts. We'll see if it actually carries over this time.

[KempBolt 498]

Shareece Wright and Johnny Patrick reportedly impressing.

 

Patrick was a waiver claim after the Saints let him go early in the offseason. He was a 3rd round pick out of Louisville in 2011. It made me laugh when we got him because I was really high on him in college and wanted to Chargers to draft him with the 2nd of our two third round picks. He got taken in the slot right before that pick, and we took Wright instead. Now we have both. Happy we took Wright, as he definitely wouldn't have been available on the waiver wire. He's been make plays against any and every receiver he's been asked to cover in camp.

 

I was suspicious of the move to bring Patrick in because the Saints, being one of the worst defenses ever in 2012, had deemed him bad enough to let go. But OTOH, his poor play could well have been a function of how terrible the rest of the defense was last year (and he didn't have much of a sample size; he only played 19% of the time on defense). That at least seems to be the case now, as he's making a lot of plays in TC in the slot corner role.

 

Gilchrist really struggled at nickel for most of last season. He's now moved to SS, but coaches still planned to used him as the nickel corner on passing downs until Patrick started impressing in that role. It could make a big difference to leave Gilchrist at a more natural position and upgrade in the slot. There is potential for us to upgrade at every single position in the secondar save FS, where we still have Weddle- the best safety in the NFL.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Getting really mixed reviews on Fluker. Some people say he's in over his head and some people say he's balling out.

That probably means that there's a little of both going on. I'll see what's up once the preseason rolls around.

 

Yeah I had a lot of doubts about Fluker. Just like I had doubts about the Fins' Jonathan Martin. Fluker's not that bad though. I just think both should be OGs, not OTs.

[KempBolt 498]

Yeah I had a lot of doubts about Fluker. Just like I had doubts about the Fins' Jonathan Martin. Fluker's not that bad though. I just think both should be OGs, not OTs.

 

I definitely still do. Thankfully he isn't so tall that he couldn't bump inside to guard, but I'm holding out hope that he surprises me on the outside. We did get by for the last 6 seasons with Jeromey Clary at RT, and it's hard to imagine Fluker bring a worse pass protector.

 

This thing about his college tape is consistency. One game he wouldn't be able to stop anyone, and the next he would be the first guy moving off the snap. The hope is that NFL coaching will help him become more even from game to game. My most optimistic comp for the future would be Anthony Davis.

[housemd 338]

According to the Union-Tribune San Diego, the Chargers are "more than hinting" at a switch to a "multi-back system" that's less reliant on Ryan Mathews.

 

Danny Woodhead is locked in as San Diego's new passing-down back, crushing Mathews' receiving value. Per the U-T San Diego's Chris Jenkins, Woodhead is "already showing signs in camp of being a go-to guy for (Philip) Rivers." Mathews should get most of the early-down carries, but it'll be a dead giveaway to defenses when he's in the game. Behind a terrible offensive line, it's hard to generate excitement about Mathews' bounce-back candidacy in fantasy leagues.

[KempBolt 498]

Mathews had receiving value?

[BJORN 679]

Mathews had receiving value?

Hes not bad in space

[KempBolt 498]

Hes not bad in space

 

Doesn't matter. He hasn't been trustworthy enough in passing situations to get consistent targets.

[BJORN 679]

Doesn't matter. He hasn't been trustworthy enough in passing situations to get consistent targets.

Yup, his liability does out weigh his benefits.