Monthly Archives: May 2013
New Chargers, New Offensive Line (& the TOMMY-LAMA)
By James Fedewa
San Diego solidified their offensive line by signing another left tackle, 31 year old Max Starks. Starks was drafted in the 3rd round, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last 9 years and is a nice upgrade. The Charges other new left tackle, 27 year old King Dunlap, who played in Philadelphia the last 5 seasons. Thank you Pennsylvania. Both Starks and Dunlap are not pro-bowlers, nor all-pro caliber left tackles, but both are above average professionals and will be a huge upgrade over last seasons Harris, Haslem and Gaither revolving left-tackle door.
Starks (6′-8″ 345 lbs.) and Dunlap (6′-9″ 330 lbs.) are massive new additions by pure size alone, not to mention the Chargers first round pick D.J. Fluker (6′-5″ 340 lbs.) is set to start at right tackle. Three new tackle additions equal 1015 lbs., so San Diego has chosen to go big in 2013 and could be the biggest and tallest in the NFL.
The Chargers also added two new guards: 28 year old Chad Rinehart (an up and coming blue-collar talent) drafted in the third round, and 27 year old Rich Ohrnberger guard/center (the class clown) was drafted in the fourth round. Chargers 2012 rookie guard Johnnie Troutman will be given a shot at a starting role, and good ole’ Chargers right tackle Jeromey Clary will be moving to right guard from right tackle (for the moment). Centers Nick Hardwick and David Molk make a formidable 1,2 punch, with Colin Baxter still hanging around fighting too. Brandyn Dombrowski can play anywhere on the line, and last years starting left tackle Michael Harris has consigned some quality reps against formidable foes last season, which should only make him better in the future.
For the first time in over two years, the San Diego offensive line starters and depth look very promising and satisfying on paper. Since Marcus McNeil and Chris Dielman’s sudden retirements (and injuries) in 2011, San Diego has improved with pure size and talent this off season. But what made the Chargers offensive line productive in 2010 and years prior was their continuity. They played well together for a long time. Offensive linemen are the core of a good offense. They control the run, they control the pass protection, they control the tempo and (from what we have seen by Rivers the past two seasons) they help copilot a quarterback. Playing together for several years build this continuity and stability (even with a lack of talent). Playing together, in repetition is better than five first round pro-bowl linemen playing together for the first time. But talent is a solid foundation for the Chargers to build on and good coaching should bring this all together in San Diego, especially with the new offensive line coach Joe D’alessandris (one of the best in the business).
This new Chargers O-Line, with new players, new design, new scheme, with positional changes and new coaches, it is actually designed to succeed now, and with very little money and terms invested. A team weakness now looks like a team strength. Call it a Perfect Storm or a Stepping Stone to the future, new Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco has been very pleasing to watch direct and build this new team, especially in what very little salary cap he has to work, lack of talent that was inherited, and the first round of an odd draft that was dealt to him. The 40 year old GM has done well (young grasshopper) and Tom Telesco still needs his new nickname, yet everything is still theoretical until some games are actually played.
I’ll start one: The Tommy Lama
Chargers Still Looking for Left Tackles
By James Fedewa
How many starting left tackles are there in the NFL? In reality there are only 32, if each team in the NFL has one. But which NFL team has multiple starting left tackles? Currently and technically, the Chargers have two: King Dunlap & Mike Harris. Both have starting experience, both have new coaches from seasons prior, both want the job and both have very minimal contracts. Dunlap and Harris can both grow into good players, or they stay average, or both can be terrible. Either way, San Diego’s offensive line looks better than 2012, but more additions and auditions are welcome.
GM Tom Telesco can do several things to fill San Diego’s left tackle void, including nothing (which could happen):
Free Agency: Left tackle Max Starks and Eric Winston are still available. Both can play the “sit and wait” game until another team faces a major injury to current starter. We’ll call it the Melvin Ingram method, which can be very formidable for Starks and Winston, but it could also mean waiting too long and never getting a job again in the NFL. Waiting for work and looking for work are two different things.
If San Diego wants to low-ball Starks, wouldn’t Starks prefer to take the lesser contract to go to a championship caliber team? San Diego’s (Ken Whisenhunt) and Arizona (Bruce Arians) coaching staffs have ties to Starks; however, I would not expect Starks to go to west, as he seems to slip back to Pittsburg every year.
Eric Winston is a little different scenario, which can prove lucrative to his future. Winston is looking for a multi-year deal worth $3 to $4 million per season, which is a lot for a zone-blocking right tackle. Coming out of college, Winston was a left tackle prospect that excelled in Houston playing right tackle. If San Diego can lure Eric Winston to come to San Diego, on a 1 year contract for $3 million, and if he plays well, he can shed the “zone blocking right tackle” label, and could make a lot more money as a left tackle in free agency in 2014. A Win – Win situation for both parties (but Winston will turn 30 next season too).
San Diego can also make a trade for a left tackle, which will be the most difficult scenario. Rams Rodger Saffold and Jaguars Eugene Monroe might be trade worthy (within Chargers fan circles) but in reality, both Saffold and Monroe’s contracts are salary cap friendly in 2013 and no team would trade a good cheap left tackle, even if they are backups. Tackle Derrick Sherrod has been underperforming in Green Bay, and has slid to backup right tackle on the Packers depth chart. He could be trade bait. The only trade ammunition San Diego has is really only future draft picks.
Roster Cuts: The Chargers can also play the “sit and wait” game and see who becomes available from salary cap casualties. Every year, NFL teams dump payroll or decide to get younger at all positions. Rumors of Bears tackle Gabe Carimi and Giants tackle David Diehl could be cut and could be new options in San Diego. Carimi has not attending team workouts, is coming off a leg injury and is with a new coaching staff. He has not excelled in Chicago, nor has earned a lot of playing time since being drafted in the first round. David Diehl has turned into a backup player for the Giants. Injury risks and age can send him to a new place in 2013.
Examining every NFL Teams offensive tackle depth is all preferential and subjective. Every player and tackle combination can have plus or minus paper grades in the offseason, but currently, Chargers King Dunlap with DJ Flucker at both tackle spots is still better than Mike Harris and Jeromey Clary last season.
San Diego Pass Rushers, minus Melvin Ingram
By James Fedewa
Outside Linebacker Melvin Ingram tore his ACL suspending his sophomore season before it even began. Typical ACL injuries can take a full year to recover, but with current medical technology, recovery time can be as fast as 8 months. Either way, Melvin Ingram is done for the season and now San Diego has additional big problems at several key positions. Lacking authentic starters, like left tackle, strong safety and now right outside linebacker.
Next man up; former first round draft pick Larry English is now a full time starter. English is currently San Diego’s primary and premier pass rusher, which does not exactly strike fear into most opposing left tackles and quarterbacks. The position will not be given to English, he will have to earn the job, but with Melvin Ingram gone (as well as Shawn Phillips and Antwan Barnes from last season) San Diego outside pass rushers are very thin, if not transparent. The 27 year old English has all the talent in the world to be a big time play-maker, he has not done it yet in his brief 4 year career.
English will be given the opportunity to succeed, but a veteran may be brought in to provide depth, or even a starting job. Veterans Dwight Freeney, John Abraham or a Matt Roth are some veterans that could be brought in. San Diego currently has three rookie outside linebackers on the team and all might be forced into action immediately. 6th round draft pick Tourek Williams, and two undrafted rookie free agents Frank Beltre and Devan Walker all can make 53 man roster, and having three rookies at the same position on the same team is not considered a luxury.
Additional personnel cuts might be necessary to sign Dwight Freeney to free up salary cap space. WR Eddie Royal could be released and the Jeromey Clary experiment (to RG) might have to end prematurely. Plus, Royal and Clary’s replacements were just drafted last month (Keenan Allan and DJ Fluker) and cutting them both could create just under $4 million dollars in additional salary cap space, but would also create over $6 million in dead money.
Landing a pass rusher like Dwight Freeney could cost San Diego $3 to 5 million per year (with bonus and quite possibly a multiple year contract). Freeney would look really good rushing former teammate Payton Manning twice a year against the Denver Broncos. But he could also insure himself practicing everyday against current San Diego left tackle King Dunlap. Freeney is needed.
Chargers Offensive Line Blues…
By James Fedewa
San Diego seems to be in a pinch: No left tackle
This week, the Chargers hosted free agent (and recent super bowl winner) Left Tackle Bryant McKinnie, only to watch him leave and re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens. Chargers fans have been very concerned about the vacant hole at left tackle. Depth is needed, but San Diego does not have a lot of salary to spend on a coveted or premier left tackle. Free agent addition King Dunlap is currently listed as San Diego’s left tackle starter, and is a large upgrade from last seasons left tackle problems. Most consider Dunlap a backup/swing tackle, but fans should recognize that he will me more than a swing or backup and will contribute significantly this season.
What most Chargers fans do not recognize is the biggest offseason addition to the offensive line, new O-line coach Joe Dalessandris. “Coach-D” has worked wonders the last three years in Buffalo, 2 years prior with the Chiefs, 6 years prior with Georgia Tech, and a total 36 years of coaching experience. He’s made some good players better and some undrafted guys into pro-bowlers. Notable linemen “Coach Joe-D” helped establish are Jason Peters (undrafted), Cordy Glenn (2nd round pick), Brandon Albert (1st round pick), Demetrius Bell (7th round pick), Brian Waters (undrafted), Andy Levitre (2nd round pick), just to name a few…
Coach Joe-D recruited LT King Dunlap in high school and is a partial reason why Dunlap followed him to San Diego. Right Guard Chad Rinehart (from Buffalo) quickly trailed Coach Joe-D to San Diego as well, and is considering a lateral improvement (to some) of former starting RG Luis Vazquez.
Dalessandris will have his hands full in San Diego, but in a good way. The Chargers are not excessively talent on upfront, but Coach Joe-D has a lot to work with, starting with the four very young fellas: D.J. Fluker, Johnnie Troutman, David Molk and Mike Harris. All will improve with Coach Joe-D’s specialized Zone Blocking Scheme (ZBS – a blocking method based on footwork, technique, alternative steps and angles that can create walls vs. pockets). This new scheme will help San Diego immensely and fans can expect immediate improvement. Then again, any improvement would be huge.
Depending on health, injuries and youthful experience, the current Chargers offensive line should be a major upgrade over last season and fans will recognize the new coaching staff is the largest upgrade of all. New coaches working with the talent San Diego already possesses will be the transformation of mediocrity, into championship stages. Free agents like Bryant McKinnie would seem to be a nice addition, but not mandatory and not necessarily a good fit…
National Fanatic 