Late fifteen ten touchdown Suck.
What's up?
Guys, Welcome into a brand new episode of Chargers Weekly. We are here at the Bolt as always, joined by the voice of the Chargers, Matt Money Smith Money. A little bit quieter at the Bolt if we kind of settle into all season mode.
I got premium parking today. I did not have to worry about trying to squeeze my my Mazda into a into a tight spot and back it in and ask move it? Can you move that cone?
Your little vallet?
All good? Got a spot right up front. Everybody, you know what they earned it good for them. Enjoy yourselves. You gotta get started early. July seventeenth is it started training camp, so you know, go have yourself some fun. I'm getting out of town on Thursday, so I think it's uh, you know, time to recharge the batteries. Get ready for it. Announce the uniforms on the fifteenth. Get
training camp started on the seventeenth. Everybody, be sure to check out Chargers dot com get your tickets so you can get out there.
Always something to look forward to. We appreciate you guys watching the Jim Harball interview last week. It was it was funn to catch up with coach before everybody broke here. And you know I asked for questions, buddy, I got fifty questions.
Okay, literally fifty questions.
Can this may be a two part mail bag, so shout out to all the fans too, who you know, this could be your time to relax and unplug with chargers information.
But they're seeking content.
They are seeking content constantly and.
We love it.
So let's just start with Chris Boltzon. He has been out for army training without my phone for the past few weeks. Give me the highlights of what I missed. Chris, First of all, thank you for your service. I hope that this mail bag provides that for you. I think that the fans did a really good job of touching on a lot of things. And Krim says, I like Jalen Rager. Why do you guys think the coaching staph loves him so much? And do you think he starts over the rookies when Brazil comes around?
Well, I'll start with Chris. Was his name, I'll start with Chris Karim Krim, So that's Corrim. What did I miss?
Oh?
Chris?
Oh? Chris, Chris is what did I miss.
Yeah, so I think of all the things, of all the things that you missed if you were gone for the last few weeks, I would recommend going back and watching our conversation with Jim Harbaugh and just listen to the snippet of the block of grantitede explanation. You gotta kind of dig into how you win the block of granted award. When I went back and watched the episode from last week, Chris, I just he he's so great,
Like how into it he gets. And he's like when he starts with a hundred points come from the game, okay, a hundred points, now two and a half points come from I'm like, this is incredible, Like this is not some Yeah, you know what, you're strong, you had a big hit in that game, and you know here's your
block of grant award. No. I mean he's got seven different categories and you get two and a half points here, and you know, derwin, Like you could argue you could have been number one because it's not really his fault. He got a spender for that Chiefs game, so I didn't want to hold that against him. But he wasn't out there playing, so you know, we got an points though in this category. It was fantastic.
We saw that at the golf tournament.
Say, it was just a step shot into it that he was he was doing that with all the all the sponsors in the VIPs and and the fans who were part of that golf tournament with the scramble, and it was broken down almost the exact same way.
Yes, yes, and we're going to play fourteen holes and then you got a double bogie and then after that you got a bogie and then after that you got a par to get to eighteen and then we're going to crown one champ. And it's just look, it's it's practice what you preach, right, competitors welcome, So Chriss, you miss a lot. Yeah to the rager thing. You know, we're just echoing what coaches say to us and his name repeatedly. I think I think there is I believe
we got into this here. You know, there is just something about draft status and you get a draft pick attached to your name, and it gives you multiple opportunities because of how you were evaluated by front offices and scouting, you know, in scouts and the staff that they thought you were going to be something special, and when you're not and they're trying to figure it out, they just assume, well, maybe we can unlock it. And so he's always had speed.
There's a reason why he got picked in the top twenty five and went ahead of Justin Jefferson, you know, because they saw something. The Eagles saw something on that film, so they're trying to find it, you know, and that's I think there's flashes, but the NFL is also about consistency and making sure. You know, he had that incredible catch.
I think it was a Saints game right that he had that incredible catch, and then obviously the Arizona game was, you know, probably the most unfortunate of his plays with that huge drop that really could have set the tone for that game.
He had seven catches for one hundred yards, and it was back to back weeks. He had that forty one yard reception against Arizona, and then I think he had that twenty four yard catch against New Orleans and that was the small snapshot. So I think when we say that the coaches love Jalen Ragers, it's also what they're seeing on the practice field. Yeah, and it's also not saying that he's going to be a starter. It's just saying even make the team.
Or even make the team, he's going to be in the mix to make the team.
So I think that was encouraging too, Chris, I don't remember who it was, if it was Coach Roman or coach LLL, but one of them, you know, said I think it might have been Coach Roman who said, you know, look, he's got to play special teams. You just got to show we can if he wants to make this roster, he's gonna have to show because look, if you're the
fifth or sixth receiver, you're playing special teams. So that's also going to be a big part of this as to whether or not he's gonna be able to make that fifty three.
Yeah, you know, the preseason's gonna tell us so much. We got a Brendan Rice question too, everyone asking about him. But it's just it's a very crowded wide receivers room from let's say four to nine, right, I mean, we don't know who it's gonna be. We know the lad and Trey Harris and Mike Williams and Quintin Johnson are probably the first four, and then after that it's anybody's guests.
And I think with Brendan Rice two is I think you've now realized and we do this every year, we're like, oh, you can't put that wide receiver on the practice squad. He'll get claimed and they don't, you know, with Michael Bandy every year. And I think if if Brandon, you know, I hope he makes the team. I hope he shows out. He had a great training camp last year. If he doesn't, I think he'll be fine. I think he'll be fine as one of those guys on the practice squad.
Got a lot of international questions, Bunny, this one from the UK, Australia, poland in UK, all wrapped up into these two mailbacks.
This is from Lewis.
Which players or position groups have the most to gain going into camp to try to take on or grow their role?
Started defensive line.
Yeah, I think there's a lot of potential guys on the defensive line, whether you're a rookie, whether you're two lee to below two stepping up into that starting role. You lose punea Ford, you lose Joey Bosa. But I think coach Miner alluded to this. You know, we lost a couple of guys, but we added more players to that line, and coach referenced the line how big it is. So I think that there's a lot of guys who can kind of raise their hand across that defensive line this year and make a big impact.
Yeah, for me, it's wide receiver. I think there's so many. You know, Mike Williams's back, he's been working off to the side. You've got a high raft pick, and Trey Harris, who was a second round pick that some people had graded as a high second round. You know, perhaps depending on what kind of skill set you want, you could have him maybe sneak into the back end of that first round. So and then on top of that, we
have Caandre Lambert Smith. We have not seen it all through, which is tough for him because that sets you back a little bit. And then I think it's just because you look at last year and how you know, Look, you had a solid season as a number two. You'll take those numbers, you know, the way he came to them, I think would still say, hey, we've got to figure this room out and sort out how you're going to
help out that. And I think I'll I'll cheat and I'll pair the tight end room with that too, just because to me, there is so much untapped potential for where this offense can go if you can open things up a little bit and get it to breathe a little bit. And that's just all, you know, one hand washing the other of let's get the running game, let's get play action, let's get some downfield threats to open
this thing up so we can breathe. So that's what I'm you know, like every year, right, always kind of pay attention to the wide.
Receiver room, to your point of the receivers. Though, with Q, I do think he has a lot to gain. With Trey Harris and Mike Williams come in, he talks so much about that ex receiver. Maybe it puts Q in a place where he can finally have a little bit of consistency and in a in kind of a rhythm that we saw him get from his rookie year to second year.
Maybe year three is even better.
Yeah, you know, to me, it's like I think everybody wants to when they think of a receiver, they want thousand yards a touchdown, like you know, eighty catches thousand yard or whatever. Sixty five catches, thousand yards, eight touchdowns, it's kind of your floor. To me, it's it's it's like, I don't I don't think about it like that. I just think about it as a room, Like what's the room.
It's the room. You know, if Q's numbers go down, but he's you know, it's working for him as that Z and it's those quick hitters and underneath and that's he's got a ton of yak and it's opening things up and he ends up with a couple of touchdowns
that are impactful here and there. Great you know, if Mike Williams is back to what he was with with Keenan Allen, when Keenan was got and thirteen hundred yards and one hundred catches and Mike was supplementing that with eight hundred yards and six touchdowns and sixty catch great like and then like it's just cumulative, Like think about
Justin's rookie season and what it looked like. You know, how many you had Hunter Henry with I don't know what it was six hundred yards and Keenan's a thousand yards and Mike's eight hundred and ninety five yards and Geiden's got three point fifty and t Billy's got two fifty and three touchdowns, like that's that's kind of what I'm more interested in.
I'm glad you looped the tight ends into that because the emergence of Conklin and we talked about Gatson.
I'm sure we'll get to on some of these questions.
Paul Ken seven five seven, one five, five four six. How's the third and fourth round defensive draft picks looking well? Coach reference how big they are with Caldwell and then you got Canard SEC Player of the Year and I know coach Mitter uh talked about them with with you and Jalil a couple of months ago. It's very difficult to see how they look in training camp until they.
Put that on. In terms of Jamori, I think it's just going back to his path here. You know, here's someone who was in upfield. You know, pressures, sacks, quarterback, hits, defensive tackle at Houston, and you know, that's a pretty good ticket to get to the NFL if you can
do that and put that on your resume. And then he gets to Oregon and they're like, yeah, put on thirty pounds and eat up double teams and Derek Carmon's going to get all the shine and he's going to get drafted in the top twenty, and he's like, no problem. And so I think that just speaks to the type of player he is. So I'll be interested to see because that tends to be the way that that jesse
Minner wants his tackles to play. It's a little bit more of a hey, let's let's occupy a couple guys and you know, and that's why Puna was so great because he could do that and get upfield and get those pressures. And I think Jamari's got an opportunity to do that.
Herbo Dog.
How much room is there for Herbert Herbert to improvise on the field. Do you think we'll see a different side both Herbert and Roman this season with more talent in.
Depth to work with.
Based on what coach Roman said to you, I'd say he's pretty happy with the additions, especially the running game, which will probably allow Herbert to do even more back there.
Yeah, for me, it's not even the additions, it's just him. You know. He tore his planner in training camp and then he had an incredibly brutal high ankle sprain that was under reported in Carolina in Week two, So that's going to limit And coach said that, he's like, yeah, I mean we were playing with one hand tied behind our backs with his health when it came to getting him on the move. And so if he's healthy and his lower half is right, then that is going to
contrue because we've seen him do it. Yeah, we didn't see problem.
We didn't see in the playoffs. What we saw towards the back half of the year seemingly almost.
Every lea when he started cutting loose. So yeah, I think if he's healthy, it's just go through the quarterbacks that Greg Romans had in his career, you know, and what it looks like. If it's Colin Kaepernick, it's Andrew Luck, if it's obviously Lamar Jackson, like he likes his quarterback extra run around a little bit.
Yeah, And just adding to the question where he does talk about the talented death that helps certainly when when you have two running backs that you're really excited about. You talked about all those receivers that were added to the the arsenal there to go with Conklin and Gatst and I think it's gonna make Herb's to help.
At the mesh point too. You know how many times you know, we've talked about it where you know, when you're on the seventh floor of so Far, thanks for the broadcast position there, Stan, you can see it. And it's just like if you just keep it and like now, if you have an effective running game with you know, with them, with with Amari and and and with Nase,
now that's going to be even more available. And he's you know to me, that's there's like probably ten of those over the course of the year that I'd love to see, like just ten of those, you know, read options, keep it, get your ten yards and put that defense on their heels.
He had the best passer rating of his career yeah seven yeah, and then also the the lowest yards per game. But if you can get that yards per game up a little bit with the talent, I think that that's there. In twenty twenty five, This is from David High. Do you think Tooley is ready to take another take the other starting outside edge spot alongside Mac? How many secks do you think Tooley will get this season? You and I joked, I think his rookie year just see how
he set Bosa and back up for the sex. Yeah, he's like the stock in the Hockey Assist this year. I yeah, I mean obviously think the sacks are going to go up, but I do think it's going to be a collective effort.
I mean, there's so many guys across that line.
Now. Yeah, to the first part of the question, he is the starter, like it's gonna be Tooley and Khalil. I mean, those are your starting edge players. You know, was it November that he had the crazy month that he had six sacks? Or was it October? A camera of what month it was.
I think it was October.
Where Yeah, there's so we know it's in there. It's just a matter of and I think you kind of then then you go through like the depth chart of every other team and you're like, Okay, what tackles is he going to be going against? Because they're probably you know, if Khalil is you know what Khalil is, I should
that's stupid to say. If Khalil Mack looks like he has the last couple of years and continues to be a pass rushing threat, they're going to probably send some some team some double teams his way and that's going to leave twully one on one. I'm just going to like the first.
It was, it was end of October, that's spilled in November. He had a sack versus the Saints, two and a half against Cleveland, two against Tennessee, a sac and a half against Cincinnati.
Yeah, so he's got it. You know, he's showed him the consistently, you know, with pressures and sacks and quarterback hits. He can do it. So Week one Brazil, he's probably going to be going up against a rookie left tackle and Josh Simmons who's coming off a severe injury, or Jawan Taylor, who I think is you know, right at that average to below average mark. So and then when you talk about tight ends, Travis Kelsey's not really a
big blocking tight end. They'll throw out Noah Gray there to help on one side, but he's probably going to be helping a little bit more toward Khalio max side. And then you have Pacheco who's a solid pass pro back. But like I just look at Week one and it's like, yeah, you're going against a rookie or you're going against Jawan Taylor. I could see him coming out the gate immediately with a sack.
Next question is from Madeiros, what position group is the most concerning for depth. It's tough to answer this question now. I always think that the position group that gets injured it's the most concerning for depth, and we hopefully won't have to worry about that much during the regular season. I would say, if if I had to pick, if I had to pick a position right now, it's the offensive line, just because I don't know how it's gonna shake out from a starter perspective, and I don't know how.
You know, I look like Trey Pipkin is gonna be the swing tackle. Coach Harbol we talked about that last week, but that would probably be the one position I would pick right now if I had to.
Yeah, for me, I'm gonna go edge just because it's yeah, Trulee who has never been a starter and is replacing Joey Bosa and it's a rookie and Kyle Canard. And then when I go to and I'm gonna just do this real quick so I get it right because I don't want to short change him. I feel like Bud, you know, he's he was great at set in the edge but when it came to sort of pass rushing, like I don't I don't remember him having a ton of pressures. So let's get into like buddpre last year
had thirty pressures. So like to me, you got fifty eight pressures from Mac, you got forty seven from Tully, you lost thirty five and twenty eight from Morgan Fox and Puna Ford and we of course know that those are gonna help your edges out. So like that's the one, Like what can Kyle Cnnard give you if is he a DPR is he you know, do they trust him enough against the run to put him in there? Can he help into that rotation to keep these guys fresh?
So for me, that's that's probably the one I'm gonna be the most interested in. I thought that was sort of the position that I could have seen them somebody out there that we could pick off just to help because of how much coach Minner likes to rotate that position and just keep fresh bodies coming in over and over.
And maybe that's still on the table right A guy like von Miller or Zadarias Smith, I think is still out there, and those would be the type of players you wouldn't want to ask a ton out of but maybe the supplement what Joey brought, because you're gonna see much Yep, bud stats are gonna go up. You know, the Jerry's out of Cadards. That's a good one.
Yeah.
Offensive line, they actually, I mean they brought in they brought in Andre James, So you have like three potential centers.
You have Sawyer, you have Trey, So the depth is there. I just don't know how.
It's gonna shake out. And I think that there's a lot to be determined in training camp at that position group.
All right, this is.
VNNG benjel Z ten twenty. How much of an impact do you think these rookies will make this season? We saw it last year with Alt Ladd and the two fifth rounders with Cam and Still and just go back to Coach's remarks about the rookie he's pretty high on it.
Yeah, it's the rookie class is exciting. But last year what you got out of joe All which was a borderline Pro Bowl season, you got a Pro Bowl. You know, we're not for Ceedee Lamp potentially all Pro. If you're just valuing slot receivers as a slot receiver only out of lad It's going to be hard to match that with mari and Hampton and Trey Harris for sure, but you know, I go beyond them. Caldwell's going to be in the rotation. Canard is going to be in the rotation.
We've seen what Ronde Gadsden has done through his first three weeks for six weeks, I guess technically here and how he's tracking. So yeah, I think you could be talking about, you know, quite a few players contributing, and I think it's just important to set your expectations. Rookies rarely come in and make a huge impact on a playoff level team. They can do it at the running back position. We've seen that repeatedly, but I think to
expect it from a receiver, especially a tight end. I mean, what we saw from Brock Hours last year, that's what made it even more remarkable. And why I get it. It's Jade and Daniels. He's a quarterback. He helped lead the Commanders to the playoffs. But what Brock Powers did last year was crazy because it just doesn't happen at that position.
Especially at the quarterback position that the Raiders had.
You know, and he was arguably the best tight end in the league. Like he wasn't just the best rookie, he was the best tight end in the league. So I think that's it's just important to set your expectations.
Kurt McIntosh is asking for final fifty three predictions. I think that's probably a better question for August. But he said, besides Zamarian and Trey Harris, any of the rookies you see stepping into a starting role immediately. You kind of answered that with colb Well probably be in the rotation. I could see Gatson getting more and more snaps as the season progresses, but feel good about Disley and Conklin there.
But you never know.
Sometimes these guys will surprise you, and maybe there's an injury to a specific position where a rookie's kind of thrust into a starter role. You'd ever want to see that, but we saw Tarheeb still make the most of his opportunity. Yeah, when Zout went down, So it's definitely possible.
And I think you know it's important to remember, like lads first third of the season, you know, he came out on the basically the back two thirds is when he really started lighting it up. It takes these guys a second, you know, unless you're Joe all and then you just get dropped in there and you're like, yeah, whatever, Max Crosby, I'll just stone you in my first ever start as in the NFL, all good.
The only tough game that Joe had was TJ Watt when he got hurt, Yeah, in Pittsburgh, and it was just remarkable how quickly he a got back, you know, playing through pain and then also just being that city force for the rest.
Of the year is crazy. Yeah, I mean it was really it was that game, and it was the Houston game, you know, in the playoffs. Other than that, you're talking about, like I said, Pro Bowl slash all pro level curing thig.
I feel like people keep confusing football smart with books smart. When it comes to Zion Johnson, could you guys elaborate a little more on why the coaching staff thinks he has both Coach Roman talked about his did he compare to Dermadi Dawson like at center or he gave a comp well.
I think he was talking about kind of the build, the athleticism, like that's as far as like being smart. Yeah, if you're a center, a lot is put on your plate, so you've got to process all the information what the protections are supposed to be. Then you have to react on the fly for what the protections are. When you're identifying the mic, where's the pressure coming from? Which way
are we sliding? Protections? Like, all of that just goes into having a good processor, you know, and having a brain that processes information, retains information, knows what you're supposed to do, so you can tell the other four guys what they're going to be doing. So I think that's kind of what we're talking about. I think it's a misleading question because it's not it's it is both like to to I mean we've talked how many centers have
we talked to? And like when you think about talking to Nick Hardwick, he's a smart guy, you know, he's not just a football smart guy. But so I think that particular position calls for, you know, for that when you talk to Corey Linsley, again, smart guy, not just a football smart guy. So yeah, I think that's kind of what they're talking about, is you know, Zion's an intelligent person, you know generally, and then his football smarts
are also you know, off the charts. It's just a matter of again, for we say this repeatedly, it's just seeing it, you know, seeing it, knowing and being able to react in the appropriate amount of time quick enough to make sure you knock it out.
Plus, my man's got a degree in computer science and cybersecurity policy and governance.
So there's that he's smart as well.
Uh. This is from Justin Herbert's berner.
All right, do you think scores the one he excores the first regular season touchdown for the Chargers in Brazil?
Money, you're gonna be calling it.
I'm gonna say a Naji Harris five yard touchdown after Herbert gets.
Them all the way down the field opening drive.
Boy, that's a good one.
What did you call it?
Right now? No?
Imagine it?
Yeah, I'm I'll never forget your your Jill Alt call when we when he was drafted that night.
No, yeah, he pancakes some Carlaftus.
I think Carlostas, I think, yeah, I think, uh boy, what could I see? You know what, I'm just gonna play the hits. I'm gonna go lad. I think there's just gonna be you know, one of those it's gonna I think it's gonna be an explosive. I just I don't know. I can see it. I can see a Lad explosive, you know where he just does like what he did against the Saints, what he did against the Texans.
Where because you kind of get into that Kansas City secondary and obviously you got you know, Trent McDuffie, our old friend Christian Fulton is gonna be out there with him and Jalen Watson, who solid you know, they've done a nice job with that secondary, getting Watson in the seventh round. But yeah, I'm gonna go Lad. I'm gonna go Lad with an explosive. So twenty yards plus.
Lad mcconny, Lad getting loose in the Brazil grass early exactly.
Hopefully they got it fixed.
Jay Cochran a question from Australia. What are your favorite random Chargers jerseys? To see it games. I just bought a vintage Darren Bennett jersey from Australia who played AFL before NFL in the Chargers.
Hall of Fame. Then it was a hell of a punter man. Good question. Yeah, that is good. You know, when we go out, I'm trying to think, who do we see a lot of I mean, I feel bad saying it's random, but there's still a handful of Ryan Matthews jerseys out there.
That's cool.
Get we get like a good Darren Sprolls. I've seen some Sprolls jerseys.
That's a great call. We get a lot of Sprolls because you know, there's the classics. And that's always my position, like, if you're going to get a jersey, get a classic jersey just because you know, you kind of know what it is, unless you're gonna get a Herbert or you know, but go o, get seventeen. You know, wear a Philip Rivers out there where a fifty five. As I'm looking at the wall behind Brian right now, it's like it's
so easy Rivers, Yeah, or the twenty one. I was just they just played that two thousand and six Divisional round game. Happy Birthday LT by the way, Yeah exactly. So Yeah, I think I've seen some Hardwick jerseys. I've seen some of those sixty, right, wasn't Hardwick sixty sixty one? Sixty one? That's right, sixty one. I've seen some sixty ones out there. We've seen like the Alworths, the band, like a lot. I like the I like there ones though, Yeah,
the obscure ones are fun. Oh, Danny Woodhead's a good one. I've seen a couple of those that maybe the winner. Yeah, I've seen a few Woodheads. I've seen some Cramartes. Yeah, trying to think of who else it's fun.
It was the lights out are Sean Phillips, Yes.
Yeah, DJ and I always look around when we get there, and we always look around, and that goes for the home team whenever we're on the road, like we like to see what are the random jerseys the people uh still have?
How about a guy that I think you interviewed this year Natron means.
Yes, see some me I haven't seen a lot. I have not seen a lot of of those of the Natron means business jerseys. But shoot, I wish I could think because I know there's somewhere I'm like, oh, look at that from time to time. So we just unloaded a lot of them. Though, I think you know what, I think I got it. I do remember one of the most I found. I saw a Castillo jersey and that when was that? That might have it might have been in New England. I remember New England. There were
some random ones out there last year. So anyway, that's that's a good question, jake Ya.
This is from KHB as we approached the Hall of Fame game and the beginning of preseason. One will we see a healthy dose of the rookies? And two who do you expect to shine of the rookies during the preseason. I would just answer the second question that the two guys that we talked about last week, Trey Harris in GATS and to be honest, man, Mari and Hampton looks so good that he does. I don't know how much I would play him in the preseason. Yeah, he'll probably
get he'll probably get some run. But you know that that extra preseason game, I almost feel like that that game in Canton is more geared towards just the back half of the roster. You have to get as many reps as possible. You're not gonna see any the veterans.
In that game. Well, I know our friend Popper wants to see a lot of Jalen Jones. He's his pet project at safety. So that's something that you'll want to keep an eye on, and I always appreciate Popper's opinions.
I'm looking forward to look, I keep saying that I have bias, but I'm looking forward to seeing Djalle and you know, if if they can get him right, knowing what his talent was, number one, you know, rated quarterback coming out of high school, a five star, incredible athlete, center fielder at that size, so you know it's in there. My favorite guy, Steve oklots looking forward a little bit. Can he can he blow up a linebacker, take out a safety running down field, maybe catch a pass for
a touchdown or something. I'm excited about that. I'm doing the ones that are a little less obvious. You know, I'm hoping that I get to see some Luke Grimm. I got a you know, soft spot for Kansas football, so I wouldn't mind seeing that. How about our sixth round pick and Branson Taylor, you know, making the switch to guard. Can he get out there and you know, maybe pull a little bit knock some dude out?
So yeah, Rocket Sanders.
Rocket Sanders, another good one at running back. Yeah, Raheem Sanders, big back out of South Carolina and get a little bit of that. Actually. Yeah, so there's quite a few. I'm excited about the preseason games. How about Dale Dale Von Campbell, the guy that came for a tryout ends up making the ninety man. So that's exciting. See if you can get him out there. Same thing with Elijah Ellis, another one made it on kind of a tryout deal. So yeah, there's quite a few, quite a few. We'll
be keeping our eyes. So we are.
We are five weeks away from that game.
Yeah, yeah, that's right, it's exactly. I actually started to put my my board together. It's like, you know what, I'm just gonna get earlier you've ever done that. I started doing it just so Oh I'm worried about guys maybe changing numbers here and there, so but yeah, I already kind of put names, numbers, heightweight, draft status, so started making that. I was like, I might as well get it done.
All right, no limit bolds. This is for you money.
What's your record for the most uncrustables eaten in a single day?
Mine? Yeah, it was specifically SENTI me for you. Well, it would definitely be a flight, and it would be a long flight because I know for a fact that put down three on a flight before I know, I've come on the plane hungry, dusted two and had at least one more on the way. And then the question is did I have another one at the hotel at the hotel, and the answer is probably yes. Four four. I think four is probably. It's probably the record you feel more than that. It's a It's not the calories
for me, it's the sugar. It's like the sugar spike. Man. When I punch one of those down, it's like O and then the crash comes and so yeah, so I you know, I know, they probably wish the number was bigger, but they come forward to a box. So that's well.
Also, okay, let me let me ask the follow up question because there there are like the jumbo ones.
I don't like the jumbo ones, so this isn't a jumbo now. I like the jumbo ones are a little too much for me. They it's just it's.
It's ridge too far.
It's yeah, it's like the jumbo ones. Man, that's a lot of sugar, you know, so that the the mini ones are are pretty good. So I'm I'm it's four regular sized ones. Yeah, I've I've dusted a box before.
You know what, when people we got some incrustable comments, they like the incrustible.
Chat and I think, uh, well, it's relatable. It's relatable, it's relatable. They're good. It's really good. Yeah.
Uh, Todd's Kennedy. Any chance or indication that Herbert plays a series in the Hall of Fame game, We haven't got anything, but going off history, I don't think that he would.
Play in canon. No, yeah, I cannot imagine that.
It's Do we assume first reps will be in Brazil based on last year?
Yes, but that would be my guest as well. Yeah, you never know, though, you know, maybe they want to get out there with everybody and run it in a game situation. They can do that though, and joint practices and they can do that, and you know, they can get their reps that they need.
So all right, I like this question. Time to cook at six, one nine, Shaggy one player on both sides of the ball that nobody's talking about. They'll have a big impact for the Bolts.
Well, if nobody's talking about them, that's probably not good because that would mean that people got hurt and that's why they have a big impact player. Nobody's I feel like nobody's talking about Tyler Conklin.
You know that was that was my pick for the offense.
There you go. So then you take defense first.
Uh, Junior Colston.
Yeah, great one.
I think Junior Colston is going to have a big year this year. He has he has so many setbacks, Uh, the appendicitis in training camp, and you know, the the emergence of Dayon Henley and how well Denzel played. You know, you were able to mask not having Junior in there for as much as you anticipated. But I just think the three of those guys together, when Colson was out there, you could feel his presence and you could understand why he was drafted by the Chargers and what he did
at Michigan. So I'm excited to see Colston in this defense in year two, fully healthy, with the emergence of Dayon and the way that Denzel played throughout the course of the year.
Yeah, for me, I'll cheat on defense. I'm gonna take two because I think it's important for both of them. And it's a Lowie Gilman and Elijah Molden And when the three safeties were out there with Derwin playing essentially big Nickel and Alowie and Elijah playing up high when they were and that was special. That's when this defense was at its peak. So if Elijah picks up where he left off last year, and Alowie continues to just be that settling force on the back of the defense
and just kind of the glue of this defense. Those are two guys that don't get brought up enough because it does allow Derwin to stay in the box and to get closer to the ball, to play nickel, to blitz, to attack at the line of scrimmage because they're so good back there. So for me, it's those two. It's you know, specifically Elijah because man, when he was able to take over that role and Derwin didn't have to keep going up high anymore. Man, that just changed things so much for this defense.
Yeah, and Derwin alluded to it, he said, I'm my best when those guys are on the ress. This is from Darryl Sandlin, Hey, Money and Chris, first time asking a question here. With an approved run game, how can our offense capitalize on Justin's talents more play action or perhaps using his legs war Did we see coach Troman utilizing the passing game with better weapons this year?
Thanks, guys, Yes, that's my answer to all of that. Yeah, with a better running game, it's just play action that's what Greg Roman wants to do. That's how he gets his deep shots. Justin's really good at it. He's the best play action passer in the league. I think numerically
that the data bears that out. So if you have a running game that needs to be honored and people are gonna bite on those fakes and you're gonna have dudes flying down the field, we know Justin is as accurate a passer as there is in the league, and he's gonna put it on the money and all these guys got to do is catch it, and it's gonna lead to explosives, and then that's gonna screw with the defense because now they're worried about that, and now you're
ripping off six and sevens instead of threes and fours on your carries. And that's just kind of how you know you get a complimentary offense. Your running game helps your passing game. Your passing game helps your running game, and then it helps your fakes and then next thing you know, Justin's ripping off thirty yards on a mesh and on an RPO that he keeps it and you know that's what you want.
Play action percentage last year according to team rankings, twenty third in the NFL fifty five percent. That's gonna go up this year.
He's gotta go away.
It's gonna go away with with Lambert Smith and Trey Harris and Mike Williams and that running game.
That running game I think is going to change everything.
Money. Yeah, it starts with the run game. And if the run game can be what we think it can be, then yes, that play action number is going to change dramatically.
This is from Chris at c KG seven oh one High. Chris and Matt is Andre James currently a dark horse candidate to take over the starting job at center. Do you have any insight into what the coaching staff thinks of him? What would it take for James to supersed Bozeman and Zion? Prior to and during the season, we asked Joel Ortiz about this and I don't know, did you.
Talk to Greg Roman about Andre James? I don't remember.
Yeah, I know, I know it came up, and I think even coach Harball alluded to it. Look, he's just running with the twos like that's what he's doing right now. Now. Can he take it? Yeah? Yeah, I mean, if they if he's dominating in these preseason games, or if he's showing out in practice, then they're this is not a team that you know, money plays or draft status plays, or they're going to put the best guys out there. It's just what it is, and so that's that's what
I would expect. But I do think based on a the contract that he signed and b what we've seen in training camp so far, he's the backup, and he's a heck of a backup. You know, to have the guy that started sixty games at center is great. You know, if something were to happen to either Bozeman or Zion, if one of those two go down, But I don't see any reason why when the pads come on, he's seeing it and he's blocking it, and he's working better
than those two. I think it's important for people to remember too, there's two you know, there's kind of two facets, right. It's run blocking and it's pass blocking. You know, it's not just who's the best pass blocker, who's the best run blocker? You want to try to find that Zion, Bradley or Andre which of those three is adequate enough? You know, when you who is the best when you merge those two things.
Yeah, Andre James last year didn't have his best year, but he had some good seasons with the Raiders. And you know, last year, outside of Brock Bowers, who you mentioned earlier, I mean, the Raiders'.
Offense was kind of a mess.
Yeah, so I think you have to take that into consideration when we're talking about James. Now, James is six four, three hundred, so he was drafted in twenty nineteen and I'm just wanting to get his pass blocking out.
It wasn't good.
Yeah, pass blocking was sixty five point.
Four and here we go. He allowed twenty pressures, which is quite a bit from the center position. Two sacks, twenty pressures.
He had tough COVID run blocking fifty point two.
That's the big issue. You've got to be able to run block if you're going to play on this offensive line. So that's what I'm saying, Like you know you, it's not just preventing sacks, it's not just slow and pressure. It's you've got to be able to block it up when they want to run the ball between the tackles.
From Connor Wills. Do you see them ever trying out the starting offensive line of Slater, Pipkins, Johnson, Johnson, Becton Alt. With Hardball's obsession with size, this would be a huge line. I just when Coach Harball mentioned Trey, he mention him as a swing tackle.
That feels like that's where he's gonna be.
That's what he is. He's the swing So I think that's the way they view him. They like him better as a tackle than a guard, and he'll be the he'll be the swing tackle. So you know, these guys aren't small. I think that's the thing. McKay beck and Joe Walt are just Titans. They're giant. So you know, Zion is still six to four, Bradley is still six'. Five they're still really big. GUYS i get. It you, Know trey six six sixty seven, Ish so that's what they're.
Thinking but, no THAT'S i, think like you, Said coach said, it and he's, like he's our. Swing he's a heck of a.
Swing flock with.
Me one two Three my question unless somebody already asked, it and actually somebody did laser, beaming so we'll combine these two. Questions do you See Jalen ramsey ending up with the team even though other teams are mentioned on his, List ramsey did say he will play WITH dj before or his career is.
Over keep up the good, work fell.
AS i Saw derwin At Jalila diees camp down In San, diego AND i think somebody asked him About, jalen and you know they're they're the best of.
Friends so you HEARD.
I think it was rap sheet or one of the insiders talking about Maybe schefter talking about maybe The rams of The chargers in the mix for A Jalen ramsey who's gonna be traded by The.
Dolphins we just don't know.
WHERE i think the money is a, lot you. KNOW i think the average annual value is twenty seven million bucks a. Year he's got three years left on. It it feels like he's because of his size and his. Physicality as you get, older you lose a little bit of your speed and your. Athleticism it feels like he's sort of trending toward What derwin already, does like a lot of that big nickel sort of, stuff as opposed
to just throwing him out on the. Island it feels like he's a little more effective in the role That derwin plays right. Now so but if the you, know if the number's, right if the compensation's, right Then i'm sure they'd be, interested you, know But miami would probably have to pick up some money and the value would probably have to be pretty low in terms of what the pick compensation. Is SO i THINK i think a lot of things would have to line. Up but, LOOK i,
Mean Jalen ramsey is an incredible. Player i'd love to see it and love, it And i'm sure if anyone could figure it, out It's Jesse minner be able to figure it.
Out Saint Ju's Dante jackson committed the.
Veterans you Have Kim hart In tarheve In derwin, obviously but that's a. Posy you can never have enough, corners, no especially someone Like jalen who could probably play multiple.
Positions and that's what they, want, Right just put our best five out. THERE i don't care if you're a, safety if you're a, nickel if you're an outside. Corner we're going to play the best five guys and we want them to be available at all five.
Positions this is FROM Bhb Brandon houses the running back competition going one in Two, Locke but who's the favor for the third and fourth, spot and what's the most concerning position group the team has and what's the most underrated kind of answer that the second half the question in earlier.
Questions but as far as the.
Running back, competition we know It's Harrison hampton and you Know Keimiti videll was praised By Greg.
Roman haskins still in the roster were.
Me haskins is a four core, guy core four guy on special, teams and he's a great pass pro. Blocking he's a great pass pro. Back SO i think he's on the roster Unless sanders shows that he can take, that you, know BECAUSE i think last year what we saw From camani was he really really struggled in pass.
Protection now he can get better at it and work at it all off, season AND i hope that's the case because we saw the explosiveness as a, runner BUT i think this, team you need to be able to pass protect in order to get on the, field AND i think that's why we saw his reps limited quite a. Bit so to, me that's it's a heck of a
battle for that fourth running back. POSITION i THINK i think to, Me haskins has that third spot pretty well locked and then it's just a matter of who's the Fourth Is sanders is going to be able to knock Off? Idell is he able to get enough you know of an improvement in his past pro where he can be that fourth.
Guy what's the most underrated position?
Group that is a good. Question, underrated, underrated oh, man. Underrated we know it's not. Tackle it's the best tackle duel in the. League maybe your, second third, BEST, UMM i think probably. LINEBACKER i was gonna say, this and it's just Because deon didn't get the knot he should have got last. Year you, know he should have been A pro bowler and he. Wasn't and so.
That denzel's injury too at the end of the year showed his. Importance and then not Having junior on the field.
Either, yeah so that that's probably a safe. One or, SAFETY i think it might be the best safety room in the league with a Lowie elijah And. DERWIN i think that's in the, conversation it's the best safety room in the. League this is.
From the Lago i'm. Asked i'm asked it a little earlier this, offseason but.
In each of your, opinions what was the most IMPACTFUL i think move of the offseason for next.
Season for, me Keeping Jesse, MINNER i was convinced that he. WAS i was floored that he didn't get any. Interviews SO i, thought you, know when you're talking about both levels of FOOTBALL NC, double you, know college AND, nfl that he would get, interviews and he's so impressive when you sit and talk with, him that he might be. Gone so to, me that's what he did with that defense last year was incredible and cannot overstate enough how important it is that he's still.
Here so for, me it's that that's a great, one and you know that goes for most of the coaching staff stand. ATTACK a couple of guys obviously got well well deserved promotions, elsewhere but.
Kept everyone But Oleary.
Ryan ficken here and Coach roman and Coach harball doing their thing on.
Offense for, me WOULD i would kind.
Of loop in the that week span where you Get Najie harris And Makai beckton and then you Add Marian hampton to the.
MIX i JUST i think that they're going to play just a much different way.
Where they are going to lean on that running game and you have two durable running backs who could do a lot of things in the. Backfield you get that offensive line that much, bigger it's just going to elevate the play Justin, Herbert.
SO i would just the running game for.
Me it felt like that they knew they had to get that right this, year especially if you're Playing. January, yeah that's a good. ONE a couple more and then we got like fifty. Questions we have to do part two, here, guys this is a fun. One Assuming Joe ortiz authorized the two of you to sign a free, agent you, sign and why my tickets for the game in Style apollo are already bought to see you guys. There That's antonio Gn greo nineteen twenty. Eight So joe's giving you
a pick or a free agent. Money, yeah you get to call.
Somebody, WELL i think for, ME i probably Go Brandon. SHERIFF i think that's where i'd. Go just give me a little bit more. Depth you, know somebody THAT i know is baseline is, here you, know and that's what you need on the offensive line in case you have an injury or. Something as opposed to an, unknown you have a little bit more of a. Known SO i would probably go With. Sheriff For. Martinez that would be one of my.
Two i'm gonna piggyback off of what you said about the edge, room And i'm going to go with a did did You Davian clowney get picked? UP i think he's In? Carolina, right did he? Go did he do a deal WITH i think he may be a free agent, anyway whether it's Von, Miller Ziderius, Smith Jadevian clowney kind of in the similar mold Of bud Du pree last, year just adding another veteran presence who you. Know keep
in mind, too this Is june twenty. Fourth there's not a ton out there except for probably grizzled veterans that probably don't want to be in training camp and want to help you win a. Ring SO i would kind of lean on, that maybe take the place of A Joey bosa in that room and just further bolster.
It, Yeah clownish still out. There, yeah so there's a couple of guys. There you Got Zadarias smith still out. There you mentioned, Him so, yeah.
All, right let's see uh last, one uh epake six most likely contract extension After slater or most.
Deserving we're probably gonna have the same answer.
Here most likely contract extension After slater most, DESERVING i. DON'T i, mean they're gonna have to get A drwin deal. Done, yeah so, yeah.
GUY i think his deals up in twenty.
Six, yeah and so they're either going to do it next offseason or you, know just get it done. Now like that to me makes all the sense in the. World just get that, done locked that thing up and move. Along IF i, could IF i could Sign joe alt to an extension right, now some sort of eligible, players like An Evan longoria deal that they did In, Tampa, like IF i could figure that, out just to save some money down the, ROAD i would do that right. Now,
yeah but that's not. Allowed, yeah but, YEAH i Think derwin makes the same with Lad IF i could just get that thing done right, Now.
I'm gonna say that there's a couple of guys who you would probably want to do, it especially with their, youth and you, know someone like Alt man.
Exactly dan's an interesting. One you, know he's going into year three next year will be the last year of his his rookie, Deal so that's an interesting one as. Well, YEAH i think it's It's. Derwin Cool Derwin.
James all, right, guys we have a ton more. Questions we'll probably get to him next, week coming fourth Of july. Week and, yeah if you're listening to this, one just add to the list. Man, well we'll get to as many as we can next week as. Well appreciate you guys, listening watching all the support means the world and we're gonna be in camp before you know.
What for money On, chris this has Been Chargers weekly