I couldn’t locate our previous dedicated training camp thread….Apologies if it’s just due to my ineptitude….so starting a new one. As I stated earlier, despite staff remarks that Becton will be ready for the season opener, I remain concerned about him missing significant time in camp. I hope this doesn’t portend longer term issues….and I hope Hortiz is looking for ways to mitigate any impact.
Starting this off with a Hopper training camp report.
Just my opinion, but it seems like you guys may be overthinking this. They had a value on Poona and…
Thanks Erick! That – and scouting! It’s the best time of the year!
I agree with this as well, and have thought since last May that Hortiz would like to take a do-over…
Thanks Kev! I’m keeping the cash study on roster spending habits compiled over the last ten years – comparing BAL’s,…
I agree with all of this post. I have to respectfully disagree with the notion that “they weren’t ready to…
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Impressive remarks, IMO, from my perennial lunch pail guy. Gonna be hard to keep Murphy off the 53 if he continues to impress.
https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/chargers/2025/08/13/los-angeles-chargers-khalil-mack-caleb-murphy/85653295007/?utm_source=smg-chargerswire-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SMGbaseline&utm_term=hero&utm_content=8872WS-E-ChargersWire
Maybe it’s time for a dedicated roster prediction/discussion thread. 🤔
It is, IMO, always a conundrum for coaches regarding preseason and even the physical intensity of practice. Yes, steel sharpens steel….but as we’ve recently been reminded by Slater’s season-ending, and perhaps career-impacting injury, these guys aren’t steel. Technique can be honed without intense physical contact but some things just require the level of intensity and unscripted competition that only facing an opponent can provide. Some of these players will be ready….others won’t. I believe that’s an issue of varying degrees for every team. How the coaching staff handles it largely determines early success but not necessarily the overall success of the season.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6552416/2025/08/13/chargers-training-camp-evaluation-ready/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=12566676&source=dailyemail
Tried to post this as a topic and couldnt
Maybe it’s not time to panic but Colson looked a tad lost out there vs the Saints, and he was really lost vs the Lions. Enter Emany Johnson who converted to LB about 2 weeks ago. No shit Popper mentions him playing LB about two weeks ago. Prior to that he was a safety. Emany has great length at 6’2 so perhaps he can add some strength because Emany tested extremely well athletically his RAS was a 9.58 out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 46 out of 1060 SS from 1987 to 2024. Dude basically dominated explosion drills did very well in speed and change of direction drills. His bench was underwhelming but thats not a concern because Emany has been playing a ton of snaps raking up 17 tackles across the two games. He had a extremely good PFF grade of 82.6 for the Saints game while seeing extended action. Adding to the intrigue Emany went undrafted in 2024 despite balling out his senior year at Nevada. (Yeah him and Daiyan go back so there’s that connection as well) The 6-foot-2, 205-pound safety signed a deal with the Dallas Cowboys after the 2024 draft. But didnt catch on there. What did happen though is he saw Daiyan ball out and knew he had to come to the Chargers. Thats me speculating. As a senior in 2023, Johnson had 100 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, with three interceptions and a forced fumble. He added four passes defended. In his career, he had 197 tackles, mostly playing as a reserve and special teamer during his first five seasons in silver and blue. So he’s got STs experience and right now he’s and outplaying Colson. Might be worth getting this guy on the roster and parking Colson on the inactive list on gamedays until he stops overthinking
Hard to figure how to “get him on the roster and park Colson on the inactive list on gamedays”. They have a serious roster crunch.
What they have is a backup LB that’s lost and doesnt play STs. For positions like LB/DB/WR/RB that are expected to contribute in the kicking game in a big way that’s an issue. Not maybe for one player and maybe not now but it’s something to keep an eye on.
Did you use the “Start a Storm” button? That is where topics can now be added
Yes Kyle, I did the site just sorted hung for 30s after I submitted. My next topic will be soon and I’ll try again. Let me take this opportunity to say great work with the new layout and maybe clarify which pictures we can post I was a little unclear there
Thank you Ennea!
I’d recommend writing the article in Google Sheets are something, and then copy/paste/format when you’re done. That way, if you have any issues, you can let me know, share the doc with me, and I’ll post it for you.
You can add whatever photos you want – I might take down that “Upload” button as it’s a bit redundant since there is another media upload button in the toolbar. What I was originally trying to do was set it up so the “Upload” button would set a “Featured Image” for the article that would be at the top of the article, but wouldn’t populate as a thumbnail when shared on socials or on google searches (that seems to be where the legal hangup is between “fair use” and where licensing is required). Really though, the toolbar’s “upload media” button does the same thing now, and if you want an image at the top of your article you can easily place one there.
Just make sure to hit “Submit” and not “Start a Storm” when you’ve written and are trying to publish.
Let me know how it goes! 🙂
I also continue to maintain that Harris is an idiot for injuring himself with fireworks. Still not fully practicing and status for the opener unsure.
As a rule I don’t endorse first round RB picks but this one may prove particularly insightful.
If I had to guess today, I would guess Harris opens on NFI or PUP list, and the Chargers keep all of Hampton, Sanders, Haskins and either Vidal or Miller-Hines on the 53 man roster. I would lean Miller-Hines over Vidal.
Agree with all of this, though Vidal vs Miller-Hines is still a toss-up for me. ST’s play may be the deciding factor there, along with pass pro. Miller-Hines 2 muffed punts vs NO didn’t help his case.
The Harris thing is just a stupid unforced error on his part.
I think I’ll be making an article out of this – but is the Chargers cut Harris, he doesn’t count against the comp formula. He’s currently cancelling out a 5th rounder.
The Chargers would still need ONE of Neiman, Fox, or Dobbins to hit a small amount of their incentives to wipe out Conklin’s contract, but if one does, that 5th would come back to us.
If all three hit incentives, we’d suddenly have one 5th and two 7ths. But there’s no amount of incentives will get them that 5th if Harris is still rostered… Best they could do is two 7ths.
If Harris was signed to a multi-year deal, this would be a difficult decision. But if Sanders continues flashing in camp, it would almost be irresponsible to retain him. There will undoubtedly be players available post cuts that would hold more season-long value than a running back who’s availability remains a question mark.
I should note – the CBA just says the cutoff is Week One. As far as I can tell, if they cut him and bring him back in Week 2 or beyond, he’d no longer count against the formula.
Bad business if it was a football related injury. A lesson to the team for a dumb firework related injury, IMO.
And to the player, I would hope.
OK Omarrion….you’re the top dog now.
Since its not football related. We’re not talking about a flying jet ski crashing into practice or some nut bringing M80s to the Bolt to play with. What would you have to say with respect to most of his contract has already been paid… as signing bonus. Cutting him I dont think makes much sense even if it does bring a comp its just a bad look for not much
I’m not personally overly concerned about his cap hit – but if the Chargers wanted, since it was a non-football realted injury, they could void his contract. Signing bonuses are often paid in installments, per NFL Operations:
Cash Payment Timing: Although the cap treats bonuses as spread out, the actual cash often isn’t paid all at once. According to the NFL Operations manual:
“Signing bonuses are typically paid out within 12 to 18 months after signing.”
You’d be risking a little damage to goodwill and trust with players if you void his contract, so I’m not sure that’s the best idea… but I also thing most players would understand the decision. The “bad look” teams have voided contracts for players getting hurt working out on their own, at home… this is a far stretch from that.
If Najee isnt ready to hit the ground running in Week 1 (which he likely won’t be at this point, given the pace of his training and recovery… he may be rostered and activated, but he wont be close to 100%), and since we only have him on a one-year deal, I just dont see value in stashing him on the IR or PUP.
I’d consider talking to him agent, and telling him you wont void contract if he agrees to remove the base salary guarantee. That way, if he does make it back to 100% sometime in the season, you can sign him again without having to “pay twice,” and you’ve potentially re-cooped that 5th round comp pick.
The honest reality for me though is Harris was signed to be a physically reliable battering-ram, veteran RB. He’s not flashy, or very explosive (pun unintended). He’s greatest attribute was his consistency and availability. With that essentially out the window currently, it’s hard to image a cut- candidate RB wont be am upgrade over Najee Harris of Sept 2025.
Hmm. A very well written response. Didn’t know that about cash flow, I thought once you signed that money was moved doesnt sound like thats the case. Why though wouldnt you stash him on IR or PUP. I mean lets assume the team doesnt want to void his money (just for argument sake) couldnt they save a roster spot and just punt his situation into later in the year. That would allow them to roster an additional back would it not. I guess what Im saying is he doesnt have to make the opening 53 to be placed on PUP, correct? He could be placed on PUP before cuts I imagine because he started on NFI
The whole situation is a mess and you might be correct. He might not be better (for the team) as this point in the early going that one of these guys scrapping for a roster spot
Since he may not be in game shape by Week 1 and we have other RBs we’d like to protect at the final cutdown, what about having him start on NFI and come back after 4 games?