- The Chargers are going to be without starting right tackle Sam Tevi for a bit, as he underwent surgery on his knee to scope his meniscus, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said the injury isn’t season-ending, and that he’ll be back sooner rather than later. Trent Scott, a second-year UDFA, has been filling in. Scott has been dreadful in his place so Los Angeles could really use Tevi back, even though he has never been too solid either.
One of the NFL’s best safeties will be returning for the final stretch of the 2019 campaign. After undergoing surgery during the summer and missing most the season, Chargers defensive back Derwin James is expected to return to game action in Week 13, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
James suffered a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot in August after a screw originally inserted during his freshman year at Florida State bent back. The injury required a surgical operation to remove the screw, and a new screw has since been placed, per Schefter. James is now running without any pain, allowing him to get back on the field after the Chargers complete their Week 12 bye.
The 17th overall pick in the 2018 draft, James entered the NFL with high expectations and quickly surpassed them. The now-23-year-old started all 16 games for Los Angeles during his rookie campaign, posting three interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and 3.5 sacks during that time. Pro Football Focus graded James as the league’s seventh-best safety, while he also garnered a first-team All-Pro nod.
With James and fellow safeties Adrian Phillips and Nasir Adderley on IR, the Chargers have primarily deployed Rayshawn Jenkins and undrafted rookie Roderic Teamer (who is also now injured) in the back end. So far, the results have been lackluster: after finishing 8th in defensive DVOA in 2018, Los Angeles now ranks 26th in the same metric, while the club has fallen from 10th in pass defense DVOA to 23rd.
Sitting at 4-5, the Chargers are on the outside looking in to the AFC playoff race, and FiveThirtyEight.com gives them only a 14% chance of earning a postseason berth. They’ll play the Raiders and Chiefs without James in tow, then face the Broncos, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders, and Chiefs once James returns.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Anthony Coyle, S C.J. Reavis
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Brandon Hitner
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DE Michael Onuoha
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Brady Sheldon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DB Tevaughn Campbell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Bryan Mone
- Released: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Quinton Bell
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Rashard Davis
The 2019 four-game London series has come to an end, and it was by all accounts a smashing success. As Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic writes, television ratings and merchandise sales across the pond are on the rise, and the attendance figures and the energy of the crowds during this year’s series show that the UK may be ready to embrace American football on a full-time basis.
For a few years now, we have heard about the possibility of an NFL franchise permanently moving to London, and Bonsignore writes that the possibility of relocating the Chargers to London has been broached among league personnel. Further, Bonsignore says that while the Bolts are fully committed to moving to their brand new $4.5 billion stadium with the Rams in 2020, owner Dean Spanos would at least listen if the NFL wanted to discuss the possibility.
After all, the Chargers have not really been embraced in Los Angeles thanks to a crowded sports market and the presence of the Rams. And while some fans in San Diego have remained dedicated to the club, a large percentage cut ties completely when the team moved to LA, and it’s unknown how many will buy season tickets for the Chargers at their new venue. Per Bonsignore, owners are worried enough about the Chargers’ long-term viability in LA that they would provide necessary support to Spanos should he want to take his club to the UK. That includes transferring the $650MM relocation fee the Chargers still must pay for the LA move to a London relocation, as well as a potential realignment of divisions.
There are plenty of logistical hoops to jump through, but London does offer a legitimate, contemporary venue (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), as well as the unique opportunity for the Chargers to develop a new, eager fanbase. If Spanos wants it, London could be there for the taking.
Other reporters, however, are skeptical that such a move is plausible. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out that Jaguars owner Shad Khan has secured a right of first refusal with respect to a London relocation, so he has to say he does not plan to take his team to London before anyone else can consider it. Further, Florio’s sources suggest that no one from the league has ever talked to Spanos about moving to London, which leads him to believe that the sources behind Bonsignore’s report are pushing some other agenda (like forcing the Jags to make a decision).
Bonsignore adamantly denied Florio’s speculation (via Twitter), but Jason Cole of Bleacher Report says that no one in the NFL has talked to the Chargers about moving to England (Twitter link). Coles concedes that the topic may have been broached among other league personnel, but his source says that the Bolts are definitely staying in the US.
Either way, it’s an interesting possibility to consider, especially since the NFL seems closer to having a permanent London team than it ever has.
The fact that the Bengals decided to bench quarterback Andy Dalton right before last Tuesday’s trade deadline did not give Dalton’s agent enough time to find a trade partner, so the Red Rifle will remain with Cincinnati through the 2019 campaign and will serve as rookie Ryan Finley‘s clipboard holder.
Dalton expressed his disappointment with the team’s decision to demote him, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says the 32-year-old signal-caller is eager to be traded this offseason. 2020 is the last year of Dalton’s current contract — and Cincinnati can cut him without incurring any dead money penalties — but his $17.5MM salary next year is relatively palatable, and a number of QB-needy clubs could be interested in sending some draft capital to the Bengals to secure Dalton’s services.
Several GMs that La Canfora spoke with named the Buccaneers as a potential landing spot for Dalton. Indeed, Tampa Bay has plenty of talent at wide receiver and tight end and a strong enough O-line, and Dalton has proven that he can be successful with a solid grouping of talent around him. Plus, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians is not likely going to want to rebuild with a rookie QB, and trading for Dalton is looking like a better option than re-signing Jameis Winston at the moment.
The Titans and Bears may also be interested in Dalton, and depending on what Tom Brady and Philip Rivers decide to do, the Patriots and Chargers could end up as potential suitors as well. La Canfora’s sources say the Bengals should be able to net a 2020 second-round pick in exchange for their 2011 second-rounder.
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: LB James Vaughters
- Waived: TE Bradley Sowell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Shalom Luani
- Waived: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Danny Etling
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Victor Salako
- Released: LB Nate Hall
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB James Vaughters
- Placed on injured list: LB Fadol Brown
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Casey Tucker
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Evan Baylis, WR Darrius Shepherd
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Jordan Brown
- Released: LB Sutton Smith
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: T Tyree St. Louis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Darrin Hall
- Released: TE Kevin Rader
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Codey McElroy
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Kareem Orr
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DE Carroll Phillips
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Greg Mabin
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Ryan Glasgow
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (Giants): LB Tae Davis
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Brett Rypien
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: CB Michael Jackson
- Waived: RB Paul Perkins
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun
- Placed on injured reserve: DE J.J. Watt (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (Saints): CB Ken Crawley
- Signed: TE Clive Walford
- Waived: WR Isaiah Ford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jordan Leggett
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Jack Cichy
Washington Redskins
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Cassanova McKinzy
The Chargers waived kicker Chase McLaughlin, according to Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan. Los Angeles signed McLaughlin back in October to fill in for Michael Badgley while he was dealing with a groin injury. Given that no reports have emerged tying the Chargers to another kicker, it seems likely to expect Badgley to return to the field.
Originally, the Chargers had their punter, Ty Long, handle both punting and kicking duties to start the season. Through four games, Long was 7 of 9 on field goals and 9 of 9 on extra points, but after their Week 4 victory against the Dolphins he appeared to come up limping. While Long has continued handling punting duties, McLaughlin stepped in over the past four weeks and maintained similar success.
McLaughlin, a rookie, served as the kicker for Illinois from 2016-2018. After going undrafted, he signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent. He quickly was released in Buffalo and then caught on with Minnesota’s practice squad before being released once again before catching on in Los Angeles.
In his four games as the Chargers kicker, McLaughlin handled kickoff duties, made 6 of 9 field goal attempts and was 7 of 7 on extra points. McLaughlin did make a field goal from beyond 5o yards but also missed three of his four attempts between 40 and 49 yards.
Badgley, in his second season out of Miami, was one of the most accurate kickers as a rookie in 2018. Last season, over 10 games, he made 15 of 16 field goal attempts with just one miss on 28 PAT tries.
The Chargers fired their offensive coordinator on Monday night and, technically speaking, they do not have a new one just yet. They do, however, have a new play-caller: QB coach Shane Steichen will be at the wheel, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Chargers Fire OC Ken Whisenhunt]
Head coach Anthony Lynn, meanwhile, will be heavily involved. That only makes sense since offense is Lynn’s bread and butter – he was a running backs coach for the bulk of his NFL coaching career and served as the Bills’ OC in 2016. Towards the end of the year, he succeeded Rex Ryan as the interim head coach before moving on to the L.A. job.
Lynn traveled the NFL throughout his assistant coaching career, but Steichen has spent most of his sideline time with the Chargers, dating back to 2011. Since 2016, he’s managed Philip Rivers & his backups as the Bolts’ QB coach.
Steichen takes over for Ken Whisenhunt, who got the heave-ho on Monday night. The Chargers haven’t cracked 40 yards rushing in any of their last four games (despite having Melvin Gordon on the field) and they ranked just 23rd in points under Whisenhunt this year.
With a new de facto OC, the Chargers will look for their second straight win when they face the Packers in L.A. on Sunday.