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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

Chargers Sign Second-Round S Nasir Adderley

June 12th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers have signed second-round safety Nasir Adderley, the club announced today.

Adderley will join 2018 first-round pick and first-team All-Pro Derwin James in Los Angeles’ defensive backfield, joining an excellent secondary that also includes safety Adrian Phillips and cornerbacks Casey Hayward, Desmond King, and Trevor Williams. The 60th overall pick in the draft, Adderley will attempt to replace the 1,000+ snaps departed by Jahleel Addae, whom the Chargers released earlier this year.

Adderley, a Delaware product, will likely play a center field-type role for Los Angeles, allowing James to be deployed closer to the line of scrimmage. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com praised Adderley’s speed, noting that trait will allow the two-time All-CAA honoree to play in single-high safety looks, and compared him to second-year Bengals starter Jessie Bates.

Per Over the Cap, Adderley will receive a four-year pact worth roughly $4.732MM. He’ll collect a signing bonus of ~$1.462MM, and count for $860K on Los Angeles’ 2019 salary cap.

Here’s the full Chargers 2019 draft:

Russell Okung Injury Severity Not Yet Known

June 11th, 2019 at 9:41pm CST by Micah Powell

Chargers left tackle Russell Okung did not practice Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury, head coach Anthony Lynn said (Tweet via ESPN’s Eric Williams). When asked if the injury could potentially be longterm, Lynn responded with an ominous, “We don’t know yet.” 

That type of response will not help Chargers fans rest easy. A two-time Pro Bowl left tackle, Okung, 31, is entering his third season with a Chargers team that many expect to contend with the Chiefs for the AFC West crown in 2019.

With Okung out of practice, the Chargers shifted Sam Tevi to left tackle and Trent Scott played right tackle. The team did spend a third-round pick in April’s draft on Trey Pipkens, a 6-foot-6 tackle from little-known Sioux Falls.

Okung posted a grade of 78.4 on Pro Football Focus, making him the No. 11-ranked tackle in the NFL. In his time with the Chargers, Okung has missed just two games, one of which came due to a groin injury in 2018. In his first season with the Chargers, the team allowed the fewest sacks in the league (18) and ranked just outside the top 10 in sacks allowed the following season.

Okung is entering the third year of a four-year deal that will pay him $13MM in each of the next two seasons.

Chargers, Melvin Gordon In Preliminary Contract Talks

June 11th, 2019 at 6:12pm CST by Rory Parks

Chargers RB Melvin Gordon is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he indicated that his agent has had preliminary talks with the team about a long-term deal, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes.

Gordon, who is due a modest $5.61MM this year under his fifth-year option, obviously wants a new, more lucrative contract. While he did not sound like someone who is contemplating a holdout, he did not rule out the possibility either. He said, “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a deal done. But that’s not going to stop me from coming out here and doing what I need to do. We’re going to see. I would like to go out there and have it done. We’re talking right now, and that’s kind of where I’m going to leave it.”

We examined Gordon’s case for an extension back in March. At the time, we noted that GM Tom Telesco is open to considering an extension for Gordon, but that Telesco did not offer a timetable for getting a deal done.

Gordon does not have eye-popping YPC numbers in his career (he has averaged 4.0 yards per carry over his four professional seasons), but he did manage 5.1 yards per tote in 2018. He is also a major weapon as a receiver, compiling over 400 receiving yards in each of the past three seasons. He has 28 rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving scores in his career, and he was a key part of the Chargers’ return to the postseason last year.

As a result, the Wisconsin product stands to cash in and will surely be paid at the high end of the running back market. Todd Gurley is currently the pacesetter with an average annual value of $14.375MM and $45MM in guarantees, while Le’Veon Bell recently landed a $13.125MM/year pact. The Cardinals’ David Johnson is now working under a $13MM/year deal that includes $32MM in guarantees.

Head coach Anthony Lynn offered the following: “Melvin Gordon is extremely important to us. When he’s out here on the field, he works his tail off. He’s gotten better every year that I’ve been here. I think he’s headed in the right direction. If he just goes out and keeps doing what he’s been doing, that contract stuff will take care of itself.”

Chargers Sign First-Round Pick Jerry Tillery

June 11th, 2019 at 4:55pm CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers have signed 2019 first-round draft choice Jerry Tillery, per a team announcement. In accordance with his slot, Tillery will receive a four-year, $11.4MM deal with a $6.3MM signing bonus.

The Bolts had just three defensive tackles on the roster going into the 2019 draft, so Tillery, a 6-6, 300-pound DT from Notre Dame, filled an obvious need. Plus, GM Tom Telesco said Tillery was the only player left on his board with a first-round grade by the time the Chargers were on the clock with the No. 28 overall pick (h/t Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com).

Los Angeles would continue to add front-seven talent in the draft after the Tillery selection, but Tillery’s ability to generate an interior pass rush is particularly appealing given that it could open up even more opportunities for Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Tillery did suffer a torn labrum in his shoulder during his final collegiate season, which ultimately required surgery, but he is still expected to be ready for training camp.

In his final year with the Fighting Irish, Tillery registered seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. He also had a strong showing at the combine, including the best SPARQ score (a measurement of overall athleticism) of any defensive linemen.

With Tillery in the fold, only second-rounder Nasir Adderly and third-rounder Trey Pipkins remain unsigned from the Chargers’ 2019 draft class.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/3/19

June 3rd, 2019 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Chargers

Washington Redskins

Darren Sproles Eyeing Eagles, Saints, Chargers?

May 31st, 2019 at 1:00pm CST by Ben Levine

It was about two months ago that free agent running back Darren Sproles said he’d make a decision regarding his NFL future by May. Well, it sounds like the 35-year-old may need a bit more time making a decision.

During an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Sproles would be willing to wait for the right offer, even if it comes during the latter part of the summer (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). Furthermore, Schefter hinted that the running back would prefer to play for one of his former teams. Specifically, that’d mean the Eagles, Saints, or Chargers are atop Sproles’ list. Of course, Schefter also notes that the running back would be open to other opportunities.

After a broken arm and a torn ACL limited him to only three games during the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2017 campaign, Sproles said the 2018 season would be his final year in the NFL. However, Sproles ended up being hampered by injuries once again, limiting him to only six regular season games. He was still relatively productive when he was on the field; he paired 120 rushing yards (and a rushing touchdown) with 15 receptions for 160 yards and two scores.

Of course, Sproles continues to get older; if he plays in 2019, he’d be the second-oldest player at his position (behind Frank Gore). While any team would take a chance on a savvy veteran who possesses some pass-catching prowess, it’s uncertain if any of Sproles’ former teams would have interest.

The Eagles have a crowded depth chart that features Jordan Howard, Corey Clement, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood. The Saints brought in Latavius Murray to serve as Alvin Kamara‘s backup, but the team lacks experience behind that duo. The Chargers’ trio of Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler, and Justin Jackson seem to have a solid hold on the top-three spots, but Sproles could theoretically play a return role alongside Desmond King in Los Angeles.

Bosa Says Foot Is Still Bothering Him

May 26th, 2019 at 8:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Chargers pass-rusher Joey Bosa has been a star ever since he entered the league. As a rookie he had 10.5 sacks despite missing the first four games of the season due to a contract holdout, and he’s been dominant off the edge ever since. But the Ohio State product was hobbled by a foot injury that cost him the nine games of last season, and he wasn’t quite the same after he returned. Speaking to the media recently after practice, Bosa conceded that the injury is still bothering him. “It’s just there. It’s just something I notice. It’s been getting better all offseason, so I could definitely see by camp or maybe even next year where it kind of starts fading away,” Bosa said, per Adam Maya of NFL.com. Foot injuries can be tricky, so it’s somewhat alarming that Bosa is still feeling soreness in his foot after this long, but Maya notes he did say it’s feeling “well enough for him to avoid a Lisfranc-type surgery.” This will be a situation to monitor this offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/23/19

May 23rd, 2019 at 5:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Claimed off waivers: TE Andrew Vollert

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Gunner Olszewski

Washington Redskins

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/19

May 16th, 2019 at 4:16pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: G R.J. Prince
  • Waived: G Kofi Amichia, TE Nick Keizer

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: D’Ernest Johnson
  • Waived: RB L.J. Scott

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Waived: WR Justin Sumpter

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: WR Bryant Mitchell
  • Waived: LS Dan Godsil

Tennessee Titans

Chargers Re-Sign Damion Square

May 13th, 2019 at 11:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers have re-signed defensive tackle Damion Square on a one-year deal, according to a team announcement. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known. 

Square, 30, has spent most of the past five seasons with the Chargers, appearing in 49 games with the club since 2014. An undrafted free agent who began his pro tenure with stints in Philadelphia and Kansas City, Square set a career-high in starts (11), tackles (31), and sacks (three) in 2018.

A better run-stuffer than a pass-rusher, Square played on roughly half of Los Angeles’ snaps a year ago but graded as a bottom-three interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. Over the course of four-plus years with the Bolts, Square has 5.5 sacks to his credit.

Square met with the Titans in April, but left Nashville without a deal.

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