Los Angeles Chargers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Chargers Exercise CB Jason Verrett’s Option

April 24th, 2017 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Late last week, Chargers GM Tom Telesco said the team would exercise cornerback Jason Verrett‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com). On Monday, the Bolts made it official.

Verrett, 26 in May, missed all but four games last season thanks to a partially torn ACL. Injuries also limited him as a rookie, but he showed what he could do in a full season of work in 2015. In 14 games that season, Verrett earned his first career Pro Bowl nod with 47 total tackles, three interceptions, and 12 passes defensed.

Before being placed on IR, Verrett tried to play through the injury. While his toughness was admirable, his play was clearly suffering as a result. Through four games, Pro Football Focus pegged him as just No. 71 out of 114 qualified corners in the NFL. In the year prior, he was among PFF’s best cornerbacks.

Verrett, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2014 draft, will start opposite of Casey Hayward in 2017. Safeties Dwight Lowery and Jahleel Addae will round out the starting secondary.

Chargers Met With Nathan Peterman

April 22nd, 2017 at 6:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Both the Chargers and Cardinals have hosted Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman on visits, as Peterman himself explained on Pro Football Talk Live. Peterman, who is likely to be selected on Day 2 of the draft, is viewed as a high-floor signal-caller in the vein of an Andy Dalton. Los Angeles and Arizona each employ veteran quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer and could be looking to find long-term successors under center. The Chargers, notably, have been more open about their desire to land a youthful passer in 2017, and are reportedly putting in “ample work” on the 2017 class.

Chargers Offered Mo Alie-Cox Deal

April 21st, 2017 at 6:09pm CST by Zachary Links

On a conference call with reporters, new Colts addition Mo Alie-Cox said that the Buccaneers, Chargers, and Seahawks were among the teams that also made offers (Twitter links via Stephen Holder of the Indy Star). The former VCU basketball player added that he picked the Colts in part because coach Chuck Pagano reminded him of (former VCU coach) Shaka Smart. Some teams thought Alie-Cox could play defensive end, but he’ll be a tight end with the Colts.

Chargers Putting In “Due Diligence” On Mitch Trubisky

April 19th, 2017 at 3:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers are doing “due diligence” on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.

The drum beat signalling a possible Los Angeles quarterback draft pick has gotten louder in recent weeks, as both franchise owner Dean Spanos and head coach Anthony Lynn have expressed their willingness to bring in a young signal-caller behind Philip Rivers. The Chargers are reportedly “serious” about finding a successor to Rivers, and have been linked to DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame), Davis Webb (California), and Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee) thus far.

Overall, the Chargers are putting in “ample work” on the 2017 quarterback class, but it’s unclear if the team will use the seventh overall pick on a passer. Los Angeles has other needs on its roster, and if, for example, a safety such as Ohio State’s Malik Hooker or LSU’s Jamal Adams is still on the board, the Chargers may be hard-pressed to pass up an immediate contributor in favor of a long-term prospect.

Los Angeles is far from the only team with interest in Trubisky, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicated earlier today the Browns could trade up from No. 12 to No. 5 or No. 6 in order to land the UNC quarterback. In that scenario, Cleveland would not only be moving ahead of the Bills, who reportedly are intrigued by Trubisky, but in front of the Chargers at No. 7.

Chargers To Re-Sign TE Jeff Cumberland

April 12th, 2017 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers are expected to re-sign veteran tight end Jeff Cumberland, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cumberland is looking to get back on track after missing the entire 2016 season to injury.

Cumberland, 30 in May, signed a one-year, minimum deal with the Chargers last offseason. Unfortunately, the ex-Jet suffered a torn Achilles in August, ending his season before it could begin.

Always viewed as more of a blocker than a receiving threat, Cumberland caught a total of 78 passes for the Jets from 2012 to 2014, starting 38 games for the team during that stretch and recording 10 touchdowns. However, he saw his number called a whole lot less in 2015, as Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t use his tight ends much. Cumberland had just five receptions on 14 targets in that season.

The kind of role the Bolts have in mind for Cumberland remains to be seen. Already, the Chargers have young standout Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates atop the TE depth chart with 6’5″ athletes Sean McGrath and Asante Cleveland in support. Cumberland’s deal might not include any guaranteed cash, so his spot on the 53-man roster is far form a certainty.

Six Teams To Meet With Mo Alie-Cox

April 12th, 2017 at 9:46am CST by Zachary Links

The jump from basketball to football may not be easy, but Mo Alie-Cox has plenty of believers in the NFL. The former Virginia Commonwealth University forward is already slated to visit the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Jets, Colts, Seahawks, and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. More teams could request to meet with the 6’7″ athlete, Rapoport adds.

Alie-Cox held an open audition for NFL teams recently and it seems like more than half the league had scouts in attendance. In addition to the aforementioned clubs, reps from the Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, 49ers, Browns, Patriots, Redskins, and Steelers were in the house (via Lane Casadonte of WTVR on Twitter).

Despite his lack of gridiron experience, teams are intrigued by Alie-Cox’s combination of size and athleticism. He is looking to play tight end and follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Julius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and other TE standouts with basketball backgrounds. At the same time, he is open to playing other positions and he took requests from scouts to perform drills that were suited for different roles.

What really sets Alie-Cox apart from other young NFL hopefuls is that he is not draft eligible and, therefore, can be signed as a free agent. A team that is really high on the hoopster could see this as an opportunity to effectively acquire a late-round draft pick for nothing.

Latest On 2017 QB Draft Market

April 11th, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Mitch Trubisky is likely to become the first quarterback off the board in the draft later this month, but ordering the rest of the class is exceedingly difficult, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Scouts consider the second-tier of signal-callers to be comprised of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, but it’s unclear which prospect will be selected first among that pair. Davis Webb, meanwhile, is picking up more steam as a potential first-round pick, while “attitude and maturity” questions could force DeShone Kizer out of the first round.

The Chargers are putting in “ample work” on this year’s quarterback class, and are perhaps more likely to select a passer at No. 7 than many observers believe, per La Canfora. Both head coach Anthony Lynn and owner Dean Spanos have intimated their openness to drafting a quarterback in 2017, and Los Angeles is reportedly “serious” about finding a long-term successor to Philip Rivers. So far, the Chargers have been linked to Kizer, Webb, and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.

Like Los Angeles, the Saints and Cardinals may also try to secure replacements for Drew Brees and Carson Palmer, respectively. New Orleans will select a quarterback on Day 1 “in all likelihood,” writes La Canfora, and could use either pick No. 11 or No. 32 to draft a passer. For what it’s worth, I sent Kizer to the Saints at the end of the first round in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.

Arizona, meanwhile, is attempting to “gauge internally” the price of trading up from No. 13 in order to draft a quarterback, reports La Canfora. Cardinals brass met with Trubisky on Monday, as team owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Steve Keim, and head coach Bruce Arians dined with the UNC signal-caller in Phoenix, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Arians voiced concerns about Trubisky last month: “The growth potential is obviously there,” said Arians. “The question is why wasn’t all that talent starting for the last three years? That’s always bugging me.”

Finally, the Texans “are drafting a quarterback high,” declares La Canfora, and Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at No. 25. Clearly, the Texans are in need of talent under center, as the only quarterbacks currently on the roster are Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden. Veteran passers such as Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick aren’t expected to interest the Texans, so a draft pick will probably be added to the squad.

Draft Rumors: Williams, Allen, Fournette

April 11th, 2017 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

There seems to be a difference of opinions on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft. When asked about the 2017 crop, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said, “I wouldn’t take any of these guys in the first round,” (Twitter link).

Early on, UNC QB Mitch Trubisky was regarded as a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. Now, it seems much more likely that the Browns will select Myles Garrett and it’s not a given that Trubisky will even be the first QB to come off of the board. Deshaun Watson could instead be the first signal caller drafted and DeShone Kizer and Patrick Mahomes seem to be strong candidates for round one.

Of course, the draft isn’t a meritocracy – it’s about team needs and, often, team desperation. Several teams, including the Jets at No. 6, have a clear need for a young QB and there is no realistic scenario in which there isn’t a QB taken in the first round.

Here’s the latest draft news:

Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams is with the Titans today on a top 30 visit, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport adds that the Titans have done extensive work on Williams, which makes sense given their clear WR need. Our mock draft has Williams going to Tennessee at No. 18 overall.
Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen visited with the Titans and has the Chargers and 49ers on deck, Rapoport tweets.
Former LSU running back Leonard Fournette will visit the Bengals today (Tuesday), according to Kat Terrell of ESPN (on Twitter). The Bengals have hosted multiple running backs on visits this year and that could be tied to Jeremy Hill‘s contractual status. Hill is eligible for free agency following the 2017 season.
The Dolphins are hosting Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor and Miami tight end David Njoku on visits this week, Rapoport tweets.
Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett did a personal workout for the Falcons, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter).

Does Richard Sherman Make Sense For Chargers?

April 9th, 2017 at 9:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco and his staff have been preparing for the upcoming draft for more than a year, and ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes that they were prepping with former defensive coordinator John Pagano’s system in mind. However, despite the addition of head coach Anthony Lynn and new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Telesco says the team’s plans haven’t been disrupted.
The Chargers acquiring Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman “makes too much sense to ever happen,” writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Besides Sherman’s connection with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Florio notes that the California native’s temperament would benefit a team that’s seeking “a dynamic personality.” The writer wonders if the Chargers’ 38th-overall pick would be of any interest to Seattle.

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Chargers Notes: QBs, Bolles

April 8th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers are “serious” about selecting a quarterback somewhat early in the 2017 draft, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Although Philip Rivers hasn’t dropped any hints that he’s ready to retire, franchise owner Dean Spanos has told the Los Angeles front office to be prepared for Rivers’ eventual departure. New head coach Anthony Lynn expressed a similar sentiment at the end of last month. Thus far, the Chargers have worked out Notre Dame‘s DeShone Kizer and Tennessee‘s Joshua Dobbs, and are thought to have interest in Cal’s Davis Webb.

Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles has meetings scheduled with the Colts and Chargers, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Bolles, who has also visited the Giants, is in the running to become the first offensive lineman off the board later this month. While he posted excellent measurables, Bolles is already 25 years old, which could limit any future growth. While Bolles could conceivably go to Los Angeles within the top 10, the Chargers have already made Russell Okung the NFL’s highest-paid tackle this offseason. Indianapolis, likewise, has a long-term extension in place with blindside protector Anthony Castonzo. In PFR’s first mock draft, we sent Bolles to Denver at pick No. 20.

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