Los Angeles Chargers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Chargers Claim Zach Mettenberger, Waive Bryn Renner

May 17th, 2016 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

4:02pm: The Chargers waived Renner in order to make room for Mettenberger, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).

3:16pm: The Chargers have claimed Zach Mettenberger off waivers from the Titans, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The quarterback was with offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt last year in Tennessee.

As of this writing, the Chargers have three quarterbacks under contract behind Philip Rivers: Kellen Clemens, Bryn Renner, and rookie Mike Bercovici. Bercovici, an undrafted rookie out of Arizona State, could be the odd man out now that Mettenberger has arrived. In the longer-term, Mettenberger have to compete in order to make the roster in San Diego and displace Renner or Clemens.

Mettenberger was once viewed as the Titans’ potential signal caller of the future, but that was before Marcus Mariota came into the picture. When the Titans used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft to tab the Oregon standout, Mettenberger’s future in Tennessee became murky. Now, he’ll try and forge a different path in San Diego.

Mettenberger, 24, was a sixth-round pick of the Titans in the 2014 draft. In his rookie season, Mettenberger saw time in seven games (six starts) and threw for eight touchdowns with seven interceptions. Not long ago, Mettenberger probably would have fetched a lower-round draft pick in a trade. However, the Titans likely shopped the QB around in recent days without finding a taker.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chargers Sign Vi Teofilo

May 16th, 2016 at 6:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers have signed former Arizona State guard Vi Teofilo to a three-year deal, a source tells Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. The 6’3″, 205-pound lineman will look to compete for a practice squad spot. The Chargers waived guard Sebastian Johansson, an undrafted rookie guard from Marshall, in a corresponding move. They also waived-injured linebacker Brock Hekking.

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Williams: Three UDFAs That Could Make 53-Man Roster

May 15th, 2016 at 12:49pm CST by Rory Parks

In his latest mailbag, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com looks at a few undrafted free agents that have the best chance of cracking the Chargers‘ roster. Williams names Washington State receiver Dom Williams, Houston safety Adrian McDonald, and Navy fullback Chris Swain as three players with fairly good odds. Williams points out that four UDFAs made San Diego’s roster in 2015.

Latest On Las Vegas

May 14th, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Las Vegas has increased its effort to pry the Raiders from Oakland, but should that avenue close, the city is not going to shut down its efforts to add an NFL franchise. The Chargers are further along than the Raiders in their quest to secure a stadium deal from their respective city, only Las Vegas is monitoring San Diego’s negotiations and would seek a union with the Chargers if the Raiders’ venture ends up shy of a Silver and Black desert relocation.

“My husband and I have had season tickets at the Chargers for the past 30-plus years and we would love that, and Alex Spanos already has some relationship with us here in the city — he’s been a developer for us in the ’70s and ’80s,” Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman said during a Dan Patrick Show appearance (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “I know they’re absolutely looking to move and that’s another place to go.

“Whether it’s the Chargers or Oakland, that would really be exciting.”

After talks stonewalled between the Chargers and San Diego last year, the sides have progressed to the point the issue could be in the hands of the voters this fall, with a downtown stadium measure likely to appear on ballots. Whereas Oakland and the Raiders have made next to no progress by comparison with Oakland, so Vegas’ primary option seems to be more realistic at this point, if the city can secure funding for the $1.4 billion domed stadium proposed.

As for Vegas’ first choice: one owner tells Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman the chance the Raiders move to Sin City has hit the 50 percent threshold and may be as high as 75 after starting out as a borderline-laughable notion.

That anonymous owner said other owners and executives around the league to whom he’s spoken on this matter have softened their stance on Las Vegas as an NFL city. While the owner told Freeman that three or four years ago, there was virtually no chance the league would have considered Vegas. Despite John Mara still coming out against this idea, Jerry Jones has voiced intrigue about the proposition. More owners could be coming around to Jones’ line of thinking.

“That’s not the case any longer,” he told Freeman. “One of the things owners see is there’s a lot of money to be made there. A lot of money will ease those gambling concerns.”

For Mara’s side to win out, it would take eight “no” votes to block a Raiders-to-Vegas venture if it gets that far. Freeman hears there aren’t eight owners who will do so, which would represent a marketed improvement in support for this once-laughable move. And while this still could be a bluff on Mark Davis‘ side to increase his leverage in talks with Oakland, but the owner categorized that chance as a small one to Freeman.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Chargers Cut Michael Huey

May 12th, 2016 at 6:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers have cut offensive lineman Michael Huey, tweets Aaron Wilson. Huey will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Chargers Name Louis Clark Senior Director Of Pro Personnel

May 12th, 2016 at 4:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers announced on Wednesday that they have named Louis Clark the team’s senior director of pro personnel. Clark most recently held the same position with the Eagles. Prior to joining the Eagles in 2013, Clark spent 16 seasons in the Jaguars’ player personnel department as a college scout, assistant director of pro personnel, and director of pro personnel. Clark and GM Tom Telesco have known each other for some time, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) notes.

Melvin Gordon Underwent Microfracture Surgery

May 10th, 2016 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

For those making the case that running backs are still worthy of being first-round picks in NFL drafts, Todd Gurley‘s rookie season in 2015 is a perfect case study. However, the second running back to come off the board in ’15, Melvin Gordon of the Chargers, didn’t have the same success that Gurley did in his rookie year.

With Gordon looking to bounce back from his poor NFL debut, the Chargers running back underwent microfracture surgery on his knee in January, and was given a recovery timetable of four to six months, sources tell Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Although the concept of microfracture surgery is ominous, there doesn’t appear to be any serious concern about Gordon’s short- or long-term recovery, says Gehlken. The 23-year-old is expected to practice without limitations during – or before – training camp in July, as he looks to improve his production in his sophomore season.

Chargers Sign Joshua Perry, Derek Watt

May 9th, 2016 at 8:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Derek Watt, former Wisconsin fullback-tight end and J.J. Watt‘s brother, signed his sixth-round rookie deal with the Chargers today, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
The Chargers signed fourth-round linebacker Joshua Perry, as Jenna Laine tweets.

Chargers Sign Matt Slauson

May 9th, 2016 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

MONDAY, 1:24pm: The Chargers have officially confirmed their two-year agreement with Slauson in an announcement on their website.

SATURDAY, 3:08pm: The first of Matt Slauson‘s two visits has turned into his new NFL home, with the Chargers and the free agent interior lineman agreeing to terms on a two-year deal, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Released by the Bears on Sunday, Slauson also visited the Bills’ headquarters this week, but left without a contract. The 30-year-old lineman vacillated between his usual left guard spot and the center position in 2015, with Pro Football Focus giving the newest Charger its fifth-best grade among snappers last season.

The Chargers have highly paid Orlando Franklin at left guard and D.J. Fluker at right guard, and the team just picked up Fluker’s fifth-year option. Slauson’s temporary position of center could be a longer-term project for the former Jets draft chioce. Chris Watt resides there in San Diego and is probably the most vulnerable of the Chargers’ starters right now.

Caplan confirms (on Twitter) that Slauson, who played half of last season as the Bears’ center, is being brought in to play the same position in San Diego. The Bills, interestingly, also didn’t want Slauson to play at this customary guard spot either. Buffalo sought him as a right tackle option, Caplan reports (on Twitter).

The Bears signed Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen before drafting Cody Whitehair in the second round. They decided to cut ties with Slauson despite the productive lineman having two years left on his deal. He assumed snapping duties to start last season due to rookie Hroniss Grasu‘s injury. Once Grasu returned, Slauson shuttled back to left guard, where he’d played since signing with Chicago in 2013.

A 6-foot-5, 320-pound performer, Slauson worked with new Chargers offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo with the Jets in 2012.

Pro Football Focus rated the Chargers as having the NFL’s worst offensive front last season. Franklin, Fluker, Watt and left tackle King Dunlap suffered through injuries to limit their effectiveness, and the group’s regression mirrored the team’s descent into last place in the AFC West. Many experts expected the Chargers to select a tackle with their No. 3 overall pick that emerged out of last season’s mess, but San Diego selected Joey Bosa instead and left the line unchanged, likely hoping health would provide enough of an upgrade.

Concussion and shoulder troubles resulted in Watt spending the second half of last season on IR, with replacement Trevor Robinson rating as PFF’s worst overall offensive lineman among regulars. The Chargers have a lot of money tied up in their offensive line after agreeing to long-term deals with Franklin and Joe Barksdale the past two offseasons, along with extending Dunlap and triggering Fluker’s fifth-year option. They now look to have supplied that group with a quality center to belatedly replace the retired Nick Hardwick.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Chargers To Shake Up Staff

May 8th, 2016 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the 2016 draft, the Chargers are the latest team to make changes to their personnel department. A source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that San Diego’s changes will include the dismissal of at least one staff member.

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