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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

Chargers Sign Melvin Gordon

May 14th, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers have signed first-round pick Melvin Gordon, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bolts selected Gordon with the No. 15 overall pick after moving up two spots to land him.

San Diego sent a 2015 fourth-round pick and a 2016 fifth-round pick to the 49ers to ensure that they would snare Gordon. Some wondered if that was a necessary move, but GM Tom Telesco later explained that he was fearful another team would trade up for Gordon since Todd Gurley came off the board so early. Telesco never expected Gurley to last until his pick at No. 17, but Gordon was the clear cut No. 2 tailback in the draft after the Georgia star.

Gordon, a Wisconsin product, posted the second-most single-season rushing yards in FBS History with 2,587, putting him less than 50 yards shy of the watermark set by Barry Sanders. Interestingly, Gordon and fellow first round pick Trae Waynes were good friends growing up.

NFL May Ask Rams, Chargers To Share Stadium

May 13th, 2015 at 8:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) heard that the NFL may push the Rams to share a stadium with the Chargers in Inglewood, California. The development comes as a surprise since the Chargers and Raiders have been working together to build a stadium in the Los Angeles area.

There’s still a long way to go before the Chargers and Rams shack up together, Cole adds, but it’s another permutation in the list of possibilities for the Los Angeles market. Rams owner Stan Kroenke has been pushing to build a stadium that would be occupied only by his team and while he has been viewed as the frontrunner, the league has made it known that it’s preference is to put two teams in L.A. Putting the Rams and Chargers together could be the best of both worlds for Roger Goodell & Co.

Just a few weeks ago, the Raiders and Chargers secured the approval of the Carson City Council for a privately funded NFL stadium. Regardless of which project/proposal wins out, neither the Inglewood nor the Carson stadium would be ready for several years. Therefore, any team moving to the nation’s second largest media market would need a temporary home in the interim.

The Rams, who have played in St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome since 1995, are free to break their lease and relocate after next season. The same holds true for the Raiders and Chargers in their respective stadiums.

Chargers Sign Four Draft Picks

May 13th, 2015 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

With just five picks this year, the Chargers had one of 2015’s smallest draft classes, and the team nearly locked up all its draftees in one fell swoop today. According to the club’s official website, the Chargers have signed four rookies, including second-round linebacker Denzel Perryman.

In addition to inking Perryman to his rookie contract, the team also made things official with third-round cornerback Craig Mager, fifth-round outside linebacker Kyle Emanuel, and sixth-round defensive lineman Darius Philon. First-round running back Melvin Gordon, this year’s 15th overall selection, is the only San Diego draftee who has yet to put pen to paper.

As Over The Cap’s data shows, the cap numbers for the Chargers’ four signed picks will range from about $465K to $870K. Of the four players, Perryman will pull in the largest signing bonus, at about $1.734MM. Mager’s bonus will be worth approximately $662K, while Emanuel’s will come in at about $219K, and Philon will get about $121K.

For a complete breakdown of which draft picks have and haven’t signed their rookie contracts, be sure to check out our tracker.

Extra Points: Fowler, Jordan, Giants, Bolts

May 9th, 2015 at 10:59pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although Jaguars defensive end and third overall pick Dante Fowler Jr. tore his ACL in rookie camp earlier this week and won’t play in 2015, don’t expect the team to shortchange him on his first contract. Fowler, who is currently unsigned, will still receive the deal he was originally going to get, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.

The injury to Fowler might bring about a change in the structure of his contract, not the value, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. That could include an offset clause in Fowler’s deal, meaning the Jags would owe him less money in the event that they release him down the line. Further, in the wake of Fowler’s injury, Corry believes agents could insist their unsigned clients sit out rookie minicamp in the future.

Here’s other news from around the league as Saturday wraps up:

  • Linebacker Dion Jordan, whom the Dolphins chose third overall in 2013, has an uncertain future with the team after his most recent suspension, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. While the Dolphins stood by Jordan in the past, head coach Joe Philbin isn’t committed to having him back in 2016.
  • It isn’t set in stone that ninth overall pick Ereck Flowers will be the Giants’ starting right tackle in 2015, according to offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. “Justin Pugh, right now, is the starting right tackle for the Giants,” said McAdoo, per Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News.
  • If Flowers doesn’t end up on the right side, there’s a chance he could be the Giants’ solution at left tackle. “We believe that he has a skill set to play left tackle in this league,’’ McAdoo said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “We will give him opportunities to train at multiple spots.’’
  • Chargers team president Dean Spanos met with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer earlier this week. That might be a sign negotiations on a new stadium are picking up, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. Williams expects the Chargers to give an update on their situation in two weeks at the league’s owners meetings. If a new stadium deal isn’t reached between the Chargers and San Diego by the end of next season, the team will be able to relocate. Carson, Calif., is its likely destination.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

West Notes: 49ers, Bennett, Weddle

May 7th, 2015 at 8:37pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers CEO Jed York says that GM Trent Baalke has no problem making draft-day deals for the future because he figures to be around awhile, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “You have to make sure your guys feel like they’re going to be a part of it for a while,” York said. “And with Trent, I watch it when we draft. Trent will always trade for next year’s picks because he feels comfortable that he’s going to be here.” Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC West..

  • Michael Bennett said during a TV appearance that he doesn’t want to be traded, but he wouldn’t mind a salary increase, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. Reports have indicated that he would like the Seahawks to renegotiate his contract and today’s comments seem to confirm that. “People assume when you ask for a little more money, they assume that you want to be traded or something like that,” he said. “But that’s not what I’m trying to go for.”
  • Eric Weddle wants a new deal and he won’t be in attendance for workouts until he gets what he wants from the Chargers, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “I’m not coming in anytime soon until something on their side is said,” Weddle told 1090 AM. “They know where we’re at, and they obviously know their stance, so we’ll see what happens from there.” Weddle is scheduled to make $7.5MM in base salary in the final year of a five-year, $40MM deal, making him the fourth-highest paid safety in terms of total compensation in 2015.
  • Broncos defensive ends Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson are already in their walk years, Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. Both players say they’re determined to earn contract extensions this year.

Chargers GM On Gurley, Gordon, Collins

May 5th, 2015 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Some draft prognosticators had the Rams selecting Todd Gurley at No. 10, but Chargers GM Tom Telesco wasn’t expecting him to be the pick. Telesco told Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (audio link) that he thought St. Louis was set at the position with incumbent Tre Mason in the backfield. It turns out that the Gurley selection altered the Bolts’ draft plans at the last minute and forced them to make a move. Here’s more from Telesco’s chat with Marvez…

  • Telesco explained that after Gurley came off the board at No. 10, he started making calls to other teams. He didn’t expect the University of Georgia star to be available at No. 17, but he did feel compelled to move up in the draft to get a running back after he was taken. The Chargers, of course, moved from No. 17 to No. 15 in order to draft Melvin Gordon.
  • The GM said that the Chargers have kept in touch with La’el Collins‘ agent and they continue to “compile information” on his off-field situation. A number of teams are getting background information on the LSU tackle and individual players are working hard to recruit him.
  • Sixth-round pick Darius Philon could see action as an inside pass rusher in nickel packages, Telesco said. He also said that the team will find a role for inside linebacker Denzel Perryman, whom they drafted in the second round.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

May 5th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves..

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Geno, Collins, Browns

May 2nd, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With newly drafted defensive lineman Leonard Williams in the fold, Muhammad Wilkerson‘s time with the Jets could be running out, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Despite being one of the Jets’ best players, Wilkerson is without a contract beyond next season and, per Mehta, the team isn’t eager to give him a new deal. Mehta argues that it doesn’t make financial sense to dole out big bucks to Wilkerson, especially with fellow lineman Sheldon Richardson under team control through 2017 and cornerback Darrelle Revis signed to a long-term mega-deal.

While the Jets might not be able to go forward with all three as anchors of their defense, Mehta believes they could slap the franchise tag on Wilkerson next offseason and trade him for a first-round pick. For now, rookie Jets coach Todd Bowles will enjoy having Wilkerson as a key cog in what should be a dominant D-line, but it doesn’t seem as if the four-year veteran will be a part of it beyond the 2015 campaign.

Here’s more on the Jets and some of their fellow AFC teams:

  • Despite adding Ryan Fitzpatrick via trade and Bryce Petty via the draft, the Jets will enter training camp with Geno Smith atop the quarterback depth chart, Fitzpatrick as his main backup, and Petty and Matt Simms fighting for third-string duties, Bowles tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link).
  • The Chargers did “as much as work as [they] could” in researching La’el Collins, but they simply couldn’t take the risk due to lack of information, general manager Tom Telesco tells Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune (via Twitter). Broncos GM John Elway said the same thing (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today), and I imagine nearly every team’s front office felt the same way.
  • The Browns didn’t end up drafting a quarterback, but GM Ray Farmer says that wasn’t by design. Farmer adds that the club’s grades simply didn’t match up with availability (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

Chargers Agree To Terms With 21 UDFAs

May 2nd, 2015 at 8:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chargers have agreed to terms with 21 undrafted free agents. The list comes courtesy of Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter):

  • Ikechi “Chi Chi” Araguzo, ILB, Northwestern
  • Manuel “Manny” Asprilla, CB, Boston College
  • Ben Beckwith, OG, Mississippi State
  • Cameron Botticelli, DE, Minnesota
  • Tyreek Burwell, OT, Cincinnati
  • Cameron Clemmons, OT, Western Kentucky
  • Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan
  • Nick Dzubnar, ILB, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
  • Jahwan Edwards, RB, Ball State
  • Eric Frohnapfel, TE, Marshall
  • Curtis Grant, ILB, Ohio State
  • Brock Hekking, OLB, Nevada
  • Gordon Hill, S, Sacred Heart
  • Josh Lambo, K, Texas A&M ($5k bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Johnny Lowdermilk, S, Iowa
  • Ryan Mueller, OLB, Kansas State
  • Brian Parker, TE, Albany ($7k bonus, per Wilson)
  • Dreamius Smith, RB, West Virginia
  • Cole Stoudt, QB, Clemson ($2k bonus, per Wilson)
  • Tyrell Williams, WR, Western Oregon
  • Demetrious Wilson, WR, Arkansas

AFC Quotes: Belichick, Newsome, Telesco

May 2nd, 2015 at 10:26am CST by Ben Levine

Following the second day of the draft, the league’s coaches and general managers took time to explain their logic to reporters. We already took a look at some of the notable soundbites out of the NFC, so let’s now shift our focus to the other conference…

Patriots coach Bill Belichick on the team’s selection of safety Jordan Richards in the second round (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com):

“[Richard is a]strong tackler, a pretty instinctive guy, and certainly able to play on the punt team, kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt return — could be a matchup guy outside or maybe a hold-up guy in the box. I’m sure he’ll be able to contribute in the kicking game.”

Belichick on his team’s trade with the Browns:

“At the start of the day, we had a little bit of spacing there [with our picks] — top of the fourth, bottom of the fourth, no fifth, but top of the sixth, top of the seventh, bottom of the seventh. Now we have three picks in the fourth round, and we’ve kind of filled in that fifth round.”

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome on the team’s decision to move up and select tight end Maxx Williams (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley):

“We get to a point where we feel it’s time to go get a player, we wait through three or four picks and then I get a little antsy. When you’ve got ammunition, you just go and get the player. It wouldn’t have mattered who was picking at that spot for us to move up and get the guy.”

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco on his team’s draft philosophy (via Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com):

“Jim Irsay, the owner for the Colts, almost every year of the draft used to always say, ‘You don’t control the draft. The draft controls you.’ And that’s a lot of times what happens. There may be a certain way you want to go. But if there’s not a player you have evaluated in that spot, there’s nothing you can do about it. So you’ve got to stick with your board… These players fit the characteristics we’re looking for. I think they make us a better football team, and we’re happy to have these guys. They’re going to have pretty good careers here.”

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