Chargers GM Expresses Support For Brandon Staley, Decision To Play Starters In Week 18
Speculation swirled about Brandon Staley‘s employment status ahead of the Chargers-Jaguars wild-card game and following his team’s 27-point collapse, but the Bolts will keep their head coach for a third season.
Eleventh-year GM Tom Telesco said Staley was never on shaky ground. Rumors connected the Chargers to Sean Payton, who has been connected to this job for a while. The Los Angeles-stationed FOX analyst will need to accept another position or wait until 2024 for the AFC’s Los Angeles gig to potentially open up, however.
“That was probably more [media] discussion than ours,” Telesco said of Staley’s hot-seat status, via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry. “The front office’s belief in Brandon hasn’t changed. He’s got our belief. Our players believe in him. He’s a tremendous leader.”
The Payton matter has lingered for a while, but the Chargers’ past two games accelerated rumblings of a firing. The Chargers’ decision to play their starters in Week 18 ended up being costly, with Mike Williams suffering a transverse process fracture — an injury discovered late last week — that prevented him from making the trip to Jacksonville.
Los Angeles totaled three second-half points in the third-biggest collapse in playoff history, and the team lost wideout DeAndre Carter during the Jaguars matchup. Staley’s decision to play starters against the Broncos in their regular-season finale was believed to be an organizational decision. Many Chargers staffers knew this was the plan, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who indicated everyone was onboard with Staley’s call (video link). Telesco confirmed as much Thursday. “Brandon kind of mapped out what his plan was and yeah, I’m going to support that,” Telesco said.
Staley, 40, is 19-15 with the Chargers, who have continued to battle injuries under his watch. Several big-ticket players missed extended stretches for the team this season, extending a trend that persisted during multiple previous Bolts regimes. Staley’s seat stands to be hot in 2023, as the Chargers have not ranked inside the top 20 on defense — the third-year HC’s side of the ball. But the Chargers gave both Mike McCoy and Anthony Lynn four seasons apiece.
The Chargers have made some changes in the wake of that loss. They fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day. Staley cited the offense needing to reach a new gear, and Telesco said (via Thiry) Justin Herbert will have input as to who the team hires as its next play-caller. While the team is not planning any contract talks with Herbert until after Super Bowl LVII, at least, it will entrust Herbert with contributing to this big-picture decision. Herbert became extension-eligible this month but can be controlled through the 2024 season, via the fifth-year option the Bolts will exercise in May.
As for the Chargers’ OC plans, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen notes Frank Reich makes sense as a candidate (Twitter link). Reich was with the Chargers for three seasons under McCoy, and he served as their OC from 2014-15. Reich has booked HC interviews with the Cardinals and Panthers; the former Colts HC has ties to each of those teams as well. The Rams have been connected to Reich as a potential OC, making it fairly clear the respected coach will have options in the event he is unable to snag one of the available HC jobs.
One candidate the Bolts wanted to meet with has cut off a potential partnership. Vikings OC Wes Phillips rejected a Bolts interview request, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Phillips, who just finished his first year as Minnesota’s OC, holds a non-play-calling role with the team. While calling Herbert-run plays will be a draw for OC candidates, Fowler notes Phillips will stay with the Vikings.
Lastly, the Chargers fired linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite, Daniel Popper of The Athletic tweets. A former NFL linebacker, Wilhoite had been with the Bolts for two seasons. This marked the 36-year-old staffer’s first gig coaching a position; he worked as a lower-level Saints assistant before heading to L.A.
Chargers Fire OC Joe Lombardi
Significant changes have been made to the Chargers’ coaching staff, though not necessarily the one many have been anticipating. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day have been fired (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). The team has confirmed the moves.
Lombardi was hired in January 2021 to serve on head coach Brandon Staley‘s staff. The former came to Los Angeles after two different stints with the Saints serving as their QBs coach. His work alongside Drew Brees certainly made him an appealing candidate to help usher in the Justin Herbert era with the Chargers, though his results have been varied. 
The Chargers had one of the best offenses in the league in 2021, with the team ranking fourth in yards and fifth in points per game. Herbert and the team’s array of pass catchers accounted for much of that success, as Los Angeles ranked second in the league in yards gained through the air. The team fell short of the postseason after a wild season-finale loss to the Raiders, however, leading to questions regarding their defensive performance and Staley’s in-game management.
This year, a number of moves made in the offseason — including further additions on the offensive line — led to increased expectations for Lombardi’s unit. The Chargers once again ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in terms of yardage, but their scoring fell to the middle of the pack. Running back Austin Ekeler helped lead the way as a number of injuries weighed down their efficiency through the air, but the team nevertheless seemed well-positioned to win this past week in Herbert’s postseason debut.
The Chargers were well on their way to doing just that when they raced to a 27-0 lead over the Jaguars on Saturday night. During the second half, however, the tide started to turn as Jacksonville worked their way back into contention. Lombardi’s play-calling down the stretch — which saw Ekeler receive only 13 total carries on the night, in spite of his pair of early touchdowns and the team’s large advantage on the scoreboard — drew heavy criticism. Now, Staley has responded by parting ways with the 51-year-old coordinator in a major shake-up to his staff.
Lombardi came to the Chargers with two years of OC experience dating back to his time with the Lions. Detroit put up underwhelming totals during his tenure there, something which, coupled with this unceremonious exit from Los Angeles, will hurt his chances of landing another OC role in the future. Day, meanwhile, has also had his two-year stint come to an end. He served as the Chargers’ passing game coordinator in addition to his duties coaching Herbert and the team’s other signal-callers. The 48-year-old position coach has been an offensive assistant with six different NFL teams, and will now look for his next opportunity on the sidelines.
Today’s move means there are now six offensive coordinator vacancies around the NFL. This one is likely to be the most coveted, considering the presence of Herbert, Ekeler, a high-end pairing of wideouts in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and a rebuilt offensive front. While the search for Lombardi’s successor will be a key storyline for the Chargers, this news also strongly points to Staley’s job being safe, something which the team’s players advocated for in the wake of the weekend’s defeat.
50-50 Chance That Sean Payton Coaches In 2023?
Sean Payton is perhaps the hottest name in this year’s head coaching cycle, and he has been connected to three teams currently in need of a new HC. He will at least take an interview with the Broncos — an opening that he reportedly prefers to the Texans’ and Cardinals’ vacancies — but he may opt against returning to the sidelines in 2023.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that whether Payton takes a coaching job this year or waits until 2024 is a 50-50 proposition. Although Payton is said to be amenable to working with Denver quarterback Russell Wilson and helping him to regain his earlier form, it is also possible that more attractive opportunities are on the horizon.
Indeed, in the wake of the Chargers’ historic collapse in their stunning wildcard round loss to the Jaguars on Saturday night, there was rampant speculation that the Bolts might elect to fire second-year HC Brandon Staley and enter the Payton sweepstakes. For his part, Payton is said to be deeply interested in the Chargers’ gig and the opportunity to work with talented young quarterback Justin Herbert.
On the other hand, there are reasons to doubt that Los Angeles would make such a bold move. As former NFL exec Andrew Brandt observes, while the Broncos’ new ownership group is the wealthiest in the league and could therefore afford to pay Payton the $16MM-$20MM salary he will likely command, Chargers owner Dean Spanos is among the most cash-poor and may be unwilling to pony up that kind of cash while also paying out the remainder of Staley’s contract (Twitter link).
Plus, Herbert himself is now extension-eligible and could be in line for a contract with a $50MM AAV. That is a lot of money for Spanos to stomach, to say nothing of the trade compensation that the Chargers would need to send to the Saints to acquire Payton’s rights.
As of the time of this writing, there have been no concrete reports on Staley’s job security in the wake of the loss to Jacksonville. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said that Dallas’ current head coach, Mike McCarthy, is in no danger of losing his job, regardless of what happens in the team’s wildcard round contest against the Bucs on Monday. Still, one wonders whether a poor showing by McCarthy’s troops could change that thinking, especially given the long-rumored connections between Payton and the Cowboys’ post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/23
Today’s minor moves, including elevations made for Saturday’s playoff games:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: T Coy Cronk
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: DT, David Moa, RB Larry Rountree
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: RB Tevin Coleman, CB Janoris Jenkins
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: RB Tony Jones Jr.
- Elevated: WR Cade Johnson, LB A.J. Johnson
- Waived: DT Isaiah Mack
Bolts’ Mike Williams Sustains Back Fracture
Brandon Staley‘s criticized decision to play his starters in a meaningless Week 18 game has produced consequences. The Chargers already ruled out Mike Williams for their wild-card game, despite Staley indicating early this week he expected the sixth-year receiver to play. It does not look like the impact wideout would be available in a second-round contest, should the Chargers defeat the Jaguars.
Further testing revealed Williams sustained a fracture in his back, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The injury is likely to sideline Williams for multiple weeks. Williams will not travel with the Chargers to Jacksonville. After Williams had not progressed as the Bolts expected this week, Pelissero reports (via Twitter) a rescan Friday morning revealed a transverse process fracture. A significant injury is not too surprising here, with Williams needing a cart to transport him to the visitor’s locker room last week.
Williams will not require surgery, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports, adding that he should likely be considered done for the season unless the Chargers make a surprising run to Super Bowl LVII. The X-ray on Williams’ back was negative, with Thiry adding the ensuing MRI was as well. MRI No. 2 ended up revealing the fracture.
This is a brutal blow to a Chargers team that perennially battles major injuries. Playing their starters well into the fourth quarter in Week 18, the Bolts did not beat the struggling Broncos and ended the season 10-7. They still secured the AFC’s No. 5 seed, but given that they were locked into that spot regardless of outcome, Staley received an avalanche of criticism. Friday’s news will mark another key chapter into the Bolts’ checkered recent history regarding injuries.
The Chargers re-signed Williams, 28, this offseason, doing well to lock down the former first-round pick before the receiver market exploded. He is attached to a three-year, $60MM deal, but the Clemson product does have a notable injury history — including back trouble. Williams missed the first five games of his Bolts career with a back injury. He suffered a herniated disk in 2017, keeping him out for months ahead of his rookie season.
While that was obviously a long time ago, Williams also missed four games this season due to a high ankle sprain. He returned to action against the Chiefs in November but aggravated the injury and left that game. Williams missed two games after that aggravation. His latest injury could be flashpoint in Staley’s Chargers tenure. Should the Bolts win Saturday, they will likely — with Lamar Jackson almost certainly out for the Ravens, giving the Bengals a clear path to Round 2 and a likely Buffalo trip — face the Chiefs for a third time. Now, it appears they would do so without Williams.
The Bolts are making their first playoff appearance since 2018 — Anthony Lynn‘s second season — and while Staley will receive credit for helping an injury-plagued team bounce back after a midseason swoon had it at 6-6, his seat has been somewhat warm due to the interest Sean Payton is believed to have in this job. Payton, who currently lives in Los Angeles, identified the Bolts job as a potential target months ago. Those rumors have not exactly quieted, Payton’s potential interest in the Broncos position notwithstanding. If the Chargers lose to the Jaguars after Staley played starters for most of a meaningless Denver matchup, his job should probably not be considered safe.
As for the Chargers’ receiving corps, Josh Palmer will be expected to play a bigger role against the Jags. Palmer and return man DeAndre Carter played frequently during Williams and Keenan Allen‘s extended absences this season. Palmer’s 769 receiving yards trailed only Williams (895) this season. Plenty will be on Allen’s shoulders in these playoffs.
Chargers Rule Out Mike Williams Vs. Jaguars
JANUARY 13: Despite Staley’s expectation Williams would return against the Jaguars, the injury he sustained in Week 18’s meaningless (for seeding purposes) game will cost the Chargers. Staley said Williams could play without practicing this week, but the Bolts HC ruled out the big-play wideout for Saturday night’s game. Williams will remain in Los Angeles to undergo treatment, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Staley drew steady criticism for leaving his starters in the regular-season finale well into the fourth quarter. That decision leading to the team losing Williams for the playoff opener will increase the scrutiny on the second-year HC.
JANUARY 9: The Chargers got a scare on Sunday when leading wide receiver Mike Williams needed to be carted to the locker room in a Week 18 loss to the Broncos that held no playoff implications.
Despite the serious look of the back injury that ailed him, Williams is expected to play this Saturday night in Jacksonville, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
Williams, who leads all Chargers receivers with 895 receiving yards, suffered a back injury Sunday that required him to be assisted off the field by trainers and, eventually, to be carted off to the locker room. The injury appeared to affect Williams so much that he required help to get back to the team bus from the locker room. Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported that Williams “could not walk on his own.”
Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley told reporters that Williams underwent an MRI exam that revealed no fracture or muscle injury. Williams only suffered a contusion, albeit, it appears, a painful one. Regardless, Staley expects that Williams will return to practice this week and should be available against the Jaguars this weekend.
Coaching Notes: Turner, Colts, Cards, Flores
In addition to the previously reported player gripes about the state of the Commanders‘ offense, John Keim of ESPN.com notes others in the organization expressed frustration about the inconsistencies within the team’s offensive philosophy. Washington fired three-year OC Scott Turner on Tuesday, despite having signed him to a three-year extension, and signs point to the team making a more concerted effort to focus on its run game. Ron Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew expressed a desire to run more, even after the Commanders ranked fourth in rushing attempts (538). But Keim adds a litany of complaints surfaced about the nature of the offense — from the team deviating from effective plays to Turner’s scheme being difficult for quarterbacks to digest. Concern about the offense emanated inside the building throughout the year, per Keim, who adds Rivera sat in on offensive meetings at points amid the unrest.
The Commanders’ issues at quarterback and on their O-line, a unit full of veterans, hamstrung Turner’s unit. So did injuries, as the team planned to have Brian Robinson play a major role from the start. The two gunshot wounds he sustained in August derailed those plans, and Carson Wentz barely ended up playing with the third-round rookie this season. While outside candidates will be interviewed, Keim adds the Commanders generally like their offensive scheme. QBs coach Ken Zampese, a second-generation NFL assistant who was previously the Bengals’ OC, will likely be an in-house candidate.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- The Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons and did so less than a year after signing him to an extension that ran through 2027. While Kingsbury firing rumors had been brewing for months, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes (via Twitter) the young HC did not appear to be expecting it. When a “surprised and distraught” Kingsbury addressed his staffers, he mentioned some of them could be retained. One of them might be DC Vance Joseph, who has been connected to a possible promotion. The former Broncos HC served as Kingsbury’s DC throughout his four-year tenure.
- One of Frank Reich‘s Colts staffers earned an interview for the team’s HC vacancy. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone met with Jim Irsay and Co. about the position Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ventrone, 40, broke into coaching after 10 NFL seasons as a player. After spending time on Bill Belichick‘s staff, Ventrone joined Reich’s staff in 2018 and has been in position as Indy’s ST coordinator since. This is his first interview for a head coaching gig. The Colts can interview their own staffers, unattached coaches and Eagles or Chiefs staffers this week but must wait until midway through next week to begin meeting with candidates from teams playing on wild-card weekend.
- Although Brandon Staley guided the Chargers to the playoffs, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com does not get the sense the second-year HC’s job is 100% safe. A loss to the Jaguars may prompt Chargers ownership to change course. Sean Payton lurking may well affect Staley’s standing, should the Jags prevail. The Bolts job came up several months ago for Payton, who already lives in Los Angeles, and this potential partnership has been a poorly kept secret in NFL circles.
- Brian Flores will interview for the Browns‘ DC job Thursday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, though the Steelers linebackers coach is believed to have other teams interested. Flores’ discrimination lawsuit is ongoing, but the former Dolphins HC just wrapped a season on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. The Browns are also interviewing Jim Schwartz and Sean Desai, with a Jerod Mayo request out there as well.
- Two more Panthers assistants have left to join Matt Rhule at Nebraska. Rob Dvoracek and Garett McGuire have left the Panthers to become the Cornhuskers’ linebackers and wide receivers coaches, respectively, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Both were in low-level assistant roles with Carolina and each played for Rhule — Dvoracek at Temple, McGuire at Baylor. These exits follow Terrance Knighton‘s; Knighton departed the Panthers in-season.
Chargers Designate T Rashawn Slater For Return
Not long after seeing Joey Bosa re-emerge after a months-long injury rehab, the Chargers will see how Rashawn Slater looks in practice. The Bolts designated the second-year left tackle for return Tuesday.
Slater, who has been out with a biceps injury since Week 3, has been on the radar for a late-season return. The Chargers have 21 days to activate the former first-round pick, but with the playoffs upon us, an activation could commence soon.
Although Bosa played just days after being designated to return to practice, Brandon Staley confirmed Slater will not take the same path. Staley said Slater will not play in Saturday’s Jaguars matchup (video link). Both Slater and Bosa went down during the Bolts’ Week 3 loss to the Jags. Those injuries played a significant part in the Chargers’ season, though the team has Bosa back and ended up rallying to a 10-win campaign and the franchise’s first playoff game in four years.
Slater’s injury, a biceps tendon tear, generally ends players’ seasons. At first, it was believed the Northwestern product would be out for the year. That may end up being the case, but Staley has hinted at a potential Slater return taking place for weeks now. This would arm the Chargers with a major reinforcement.
Last season, Slater earned Pro Bowl recognition despite both being a rookie left tackle and having opted out of his final college season. Slater helped Justin Herbert become the AFC’s Pro Bowl starter last season. The Chargers have been using sixth-round rookie Jamaree Salyer at left tackle, and while that will be the case in their Jaguars rematch, a possible Slater return in Round 2 — should the Bolts win Saturday — would be rather important for the resurgent team.
The Chargers, who have been one of the NFL’s more injury-prone teams over the past several years, again battled extensive health issues this season. Herbert’s rib injury did not cost him any time, but he struggled in the weeks immediately following the setback. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams each missed extensive time due to leg injuries, while Bosa’s groin issue shut him down for 12 games. Derwin James and Corey Linsley also missed three games apiece. Although J.C. Jackson‘s Achilles tear shut him down, the Chargers will enter the playoffs as a fairly healthy operation.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
Some fireworks came in regarding the draft order on the NFL’s final regular-season day. The Bears upended the Texans for the No. 1 pick, reeling in a team that held that top slot for much of the season. The Bears last made a pick at No. 1 overall in 1947. Their former head coach — Lovie Smith, whom the Texans just fired — oversaw this final-day flip-flop. Clarity on the rest of the non-playoff-bound teams’ draft slots emerged as well.
The Jaguars’ rally to win the AFC South moves them into a postseason spot, and the Titans’ seven-game losing streak to end the season drops them to their highest selection since 2017. Tennessee’s next general manager will have the opportunity to make a pick at No. 11 or deal from that draft position, while Jacksonville will hold its lowest selection since 2018. The Texans will hold two top-12 picks in April, thanks to the Browns’ Week 18 loss to the Steelers, while the Lions will have two in the top 20 as well.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
- Chicago Bears: 3-14
- Houston Texans: 3-13-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Carolina Panthers: 7-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-10
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 8-9
- Green Bay Packers: 8-9
- Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
- Detroit Lions: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- New York Giants: 9-7-1
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
- Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
- Buffalo Bills: 13-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
- Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/7/23
Today’s minor transactions heading into the final Sunday of the regular season:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: DL Eric Banks, RB Ty’Son Williams
- Promoted from practice squad: LS Hunter Bradley, S Josh Thomas
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Josh Ali
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: WR Tylan Wallace, CB Daryl Worley
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Brett Hundley, DT Rayshad Nichols
- Released: TE Nick Boyle, WR DeSean Jackson
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted from practice squad: WR John Brown
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: C Sam Tecklenburg, WR Preston Williams
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Phil Hoskins, CB Josh Norman
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: S Adrian Colbert, CB Greg Stroman
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Jake Browning
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Storey Jackson, LB Sam Kamara
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Wyatt Ray, LB Ray Wilborn
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jermar Jefferson, CB Jarren Williams
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Johnny Johnson III
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Keke Coutee, S Trevor Denbow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Coy Cronk
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: DT David Moa, RB Larry Rountree
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Mike Glennon, LB Brennan Scarlett
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: DL Jonathan Bullard, TE Irv Smith (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Ryan Connelly, G Kyle Hinton
New England Patriots
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Calvin Munson, TE Matt Sokol
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Jack Heflin, QB Davis Webb
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: DE Bradlee Anae, WR Irvin Charles, OL Adam Pankey, S Will Parks, OL Eric Smith
- Placed on IR: OL Duane Brown, CB Brandin Echols, OL George Fant, OL Nate Herbig, S Lamarcus Joyner
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Renell Wren
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: RB Elijah Mitchell (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Michael Dwumfour, CB Janoris Jenkins
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: LB Josh Onujiogu
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Alexander Johnson, WR Cade Johnson
- Placed on IR: RB Travis Homer
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Ifeadi Odenigbo, T Justin Skule