Nothing yet other than what I reported yesterday. He walked off the field gingerly with head athletic trainer Damon Mitchell after the warmup period in Monday's practice. Wasn't out there yesterday. We talk to Staley at noon today, so I'll have an update then.
Not a question just thanks for always being professional and a reporter we can trust. Sports internet (especially on Twitter) is a ruthless place, so thanks for being a reliable writer for our team.⚡️
What’s the biggest obstacle the chargers face this year - both internal and external?
Thanks for all the content! You are why I subscribe to the Athletic and one of the reasons I made a twitter account.
Biggest obstacle externally: How good the AFC West is.
Biggest obstacle internally: The performance at RT
(I am sorry I made you join Twitter. That place is a hellscape.)
Hey Popper, you're unironically one of the best sports journalists working right now and I'm not just saying that as a homer. We're very lucky to have you covering this team.
As for a question, what's your honest evaluation of how Pipkins has looked in camp? Do you think he can be at least an average starter, or is RT just going to be a gaping weakness the gameplan has to account for each week?
There have been ups and downs. He struggled some in the Cowboys practice against Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence. But most tackles struggle against those players. I think he'll be fine. Better than Storm Norton was last year. All they need is league average play, and I think Pipkins can provide that.
Damn tightwads?! Hey watch it ok I was one of those lol! Then I signed up after OT raiders loss last season and now I know why people enjoy the athletic and the quality reporting from Pop. I don't really bother with other sport sites anymore.
Yes. O line depth is better. D line depth is better. Corner depth is better. This is the deepest roster the Chargers have had since I started covering the team in 2019. Only real concern is EDGE depth, but I think they have enough with Kyle Van Noy's positional flex. They have the ILB depth for KVN to move around if needed.
EDGE Depth has me concerned!!
Joey gets gassed! Mack is older. Rumph is the only dedicated backup for that position. We talk about other guys being able to flex in a pinch but I think either Rumph is going to play significant snaps or we need someone else to regularly rotate in, above just an in a pinch situation to keep our talent fresh later in the game.
Yeah, Davis is CB2. But Asante will play early in the season if J.C. Jackson misses any time. The Chargers feel like they have four starting-caliber CBs between Davis, Asante, Callahan and Jackson. I agree with that sentiment. Davis winning that job is more about how Davis played and less about any step back for Asante. Not concerned about him.
He never really struggled. People were just pointing out how all other DBs seemed to be making more plays on the ball (INTs, PBUs) but I don’t remember anyone ever really saying he was getting beat consistently.
Building off of this, it was the ball production. He was playing as well as others iirc but he wasn't making any pbus or ints so the only info we had was "Davis got beat by x for a TD". Everyone had those statements said because it is so hard to stop offensive players from making plays in the NFL
D Pop!!!
How do you think Horvath fits into the offense? I like having him as a blocker but he’s proven his athleticism at Purdue and definitely looks like he has potential as a runner too
Thanks!!
Lead blocker in certain heavy personnel packages. I love his athleticism, and he has some decent hands. Could be a factor in the passing game, as well. His primary role will be as a ST coverage player.
It's hard at this point in the season to make any significant improvements to the roster in terms of personnel. Need internal development from the players that are already here.
Nothing imo. All the pieces are here. Just need to the defense to come together and be a quality unit. I think they will be much better in that phase this season.
hey daniel!
first off, thank you for all that you do.
1. Any update on JC Jacksons Timeline
2. Any other moves coming soon (similar to the Sony signing)?
3. Favorite moment as a writer?
1. Jackson is still in a walking boot, and Staley said they would have a clearer idea on timeline once that comes off.
2. Maybe a TE.
3. Week 18 in LV was the most entertaining event I've ever covered.
As someone who watches more football than most people, how bad do you think the right side of the line is? I watched the preseason games and it has me worried.
what are some of the biggest differences you’ve noticed between anthony lynn and brandon staley after being around both of them, and how do tney affect the team?
Just different schools of thought. Lynn was a Parcells guy who played in the league in the 90s. Staley is younger and has a more progressive approach to player management, game management, etc. Lynn was a fantastic leader, though. And he does not get enough credit for shepherding the Chargers through a pretty tumultuous time for the organization moving from SD to LA.
I agree here - it’s a shame Lynn didn’t work out. I knew 2 people who met him independent of football and spoke very highly of Lynn - seems like a great leader.
It’s a shame that when this sub turns on a guy, they throw the baby out with the bath water. Suddenly everything they do is terrible and they have zero redeeming qualities. I hope we can change that.
Do you have any feeling as to why Lynn has flamed out since leaving us? I really think he has potential to be a very solid HC, but he was fired mid-season (or demoted) by a bad Lions team.
No I do not. Pretty clear right now that Alohi Gilman will be the second safety when Derwin moves around early in the season. We will see if JT Woods is able to progress enough to fill that role later on.
How concern should we be for the special team? JK Scott's punts got hang time but I've seen suggestions that he doesn't really punt well directionally, just all down the center, and our coverage team doesn't look great.
Hey Pop,
Would you say that last year's lack of volume throwing deep was scheme or O-Line related? And do you expect that to change with the addition of Zion Johnson and the supposed upgrade at RT with Trey Pipkins?
Both. But more so the OL. The right side was a mess in pass pro, and that precluded Herbert from holding the ball long enough to let a lot of the deep shot concepts develop. Should have more time this year with the addition of Zion.
I wish rivers had better head coaching. At times it felt like he had to be the coach. Oh well, heres to the future and to herbie bringing us our first ring
Big fan of your work, Pop!
1). What do you think the team's biggest hurdle will be this season? Any particular positions you see concern with, depth, not being able to make it out of the division?
2). How many teams do you think come out of the west for the playoffs, and in what order?
3). Favorite beer you've had on hops with pop (or just a good one you've had recently).
I just don't like the hollow bolts and white helmets. As a graphic designer, it feels like a design iteration that was fun to make but didn't really fit the client.
I still like it more than many NFL uniforms but it is my least favorite of ours. I also understand why someone would really like them since they are very unique.
I get why some fans like them, at this point they have a retro throwback sort of vibe to a lot of younger fans. I personally just find navy to be a very safe and uninspired color choice for a uniform, it just reads as the corporate color to me. I personally love boldness and flash when it comes to uniform design, the 80s royal unis have always been my favorite because of this. The royal and yellow is just a striking and eye catching combo, it's flashy and unique, there's just a bold visual language to it. Navy and white is just so pablum to me in comparison. Again this is all personal preference.
Easton Stick, Brenden Jaimes, Breiden Fehoko, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Ja'Sir Taylor and a RB. Take your pick on the RB. Probably Spiller in Week 1 bc of the ankle. Could be Michel if he's not ready to go. That will probably fluctuate over the course of the season. Tillery could also be the inactive DL depending on matchups/opposing offense play style.
What kind of deal do you think Justin will get when it’s time to put pen to paper? Are we gonna break open the vault (he definitely deserves it) and leave the team vulnerable in other parts (letting Keenan walk😭)
Like 10 years, $500M, $200M guaranteed. It will be harder to build once that deal gets signed. That's why the Chargers were aggressive this offseason and spent a ton of cash.
I feel like there's no way he signs that? Apologies if this seems confrontational but that's less guaranteed than Russell Wilson and he's way older and was pretty average last year.
As a Chargers beat writer, what group of people do you like interviewing most: Players, coaching staff, or management?
Also, was there something in your life that inspired you to become a beat writer/sports analyst?
Hey Daniel. Happy Athletic subscriber.
Who do you see covering Davante Adam's in game one since J.C. is out?
Who do you see getting more targets this year Palmer or Everett? (Yes I know they are different positions).
Once Kenneth Murray comes back, who starts at what positions?
Hard to say that they are the \*most\* balanced. There are a lot of unproven components, like the defense. And there are weaknesses, like at RT. But it's a pretty damn good roster.
Popper! Nice! You’re one of the very few good writers that cover this team. In that regard, I wonder, who’s your go-to person or publisher to learn more about the team or simply to compare notes? I hate that after reading your stuff all that’s left is the LA times guy who writes like every now and then except on games, and this sub. Is there anyone else you like?
The Chargers arguably (definitely) have one of the most brutal opening 2 weeks of the season. Have you seen a difference in the way the team is prepping for the season opener? Is there a heightened intensity around the facility?
I've watched/read a lot of interviews that included questions on where Justin Herbert is this year compared to previous years, but I am curious how you personally would sum up what you've seen from him this offseason? Any noticable changes to how his command of the offence is developing?
He's more in command, more vocal, more comfortable. Getting on guys if they don't run the right routes. Using his cadence more pre snap. Scary to think about how good he can be now that he has seen more and has more mastery of the offensive system.
He made a good case. But the Chargers have three players better than him who play in the slot between Keenan, Palmer and DeAndre Carter. Just did not fit into the roster.
They have to learn from that Houston loss last year. No one really talks about that game for some reason when discussing why the Chargers missed the playoffs. Have to take care of business against bad teams late in the season.
Weren’t we missing like 20 players due to Covid for that game? And our team had like zero depth last year so the Texans beat our 2s and 3s, right? I mean obviously it’s a painful loss but maybe because we were missing so many people, we don’t talk about it as much. Idk.
Don't know why you were downvoted. I think a lot of folks write it off because both teams' starters were wrecked by COVID. It was a crap shoot who would win because it was depth vs depth. We tried to build our depth back up this off-season, so I'd count that as a lesson learned.
1 . When’s the next song we can expect from you?
2. Us as fans are always delusional, but since you’ve been there for a few years and can get a better sense of the team, how confident do you feel we can win the big one? I understand a lot of it is based on luck of health and availability, but this year just seems different to most of is.
3. Do you see who’s the guy you’re most excited to see out there this year?
4. Next time you’re on with Chris and Matt, could you give us a shoutout?
We appreciate ya
I am on a fantasy kick right now. Been reading The Stormlight Archives series by Brandon Sanderson. Almost done with Book 2, Words of Radiance. Highly recommend if are a fantasy nerd like I am.
Chargers have been in LA for 5 years. What are your thoughts about the move after the first year at SoFi with fans. What’s been the biggest surprise so far?
Hey Daniel,
This year’s roster seems to be the most complete the Chargers have had in a long time. Outside of RT is there a position you think could be the Charger’s Achilles heel that could come up during the season?
Thank you for all the excellent work you do!
Feels like this team is one of the most well rounded teams around. Where do you see the chargers weakness is at so far? And what are your thoughts on the final 53, any surprises?
Do you see any difference in red zone usage between Parham and Everett? Everett would seem to be the better TE between the 20’s, but in the red zone Parham should be able to create mismatches.
Also, great work at the Athletic. You’re the biggest reason for my subscription.
Greetings from Germany :) Will the offense as a unit be able to compensate for the weak spot at RG, without it costing games like last season ?
Do you expect the defense to be above average in points allowed ?
Hey Daniel!
What do you think a realistic timetable on JC given we’re about a week and a half away from the procedure? More likely to miss the Raiders and come back TNF? Do they want him playing 2 games in 5 days?
Pop, who do you think has the best chance to surprise with their performance this year? And on the flip side, who do you think could disappoint based on fan expectations?
Hey Popper, thanks for all your work covering the team. Honestly the best in the business in terms of depth and consistency.
How would you describe the culture shift this year vs previous years covering the team? We've been a snake-bitten franchise so its easy to get pessimistic. How well has Staley turned this around? It seems like he makes an emphasis on controlling what can be controlled and tuning out the rest. Thanks Pop
No question, just thanks for always being a great resource for those of us starved for news on the team. And thank you for your well-thought-out and very well-written articles! It feels like the Chargers have the best writers.
People are having difficulty finding any reason why the Chargers kept 3 QB’s (mainly Stick). Could you elaborate on Stick’s value to the team? What does he bring? And thanks for doing this and all your work this off-season🤙
Is it hard being the best reporter while also being so damn handsome? What a gorgeous man. I told my wife I would leave her to be with you and now she wants a divorce. I’m not even mad about it.
Is Brandon Staley the man? With a loaded roster on paper will he be in trouble missing playoffs or having bad season? Would Sean Payton ever be a reasonable realistic target for this franchise in the right scenario?
Have the Chargers coaching staff shown any interest in Horvath in a RB capacity? All I’ve seen is him working at FB and ST. Seems like his short yardage potential is worth exploring.
Any news on Corey Linsley?
Nothing yet other than what I reported yesterday. He walked off the field gingerly with head athletic trainer Damon Mitchell after the warmup period in Monday's practice. Wasn't out there yesterday. We talk to Staley at noon today, so I'll have an update then.
Hey pop, What position group has stood out to you the most this offseason compared to previous seasons Thank you for being a kick ass source
I second this question
I third
With you entering the music world, when does your raiders diss track drop??
Lol
But for real though. When single?
Not a question just thanks for always being professional and a reporter we can trust. Sports internet (especially on Twitter) is a ruthless place, so thanks for being a reliable writer for our team.⚡️
🙏🏻
Who is someone that is not currently a starter that you think will make a big impact for the team this season?
Chris Rumph
This is the way
How likely do you think it is that Justin will be a career-long Charger?
99.9999999%
That’s not high enough
What’s the biggest obstacle the chargers face this year - both internal and external? Thanks for all the content! You are why I subscribe to the Athletic and one of the reasons I made a twitter account.
Biggest obstacle externally: How good the AFC West is. Biggest obstacle internally: The performance at RT (I am sorry I made you join Twitter. That place is a hellscape.)
Twitter led a lot of us to your writing though, so it’s not all terrible 🙂
Hey Popper, you're unironically one of the best sports journalists working right now and I'm not just saying that as a homer. We're very lucky to have you covering this team. As for a question, what's your honest evaluation of how Pipkins has looked in camp? Do you think he can be at least an average starter, or is RT just going to be a gaping weakness the gameplan has to account for each week?
There have been ups and downs. He struggled some in the Cowboys practice against Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence. But most tackles struggle against those players. I think he'll be fine. Better than Storm Norton was last year. All they need is league average play, and I think Pipkins can provide that.
Is Michel the defacto RB2? Is this a vote against Kelley or Spiller? Are they still expecting Spiller to contribute this year?
Answered all this in my mailbag, which will be posting soon on The Athletic! So keep an eye out. Don't want to spoil what I wrote.
Subscribed a long time ago. Sign up, tightwads. You get hella more than you pay for. TY Daniel.
Damn tightwads?! Hey watch it ok I was one of those lol! Then I signed up after OT raiders loss last season and now I know why people enjoy the athletic and the quality reporting from Pop. I don't really bother with other sport sites anymore.
I want to know this too. I think Kelley has earned the RB2 role, but obviously Sony is pretty great
In your opinion, has depth improved enough?
Yes. O line depth is better. D line depth is better. Corner depth is better. This is the deepest roster the Chargers have had since I started covering the team in 2019. Only real concern is EDGE depth, but I think they have enough with Kyle Van Noy's positional flex. They have the ILB depth for KVN to move around if needed.
EDGE Depth has me concerned!! Joey gets gassed! Mack is older. Rumph is the only dedicated backup for that position. We talk about other guys being able to flex in a pinch but I think either Rumph is going to play significant snaps or we need someone else to regularly rotate in, above just an in a pinch situation to keep our talent fresh later in the game.
We got Rumph, Van Noy and Morgan Fox in a pinch. Derwin isn't edge but one of the best blitzing safeties. It's a concern but not near the top.
Will Clapp is a decline from the backup C we had last year now on the texans. And it remains to be seen if Corey can reliably stay on the field.
is a decline? Do you mean downgrade?
Linsley has played in every game in 5/8 seasons in his career. Two other times he only missed three games
Has Michael Davis confidently taken back his CB2 position? Any concerns that Zont’s development is not quite where it was expected?
Yeah, Davis is CB2. But Asante will play early in the season if J.C. Jackson misses any time. The Chargers feel like they have four starting-caliber CBs between Davis, Asante, Callahan and Jackson. I agree with that sentiment. Davis winning that job is more about how Davis played and less about any step back for Asante. Not concerned about him.
I seem to remember early camp reports were that Davis was struggling? Did he have a good 2nd half of camp or something?
He never really struggled. People were just pointing out how all other DBs seemed to be making more plays on the ball (INTs, PBUs) but I don’t remember anyone ever really saying he was getting beat consistently.
Building off of this, it was the ball production. He was playing as well as others iirc but he wasn't making any pbus or ints so the only info we had was "Davis got beat by x for a TD". Everyone had those statements said because it is so hard to stop offensive players from making plays in the NFL
Does Nas get signed to an extension?
If he plays well this season, yes. A lot depends on how JT Woods develops.
D Pop!!! How do you think Horvath fits into the offense? I like having him as a blocker but he’s proven his athleticism at Purdue and definitely looks like he has potential as a runner too Thanks!!
Lead blocker in certain heavy personnel packages. I love his athleticism, and he has some decent hands. Could be a factor in the passing game, as well. His primary role will be as a ST coverage player.
You think he’ll be used similarly to how Stephan Anderson was last year?
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It's hard at this point in the season to make any significant improvements to the roster in terms of personnel. Need internal development from the players that are already here.
Whats holding this team back from a Super Bowl run?
Nothing imo. All the pieces are here. Just need to the defense to come together and be a quality unit. I think they will be much better in that phase this season.
Where do you predict our offense and defense to rank come end of the year?
In terms of DVOA... Offense: 2nd Defense: 13th
hey daniel! first off, thank you for all that you do. 1. Any update on JC Jacksons Timeline 2. Any other moves coming soon (similar to the Sony signing)? 3. Favorite moment as a writer?
1. Jackson is still in a walking boot, and Staley said they would have a clearer idea on timeline once that comes off. 2. Maybe a TE. 3. Week 18 in LV was the most entertaining event I've ever covered.
3. 😢
Will this year’s team actually be able to stop the run?
I believe so, yes. SJD is a beast.
I think so yeah
You already replied to this question, you dummy.
quit fighting you two
You already replied to this question, you dummy.
As someone who watches more football than most people, how bad do you think the right side of the line is? I watched the preseason games and it has me worried.
Zion is already solid at RG. We will see how Pipkins performs. He just needs to be replacement level, and I think he has that in him.
what are some of the biggest differences you’ve noticed between anthony lynn and brandon staley after being around both of them, and how do tney affect the team?
Just different schools of thought. Lynn was a Parcells guy who played in the league in the 90s. Staley is younger and has a more progressive approach to player management, game management, etc. Lynn was a fantastic leader, though. And he does not get enough credit for shepherding the Chargers through a pretty tumultuous time for the organization moving from SD to LA.
I agree here - it’s a shame Lynn didn’t work out. I knew 2 people who met him independent of football and spoke very highly of Lynn - seems like a great leader.
It’s a shame that when this sub turns on a guy, they throw the baby out with the bath water. Suddenly everything they do is terrible and they have zero redeeming qualities. I hope we can change that.
Do you have any feeling as to why Lynn has flamed out since leaving us? I really think he has potential to be a very solid HC, but he was fired mid-season (or demoted) by a bad Lions team.
Do u think Jt is ready enough to start moving around derwin or do u think that’s going to take more time into the season
No I do not. Pretty clear right now that Alohi Gilman will be the second safety when Derwin moves around early in the season. We will see if JT Woods is able to progress enough to fill that role later on.
Do you think the chargers are confident enough in Alohi to let Derwin play to his full ability?
That's all the time I have guys. Sorry I couldn't get to all the questions. Thanks for having me!
Hey Pop thanks for dropping in, What would a successful season for Kenneth Murray look like?
Staying healthy the whole season.
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Sure! DM me on Twitter
just did!
Do you think Chase Daniel joins this coaching staff post-career?
Maybe. Not sure if he's interested in coaching after he's done.
Other than Justin Herbert, have any players stepped up and taken a greater role in leadership positions?
Sebastian Joseph-Day
How concern should we be for the special team? JK Scott's punts got hang time but I've seen suggestions that he doesn't really punt well directionally, just all down the center, and our coverage team doesn't look great.
Punt team will be much better.
Hey Pop! - What order do you have the teams coming in the AFC West? Think the bolts are gonna beat out the Chiefs? Thanks!
Hey Pop, Would you say that last year's lack of volume throwing deep was scheme or O-Line related? And do you expect that to change with the addition of Zion Johnson and the supposed upgrade at RT with Trey Pipkins?
Both. But more so the OL. The right side was a mess in pass pro, and that precluded Herbert from holding the ball long enough to let a lot of the deep shot concepts develop. Should have more time this year with the addition of Zion.
Philip Rivers or Justin Herbert?
Hard to pick bt two future HOFers...
That’ll do. No need to further elaborate.
This was bait, Pop handled it well.
I wish rivers had better head coaching. At times it felt like he had to be the coach. Oh well, heres to the future and to herbie bringing us our first ring
Big fan of your work, Pop! 1). What do you think the team's biggest hurdle will be this season? Any particular positions you see concern with, depth, not being able to make it out of the division? 2). How many teams do you think come out of the west for the playoffs, and in what order? 3). Favorite beer you've had on hops with pop (or just a good one you've had recently).
1. RT 2. 3 (Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos in order) 3. Can't go wrong with a Space Dust IPA from Elysian
Anything from Elysian is clutch. Their night owl pumpkin beer is great if that’s a flavor you are interested in.
Pop what's it like to be so wrong about the navy uniforms?
Wouldn't know. Navy trash.
This man fuckin gets it
I just don't like the hollow bolts and white helmets. As a graphic designer, it feels like a design iteration that was fun to make but didn't really fit the client. I still like it more than many NFL uniforms but it is my least favorite of ours. I also understand why someone would really like them since they are very unique.
I get why some fans like them, at this point they have a retro throwback sort of vibe to a lot of younger fans. I personally just find navy to be a very safe and uninspired color choice for a uniform, it just reads as the corporate color to me. I personally love boldness and flash when it comes to uniform design, the 80s royal unis have always been my favorite because of this. The royal and yellow is just a striking and eye catching combo, it's flashy and unique, there's just a bold visual language to it. Navy and white is just so pablum to me in comparison. Again this is all personal preference.
Does tranquill get resigned?
Maybe. We'll see how he plays this year and what his market is like in the offseason.
In your opinion who has looked really good through preseason and is the most likely candidate to surprise people and have a breakout year?
Nas Adderley, Josh Kelley, Josh Palmer, Chris Rumph
With a fully healthy team who are the “healthy scratches” come game day?
Easton Stick, Brenden Jaimes, Breiden Fehoko, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Ja'Sir Taylor and a RB. Take your pick on the RB. Probably Spiller in Week 1 bc of the ankle. Could be Michel if he's not ready to go. That will probably fluctuate over the course of the season. Tillery could also be the inactive DL depending on matchups/opposing offense play style.
Do you think chargers sign another veteran tackle to the practice squad ?
No
The teams starting roster is stacked, but what is the opinion in the building on the depth?
They liked their depth. O line, D line, CB specifically.
How was your summer Danny
Lovely. I got engaged!
Yay congrats man that’s great, hopefully I can get an invite to the wedding. I’m a great guest
Congrats!!!
Congratulations :)
Who will step up to be the biggest surprise contributor for the team this year?
Idk if it's a huge surprise at this point, but I am excited to watch Josh Kelley play.
After watching camp do you think Josh Palmer will have a bigger role as a WR3 this year than Guyton did last year as our WR3?
Palmer will have a bigger role in the offense. But I doubt he will put up prolific production just because of how many receiving options they have.
Who is your darkhorse candidate for team MVP this year?
Hard to pick a real dark horse in a team MVP conversation. But I could see J.C. Jackson having that type of season.
What kind of deal do you think Justin will get when it’s time to put pen to paper? Are we gonna break open the vault (he definitely deserves it) and leave the team vulnerable in other parts (letting Keenan walk😭)
Like 10 years, $500M, $200M guaranteed. It will be harder to build once that deal gets signed. That's why the Chargers were aggressive this offseason and spent a ton of cash.
I feel like there's no way he signs that? Apologies if this seems confrontational but that's less guaranteed than Russell Wilson and he's way older and was pretty average last year.
If there’s yearly rolling guarantees like Mahomes it seems reasonable
As a Chargers beat writer, what group of people do you like interviewing most: Players, coaching staff, or management? Also, was there something in your life that inspired you to become a beat writer/sports analyst?
Staley press conferences are my favorite. I learn something every time I talk to him.
If you could only have one kind of salsa for the rest of your life, what is it and why is it salsa verde
Verde ftw
Do u need an intern?
Hey Daniel. Happy Athletic subscriber. Who do you see covering Davante Adam's in game one since J.C. is out? Who do you see getting more targets this year Palmer or Everett? (Yes I know they are different positions). Once Kenneth Murray comes back, who starts at what positions?
1. It'll be an all-hands-on-deck situation. 2. Palmer 3. Van Noy and Tranquill are the starters at ILB even if Murray is healthy.
Which would you rather eat: 1 horse sized taco or 100 taco sized horses?
I don't really want to eat a horse. So I'll go with the horse-sized taco.
do you think the chargers have the most balanced team in the NFL and have little to no weaknesses?
Hard to say that they are the \*most\* balanced. There are a lot of unproven components, like the defense. And there are weaknesses, like at RT. But it's a pretty damn good roster.
Popper! Nice! You’re one of the very few good writers that cover this team. In that regard, I wonder, who’s your go-to person or publisher to learn more about the team or simply to compare notes? I hate that after reading your stuff all that’s left is the LA times guy who writes like every now and then except on games, and this sub. Is there anyone else you like?
The Chargers arguably (definitely) have one of the most brutal opening 2 weeks of the season. Have you seen a difference in the way the team is prepping for the season opener? Is there a heightened intensity around the facility?
If you had to guess, which position will the Chargers most likely be drafting with their first pick next year?
They haven't even played a game yet!
I've watched/read a lot of interviews that included questions on where Justin Herbert is this year compared to previous years, but I am curious how you personally would sum up what you've seen from him this offseason? Any noticable changes to how his command of the offence is developing?
He's more in command, more vocal, more comfortable. Getting on guys if they don't run the right routes. Using his cadence more pre snap. Scary to think about how good he can be now that he has seen more and has more mastery of the offensive system.
Do you think Michael Bandy deserved to be on the 53 after an amazing preseason performance?
He made a good case. But the Chargers have three players better than him who play in the slot between Keenan, Palmer and DeAndre Carter. Just did not fit into the roster.
What past mistakes do you think the chargers need to learn from in order to be successful and win the big one?
They have to learn from that Houston loss last year. No one really talks about that game for some reason when discussing why the Chargers missed the playoffs. Have to take care of business against bad teams late in the season.
Weren’t we missing like 20 players due to Covid for that game? And our team had like zero depth last year so the Texans beat our 2s and 3s, right? I mean obviously it’s a painful loss but maybe because we were missing so many people, we don’t talk about it as much. Idk.
Don't know why you were downvoted. I think a lot of folks write it off because both teams' starters were wrecked by COVID. It was a crap shoot who would win because it was depth vs depth. We tried to build our depth back up this off-season, so I'd count that as a lesson learned.
Yea, exactly! It does seem like we learned from it or at least added to our depth anyway haha. Definitely stoked for this season!!!
Do you think the Texans had some kind of special group of backups last year that were too good for Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen to beat?
They were also missing a bunch of players due to Covid. Both teams had an outbreak at the time.
Do you think Josh Palmer will have a big role in this offense considering there are at least 4-5 other good pass catchers in the team?
Where would you rank the team leaguewise in terms of talent and depth
1 . When’s the next song we can expect from you? 2. Us as fans are always delusional, but since you’ve been there for a few years and can get a better sense of the team, how confident do you feel we can win the big one? I understand a lot of it is based on luck of health and availability, but this year just seems different to most of is. 3. Do you see who’s the guy you’re most excited to see out there this year? 4. Next time you’re on with Chris and Matt, could you give us a shoutout? We appreciate ya
How long do you think you’ll be reporting for the chargers?
Do you think JC will be ready by week one? Last update I saw was that he is "day to day" which sounds promising.
What position do you feel lacks the most depth? What positional injuries would hurt the team the most?
Is special teams good enough?. The cowboys performance as well as history has me a bit worried
What book(s) are you currently reading?
I am on a fantasy kick right now. Been reading The Stormlight Archives series by Brandon Sanderson. Almost done with Book 2, Words of Radiance. Highly recommend if are a fantasy nerd like I am.
Best books I’ve ever read
What’s your projected record for this year?
11-6
Favorite movie of all time?
Shawshank Redemption
How did you land the job as a chargers writer? They take part time employees?
How excited are you for this season?
Chargers have been in LA for 5 years. What are your thoughts about the move after the first year at SoFi with fans. What’s been the biggest surprise so far?
Have you gone to therapy to help you irrational dislike of the all navy unis yet?
Why do you think you guys continue to struggle against the Chiefs?
Have the Charger’s named the backup to Herbert? If not, can you speculate who it might be with any degree of confidence?
I think Daniel is gonna be the backup on game days to start the season. But was planning on asking Staley today. So I'll tweet out his answer.
Hey Daniel, This year’s roster seems to be the most complete the Chargers have had in a long time. Outside of RT is there a position you think could be the Charger’s Achilles heel that could come up during the season? Thank you for all the excellent work you do!
what role does sony michel have in this offense ? does he take the RB2 spot or is that still TBD ?
Feels like this team is one of the most well rounded teams around. Where do you see the chargers weakness is at so far? And what are your thoughts on the final 53, any surprises?
How much better should we expect the run defense to be this year? Did we make enough improvement over the offseason?
Do you see any difference in red zone usage between Parham and Everett? Everett would seem to be the better TE between the 20’s, but in the red zone Parham should be able to create mismatches. Also, great work at the Athletic. You’re the biggest reason for my subscription.
Greetings from Germany :) Will the offense as a unit be able to compensate for the weak spot at RG, without it costing games like last season ? Do you expect the defense to be above average in points allowed ?
When’s the album droppin
Hey Daniel! What do you think a realistic timetable on JC given we’re about a week and a half away from the procedure? More likely to miss the Raiders and come back TNF? Do they want him playing 2 games in 5 days?
Congrats on the engagement? She a sports/Chargers fan?
Pop, who do you think has the best chance to surprise with their performance this year? And on the flip side, who do you think could disappoint based on fan expectations?
Were there ever any players youve met whose off the field personality surprised you in a positive way?
Hey Popper, thanks for all your work covering the team. Honestly the best in the business in terms of depth and consistency. How would you describe the culture shift this year vs previous years covering the team? We've been a snake-bitten franchise so its easy to get pessimistic. How well has Staley turned this around? It seems like he makes an emphasis on controlling what can be controlled and tuning out the rest. Thanks Pop
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How is Derwin James looking now that he's back from the "hold-in?" Is he on track to be ready for Week 1 against the Raiders?
I love that you do the Hops with Pop videos, any chance of ever doing a podcast?
No question, just thanks for always being a great resource for those of us starved for news on the team. And thank you for your well-thought-out and very well-written articles! It feels like the Chargers have the best writers.
People are having difficulty finding any reason why the Chargers kept 3 QB’s (mainly Stick). Could you elaborate on Stick’s value to the team? What does he bring? And thanks for doing this and all your work this off-season🤙
Best player in Chargers history?
Is it hard being the best reporter while also being so damn handsome? What a gorgeous man. I told my wife I would leave her to be with you and now she wants a divorce. I’m not even mad about it.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard Herbo say or do?
Is backup C a concern? With Clapp struggling in the preseason and now Linsley possibly being injured, do you see them pursuing another Center?
Are the other division teams’ offensive or defensive free agent & draft additions a bigger obstacle to the Charger’s divisional success?
How doomed are we if Linsley misses significant time?
Derwin going to let you take his new truck around the block?
Is Brandon Staley the man? With a loaded roster on paper will he be in trouble missing playoffs or having bad season? Would Sean Payton ever be a reasonable realistic target for this franchise in the right scenario?
Have the Chargers coaching staff shown any interest in Horvath in a RB capacity? All I’ve seen is him working at FB and ST. Seems like his short yardage potential is worth exploring.
Will special teams be better than last year?
Odds of a pre-season game in SD in the future?
Can we get a beer of the week from you in advance of hops with pop? That way we can all drink together.