2018 Los Angeles Chargers

[Don Wassall]

QB - Philip Rivers
TE - Sean Culkin
LG - Dan Feeney, Scott Quessenberry
C - Cole Toner
RG - Michael Schofield, Forrest Lamp
FB - Derek Watt

LE - Joey Bosa
OLB - Kyle Emanuel, Nick Dzubnar (ILB)

PK - Caleb Sturgis
P - Drew Kaser
LS - Mike Windt

TE Hunter Henry is currently on the IR eligible to return list. Rookie WR Dylan Cantrell is on the practice squad, with the other nine members being of the Magical Race.

This team would be more palatable if Hunter Henry and Dylan Cantrell hadn't been injured. Henry was finally in line to start after sharing reps his first two seasons with cement-footed Antonio Gates, while Cantrell was a star of training camp, though as we saw with the Jets' treatment of Chad Hansen that doesn't ensure he would have made the active roster.

Philip Rivers is an all-time great, and Joey Bosa is on his way to becoming one. The NFL is at the point now where a team with two White defensive starters is something to cheer for, though it wouldn't be surprising if Kyle Emanuel is demoted as White defensive players have to play at a blatantly obvious All Pro level to have any security as starters.

In two seasons with the Chargers, fullback Derek Watt has a total of 8 rushes and 6 receptions. Can you say human bulldozer? What a waste of the prolific Watt football genes.

Number of White starters: 6 (a healthy Henry would have given them 7)

Number of Whites on 53 man roster: 14

Grade: D

 

[Truthteller]

Didn't watch the odious Chargers yesterday, even though their game with the unwatchable Chiefs was televised in my market. Chargers were humiliated yesterday on defense...much of it due to getting no sacks and virtually pressure on the QB.

Might show just how good Bosa is....A current version of J.J. Watt, who a couple years ago could absolutely change games by himself.

Also, really hoping Cantrell can find his way back. But as me and others have noted in previous years, big and fast white WR's, with great athletic ability scare NFL teams. Can't let them succeed!

 

[Freethinker]

Didn't watch the odious Chargers yesterday, even though their game with the unwatchable Chiefs was televised in my market. Chargers were humiliated yesterday on defense...much of it due to getting no sacks and virtually pressure on the QB.

Might show just how good Bosa is....A current version of J.J. Watt, who a couple years ago could absolutely change games by himself.

Also, really hoping Cantrell can find his way back. But as me and others have noted in previous years, big and fast white WR's, with great athletic ability scare NFL teams. Can't let them succeed!

I think you are right. Without Bosa, the Chargers defense is as stout as a wet paper towel.

 

[La France Blanche]

Yep, Chargers unwatchable without Bosa and Henry.

Would help if they used Watt like the Packers (back when they didn't hate Whites) used John Kuhn.

 

[Freethinker]

Is this just more offseason blowing smoke? Hopefully not...

• 
  Dylan Cantrell WR, Los Angeles Chargers
  
  Chargers coach Anthony Lynn mentioned 2018 6th-round WR Dylan Cantrell as a player who needs to step up with Tyrell Williams gone.
  Cantrell spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, but the Chargers protected him by promoting him to the active roster in December. With 4.59 wheels, Cantrell is not a like-for-like replacement for Williams, but he flashed traits of a solid possession option at Texas Tech. It would not be a surprise if he worked his way into three-wide sets.
  
  Source: Eric Williams on Twitter
  Apr 9, 2019, 10:41 AM

 

[Shadowlight]

Beyond the vague optimism of the piece this is still an inaccurate hit job.

Lazy caste riddled report. First of all Cantrell has 4.52 speed. He ran a 4.47 on his pro day. Obviously like so many other white players at the combine, Cantrell was not accustomed to running the 40 yard dash and with some time and pointers he improved his time on his pro day.

He is also very athletic. At his size he ran a 4.03 20 yard shuttle which is outstanding. He leaps nearly 42 inches!!! Big numbers on all the other "athletic" tests so to suggest he can't compare to a black WR athletically, who by the way is still a bit unproven, is ludicrous.

At 6'3" 225 Cantrell's athletic profile is off the charts. The 20 yard shuttle is one of the best indicators of breakaway route running and heading for pay dirt.

 

[Don Wassall]

Beyond the vague optimism of the piece this is still an inaccurate hit job.

Lazy caste riddled report. First of all Cantrell has 4.52 speed. He ran a 4.47 on his pro day. Obviously like so many other white players at the combine, Cantrell was not accustomed to running the 40 yard dash and with some time and pointers he improved his time on his pro day.

He is also very athletic. At his size he ran a 4.03 20 yard shuttle which is outstanding. He leaps nearly 42 inches!!! Big numbers on all the other "athletic" tests so to suggest he can't compare to a black WR athletically, who by the way is still a bit unproven, is ludicrous.

At 6'3" 225 Cantrell's athletic profile is off the charts. The 20 yard shuttle is one of the best indicators of breakaway route running and heading for pay dirt.

Typical smear by omission and distortion. Cantrell tested well into the 90th percentile last year if I recall correctly. But most importantly, Cantrell has to stay healthy. Too many White receivers are their own worst enemies that way.

The Chargers current depth chart shows Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin as the starters, Mike Williams and Cantrell as their backups, and pure scrubdom after them. Allen is an excellent possession receiver, and Williams started to come on last year and due to his being drafted in the first round still has years to reach his "upside." But Benjamin is a pint-sized one-trick speed pony who is not a legit NFL starter, so there's opportunity there for Cantrell. And Lynn mentioning him as a possible replacement for Tyrell Williams is an unexpected surprise. I'm cautiously optimistic that Cantrell and Trey Quinn will see the field this season. But both have to prove they can stay healthy.

 

[Leonardfan]

Hopefully Cantrell stays healthy and is able to make an impact. Rivers has a few more good years left so it would be nice to see him and Cantrell develop a Manning/Decker like chemistry. Also interested to see if they select a QB - they do love stockpiling their quotas and mock drafts I have seen are trying to put the Buffalo black quarterback in San Diego as Rivers successor. The Chargers have Idler arm, Oafdale and Geno Smiff all on their roster. At least none of them are threats to become starters in the league again. Everyone remember when the media made Cardale Jones the 1st overall pick a few years ago lol. I have to wonder if many of these teams remeber Oafdale Jones when looking at Urban's final black quarterback creation Haskins. A lot of similarities between the two of them and I haven't heard anyone in the draft media make that connection.

 

[Freethinker]

Hopefully Cantrell stays healthy and is able to make an impact. Rivers has a few more good years left so it would be nice to see him and Cantrell develop a Manning/Decker like chemistry. Also interested to see if they select a QB - they do love stockpiling their quotas and mock drafts I have seen are trying to put the Buffalo black quarterback in San Diego as Rivers successor. The Chargers have Idler arm, Oafdale and Geno Smiff all on their roster. At least none of them are threats to become starters in the league again. Everyone remember when the media made Cardale Jones the 1st overall pick a few years ago lol. I have to wonder if many of these teams remeber Oafdale Jones when looking at Urban's final black quarterback creation Haskins. A lot of similarities between the two of them and I haven't heard anyone in the draft media make that connection.

Haskins being the next Jones has crossed my mind as well. I think Haskins will be better but not by much. Hopefully he falls in the draft and then ends up on a team where he has no chance to start.