Supercharged: A San Diego Chargers' M15 Franchise

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Chargers grant HC McCoy extension
Published January 25th, 2015

The San Diego Chargers have announced that they have extended head coach Mike McCoy's contract through the 2017 season.

With coaching headlines at this time of year being dominated by firings and interviews, it is perhaps surprising to hear of a contract extension, particularly given how the Chargers finished their 2014 season.

Ravaged by injuries and inconsistent offensive play, the Chargers floundered down the stretch, going 4-6 their final 10 games and missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. The team had a chance in Week 17 at Kansas City against backup quarterback Chase Daniels to book a postseason ticket, but put up a dud to end their season on a sour note.

Nevertheless, by signing McCoy to an extension, the Chargers management has expressed its confidence in where the team is heading. "Though we didn't meet our own expectations this past year," said team president Dean Spanos, "we have complete faith in the coaching staff and system we have in place, and believe that we have the right building blocks for reaching our ultimate goal of a championship."

In two years as head coach, McCoy has led the Chargers to back-to-back 9-7 seasons. After taking over from Norv Turner in 2013, McCoy was able to lead the Chargers to a Wild Card birth, where the team knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals before losing to the eventual AFC Champion Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. Perhaps more impressively, however, McCoy has been able to resurrect the career of Philip Rivers, who has returned to being a top player at the quarterback position.

The contract extension is worth $4.5M per year, a $500,000 raise for McCoy.

With this vote of confidence from team management, McCoy now has his work cut out for him in the off-season. With the 33-year old Rivers likely headed to the operating table to fix a slipped disk in his back, and several key players with expiring contracts, the Chargers will need to a solid off-season to avoid a step back in 2015.

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Chargers re-sign CB Flowers
Published February 10th, 2015

The San Diego Chargers have announced the re-signing of a key piece of their defense, agreeing to terms with cornerback Brandon Flowers on a two-year deal worth $15M.


Flowers recorded 52 tackles and 3 interceptions in 2014, his first season with the Chargers.

After being released by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2013 season, Flowers signed a one-year deal with the division rival Chargers and immediately helped improve one of the league's worst pass defenses. Flowers was quietly brilliant in his first season with the Chargers, helping them go from 29th to 4th in the NFL in passing yards against.

Team officials also praised the veteran Flowers' leadership as a reason for the new contract, which will particularly important given the earlier report from NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport that cornerback Shareece Wright will likely test the free agency market, leaving second year player Jason Verrett as the probable starter across from Flowers.

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Chargers re-sign Freeney, Liuget
Published February 16th, 2015

The San Diego Chargers continued retaining key defensive veterans Monday, re-signing outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and defensive end Corey Liuget.

Freeney has agreed to a one-year contract worth $3.75M. After missing the majority of his first season with the Chargers in 2013, the veteran pass-rusher played a situational role with the team in 2014, recording 3.5 sacks.

Liuget has agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth a total of $23.2M. Drafted by the Chargers in 2011, Liuget has recorded 169 tackles and 18 sacks in his four year career. He his coming off a career-high 57 tackle season in 2014.

[djp73]

Re: Supercharged: A San Diego Chargers' M15 Franchise

this should be a nice team to play with in a tough division

great screen name

solid resignings

following

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Re: Supercharged: A San Diego Chargers' M15 Franchise

Woodhead headed for free agency
Published February 26th, 2015

Sources around the Chargers' organization and Danny Woodhead report that contract negotiations have stalled between the team and the six-year pro. Woodhead is likely headed for free agency, opening March 10th.

Reports have cited the Chargers brass's imagined reduced role for Woodhead in 2015 as the main source of disagreement between the two parties. Undrafted rookie Brandon Oliver emerged in 2014, playing a similar role to that of Woodhead before the latter's season was cut short by a broken tibula.


Woodhead had over 1000 all-purposed yards and 8 touchdowns in 2013, but only played two games in 2014 before breaking his tibula.

With Woodhead leaving, the Chargers' depth at running back is suddenly now in question, especially with starter Ryan Mathews also still yet to renew his contract.

Woodhead will be a top option in free agency at running back, though will be a risk for whichever team signs him, as he is coming off injury and has reached the dreaded age of 30.

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Chargers re-sign multiple players ahead of free agency
Published March 2nd, 2015

It was a busy day for Chargers general manager Tom Telesco Monday, as he announced a handful of contract renewals ahead of next week's free agency period.

Most notable among the group were a pair of starting offensive lineman, left tackle King Dunlap and center Nick Hardwick.

Dunlap has signed for four years for a total of $18M. He was the lone bright spot on an offensive line that struggled in 2014, protecting Philip Rivers' blindside and quietly becoming a star left tackle in the NFL.

Hardwick has resigned for two years worth a total of $4.2M. After a season-ending neck injury in 2014, many expected the 33-year old to retire. His recover has been progressing well, however, and this new contract will likely keep the long time Charger in blue and yellow for good.

Among the other signings announced by the Chargers were wide receiver Seyi Ajirotitu, linebacker Andrew Gachkar, defensive end Lawrence Guy, and right tackle Mike Harris. Still yet to sign for the Chargers, however, are running backs Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, cornerback Shareece Wright, safety Marcus Gilchrist, and receiver Eddie Royal.

[weddlesbeard]

Re: Supercharged: A San Diego Chargers' M15 Franchise

this should be a nice team to play with in a tough division

great screen name

solid resignings

following

Thanks for the support!

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Re: Supercharged: A San Diego Chargers' M15 Franchise

Mathews re-signs with Chargers
Published March 8th, 2015

They waited until the eleventh hour, but the San Diego Chargers are keeping one of their key offensive pieces from hitting the free agency market. Running back Ryan Mathews has signed a new three year contract worth $11.4M, keeping the former first round pick in San Diego through the 2017 season.


Ryan Mathews is coming off a career-low 330 rushing yards in an injury-filled 2014.

"It's an honor to stay in this wonderful organization," said Mathews, "and to be given the opportunity to prove that I can be one of the best running backs in the league."

With the risk of sounding like a broken record, the challenge for Mathews will be to stay healthy. His five year career has been riddled by injuries, yet when healthy, Mathews has shown glimpses of the talent that drove the Chargers to trade up to draft him twelfth overall in 2010. Mathews has only played a full 16 games once in his NFL career, in 2013, when he rushed for a career-high 1,255 yards. This was followed by an injury-shortened 2014 in which Mathews played a career-low six games and ran for only 330 yards.

This was enough to garner Mathews a new contract, however. "We still believe in Ryan," head coach Mike McCoy succinctly stated, "he is a top level talent at the back position."

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Cecil Shorts III signs with San Diego
Published March 12th, 2015

Amid rampant rumours about the fate of this year's top free agent prize, Julio Jones, some more modest news broke out of San Diego regarding another free agent receiver.

The Chargers have inked former Jacksonville Jaguar Cecil Shorts III to a four-year deal worth $12M. Shorts will take Eddie Royal's - who signed earlier in the day with the Raiders - spot on the Chargers' depth chart, though he could potentially challenge the aging Malcolm Floyd as the #2 receiver.


Cecil Shorts III caught 53 receptions for 557 yards in 2014.

Shorts has shown some flash and promise in his three year career, catching 176 passes for 2,343 yards and 12 touchdowns. And this is with the likes of Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert at quarterback. With Philip Rivers now throwing him the ball, Cecil Shorts III is now a prime candidate for a breakout season in 2015.

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Jones to Jaguars; Powers stays in 'Zona
Published March 16th, 2015

Two of this year's top free agent targets are off the market.

Julio Jones has agreed to a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have desperately needed an elite player who can elevate the offense and sell tickets for years. It is perhaps surprising to see Jones head to Jacksonville, when at least a half-dozen teams were reportedly pursuing the star receiver. Yet, the challenge of being a part of a rebuilding franchise and working with a young promising quarterback in Blake Bortles were key factors in Jones' decision, according to his agent.

Jerraud Powers, who has quietly become a solid starting cornerback in the NFL, finally agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals after testing free agent waters for a week. Reports had Powers linked with San Diego and Oakland before he resigned with the Cardinals, where he has played across from Patrick Peterson since 2013.

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2015 NFL Draft: San Diego Chargers Preview
Published April 10th, 2015

As we continue our team-by-team preview of the upcoming NFL Draft, today we look at the San Diego Chargers who hold the #19 pick.

2014 Record: 9-7, 3rd AFC West
Free Agent Additions: WR Cecil Shorts III
Free Agent Losses: WR Eddie Royal, RB Danny Woodhead, S Marcus Gilchrist, CB Shareece Wright

Biggest team needs:

Interior O-line
The Chargers' offensive line was dreadful in 2014. They failed to open up running lanes for whoever was in the backfield, averaging only 3.4 yards per carry (30th in the NFL). Part of these struggles could be chalked up to injuries, especially at center, however, they are more due to a lack of talent. With Nick Hardwick returning from injury, and some decent talent at the tackle positions, expect the Chargers to look at guards to start rebuilding their offensive line.

Secondary
The Chargers' pass defense was much improved in 2014 and the team will have some continuity with the resigning of Brandon Flowers. This secondary, however, lost two key pieces in free agency in Shareece Wright and Marcus Gilchrist. Although the Chargers' coaching staff has expressed confidence in Jahleel Addae and Jason Verrett as starters, the depth of this secondary is very weak.

Quarterback
This may be a shocker to many, as Philip Rivers is coming off a second strong season under Mike McCoy and remains one of the top passers in the league. However, the 33-year old is coming off a major back injury. It might be time to look into drafting and grooming Rivers' eventual replacement.

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Defensive lineman dominate Day 1 of 2015 NFL Draft
Published April 30th, 2015

A total of twelve defensive lineman were drafted on the first day of the 2015 NFL Draft, including the top two and three of the top four picks. The defensive line craze was led by tackle Vinny Rosemond who went first overall to the New York Giants and will immediately help a defense that gave up the third most rushing yards in the NFL last year.

Perhaps less surprisingly, four quarterbacks were taken in the first round. The Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans were both in dire need of a franchise quarterback, took Dexter Duncan and Corbin Trahan at fifth and 29 overall, respectively. The St. Louis Rams took Julian Yount at 16th overall, perhaps ending the Sam Bradford era in St. Louis, while division rival Arizona took Desi Savoie at #8 to eventually replace the aging Carson Palmer.

NFL Draft - Round 1 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos
1	New York Giants	Vinny Rosemond	DT
2	Jacksonville Jaguars	Artaves Perry	DT
3	Minnesota Vikings	Isikeli Baxter	OLB
4	Atlanta Falcons	Navassa Sampson	DE
5	Tennessee Titans	Dexter Duncan	QB
6	Indianapolis Colts	Wesley Doyle	OLB
7	Oakland Raiders	Abraham Espinosa	LT
8	Arizona Cardinals	Desi Savoie	QB
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jacob Edwards	WR
10	Seattle Seahawks	Merrill Gayton	OLB
11	Carolina Panthes	Jacon Bailey	S
12	Green Bay Packers	Jerry Barker	DT
13	Miami Dolphins	Ulysses Patton	MLB
14	Cleveland Browns	Logan Douglas	DT
15	Denver Broncos	Orleans Randall	DE
16	St. Louis Rams	Julian Yount	QB
17	Chicago Bears	Javon McKinney	DE
18	Dallas Cowboys	DJ Gates	OLB
19	San Diego Chargers	Michael Howard	C
20	Cincinnati Bengals	Keron Motes	CB
21	Philadelphia Eagles	Bryan Rivera	DT
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Dequarius Hennings	DE
23	Cleveland Browns	Albery Hadley	WR
24	New York Jets	D'Antwone Hatcher	TE
25	New Orleans Saints	Marquess Mason	CB
26	Detroit Lions	Kelcy Dennard	CB
27	Washington Redskins	Braddie Lofton	DT
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Winford Samuels	DE
29	Houston Texans	Corbin Trahan	QB
30	Baltimore Ravens	Zeke Russ	DE
31	New England Patriots	Houston Foster	MLB
32	Oakland Raiders	Dalvin Stallworth	CB

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2015 NFL Draft Recap: Chargers take pair of Hurricane lineman with top two picks
Published May 2nd, 2015

After four years blocking for the same running backs and protecting the same quarterbacks at the university of Miami, Michael Howard and Bo Bernard will continue as teammates in San Diego. The Chargers had the clear focus of rebuilding their offensive line in this year's draft, grabbing the two University of Miami lineman in the first two rounds, as well as Virginia guard Shakiel Bowers in the sixth round.

After taking center Howard with the 19th pick in the draft, the Chargers traded down from the 41st pick to acquire an additional third round pick from the Washington Redskins. They then snagged Howard's teammate, guard Bo Bernard at the end of the second round before filling out some needs in the secondary in the third round.

Here is a recap of the San Diego Chargers' 2015 Draft.

San Diego Chargers 2015 Draft Recap
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
1(19)	Michael Howard	Miami	C	6'2"	300
2(27)	Bo Bernard	Miami	LG	6'5"	296
3(19)	LaJarvis Ivory	Central Michagan	CB	6'2"	183
3(27)	Sanchez Porter	Akron	S	5'10"	221
4(19)	DeAndre Mason	Louisville	WR	5'7"	194
5(19)	Dex Hawkins	Tennessee	OLB	6'3"	244
6(19)	Shakiel Bowers	Virginia	RG	6'2"	293

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Rookie mini-camp report: San Diego Chargers
May 22nd, 2015

Here are some quick scouting reports from Chargers' rookie mini-camp:

• The team's top draft pick, Michael Howard, has been learning both center and guard positions. With Nick Hardwick re-signing with the team in the off-season, it is likely that the Chargers will have Howard play at guard before eventually taking over the center duties from Hardwick.
• The Chargers coaching staff has been pleasantly surprised by fifth round pick Dex Hawkins. The 245 pound linebacker has shown great explosiveness off the edge and will be expected to work into the rotation as a situational pass rusher with Dwight Freeney and Jerry Attaochu.
• There are rumours swirling around the Chargers' facilities about the status of Antonio Gates. The veteran tight end and future Hall of Famer is reportedly debating retirement.
• The Chargers have signed LT Guy Whimper to a one-year, $850K contract. This move is clearly a depth move on the offensive line.

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BREAKING NEWS
Antonio Gates announces retirement
July 20th, 2015

On the eve of training camps opening, shocking news has been announced out of San Diego. Antonio Gates, after 12 years in the NFL, has decided to retire.


Antonio Gates has announced his retirement after a prolific 12 year career in San Diego

The five time All-Pro tight end told Inside Training Camp that injuries and age finally caught up to him, and he knew he was no longer able to produce at the level he expected of himself.

Gates will go down as one of the top tight in NFL history. A former college basketball player, Gates signed as undrafted free agent with the Chargers ahead of the 2003 season. His breakout season came in 2004, when he caught 81 passes for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns.

In his twelve year career, Gates has amassed 788 receptions, 10,014 yards and 99 touchdowns, good for 4th, 4th, and 2nd all-time among tight ends. He will surely lead the 2020 Hall of Fame class.