1-Man’s Opinion Column-Monday “Win-Win for Chargers”
“NFL Draft-Chargers-Fluid”
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They have the chance to hit the jackpot in April, they being the Chargers, the jackpot being the NFL draft.
The Bolts brass and its coaches come home tonight after a long week at the NFL combine. Watching workouts, meeting amongst each others, and interviewing some 63-players.
The San Diego needs are everywhere, most of them on defense, and defense is the strength of this draft. Their needs also involve offensive linemen, and that is the second most important of the draft.
Everyone will spread rumors between now and the late April draft day.
The Bolts will take defense, likely upfront, to patch a woeful run stop group, and add to a group that has not had alot of quarterback sacks over the last four seasons.
San Diego may take an offensive lineman, because of the siege of injuries virtually everyone of Philip Rivers’ blockers has had. They used 11-different guys upfront. Five players had concussions, there were knees, shoulders and ankle injuries too.
When they finish tonite at Lucas Oil Field, the Chargers will have seen closeup the top three defensive lineman, all who could be on the board with the third choice in that opening round.
Ohio State’s Joey Bosa comes with credentials, sacks and tackles for losses. Someone has to project whether he is really a 3-4 defensive lineman, or better served as a rush linebacker. He ran a disappointing (4.89) in the 40.
There was nothing negative though about Oregon’s monster defensive end, DeForest Buckner, all (6’7-290) of him who clocked an amazing (5.0) in his 40.
And then Ole Miss inside tackle Robert Nkemdiche motored to a (4.87) time, pretty good for a near 300-pounder inside.
The Chargers won’t likely get a shot at OT-Laremy Tunsil, who seems earmarked for the lst pick and Tennessee. That’s okay because there are a wheelbarrow full of OL who could be there early in the second round.
The most intriguing comes with little awards, just four years of conistent play. Indiana Hoosier left tackle Jason Spriggs, not only ran well for a (6’6-299), at (4.9) but benched press the house, doing 225-31-times. Add to that a center from Notre Dame, and 2-Stanford tackles, and there will be choices.
Next up will be on campus visits and pro days, and more meetings. 1-weekend workout will not influence the Chargers decision makers. Game tape, visits and coaching interviews will carry the day.
As bad as it has been for the Bolts on the field, 1-postseason win in 7-years, and this (4-12) fiasco of a season just completed, this team can get help immediately at the top of those draft rounds.
Fluid is the key word, because you never know if someone will trade up to grab players ahead of them in the lst or 2nd round. The quality at the top of the board should dictate, ‘don’t trade too far back’ if you deal out of the 3rd spot.
This will be a fun march and April, with free agency just ahead of the draft too.
Injuries and bad free agent signings-wasted bonus money, have hurt this team. Now they have a chance to fix it drafting 3-35-66.
Based on what we saw at the NFL combine, hitting the jackpot is not out of the question. It better be so we don’t have a repeat of last year
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