1 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: Hey everybody, Chris Hary with you on a brand new 2 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: episode of Chargers Weekly in what should be combined week 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: in Indianapolis, but of course twenty twenty one a little 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: bit different. Coming up though, Former Chargers running back Hank 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: Bauer will join me to share some memories of the 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: several players and coaches we've lost in the Chargers family 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks. But first, Chris Trapasso 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: CBS Sports will unveil who he has going to the 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: Chargers at number thirteen overall in his latest mock draft. 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: Plus how front offices are going to have to adjust 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: this offseason without an NFL Combine. All right, let's bring 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: on another front of the podcast. Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports 13 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: joins be here on Chargers Weekly. Chris, this would be 14 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: a much different week. Bad we'd be doing this in 15 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: person in Indianapolis. If you little kill Roys say no, Moss, 16 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: it's all change, man. How you doing? I know, first off, 17 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: I'm doing good, but it is a bummer that we're 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: not in Indianapolis for all the hustle and bustle and 19 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: everyone that converges on Indianapolis for the combine and then 20 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: just to see all the players work out and you know, 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: plug them into any models that you have and see 22 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: how players compare to prospects in the past. That's what's 23 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,839 Speaker 1: so fun about Combine Week. They're long days, very long 24 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: nights too, but it's usually a really fun week in Indie. 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: We just have to kind of look at the pro 26 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: days this year for all those workouts for the prospects. 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: You're right, it's like three days that kind of just 28 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: all run together. It's like one long, seventy two hour 29 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: day for folks on the media. Hey, what are teams 30 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: missing out on this week? That it's really going to 31 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: affect the draft process. Obviously, all thirty two teams in 32 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: the same boat, but scouting departments, front offices, they're gonna 33 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: have to adapt to this. And I can't imagine there's 34 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: one central formula for all thirty two teams. I mean, 35 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: I know film is going to be of the utmost priority, 36 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: but there's a lot of things that could potentially slip 37 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,679 Speaker 1: through the cracks that you have to be aware of. Yeah, 38 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: I mean, if you talk to anyone that is employed 39 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: by an NFL team, they'll tell you that the medical 40 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: checks are such a big part of the combine, and 41 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: there are some marquee prospects, I think Jalen Wattle chief 42 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: among them, the wide receiver from Alabama that have some 43 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: medical issues, and teams like to see, you know, where 44 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: a player is in his recovery process if he is injured, 45 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: so to not have that. And then moving forward into 46 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: those pro days, we're gonna see some times in the 47 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: four ones, in the forty yard dash, We're gonna see 48 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: some crazy three cone times. Teams kind of have to adjust, 49 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,839 Speaker 1: like how much better are these teams boosting up their 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 1: players in those pro days and comparing those again to 51 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: the past to see really true how athletic a certain 52 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: prospect is. Those will be the two biggest obstacles that 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: we just have not had to deal with as draft analyst, 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: as members of the media, and then even NFL teams 55 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 1: have not really had something like this. It's a really 56 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: unprecedented situation. You had a good piece a couple of 57 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: days ago about I think four key things that are 58 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: going to affect the draft evaluation process now that we 59 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: don't have a combine, and one of the things is 60 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: just the pro days. The emphasis on the pro day. 61 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: I think you said it used to be the little 62 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: brother of the combine. Now it's going to be center stage. 63 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: It's almost as if Chris that the combine is going 64 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: to last over the next couple of months because the 65 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: importance of each of these pro days we're going to 66 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: see on NFL Network and ESPN and online, all eyes 67 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: on these prospects at their schools as opposed to Indianapolis. Yeah, 68 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that's a good point that it 69 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: really will be one long combine, which I guess that's 70 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: maybe a positive spin on this is that I'm usually bummed, 71 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: maybe just because I'm a draft nerd, but I'm bummed 72 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: at the end of the combine. And this year we're 73 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: gonna be at individual schools seeing these marquee prospects, and 74 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: it will be a month and a half long process 75 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: to get all these numbers forty r dash three cone 76 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: vertical to show the explosiveness. And I think we're going 77 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: to see more players actually working out because the environment 78 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: at a pro day they're familiar with, you know, the 79 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: wide receivers they're throwing to their coaches. Everything's going to 80 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: be scripted. They're not having to get up at five 81 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: in the morning to do a medical check or an interview. 82 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: So it was a little bit of a disappointment last 83 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: year that a lot of the marquee names decided not 84 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: to work out at the Combine because even though it's 85 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,359 Speaker 1: a standardized environment for everyone, and I think that's what 86 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: teams and analysts like, it's not the most conducive to 87 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: athletic performance for a lot of these players, especially if 88 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: they're working out in the morning, or you know, with 89 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: it being switched to primetime last year, they're up all day, 90 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: they're having to run a forty yard dish at night. 91 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: We're going to get to see some of these receivers 92 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: and tight ends and corners run really fast in a 93 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: familiar environment. So I'm all for that. So I look 94 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: at the pros and cons to kind of the current 95 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: state that we're in. I think the riskiness of it 96 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: is that there's certain guys who haven't played football in 97 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: a long time, and you're relying on film from twenty nineteen, 98 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: let's say, and just you know, maybe a small sample 99 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: size of film in twenty twenty that leads to potential error. 100 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: Maybe in the first couple of rounds, maybe you overvalue 101 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: a guy who probably isn't a first or second round pick. 102 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: On the other side of the coin, there's probably guys 103 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: in mid to late rounds who could have boosted their 104 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: stock to the first or second round. And I think 105 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: you specifically mentioned some of these smaller school prospects that 106 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: aren't going to get the fair shake that they would 107 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: typically get. That could lead to some really interesting mental rounds. 108 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: And I've said this the last few weeks. The Chargers 109 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: have nine picks, so the likelihood that you may hit 110 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: on a guy in the fourth or fifth or sixth 111 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: round is a little bit higher this year. And then 112 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: you take it out of the draft, you know, Austin 113 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: Eckler Man Western State, you know, there could be a 114 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: lot of guys that do not get drafted that probably 115 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: should have been drafted this year. Chris, Yeah. I think 116 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: what is good about it, though, is the fact that 117 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: we had the Senior Bowl, and the Senior Bowl does 118 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: a great job highlighting those small school players from the 119 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: FCS level D one, D two, and even D three. 120 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: To have a guard from Wisconsin Whitewater Quinn manhers there 121 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: this year and it had a sarcastic week. Yeah, he 122 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: was the best blocker at the Senior Bowl. It's good 123 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: that we still had that if there was no Senior Bowl, 124 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: it would be really hard to uncover the guys. But 125 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 1: Senior Bowl there's you know, seventy to one hundred players. 126 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: The Combin invites three hundred, and we normally see more 127 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: players pop up, you know, at the Combine that are 128 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: small school guys, are from a different level that put 129 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: their name on the draft rider. But again, with these 130 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: pro days, we're gonna be more reliant on those and 131 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: pay more attention to them. So maybe there will be 132 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: a you know, Western Kentucky, or just a running back 133 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: or a wide receiver from a smaller school that will 134 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: have a really impressive pro day that could get him 135 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: on the map. But I do think for the small 136 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: school guys, they're hurt by this because the Combine is 137 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: such a good event to get them into the spotlight, 138 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: especially if you didn't play last year, right. I mean, 139 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: that's that's the one thing too. It's like you could 140 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: look at somebody's pro day and say, wow, he right 141 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: a fast forty and his verticals off the charts and 142 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: it was catching the ball. But man, he didn't played 143 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: in two years, So you know, how do you swear that? 144 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: I think that's that's going to be kind of a 145 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: challenging thing, and I don't know if there is a 146 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: one size fits all answer to that. Well, yeah, I 147 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: think with the opt out players, it's really interesting because 148 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: so many of them looked like players that still needed 149 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: another year of seasoning at the collegiate level, and you 150 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: watch your film, you see some weaknesses. Maybe they're not 151 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: the fastest yet, they're not as good recognizing coverage if 152 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: they're a quarterback or they're playing safety or corner, and 153 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: to not get that final season to kind of fine 154 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 1: tune their game, and certainly not blaming any of these 155 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: players for opting out when they did, but I think 156 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: that is going to make so many of these big 157 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: boards look completely different around the league. I think in general, certainly, 158 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: teams to miss on early picks every year, but in general, 159 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: the NFL does a good job recognizing which players can 160 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: play in their league. But this year, and really by April, 161 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: most of the big boards look pretty similar around the league. 162 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: This year, I think it's going to look completely different 163 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: because what you said, some teams are going to like 164 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: the fact that a player is fresh, didn't get injured, 165 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 1: opted out, was able to work out for a season, 166 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: and some teams are not gonna like that for a 167 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: lot of the reasons that I just pointed out. They 168 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: would have liked to see some weaknesses get ironed out 169 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: over the course of the fall and into the winter 170 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: that weren't able to do that. So we're going to 171 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: see a wider disparity in how teams view even some 172 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: of these early picks first and second rounders than we've 173 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: ever seen before. So, Chris, you mentioned Jalen Waddle at 174 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: the top. I looked at your latest box that dropped 175 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: on Wednesday. Yeah, Jaylen Waddle to the LA Chargers at 176 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: number thirteen overall in a draft where a lot of 177 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: people are leaning towards offensive line in the media saying 178 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: that that's the position I needed, and it is. It's 179 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: a position of need. But make the case for Jalen 180 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: Waddle to the Chargers when you look at Justin Herbert, 181 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: what he did this year, the weapons he already has, 182 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: and to add another explosive piece like Waddle to the mix, 183 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: Jalen Waddle would be the absolute home run pick for 184 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 1: the Chargers at thirteen overall. Watching his film, Jamar Chase's 185 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: film and Davonte Smith like the number like the top 186 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: three wide receivers in this class. If you watch their 187 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: film back to back, it's easy to see they're all 188 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: great after the cash, very dynamic athletes. They're all fantastic 189 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: in those contested catch situations. But Jalen Wattle is the 190 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: fastest of the bunch down the field, and he just 191 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: moves different. I think he's a better separator in the 192 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: NFL running routes and just really what he can do 193 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: after the catch. He's a little bit more sudden than 194 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: Jamar Chase and changing directions a little bit better than 195 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: Davonte Smith. I think that if you look at the 196 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: NFL today and you look at certainly having the quarterback 197 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: in Justin Herbert is the most important. But teams are 198 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: not just getting two wide receivers. They want three quality 199 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: wide receivers, maybe even good pass catching tight end and 200 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,599 Speaker 1: a good running back who can catch passes out of 201 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: the backfield. That's the new NFL. Look at what the 202 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers did. They loaded up on the weapons. 203 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,599 Speaker 1: Look what the Buffalo Bills did for Josh Allen to 204 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: bring in John Brown and Cole Beasley and then trade 205 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: first defon Digg. So I think if you're the Chargers 206 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: offensive line, and really the offensive tackle class is a 207 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: good one, so that will help the Chargers. Jalen Waddle 208 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: is just not a type of a prospect that you 209 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: can replicate in round two or round three. That he 210 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: is a complete skill set. If his ankle is one 211 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: hundred percent, and you would expect by this season it 212 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: will be he's there at thirteen. You worry about offensive 213 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: line in round two, maybe even earlier in free agency, 214 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: and you pick Jalen Waddle, plug him in with Keenan Allen, 215 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: Mike Williams, some of those other downfield threats to really 216 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 1: accentuate the arm strength and all the talent that Justin 217 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: Herbert has. Yeah, so let's go deeper into what that 218 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: would look like. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, big body who 219 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: can his fifty fifty ball is an eighty twenty ball 220 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 1: around here. Yeah, definitely, and Jalen Waddle, then Tyran Johnson 221 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: and Jalen Guiden, undrafted guys who are speedsters that Justin 222 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: Herbert found early chemistry with. That would be five wide receivers. 223 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: You go one to five, that's what you want. One 224 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: of the best in the league. Obviously, Hunter Henry situation 225 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: still up in the air. Austin Eckler out of the backfield, 226 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: catching balls the offense. In a league where you have 227 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 1: to keep up with teams like the Chiefs, especially in 228 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: that division, that's very intriguing. So let's just say for 229 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: the sake of this conversation, you do get a skill 230 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: position player. And in the fact that Chris he's your 231 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: number one receiver right over chased over divide Smith, Yeah, 232 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: just because he moves different. Like I said, I think 233 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: they're ball. They're all three gonna be really good wide receivers. 234 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: But if you watch the All twenty two film, you 235 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: see Jalen Waddle running routes, the quickness that he changes 236 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: direction and then by the second step he's at full 237 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: speed already once he changes direction, and then that I 238 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: think legitimate low four three speed, and the fact that 239 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: even at five foot ten he plays like he's six 240 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: three because of his leaping ability and how well he 241 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: tracks it. I think if you're just scouting on traits, 242 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: not production, not awards or accolades, Jalen Waddle is the 243 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 1: most talented wide receiver in this draft class. And really, 244 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 1: like you mentioned the Chiefs, he reminds me a lot 245 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: of Tyree Kill. You can use him down the field, 246 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: you can give him jet sweeps, you can hand him 247 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: the football, you can use him in the backfield that 248 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what type of defense or cornerback you're facing. 249 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: He's a movable chess piece that truly can score anywhere 250 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: on the field. So I love this conversation. It's a 251 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: different hypothetical Covo each week leading up to the draft. Yeah, 252 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 1: let's look at the second round because at some point 253 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to dress the offensive line. The gap 254 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: between Slater, Sewel, Darrisaul Bara Tucker at the top of 255 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: the first round. Me, there's first fifteen twenty picks and 256 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: a player you would get at the top of the 257 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: second or middle of the second. What's the gap there, Chris, 258 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: it's not that big. I think those three or four 259 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: that you mentioned are legitimate first rounders and are going 260 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: to be really good in the NFL. But there's Alex 261 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: Leatherwood from Alabama who played the right guard and in 262 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: the last two years just completely locked down the left 263 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: side of that Alabama offensive line. There's Tevin Jenkins, who's 264 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: the right tackle from Oklahoma State. Very powerful, but I 265 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: love how fundamentally sound he is. He's very balanced, he's 266 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: a very good paths protector. He's not just someone that's 267 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: gonna be good for your run game. There's other players, 268 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: especially at the offensive tackle position, that I think some 269 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: teams might have Alex Leatherwood or Tevin Jenkins, even Jackson Carman, 270 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: the really gigantic offensive tackle from Clemson who did a 271 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: great job protecting Trevor Lawrence. They might have some of 272 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: those prospects in the first round on their big boards 273 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: if you can get them in the second round. I 274 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: think they are plug and play type of guys. After 275 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: quarterback and probably after receiver, offensive tackle is the best 276 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: group in this class, not just top heaviness with some 277 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: of those names that you mentioned, but the depth into 278 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: the second day, second and third round that you can 279 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: get a starter who can be good right away. Free agency, too, 280 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: will dictate a lot of what the Chargers do, and 281 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: right now, with the capt the way it is, that 282 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: list of free agents is definitely not complete. There could 283 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: be some names that get added to that list over 284 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: the next few weeks. Chris, I want to get you 285 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: out of here on this because we haven't spoken since 286 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: Brandon Staley was hired, and just want to get your 287 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: overall thoughts on the direction of the franchise now with 288 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: Justin Herbert offensive Rookie of the year. You saw what 289 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: Kenneth Murray was able to do in year one, and 290 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: now you bring in Brandon Staley, who really worked wonders 291 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: with that Rams defense. I know he had Aaron Donald 292 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: and Jalen Ramsey, but he had that whole unit. Humming 293 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: your thoughts on the Chargers getting Drwin James back and 294 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: what they could potentially do in the a f C West, 295 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: in AFC in general next year. Yeah, they're a legit 296 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: team that will be on the upswing that they're an 297 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: upstart club. They lost a lot of close games. I 298 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: know that's kind of been a stigma around this team 299 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: for a while, but they already had one of the 300 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: more efficient offenses in the league in Justin Herberts rookie season. 301 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: They're going to add weapons, whether it being free agency 302 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: or it's at number thirteen overall or later in the draft. 303 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: Jalen Waddle, maybe even Kyle Pitts. He's there to fill 304 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: that Hunter Henry spot and the Brandon Staley higher I 305 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: really like it. Because I think at times it's easy 306 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: to say you have a young quarterback getting off offensive. Mind, 307 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: it's all about the quarterback. You know, Justin Herbert is 308 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: going to produce, fix the defense and bring in someone 309 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: in Brandon Daily. He's going to run a lot of zone. 310 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: He's going to make sure that they are not giving 311 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: up explosive plays. And I think if you're playing an 312 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:19,159 Speaker 1: opponent that is going to go down the field five times, 313 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: five or six times and have a ten eleven, twelve 314 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: play drop and score touchdown, hats off to that. But 315 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: in general, teams want to hit those explosive plays. And 316 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: you look over the course of the season, the best 317 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: offenses and the teams that are scoring the most points 318 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: close to thirty points a game, if not higher, as 319 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: it plays in the Rams. In terms of keeping things 320 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: in front of them, running two high safeties, letting their 321 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: linebackers make a lot of plays at the second level, 322 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: that's kind of the book on the Brandon Staely defense. 323 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: I think he's going to help the defensive line as well, 324 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: and we know that edge rusher is a kind of 325 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: a sneaky need as well opposite Joey Bosa. Given the 326 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: Melvin Ingram situation. So I really think that what Brandon 327 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: Stalely does on Finds the Rams, even with some of 328 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: the star players Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald, he did 329 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 1: a great job, you know, scheming up some of the 330 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: other secondary players that weren't necessarily household names and getting 331 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: the most out of them. So to bring in someone 332 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: to kind of help the defense with a new age 333 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: scheme in Brandon's Daley to limit explosive plays, I think 334 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: is a really smart decision. Write the ship on that 335 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: side and let Justin Herbert and the skill position players 336 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: lead you to you know, ten eleven, twelve wins in 337 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports always appreciate the conversation, Man, 338 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: tell me what you have going on over the next 339 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: couple of months where people can find you just at 340 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 1: CBS sports dot com, slash NFL, slash Draft. I also 341 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: have my own podcast, the Prospect Podcast. We're going to 342 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: dive into everything about all these draft prospects. We're talking 343 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: about quarterbacks now, but we'll get into some of the 344 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: other marquee names, big boards, scouting reports, everything like that. 345 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: And then just at CBS Sports, anything I'm doing is 346 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: trying to fill the gap over the next few days. 347 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: That is typically for the NFL, combine a lot of rankings, 348 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: big boards, and certainly mock drafts over the next few months. Absolutely, well, 349 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: you helped us fill the gap a little bit this 350 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: week here over Chargers dot Com. I really appreciate the time. 351 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: Thanks Chris. All Right, verys please be joined by longtime 352 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: Charger when you add up his career as a player, 353 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: as a coach, as a broadcaster. Hank Bauer joins me 354 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: here on Chargers Weekly, and Hank, like I was telling 355 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: you off air, I wish this was under better circumstances. 356 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: Twenty twenty one has been particularly rough in the Chargers family. 357 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: And one of the things about you is you have 358 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: a connection to all these great men. I want to 359 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: start with Doug Lucy Wolkerson, a former team eighty years, 360 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: fourteen years with the Chargers and all pro by all indications, 361 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: Hank an even better person than he was a player. Yeah, Moossy. Uh. 362 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: He was a scary guy on the field, okay, uh, 363 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: but off the field, I mean, you know, kind of quiet. Uh. 364 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: The funny thing is his voice didn't match his body. 365 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: He had. He was one of these elite athletic. He 366 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 1: was the first offensive lineman drafted by the Oilers and 367 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: played one year with them for the Chargers trade of 368 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 1: for him and and but he was very athletic. I mean, 369 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: you know, tiny waist. You know, back then nobody weighed 370 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: three three hundred three twenty or at least not on 371 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: way end days. But but but he was graceful athletic 372 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: and a supreme athlete. Um. And then he had this 373 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: high voice kind of topped out of the corner of 374 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: his mouth, and it didn't match. So so I don't 375 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: know if that's why he was quiet, because his voice 376 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: never matched his audio. The way he looked, he looked 377 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: so menacing, you know. Uh, and and and and played 378 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: that way. But uh, but but then he'd say something 379 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: to you, and you're Scott help, but the laugh. You know, 380 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: we're we're playing the Steelers, that great seventy nine win 381 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: when the Steelers went on to you know, win the 382 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: Super Bowl that year, and we we we we we 383 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: handled them pretty well. And uh, I'll never forget getting 384 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: on the huddle on the goal line. It was like 385 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: fourth and one and a half and Doug had been battling, Uh, 386 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: you know, those guys up front, Me and Joe Green 387 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: and all those guys up front all the whole game long. 388 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: And I get in and I'm fresh because I'm just 389 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: coming in for one or two plays, right, and and 390 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: and and and you know the great thing about a 391 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: huddle is, you know, everybody's personality is different. And and 392 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: and for some reason I looked. I looked up and 393 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: Doug was looking at me, and he goes, what do 394 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: you look at me? I'll tell you, you know, you 395 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: whoa whoa Okay, you know, because he was fully engaged 396 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 1: and I had yet to get engaged, you know what 397 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: I mean. And and then and I started laughing, you know, 398 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 1: because his voice just look and then of course it 399 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: was an expletive expletive. And then Big Russ Washington next 400 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: to him, his his mindmate, looks at me, and Big 401 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: Root look, he goes, hey, I wouldn't look at him, 402 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 1: you know, at the best move back. Yeah. And I 403 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 1: was just you know, moments, It's just when I think 404 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,479 Speaker 1: of guys that we've lost, I just think of moments, 405 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: you know, And and and all the moments in the 406 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: walker room and at training camp and off the field, 407 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: and all the charity work you know, and then the 408 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: later years and in the moment when I saw Doug 409 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: at the end, you know, and uh uh, it was 410 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: pretty tough. It was a pretty sobering it. It was 411 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: a moment that stands out in my life, that last 412 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: time I saw Doug and his family. So he said 413 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: he was just a different person on the field. And 414 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: you said in your in your quote, Um, we have 415 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: on the website remembering Doug, that him on the field 416 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: was a completely different person than the guy that you 417 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:22,719 Speaker 1: saw in the hallways. Explain what you mean by that. Uh, 418 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: you know, most guys are right, I mean, you've been 419 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: around a lot of guys now, right, got to know guys, 420 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: most guys are you gotta you gotta, you gotta turn 421 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: it on. There are some guys that that that you know, 422 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: still have the personality like like Ed White was an artist, right, 423 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: Ed White artist, But but he was really quiet on 424 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: the field, you know what I mean. He was Ed 425 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: White was a very business intense, you know. He was 426 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: the quiet assassin, as it were. Billy Shields the engineer. 427 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: So I love about an offensive line. It was so diverse, 428 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: it was so different Donnie Mason. Billy was the analytic engineer, 429 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 1: just again quiet on the field, very business like, and 430 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: and and and Donnie Mason a lot like Big D. 431 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: And then there was Russ Washington, who I talked about 432 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: was just huge athletic and hey, you know, let's go, hey, 433 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 1: all right, this is a party here. That's not fun, 434 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 1: you know, and uh just hey, you know, and then 435 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: and then then there was Moosti and it was like, 436 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: don't you look at me? You know, a different level 437 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: of intensity that you know that whoa. Okay, that's a 438 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 1: great thing about the locker room. You get all the 439 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: different personalities. That's your trick to coaching. You got to 440 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: bring them all together and all rolling rolling together, and 441 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: uh yeah, it's pretty cool those air corpial teams. The 442 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: first thing you think about is that vertical passing game. 443 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: But you mentioned when you guys needed to run to football, 444 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: you could run to football against the best of them, 445 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,239 Speaker 1: And I think that's what gets lost a little bit 446 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: when you talk about that era. I think, you know, 447 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: Eric Correale, because we changed the passing game. You know, 448 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: people are doing the things now because of the things 449 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 1: we brought to the game, you know, and the college 450 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: game has changed because of the things Eric Cooreal brought 451 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: to the game of the NFL. But the label of 452 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: Eric Correal itself just it leads you to believe that 453 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: all we did was throw sixty times a game, and 454 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,120 Speaker 1: that wasn't the case. I mean, we had I think 455 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: the best running back that I've ever seen, God gift 456 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 1: the talent that I've ever seen in my life. And 457 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: Chuck Munsey, he was six four and a half two 458 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: fifty plus, ran a sub four or five, could cut 459 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 1: on a dime, and it was a terrific receiver, amazing 460 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 1: hands and inside outside runner. We had great runners, James Brooks. 461 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 1: You know, we had eight runners and we ran and 462 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: when people you know, people wanted to want to Hey, 463 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: if you wanted to drop eight and you wanted to 464 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: play soft coverage, okay, fine, here we go, eighty log, 465 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:17,480 Speaker 1: you know, forty ballet, here we come, Howie Long mean, 466 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: Joe Green. These are guys in that era that Musey 467 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: had to go up against on a weekly basis. And 468 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: I think that's something too that gets lost, that era 469 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: of defensive tackles and pass rushers that someone like Mousey 470 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: had to go up against during that era. Yeah, you know, 471 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,360 Speaker 1: and and the thing is, uh, you know when when 472 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,120 Speaker 1: you're teams were playing four down right, when you're playing 473 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: a four defensive line front, you know, those were wide ends, 474 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: so the tackles pretty much were assigned the ends and 475 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 1: then and then the center might be able to help 476 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: if there's no blitz to one of the two tackles 477 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: defensive tackles, So one of your guard was going to 478 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: be on an island, right, and you never know which one, 479 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: So it was either going to be big head or 480 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: or mussy. And uh, you know, I liked our chances 481 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: with the matchup of either of those guys. But so 482 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: they're inside, and I get that there's less room to 483 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: navigate for a defender, but I mean it's still I mean, 484 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: get into phone booth and it's a fifteen round heavyweight 485 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: heavyweight fight, you know, and and you know there's still 486 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: enough room to throw punches. Hank I got to watch 487 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: that uh um epic in Miami roundtable with you guys. 488 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 1: Oh my god, how fun was that for you guys 489 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: to reminisce and talk about probably the greatest NFL game 490 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 1: ever played. You know, Marty's gone right v. Jack, Wayne, None, 491 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: all these guys just recently, and you know, I look 492 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 1: at our team. We've lost Freddine, you know, big Hands, Johnson, 493 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: the aforementioned Chuck Munsei. Um. In the end, you know, 494 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: you realize how blessed you are to have been a 495 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: smoke part of that amazing bit of history. But in 496 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: the end, it's not so much the game or the plays. 497 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: It's the relationships. It's it's um. And again, I don't 498 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 1: want to be misunderstood by any by any stretch, by 499 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: the military guys who put their lives on the line 500 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: for us, right, the guys and gals. But now I 501 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: can feel a little bit, just a little bit of 502 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: what they go through, you know, when they sacrifice and 503 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: they all pull together and they're fighting for a common cause. 504 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: And then in the end you leave it out there 505 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: on the battlefield, and then you know you've you've gone 506 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: through something special with somebody else. So you're not going 507 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: to do it a normal nine to five job. You're 508 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: never gonna experience that in your lifetime. And and and 509 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 1: so when I think back of those games and those 510 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: and and and being able to share with those guys again, 511 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: it just it just amplifies that. It's the relationships, you know, 512 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: it's the experiences in life that matter. Uh and and gosh, 513 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: then we get these harsh reminders when we start losing 514 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: our friends, and then we get to revisit them, and 515 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: then we laugh and then we cry, and then we 516 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: laugh a little more, I hope. So that's been a 517 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: tough month. I mentioned at the beginning just the different 518 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: connections you have with the Chargers, and you had a 519 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: front row seat to those. Marty Shottenheimer led Charger teams 520 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: with with Wayne Nunley on the coaching staff and and 521 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:51,479 Speaker 1: Vincent Jackson. Uh, let's just start with Marty, probably one 522 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: of the best leaders in the history of the National 523 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: Football League. What was it like to be front and 524 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: center watching that team prepare on a weekly basis and 525 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: the success that they had Pink. Yeah, Well, you know, 526 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: first thing is the hardest thing as a coach is 527 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: what I talked about earlier. You got all these different 528 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: personalities and you got to get them, you know, to 529 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: play for the common cause, which is to win. And 530 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: Marty was a lot like Don Corrielle and that it 531 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 1: wasn't hard for him to do that because he didn't 532 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: have to work at it all. Everybody that's ever been 533 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: in that locker room or around that his teams are 534 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: a lot like our teams. They so genuinely loved and 535 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: respected the game and cared about it and cared about 536 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: his players and their success, that that players just bought in. 537 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: They just you couldn't help not to because he was 538 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: so personally invested, and he was so authentic. You know, 539 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: his love for the game, his respect for the game, 540 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: his respect for the players, and his coaches. You know 541 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: that it's infectious and and and it wasn't hard for 542 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: guys to buy in fourteen and two that one year 543 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: when you lose both of those games by a field goal. 544 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: Just think of just how difficult it is to win 545 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: in the NFL, to win one game in the NFL, 546 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: to win fourteen, to lose two by a combined six points. 547 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: I think that gets lost into just how special that 548 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 1: team is. And listen, you can have an amazing team 549 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: and not win the Super Bowl. There's a lot of 550 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: teams like that. You know, you can point to those 551 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: that Patriots team that could have gone nineteen or no. 552 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: But wait a minute, you can point to our teams. Well, 553 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. Point you 554 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: can point to your your era you can point two 555 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: that that that fourteen and two team is like, man, 556 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: that was one of the special teams in the history 557 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,160 Speaker 1: of this league. Yeah, you know, the first thing when 558 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: you said that, the first thing I thought of is, well, 559 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 1: how can you fire him? I mean, how do you 560 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: fire him after the season? You know, That's the first 561 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: thing I think of, because it was special. And I 562 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: think that you know, the team would now looking back, 563 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: would hopefully have learned from it and realized they made him. 564 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: They made a mistake. They probably chose the wrong person 565 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 1: at the time, and that was probably not the way 566 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: to go, you know, And and I and I've I've 567 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: heard Dean talk about, Yeah, that was probably a mistake. 568 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: You know, Um, well do you think fourteen wins? It's 569 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: hard to get. And I don't know how and why 570 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 1: you would ever make a change after that, but they did, 571 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: you know, the team did, and and you just kind 572 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: of go on as a player and as a coach, 573 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: and and and as a fan base in an organization, 574 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: as a family. Wayne Nunley a beloved coach on that staff. 575 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: What do you remember about Wayne and just the impact 576 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: that he had on his players, especially in that position 577 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: group defensive linemen are different, right, I mean defensive line. 578 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: Defensive lineman, they could be a little wild, right, I mean, 579 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 1: and they could be a little bit prima donna. They 580 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: get paid a lot of money to sack quarterbacks. You know, 581 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: you got and and again you your position group, you 582 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: get the key as the coaches, you got to pull 583 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 1: them all together, get them all working together, and and 584 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: and make them realize it's the team first, right and 585 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 1: and so uh. You know Wayne was always able to 586 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: do that and bring out the best in his guys. Uh. 587 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: Wayne was kind of quiet too, you know what I mean. 588 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 1: But but when you sat down and talk to him, engaging, 589 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: great personality, really smart, you know. Uh. And he's the 590 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: kind of guy that I would love to have as 591 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 1: a next door neighbor, that I would never piss off 592 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: if you want him on your side, absolutely, Hey, I 593 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,320 Speaker 1: want to ask you about this, uh, this twenty twenty 594 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: one Chargers team. But before we do that, Vincent Jackson 595 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: uh one of the greatest receivers in the history of 596 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 1: the franchise. And we're talking about some some pretty good receivers. 597 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:28,279 Speaker 1: M Vincent's impact in the community though, and you know, 598 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 1: I just got to talk to somebody in Tampa. It 599 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,359 Speaker 1: was Walter Peyton Man of the Year nominee four years 600 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: straight in Tampa. We know what he did in the 601 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: community too in San Diego. What's your your fondest memory 602 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: of watching Vincent play? But also seeing the man he was? 603 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: Well that that's the most important thing, right, I mean 604 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: what the impact you make on the fields important and 605 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: it's always going to be short lived, you know, for 606 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: any of us that's just got twelve years in you 607 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 1: know when the average careers less than three years. You 608 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: know that. Think about that. And when I think about 609 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 1: Vincent as a receiver, he was the first in this 610 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 1: wave now that we've seen of big wide receivers. It 611 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: could fly, right, do you remember I don't know that. 612 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: I remember a lot this many guys, Sorry about that, 613 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: I don't remember this many guys that size that fast 614 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,839 Speaker 1: from our era or before. Right, but his six five 615 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: two twenty five to thirty it could fly and athletic 616 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 1: and made you know, acrobatic catches. But the important thing 617 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: is and then that's important. The important thing is what 618 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 1: was this impact and what will our impact be outside 619 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 1: of football? How will you use the confluence of what 620 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,320 Speaker 1: you achieved to make the world a better place. And 621 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: when you think back, how are we gonna say, Vincent Jackson, 622 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: you know, a great football player. But you know, when 623 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:58,920 Speaker 1: I think of Vincent Jackson, I think, you know what, 624 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 1: the world's a better play because he was here, military parents, 625 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: started his Action Jackson Foundation to help military families. Gave 626 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,799 Speaker 1: every bed of himself to it. And when I look back, 627 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: and we don't know how or why it ended the 628 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:20,800 Speaker 1: way it did for Vincent, but we should all know 629 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 1: this and recognize this. The our world, all of our 630 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:28,160 Speaker 1: worlds are a better place, a way better place, because 631 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:30,360 Speaker 1: he was here. And I'm telling you had a bigger 632 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: impact than most players that ever come through the league. 633 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 1: And so when I think of Vincent, I don't really 634 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 1: think of the you know, I don't think of the 635 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,439 Speaker 1: on the field stuff. I think more of the off 636 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 1: the field stuff and the impact because really, as you 637 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,279 Speaker 1: get older, that's the most important thing. What's your legacy? Yeah, 638 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 1: and that's a testament to the person he was. When 639 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: you when you know that he was a great player, 640 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,359 Speaker 1: and that's kind of in the back of your mind 641 00:36:56,320 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: front facing the person that he was. Hank, Yeah, I 642 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:04,319 Speaker 1: know that this has probably been a very difficult couple 643 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:06,520 Speaker 1: of months for you. I really appreciate you spend us 644 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: some time share some memories of these guys, because I 645 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 1: think it's important for Chargers fans of all ages. Maybe 646 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: they weren't quite familiar with your era, or maybe they're 647 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 1: they're newer fans who weren't quite familiar with the Party 648 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: Schottenheimer era, to get a little bit of an education 649 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: into what those teams were like, in those players and 650 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 1: coaches within those teams. I want to push it forwar 651 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 1: because I always love seeing you a Sofi Stadium. Twenty 652 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 1: twenty one, Brandon Staley is the new head coach. Your 653 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 1: thoughts on this team going in to a season where 654 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: Justin Herbert coming off offensive Rookie of the Year, some 655 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: pieces in place. You gotta get Dartwin, James Healthy, got 656 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: to get him and Joey Bosa on the field at 657 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:47,800 Speaker 1: the same time. But a lot of potential as we 658 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:51,360 Speaker 1: go into free agency in the draft. Well, potential means what. 659 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean anything that you'll win it yet, okay, 660 00:37:56,960 --> 00:37:59,359 Speaker 1: but but we think you can yea, And I think 661 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: that's what this team is. We think they can, but 662 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,320 Speaker 1: they haven't done yet. Most important piece to build a 663 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 1: football franchise is your quarterback, especially in today's NFL. And well, 664 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: I tell you this kid, Justin Herbert is the goods. 665 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 1: He's the real deal. Uh. You know. I was fortunate 666 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: enough to broadcast with Larry Connor Sports to USA, the 667 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:29,320 Speaker 1: national broadcast on radio of its first start, and we 668 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:33,760 Speaker 1: didn't learn about it until kickoff. You know, we're looking 669 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,560 Speaker 1: down and he's warming up, and he's getting ready to 670 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:37,360 Speaker 1: go out in the field, and we're trying to collect 671 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: the information as we were getting it. You know, we're 672 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 1: on a national radio broadcast, and and and we had 673 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 1: done the game the week before in Cincinnati, right and 674 00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 1: and and then I watched the kid to be thrown 675 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:55,120 Speaker 1: into that situation not knowing he was going to start. 676 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,800 Speaker 1: This is the most important thing that I learned about 677 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 1: the kid. Well, he prepared obviously like he was going 678 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:06,840 Speaker 1: to be the starter, because he went out there and 679 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 1: he didn't miss a tick. Now, he made a couple 680 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 1: of bad decisions, you know, the the you know, late 681 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: in the game, running to his left, he could have 682 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:15,759 Speaker 1: ran for a first down, which probably would have won 683 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 1: the game, right and then it was but he didn't 684 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:23,839 Speaker 1: make that mistake. Again the rest of the year. See 685 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: so he would you could tell he's a smart kid. 686 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 1: But more importantly, he prepared like he was going to 687 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:31,800 Speaker 1: be the guy, not knowing he was going to be 688 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:34,160 Speaker 1: the guy. And then once he was a guy, he 689 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 1: was the guy. And I cannot wait to see how 690 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:41,280 Speaker 1: far he takes it. I love what you said, because 691 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,520 Speaker 1: I think that's been the constant throughout. You see his 692 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 1: fifteen starts. He never made the same mistake twice. And 693 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 1: you know, you can get on a rookie for mistakes, 694 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:54,840 Speaker 1: but it's gonna happen like this his first start to 695 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 1: go down. I always say, I always say rule number 696 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,880 Speaker 1: one for a quarterback don't you're not You don't necessarily 697 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:05,280 Speaker 1: have to go out and win games. Just don't lose games. 698 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:10,759 Speaker 1: Watch football closely, Watch NFL football closely. How often is 699 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,919 Speaker 1: it that you watch a team and the quarterback makes 700 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:18,440 Speaker 1: stupid decisions, tries to do too much, makes them big mistakes. 701 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:22,320 Speaker 1: And that because these games all so even and so equal, 702 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,520 Speaker 1: and the little things that matter, turnovers big players made 703 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:29,640 Speaker 1: or not made in the kicking game. And so you know, 704 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:32,240 Speaker 1: the rule number one is don't don't give the game away. 705 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:37,319 Speaker 1: And he gets that part, and so yeah, I think, 706 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,400 Speaker 1: you know, I think that that's now. You gotta surround 707 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 1: himself with the right pieces. I think I think I 708 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 1: think Mark Key the biggest key. He really needs help 709 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:51,879 Speaker 1: up front. You know, they gotta get him help up front. 710 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: They gotta they gotta make some additions the offensive line. 711 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:56,120 Speaker 1: You know, the guys that they had brought in just 712 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: didn't work out. They got hurt, they were older, took 713 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:02,399 Speaker 1: a risk, um you know. So I think I think 714 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: you got to get the offensive line to match the 715 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 1: skill positions are fine. I'm a huge Austin Eckler fan. 716 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:11,160 Speaker 1: He's I told him when I first saw him as 717 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:13,000 Speaker 1: a rookie, I walked up to him. He thought I 718 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 1: was crazy, goes, who are you? And I introduced myself 719 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:17,120 Speaker 1: and said, I just want to let you know. I start. 720 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 1: I've watched John take this is his rookie year or 721 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:22,239 Speaker 1: second year. I said, you might be my favorite player 722 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,759 Speaker 1: to watch. I just love the way you play. You know, 723 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,239 Speaker 1: you finish runs, You're exciting, you're fun, and I could 724 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,800 Speaker 1: tell you love the game. It hurts the Chargers badly 725 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:34,280 Speaker 1: when when he wasn't on the field during that stretch 726 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:38,160 Speaker 1: when he was hurt to have that extra weapon for 727 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:40,440 Speaker 1: justin whether it's in the run game or the past game, 728 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:44,480 Speaker 1: having that security blanket outside of the backfield having him back. 729 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 1: But you're right, the combination of having nine picks in 730 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:51,120 Speaker 1: the draft, having some cap space shore up the offensive line, 731 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: maybe gets some players that Staley likes Defensively, they fit 732 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,759 Speaker 1: what he wants to do to round out what they 733 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:00,759 Speaker 1: already have. Guys like Kenneth Murray, Drew frank Will coming back. 734 00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:03,439 Speaker 1: I think that's gonna help on special teams. Like you said, 735 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:08,839 Speaker 1: potential doesn't really mean much, but yeah, you haven't done 736 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: it yet. Yeah I haven't done it yet, but you 737 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:13,680 Speaker 1: know what, he at least it's exciting to see over 738 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:16,239 Speaker 1: these next couple of months how this team is gonna 739 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:19,520 Speaker 1: take shape. The foundation is laid, and I think the 740 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,239 Speaker 1: hardest part you can breathe the side of relief. You've 741 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 1: got your quarterback. A lot of teams don't have the 742 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,680 Speaker 1: quarterback and they're scrambling in April, either a trying to 743 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:29,879 Speaker 1: roll the dice on a guy in the first round 744 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:33,239 Speaker 1: or seeing what's there on the free agency market. The 745 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:36,759 Speaker 1: Chargers to go from Drew Brades to Philip Rivers to 746 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:40,920 Speaker 1: Justin Herbert so seamlessly doesn't usually happen that way. Now 747 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,160 Speaker 1: you look around. All I get is look around the 748 00:42:43,239 --> 00:42:47,520 Speaker 1: league and watch the carousel of quarterbacks with some franchises, 749 00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:50,360 Speaker 1: you know, and you'd be thankful that, if you're a 750 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,680 Speaker 1: Charger fan, that you've got this guy for hopefully the 751 00:42:53,719 --> 00:42:56,560 Speaker 1: long time, the long term, and you hope you stays healthy, 752 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:58,840 Speaker 1: you know, but you got to help him stay healthy. 753 00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:04,040 Speaker 1: Right yep, Hey, Bower, I appreciate your time. I really do. 754 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,600 Speaker 1: I thought this was great to have some memories of 755 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:09,640 Speaker 1: some of these guys that you knew so well, and 756 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,120 Speaker 1: also to look forward to the twenty twenty one season. 757 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:14,920 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Yeah, Chris, I appreciate it. And um, 758 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:18,879 Speaker 1: look at I'm gonna it's been a rough it's been 759 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:21,960 Speaker 1: a rough month, you know, but I'm gonna choose to 760 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:24,879 Speaker 1: celebrate today. I'm gonna think of Marty, and I'm gonna 761 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,480 Speaker 1: think about the Glean, you know, and I'm gonna think 762 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,239 Speaker 1: about Wayne, and I'm gonna think about Wayne on he 763 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 1: and I talking on the charter flights home after a 764 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 1: tough loss, and you know, and stuff like I'm gonna 765 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:38,040 Speaker 1: think about v Jack doing, you know, out there with 766 00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:41,960 Speaker 1: all the military kids, you know, and and uh so, 767 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna try to focus on more of the positive 768 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,560 Speaker 1: and and I'm gonna celebrate their lives.