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Speaker 1: Hey, what's up everybody? Welcome to the God the Charge Podcast,

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Speaker 1: presented by the Chargers Podcast Network. My name is Stephen

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Speaker 1: and I am the host as always, and joining me

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Speaker 1: is my guy Tyler. Tyler, what's upman? How are you

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Speaker 1: doing tonight?

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Speaker 2: I'm doing fantastic. We've got a lot of Chargers needs

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Speaker 2: to get into.

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Speaker 1: Let's do it, Yes, we do. We definitely have a

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Speaker 1: lot to dive in today. Obviously, the Chargers have released

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Speaker 1: their initial fifty three man roster, did a lot of

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Speaker 1: cuts today, did a trade yesterday which we'll dive into.

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Speaker 1: Lots to really break down here before we get started. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: as always, Tyler and I are fans of the team,

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Speaker 1: just like you guys. We are very fortunate to have

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Speaker 1: this platform and very grateful for it. That being said,

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Speaker 1: the opinions that we express on this show and every

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Speaker 1: show are not always reflective of the Chargers organization. They

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Speaker 1: are ours and ours alone. And yeah, let's dive into

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Speaker 1: this Tyler. Before we get started, I do want to say,

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Speaker 1: first of all, I think there's a lot of dehumanizing

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Speaker 1: that goes on with these with this day in particular,

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Speaker 1: you know, there was you know, this is a rough

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Speaker 1: day for a lot of guys. You know, players are

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Speaker 1: losing their jobs and potentially moving cities. And you know,

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Speaker 1: a guy like Dustin Hopkins in particular, gets you know,

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Speaker 1: traded from Los Angeles to Cleveland and has to uphurd

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Speaker 1: his family and then got a kid on the way.

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Speaker 1: So as people want to take the people who are

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Speaker 1: leaving the Chargers organization, hopefully some of you are able

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Speaker 1: to come back. But wish you nothing but the best

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Speaker 1: wherever you end up, and hopefully you get back on

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Speaker 1: your feet as so many players have done, you know,

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Speaker 1: getting cut and coming back and having a great career.

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Speaker 1: So hopefully all of you guys that are maybe a

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Speaker 1: little dark today end up in a more positive light

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Speaker 1: down the rope.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's not the end all be all right.

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Speaker 2: Adrian Phillips was cut what ten different times by the Chargers.

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Speaker 2: They end up getting you know, Pro Bowl honors a

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Speaker 2: few years in still with the Patriots going strong over there,

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Speaker 2: so you know, hopefully these guys find other opportunities. It's

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Speaker 2: tough you root for guys to win jobs, but if

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Speaker 2: guys win jobs, someone's kind of losing that job, which

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Speaker 2: is very unfortunate. So happy for the guys who made it,

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Speaker 2: of course, who are sticking around, or at least for

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Speaker 2: an hour sticking around. But I'll always keep the guys

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Speaker 2: that are cut, that are traded, et cetera in my

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Speaker 2: thoughts and prayers and hearts and all that.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, percent, all right, we'll go position by position at

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Speaker 1: some point, But a lot to dive into here, Tyler.

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Speaker 1: What was your biggest takeaway, biggest surprise? What's kind of

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Speaker 1: your your broad view of the Chargers roster from today

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Speaker 1: as they cut it from ninety to fifty three.

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Speaker 2: It was tough to see so many guys go in

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Speaker 2: such a quick fashion. It's what's a thousand or six

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Speaker 2: hundred something people or whatever it is that are suddenly

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Speaker 2: just looking for a new team. So it was a

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Speaker 2: lot to see so many guys just go so quickly,

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Speaker 2: which I'm not used to. I'll start with the positive surprise,

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Speaker 2: which is Elijah Dotson, a guy who you and I

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Speaker 2: would have loved to in a parallel universe have put

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Speaker 2: him on our initial you know, fifty three that we

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Speaker 2: would have guessed for the Chargers' initial fifty three, But

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Speaker 2: it just felt like okay for running backs? How do

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Speaker 2: you justify that? How do you work that? But it's

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Speaker 2: nothing because of you know, what he did in the preseason.

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Speaker 2: He was outstanding of all the bubble guys, there's not

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Speaker 2: a bubble guy who deserved to be on the roster

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Speaker 2: more of those bubble guys because of how he performed

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Speaker 2: Austin Eckler. I went back and looked Austin Eckler in

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Speaker 2: twenty seventeen as a rookie his preseason one hundred and

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Speaker 2: fifty nine total yards. Elijah Dotson very close with one

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Speaker 2: fifty five. It was almost exact. I would have freaked

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Speaker 2: out if it were exact. But he deserved to be

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Speaker 2: out there. He looked fantastic as soon as they gave

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Speaker 2: him the opportunity, and then the RB four spot, he

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Speaker 2: took it and never let go. So to me, while

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Speaker 2: that isn't the biggest surprise, it is certainly the most

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Speaker 2: pleasant surprise, I think because he's awesome and charges fans

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Speaker 2: have loved watching him.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think everybody you know listening to this would

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Speaker 1: have advocated for Elijah making the roster, and I think,

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Speaker 1: like you mentioned, I think he deserved it. But rationally,

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Speaker 1: it was hard for me to justify keeping a fourth

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Speaker 1: running back on my prediction list, and people were like, oh,

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Speaker 1: you got to keep dots, and I was like, I agree,

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Speaker 1: but like, this is a prediction video that we did,

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Speaker 1: and you know, obviously we were wrong in that regard

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Speaker 1: and very happy to be wrong with Elijah Dotson because

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Speaker 1: he has earned it, and you know, stories like his

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Speaker 1: are kind of what the NFL is about. You know,

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Speaker 1: this is a guy who had to transfer schools to

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Speaker 1: seek out the best opportunity, and it was still a

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Speaker 1: smaller school. You know, he comes undrafted. After the draft,

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Speaker 1: he was quoted as saying that the Chargers were really

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Speaker 1: the team that was most interested in him, and really

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Speaker 1: almost the only team that was interested in him. And

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Speaker 1: so he gets his chance with the Chargers, and initially

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Speaker 1: it was kind of a slow opportunity. It really wasn't

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Speaker 1: until that first preseason game that the Chargers were like, hey, like,

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Speaker 1: let's get this guy a bigger shot, obviously moving on

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Speaker 1: from Larry Rountree, who's on the Texans right now and

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Speaker 1: probably looking for a practice squad spot with the Texans.

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Speaker 1: So Dowson gets his chance and he rewards them. And

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Speaker 1: you know, I said after the Saints game that I

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Speaker 1: happened to like the Saints game more than the then

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Speaker 1: the Rams game, because I thought it really showed off

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Speaker 1: more of his arsenal as a running back. And so

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Speaker 1: he's absolutely earned this chance, and we acknowledged as much

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Speaker 1: that he was, like you mentioned, the best Bubble player

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Speaker 1: in terms of the preseason performances, but just kind of

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Speaker 1: doubted that the Chargers would actually keep it forth running

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Speaker 1: back and turns out they are. So I think that's

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Speaker 1: the right place to start with Elijah Dotson, who was

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Speaker 1: definitely a fan favorite, you know, getting his opportunity to

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Speaker 1: make the Charger fifty three man roster and hopefully he's

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Speaker 1: around to state because I think he showed enough good

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Speaker 1: signs in the preseason that I think if they had

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Speaker 1: decided to cut him, I think he would have been

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Speaker 1: claimed because he was one of the best running backs

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Speaker 1: in the league in the preseason games. So very well

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Speaker 1: deserved opportunity for him, and I'm excited to see how

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Speaker 1: this turns out for mister Elijah Dotson.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, if you're looking at the rookie running backs, I

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Speaker 2: believe he was third in rushing yards and first in

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Speaker 2: yards per attempt, and I think by quite a bit.

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Speaker 2: So even if you're not paying attention to the games themselves.

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Speaker 2: If you're any GM or personnel manager who flips on

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Speaker 2: the stat sheet, hello, you know, I'll take the rookie

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Speaker 2: who led the NFL all rookies in rushing yards or

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Speaker 2: yards per attempt, so totally get it. You know, some

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Speaker 2: of these moves are also, you know, partially defensive as

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Speaker 2: much as they are just you know, retaining the guy's shirt,

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Speaker 2: but it's also kind of like a defensive thing. Hey,

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Speaker 2: we want to make sure we get this guy, and

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Speaker 2: then you know, when a lot of other stuff happens

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Speaker 2: and rosters are more set, you know, maybe we move

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Speaker 2: on different things. So we'll see, you know, how long

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Speaker 2: he sticks on this four He could be sort of

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Speaker 2: you know, we thought the sixth wide receiver that we

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Speaker 2: had Keelan Doss making it was just kind of the

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Speaker 2: placeholder until jillen Geiden came off the pup list. Elijah

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Speaker 2: Dotson could be that placeholder. But for now he's got games.

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Speaker 2: He's made the active roster or the initial roster. Excuse me,

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Speaker 2: and good for him. Congratulations.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think for me the biggest positive surprise because

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Speaker 1: we'll get to some other surprises too. It has to

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Speaker 1: be Aj Finley. I like he was the guy that

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Speaker 1: you and I both really liked. You know, he was

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Speaker 1: our top free agent in terms of the undrafted guys

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Speaker 1: to to, you know, come to an agreement with the Chargers.

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Speaker 1: We really liked his film at Ole Miss and I

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Speaker 1: really liked his traits, and we had him making our

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Speaker 1: initial pre training camp roster because we really felt strongly

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Speaker 1: about what he would be able to do given the opportunity.

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Speaker 1: But we didn't really hear much about him getting a

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Speaker 1: real opportunity. You know. It was almost always Mark Webb

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Speaker 1: who was released from Raheem Laine who did make the roster,

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Speaker 1: who were working ahead of him on the depth chart,

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Speaker 1: and even after you know, although he had a little

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Speaker 1: bit of that injury, you know, AJ Finley didn't necessarily

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Speaker 1: get a ton more opportunities. But he must have made

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Speaker 1: quite an impression because he makes this roster. So I'm

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Speaker 1: not necessarily surprised based off of the player making it,

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Speaker 1: because I really like this player, but based off of

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Speaker 1: the opportunity he was given, I don't think that he

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Speaker 1: was really considered a favorite. I think for me, I

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Speaker 1: looked at that tenth defensive backspot as Taiwan Mullen versus

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Speaker 1: Mark Webb, maybe Cam Brown who had some moments, And

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Speaker 1: turns out AJ Finley was just kind of quietly working

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Speaker 1: in the background and winning a job opportunity. So job

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Speaker 1: well done, mister Finley, very well deserved. And I'm excited

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Speaker 1: to see what it comes to fruition because I really

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Speaker 1: liked his college tape battle mess.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, give Derek Ansley, Brenon Staley more dbs. But yeah,

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Speaker 2: I was very surprised. This was the biggest surprise. I

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Speaker 2: did not see this coming at all. And that's you know,

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Speaker 2: we're only fans who can view things from the outside

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Speaker 2: looking in, So what do we go off of, Like

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Speaker 2: snaptotals who walks out there first? And that's kind of

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Speaker 2: really all we have and maybe some tackles and passper

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Speaker 2: Gibson and that's it. So you know, you see Mark Webb,

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Speaker 2: the guy they drafted, he's out there. He plays thirty

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Speaker 2: four preseason snaps, okay, like he's starting. He's even kind

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Speaker 2: of starting over Raheem Lane, So he must be with

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Speaker 2: the safety that they would like over Raheem Lane. And

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Speaker 2: maybe that could technically still be true because Raheem Lane

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Speaker 2: might be viewed more as a special teamer, which is fine. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: I didn't see this coming, which is funny because you

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Speaker 2: and I you talked about him, you were very high

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Speaker 2: on him. I'm glad you brought him up the first

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Speaker 2: time we did it on this channel talking about the

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Speaker 2: undrafted free agents, and then on our initial predictions we

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Speaker 2: had him on there before camp, and I would wouldn't

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Speaker 2: have guessed this one. If anybody had a perfect bracket

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Speaker 2: going into the last safety group, it was busted. I

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Speaker 2: didn't see a single person. Yeah, talk about him making

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Speaker 2: the roster. It really would have been just like Mark Webber.

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Speaker 2: Like our discussion was Mark web or Raheem Lane or both.

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Speaker 2: It really wasn't. That was kind of it. It really

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Speaker 2: was no a J. Finley in there, But good for him.

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Speaker 2: Clearly he's making an impression and maybe even more so

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Speaker 2: than Elijah Dotson. This is a very much so a

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Speaker 2: defensive move. Somebody out there, or a couple of people

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Speaker 2: out there, especially ahead of the Chargers in waiver Priority,

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Speaker 2: really likes AJ Finley. Who that is, I don't know,

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Speaker 2: but clearly they felt like, look, I know, he didn't

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Speaker 2: show a ton maybe like wasn't as flashy and splashy

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Speaker 2: as Elijah Dotson. But this guy's gonna get scooped up immediately,

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Speaker 2: so we got to hold on to him again kind

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Speaker 2: of like Dotson. We'll see for how long. But good

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Speaker 2: for him, Like his film College film is great. So

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Speaker 2: if Annsley and all these guys can continue to develop him,

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Speaker 2: you know, the other undrafted free agents, the other six

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Speaker 2: seventh round dbi's and such, I'm all for it. So

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Speaker 2: good for him. Congratulations.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned playing defense here a little bit. Thor Nystrom,

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Speaker 1: who is a great draft analyst. If you don't follow him,

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Speaker 1: I definitely recommend doing so. After the draft happened, he

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Speaker 1: sent out this compilation of like the highest ranked undrafted

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Speaker 1: free agents, and I think there are other people who

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Speaker 1: did this too. I'm pretty sure NFL never had one,

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Speaker 1: but on his list. He did a a compilation of it,

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Speaker 1: and GIROD. Clark was one of the highest remaining undrafted

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Speaker 1: free agents ranking. The Chargers obviously had him, and AJ

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Speaker 1: Finley was right up there with him. You know, A. J.

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Speaker 1: Finley was very well thought after in draft circles. I

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Speaker 1: know the Bootleg Football podcast guys were big fans of

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Speaker 1: his as well. We both liked him, so there's definitely

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Speaker 1: a lot to work with here. Again you mentioned this,

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Speaker 1: you know, we'll see how long he ultimately does stay

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Speaker 1: on the roster. But Brandon State that likes to have

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Speaker 1: ten dbs and unless there's like a veteran that they

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Speaker 1: really like out there, I think A J. Finley is

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Speaker 1: gonna get a chance to be on this roster. Whether

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Speaker 1: or not that's you know, active on gain days, we'll see.

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Speaker 1: But I think of the placeholders which we can talk about,

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Speaker 1: I think AJ Finley is probably one of the ones

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Speaker 1: that I'm more confident in staying on the roster because

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Speaker 1: I think this is Brandon State he wants. He's a

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Speaker 1: self proclaimed defensive back factory. Like this is what the

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Speaker 1: Chargers want to do. They want to develop defensive backs,

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Speaker 1: and I think AJ Finley is their next in line.

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Speaker 1: So I'm excited to see how it works out. I

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Speaker 1: really like the blend of like coverage potential that you

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Speaker 1: have with J. T. Woods and AJ Finley as your

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Speaker 1: second team safeties so to speak. You know, Alohi and

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Speaker 1: Durwin can do a lot of the physical dirty work

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Speaker 1: stuff of the safety position, and then AJ Finley and J. T.

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Speaker 1: Woods can kind of fill them blanks in that regard.

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Speaker 1: So very happy with this that the safety room I

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Speaker 1: think is a surprise based off of like snaps. But

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Speaker 1: I'm very happy with this room right now.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, as am I it's a really really okay. Do

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Speaker 2: I hesitate and say solid room, I'll wait. I'll wait

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Speaker 2: and say it's a solid room. But I even though

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Speaker 2: it's an unproven room, I do very much so like

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Speaker 2: the guys that are in the room. So I think

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Speaker 2: you can feel, I don't know about confident, but really

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Speaker 2: happy with who you have because I think you just

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Speaker 2: there's a lot of potential within that room.

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Speaker 1: I think that's fair. All right, let's go through a

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Speaker 1: position by a position here and we'll give some thoughts

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Speaker 1: as we go. One of the other bigger surprises potentially

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Speaker 1: for some people quarterback. Only two on the roster this year,

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Speaker 1: again subject to change, but the Chargers they decide to

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Speaker 1: release Max Duggan and only keep Justin Herbert and Easton

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Speaker 1: Stick on the roster. This is only the second time

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Speaker 1: in the years that they've been in Los Angeles that

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Speaker 1: the Chargers have kept just two quarterbacks on the roster,

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Speaker 1: the other one being twenty eighteen when it was just

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Speaker 1: Philip Rivers and Geno Smith. This year Justin Herbert and

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Speaker 1: Eson Stick. What is your reaction to the decision to

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Speaker 1: cut Max dug and Tyler.

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Speaker 2: I thought this would be what either made or broke

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Speaker 2: my bracket, and it turns out it was everything else

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Speaker 2: we just talked about. But I thought it was risky

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Speaker 2: because to predict that Dougan would not make the fifty

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Speaker 2: three because they've kept three quarterbacks, and like we've talked about,

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Speaker 2: there's a rule now that really kind of helps you,

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Speaker 2: and like there's a kind of another reason to keep

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Speaker 2: three quarterbacks, So why cut him this year after you

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Speaker 2: just drafted him at the same time, Like we just

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Speaker 2: talked about Elijah Dotson, there was just there were too

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Speaker 2: many guys I think that played really gosh darn well

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Speaker 2: that yes, they're undrafted free agents versus a seventh round pick,

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Speaker 2: but those undrafted free agents played a really, really good preseason,

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Speaker 2: and I thought it would come down to like Elijah Dawson,

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Speaker 2: Gerard Clark who didn't make it, but you just felt

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Speaker 2: like you had to get one of these other guys

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Speaker 2: on there. So Max Duggan, I hope he develops and

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Speaker 2: is great obviously the one him on the practice squad,

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Speaker 2: and he's got tons of tools. I think he rebounded

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Speaker 2: in that final game. It wasn't so hot to start,

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Speaker 2: but to at least rebound, score a touchdown, run at

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Speaker 2: least very well, that's great to see. So hopefully there

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Speaker 2: is something there for them. But this I think it

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Speaker 2: just came down to there's just enough other guys that

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Speaker 2: we want to keep. And then, really, as we've talked

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Speaker 2: about as well, if Herbert ever got hurt, they'd probably

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Speaker 2: just sign another quarterback, whether that's ahead of Stick or

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Speaker 2: behind him. I don't think we'd see Duggan this year,

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Speaker 2: so I understand why they let him go. So it's

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Speaker 2: not a surprise because we predicted it, but I wasn't

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Speaker 2: so sure that's for sure.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I'd be curious about the data of like fifth, sixth,

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Speaker 1: seventh round draft picks in terms of quarterbacks that actually

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Speaker 1: like play out the duration of their rookie career or

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Speaker 1: rookie contract. Excuse me on the team that drafted them,

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Speaker 1: because I think if, like you know, the optimistic view

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Speaker 1: is that these guys who are drafted on late Day three,

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Speaker 1: they're your long term backup types and you know, that's

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Speaker 1: obviously why the Chargers kept Decent Stick around, because they

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Speaker 1: were pretty optimistic about his development and wanted to again

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Speaker 1: play defense and make sure that he wasn't scooped up

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Speaker 1: by another team who might have thought pretty highly of

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Speaker 1: him on the draft. And I think also just like

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Speaker 1: it speaks to the strength of the Chargers' roster, Like

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Speaker 1: I think the Chargers felt like they needed that extra

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Speaker 1: spot on the fifty three as opposed to being able

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Speaker 1: to have that extra spot on the forty eight because

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Speaker 1: of the third quarterback rules. So you know, it's it's

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Speaker 1: it's a shame that you know, Max Duggan didn't get

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Speaker 1: more opportunity because this team was really invested in the

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Speaker 1: development of East and Stick and I think rightfully so.

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Speaker 1: But like you said, there were guys who really went

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Speaker 1: out there and had some excellent, you know, chances to

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Speaker 1: show what they had and showed out well. You know,

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Speaker 1: there were guys who were cut today that you know,

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Speaker 1: I think objectively should be on this roster, but you

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Speaker 1: can only keep fifty three. You know, It's it's part

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Speaker 1: of how you work this puzzle. And unfortunately for Max Duggan,

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Speaker 1: you know, he's on the outside looking in you know,

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Speaker 1: like you mentioned, I think there's some potential there to

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Speaker 1: work with and hopefully you can come back on the

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Speaker 1: practice squad. But we'll see what happens there. Maybe he

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Speaker 1: decides to look for a better opportunity somewhere else.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and you have justin Herbert for the next bazillion

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Speaker 2: years and hopefully until the day I die, which won't happen.

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Speaker 2: But you know, I hope the quarterback forever. There's other

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Speaker 2: position groups where you're not really so sure about who

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Speaker 2: the next guy is gonna be, you know, running back

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Speaker 2: from example, like you got a hold on the Dotson

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Speaker 2: because as probably gone next year, and Kelly is a

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Speaker 2: free agent next year. Technically you don't know what you

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Speaker 2: have in Spiller and you cut Larry round. She's like, yeah,

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Speaker 2: let's keep another guy or or tight end. What does

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Speaker 2: tight end look like? Next year could be a completely

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Speaker 2: different room, So let's make sure we have another roster

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Speaker 2: spot to keep Stone Smart for example. So yes, they'd

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Speaker 2: be looking for another quarterback two in the future potentially,

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Speaker 2: but that's not as pressing, I think is trying to

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Speaker 2: hold on to some of these other guys who really

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Speaker 2: showed up and showed out at running back tight end,

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Speaker 2: et cetera.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's fair. So we talked a little

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Speaker 1: bit about Elijah Dotson obviously making the roster. Any thoughts

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Speaker 1: here about how this running back room shook out, and

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Speaker 1: you know, we can talk about maybe kind of Spelly

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Speaker 1: hello Spelly combined the two Spiller versus Kelly here, But

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Speaker 1: any other final thoughts on the running back room.

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Speaker 2: Here, not particularly, No, it was really just for me,

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Speaker 2: are three art or three running backs? Are four? That's

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Speaker 2: all it really came down to end off. It's four.

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Speaker 2: It's clearly dots, and so no surprises in that regard

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Speaker 2: if the fourth guy that was kept, you know, it

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Speaker 2: was Dotson the whole way through and through, so makes sense.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. I like the blend of roles here. And you know,

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Speaker 1: we talked about heading into the preseason that Dotson might

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Speaker 1: be the guy, that guy that we kind of liked

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Speaker 1: because he has some receiving potential and you know, he's

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Speaker 1: a little bit faster. So I do like the composition

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Speaker 1: of this room. Although I understand some people wanting three

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Speaker 1: running backs instead up four. We'll see how that goes.

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, with the way that Kellen Moore

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Speaker 1: wants to, you know, get after it on the ground.

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Speaker 1: I think it makes sense to keep four running backs

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Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, so obviously Chargers only keeping the one fullback,

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Speaker 1: mister Xander Horvath, key special teams player. You know, not

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Speaker 1: a surprise at all that he ended up making the

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Speaker 1: roster because he's a core four special teams player for

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Speaker 1: this Chargers special teams unit. So we'll move on to

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Speaker 1: the wide receivers here, only keeping five on the initial

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Speaker 1: active roster here with Keenan, Mike Williams, Quentin Johnson, Josh Palmer,

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Speaker 1: and Darius Davis. I know there was a lot of

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Speaker 1: initial buzz and hype around john High Tower unfortunately getting

387
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Speaker 1: injured kind of derailing that. Keelan Dawson is just kind

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Speaker 1: of a really steady presence in the preseason. We both

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Speaker 1: had six on the active roster initially from Saturday Charges.

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Speaker 1: You're going with five here, Tyler, what are your thoughts? Yeah?

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Speaker 2: Hi Tower unfortunately, great story for the first few weeks

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Speaker 2: of camp and then just grinding halt and you feel

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Speaker 2: bad because you see it's like, okay, yeah, this guy's

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Speaker 2: gonna make it. Here's his opportunity doesn't happen. So that's unfortunate,

395
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Speaker 2: had DAWs making it. I kind of thought that they

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Speaker 2: would lean into like they did with defensive tackle. You know,

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Speaker 2: let's switch it up, let's have sixty tackles. So I

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Speaker 2: figured going into this year that they would carry six

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Speaker 2: wide receivers. They still might, It's very much possible. Jalen

400
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Speaker 2: Guiden on the pup list, so he's got four games,

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Speaker 2: he's not going to play, so he's kind of a

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Speaker 2: post by thing. So it seems like they're just going

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Speaker 2: to go with we're just gonna have Keelan Dawson the

404
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Speaker 2: practice squad. If he clears, elevate him, elevate him. Potentially

405
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Speaker 2: after you do your elevations, you have to sign him.

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Speaker 2: And maybe that's where dots and ends up being cut

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Speaker 2: because they have to find a spot somewhere. So I

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Speaker 2: would have liked to see them keep six. But it's okay.

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Speaker 2: I think at least for the first two weeks they're

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Speaker 2: gonna have six. In a way, it's just through elevations.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think, you know, we might have misinterpreted like

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Speaker 1: the need for a six receiver, and that's fine. You know,

413
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Speaker 1: sometimes he missed these predictions. But Jalen Guidan is really

414
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Speaker 1: that guy, you know, like you mentioned, he's gonna be

415
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Speaker 1: on the pup list to start, you know, I would

416
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Speaker 1: assume that once he's healthy, he's going to be on

417
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Speaker 1: the active roster and we'll see when that is. But

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Speaker 1: him stay on the pup list, I think is the

419
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Speaker 1: right decision. Gives him, you know, another basically six weeks

420
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Speaker 1: to you know, continue working on his recovery and maybe

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Speaker 1: by that time he looks great and he's ready for

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Speaker 1: an active roster spot, or maybe you keep him on longer.

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Speaker 1: I don't know. We'll see what happens there. But you know,

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Speaker 1: I think this receiver room is fantastic, Like I think

425
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Speaker 1: the potential of this receiver room is so so good.

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Speaker 1: I would have liked to have some more flexibility for sure,

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Speaker 1: you know, And people will compare it like they kept

428
00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,160
Speaker 1: five last year, but this is a very different five,

429
00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,639
Speaker 1: Like this is a unit that you feel great about.

430
00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,520
Speaker 1: Josh Palmer has taken another step forward. Quentin Johnson has been,

431
00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,560
Speaker 1: as advertised, I would say, in training camp, really excited

432
00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,800
Speaker 1: to see his rookie debut. Darius Davis, as we've seen,

433
00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,840
Speaker 1: can give you some you know, gadget stuff while also

434
00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,400
Speaker 1: being like a functional receiver from the slot from time

435
00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,800
Speaker 1: to time. So this is a much deeper stable of

436
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,120
Speaker 1: wide receivers that this team can can use, and killing

437
00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,280
Speaker 1: Moore can deploys as he sees fit. But I think

438
00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:36,760
Speaker 1: eventually we will see six on the roster because Jalen

439
00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:38,920
Speaker 1: Guiden is going to come back at some point and

440
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,639
Speaker 1: the roster is going to change when he's healthy and

441
00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:42,840
Speaker 1: ready to contribute.

442
00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:46,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, to your point about the five being so different

443
00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,000
Speaker 2: than last year, that's kind of where I think we

444
00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,840
Speaker 2: did at our misstep, like, well, they need to keep

445
00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:52,960
Speaker 2: six because they didn't last year, and they suffered because

446
00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,639
Speaker 2: they didn't have six. They didn't have enough guys. And again,

447
00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,439
Speaker 2: when guy comes back, it'll probably be six. But like

448
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,879
Speaker 2: you said, it's very different set of five. First of all,

449
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,879
Speaker 2: everybody's healthy, so that's a that's a good start. And

450
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,920
Speaker 2: then Darius Davis, Quentin Johnson, and Josh Palmer, all those

451
00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,760
Speaker 2: guys finished the preseason training camp, et cetera. With stock ups.

452
00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,800
Speaker 2: You feel nothing but great about the receiver room. So

453
00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,960
Speaker 2: I understand why at least for now, it's five on

454
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:19,680
Speaker 2: the initial roster.

455
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, hundred percent. All right, let's get to the tight ends.

456
00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,680
Speaker 1: Here Chargers deciding to keep four again like they did

457
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,360
Speaker 1: last year, obviously being Jared Everett, Donald Parham, Tree, McKitty

458
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,560
Speaker 1: and Stone Smart. I think initially I was a little

459
00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,679
Speaker 1: bit hesitant on stone Smart making it, but to his credit,

460
00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,640
Speaker 1: he had a really really solid preseason, had some good

461
00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,240
Speaker 1: moments in training camp, and particular I think shined in

462
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,680
Speaker 1: the Saints joint practices according to those who were there.

463
00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,199
Speaker 1: So what's your reaction here to Stone Smart being one

464
00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,240
Speaker 1: of the fifty three? Initially what a story.

465
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,879
Speaker 2: Because he started so hot last year in the spring,

466
00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:58,800
Speaker 2: but then he got hurt so and for an undrafted

467
00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,760
Speaker 2: free agent quarterback turn tight end from old dominion, it's like, well,

468
00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,080
Speaker 2: that's that's it, you know, that's all you got. But

469
00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,680
Speaker 2: they held on to him and they saw something in him,

470
00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,479
Speaker 2: and then he started to play in some games, and

471
00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,280
Speaker 2: now you've got a guy that you know for the

472
00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:15,480
Speaker 2: next few years. We'll see if they cut him or

473
00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,000
Speaker 2: whatever again, but you feel pretty good about his development,

474
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,639
Speaker 2: his trajectory. I think it's early to say this, but

475
00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,480
Speaker 2: it's we can, I think sort of say this. It's

476
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,080
Speaker 2: potentially a Gerald Everett light kind of replacement. If ever

477
00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,720
Speaker 2: it goes down. His skill set is just a little

478
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,040
Speaker 2: different than the other guys. It's a little bit different

479
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,160
Speaker 2: than Donnad Parham, than Trey mc kitty as a more

480
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,800
Speaker 2: pure receiver type. Is he gonna be your inline blocker?

481
00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:42,320
Speaker 2: Not really, I don't think so.

482
00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:42,640
Speaker 1: Though.

483
00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,560
Speaker 2: They can use him and he saw the forty nine

484
00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,639
Speaker 2: ers game. They can use him creatively two block like

485
00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,520
Speaker 2: they would have Oh, I don't know, like a Utah's

486
00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:51,440
Speaker 2: Dalton Cancade for example. I don't know if you've heard

487
00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,119
Speaker 2: of him, you know, I just had to throw that

488
00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,280
Speaker 2: in there. But I'm happy for him. What a story

489
00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,520
Speaker 2: because not often, he's not often. Do you a guy

490
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,879
Speaker 2: from a not a large school convert from quarterback to

491
00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,920
Speaker 2: a different position and then get hurt and then make

492
00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,439
Speaker 2: it and then continue to be on the roster and

493
00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,040
Speaker 2: then make it again this year.

494
00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,199
Speaker 1: Pretty impressive. Yeah, quarterback to tight end, that's a very

495
00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,560
Speaker 1: unique transition. You know, there's a lot of quarterback to receiver,

496
00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,560
Speaker 1: quarterback to running back, you know, receiver to tight end.

497
00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,919
Speaker 1: Quarterback to quarterback to tight end is very very unique,

498
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,240
Speaker 1: and I think it just kind of speaks to the

499
00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,840
Speaker 1: work that he's put in. And also, like you mentioned,

500
00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,800
Speaker 1: he missed like basically the whole summer he was injured.

501
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,639
Speaker 1: He was on that little crutch with his leg in

502
00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,719
Speaker 1: a boot last summer, so you know, credit to him,

503
00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,680
Speaker 1: job well done. I really like the development he's shown,

504
00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,200
Speaker 1: particularly as like a contested catch artist. Had some great

505
00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,399
Speaker 1: moments in the preseason this year in that regard and

506
00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:53,560
Speaker 1: just shows that, you know, the quarterbacks can trust him.

507
00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,080
Speaker 1: As a blocker, I think more reminiscent of like a

508
00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,200
Speaker 1: Stephen Anderson type, where's you got to get him on

509
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,760
Speaker 1: the move and get going. Like you mentioned our guy

510
00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,840
Speaker 1: a Dalton Kincaid, very similar role in that regard, more

511
00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,240
Speaker 1: of an h back than he is a true tight

512
00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:09,560
Speaker 1: end as a blocker, but that Gerald Everett insurance, if

513
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,040
Speaker 1: you will. So as a receiving room, I really like

514
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,439
Speaker 1: this tight end room. I think with Donald Parham stretching

515
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:20,080
Speaker 1: the seams again yards after catchability, Gerald Everett, working crossers

516
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,840
Speaker 1: also can work vertically and soon and smart. You've got

517
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,440
Speaker 1: a lot of potential here as a receiving room. As

518
00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,960
Speaker 1: a blocking unit, I'm still very concerned, and you know,

519
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,159
Speaker 1: I want everybody to do well, and I want everybody

520
00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:34,160
Speaker 1: to reach all your potential. But with the way that

521
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,600
Speaker 1: this team wants to run, the wants to run the football,

522
00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,440
Speaker 1: and make sure that they're able to run in an

523
00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,920
Speaker 1: efficient play acting play action game. I'm concerned. This is

524
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,320
Speaker 1: a this is a unit that I think should be addressed.

525
00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,240
Speaker 1: And again I don't I'm not going to call for

526
00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,919
Speaker 1: anybody's job, but this is a unit that has to

527
00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,680
Speaker 1: improve in the blocking department or the rushing attack is

528
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,680
Speaker 1: simply not going to reach its potential. So ideally that

529
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,040
Speaker 1: from the players that are on the team, and you

530
00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,840
Speaker 1: don't have to make any moves. But I'm concerned, and

531
00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:08,200
Speaker 1: I don't think anything that happened in the preseason showed otherwise.

532
00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,280
Speaker 2: Yeah, I would agree there. Obviously we didn't get to

533
00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,920
Speaker 2: see like a ton of Donald Parham blocking a ton

534
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,280
Speaker 2: of film and whatever. But yeah, we'll see It's a

535
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,879
Speaker 2: position group that we've been concerned with for that specific

536
00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:24,160
Speaker 2: reason because it was so worrisome last year and there's

537
00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,840
Speaker 2: just so much uncertainty, you know, Donald Parham, consistency with injuries,

538
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,399
Speaker 2: McKitty hopefully rebounding. We'll see Gerald Everett not known as

539
00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,320
Speaker 2: an inline blocker, and Stone smart Again. We just talked

540
00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,080
Speaker 2: about converted quarterback to tight end. I don't know what

541
00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:38,920
Speaker 2: he weighs now, but he was two twenty six last

542
00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:43,119
Speaker 2: time that they somebody weighed him, I guess and reported it.

543
00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:48,520
Speaker 2: So it's not a great blocking unit. I'm very curious

544
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,600
Speaker 2: through the first four games what Kellen Moore does with

545
00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,800
Speaker 2: that blocking unit. Does he rely on that extra tight

546
00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,439
Speaker 2: end or do we just say, hey, we've got receivers,

547
00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:01,720
Speaker 2: so we're gonna use receiver and our five linemen. That's

548
00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:02,399
Speaker 2: all we're gonna do.

549
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,440
Speaker 1: Yeah, to your point, like Will Clap has two hundred

550
00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,560
Speaker 1: and sixty snaps as a six offensive lineman registered as

551
00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:12,879
Speaker 1: an inline tight end according to BFF in his history,

552
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,480
Speaker 1: I think Jordan McFadden could do very well in that

553
00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,439
Speaker 1: regard to as a former offensive tackle. You know, this

554
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:24,760
Speaker 1: is an offensive coordinator that is not He's not hesitant

555
00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:28,080
Speaker 1: to use extra offensive lineman. He had an infamous hulk

556
00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:30,280
Speaker 1: package that he used in Dallas to get Connor McGovern

557
00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,520
Speaker 1: on the field more often. And that is something that

558
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,399
Speaker 1: you can do one percent. You can use extra offensive linemen,

559
00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,960
Speaker 1: you know, as much as you want, but at some point,

560
00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,160
Speaker 1: like it just kind of limits your options because really

561
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,679
Speaker 1: tough to run play action with six offensive linemen on

562
00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,040
Speaker 1: the field because that six one is probably not running routes.

563
00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:51,880
Speaker 1: So yeah, again, ideally the unit improves on their own.

564
00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,000
Speaker 1: I do think Donald parm is an underrated blocker, but

565
00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 1: they don't have a true like tone setter at tight

566
00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,600
Speaker 1: end like they had with like Virgin Green or like

567
00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,960
Speaker 1: Sean McGrath kind of guy, and I think they are

568
00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:05,160
Speaker 1: missing that kind of presence.

569
00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm gonna have to start putting some Scott Matt

570
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:12,080
Speaker 2: Loocke or Jordan McFadden you know, faiths that's right, man. Well, yeah, yeah,

571
00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,000
Speaker 2: we had to get some film out there of them

572
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,160
Speaker 2: catching some passes to keep the defenses honest, because yeah,

573
00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:18,720
Speaker 2: that's what we're leaning on for the full back and

574
00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,480
Speaker 2: extra blockers. Hey, gotta throw some past every once in

575
00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:21,879
Speaker 2: a while.

576
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:26,320
Speaker 1: Yeah all right, let's uh, let's get to those offensive linemen.

577
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:28,960
Speaker 1: Chargers keeping nine this year I think a bit of

578
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:33,639
Speaker 1: a surprise, but starting unit obviously stays intact with Rashawn Slater,

579
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,200
Speaker 1: Zion Johnson, Corey Lindley. I almostaid Jordan mcfatten, not Jordan McFadden.

580
00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,720
Speaker 1: Jamari Sawier is the starting right guard and then Trey Pipkins.

581
00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:46,800
Speaker 1: Mister McFadden will clap Foster Surrell, and then Brennan Heimus

582
00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:51,120
Speaker 1: another potential surprise here. I think for me, the way

583
00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,400
Speaker 1: that I kind of interpreted this is that Will Clap

584
00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,680
Speaker 1: has a ton of versatility in his background. He started

585
00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,200
Speaker 1: his career at LSU as a guard all him and

586
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,400
Speaker 1: they ended up as a center. He started out his

587
00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,680
Speaker 1: career in the NFL as a guard and ultimately has

588
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,800
Speaker 1: decided to go back to center for a variety of reasons.

589
00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,680
Speaker 1: So he's a guy that can play all three spots

590
00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 1: on the interior. And I think this team watched what

591
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,960
Speaker 1: Brennan Hymas did at center, the improvement and that he displayed,

592
00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,280
Speaker 1: just like the comfort level that he was expressing as

593
00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,720
Speaker 1: a center, they decided to keep him around and see

594
00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,760
Speaker 1: if that is a player that you can develop long term.

595
00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,160
Speaker 1: And so I think you kind of pivot away from

596
00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,440
Speaker 1: this idea that maybe Zach Bailey is your swing guard

597
00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,720
Speaker 1: or maybe Jordan mcfatten is your swing guard, to hey,

598
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,240
Speaker 1: Will Clap is our swing into your player period and

599
00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,640
Speaker 1: then if something else happens, we'll bring in Brennan Heeimis

600
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:46,840
Speaker 1: or Jordan mcfatten to kind of fill in the gap.

601
00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:50,400
Speaker 1: So that's my interpretation of the decision to keep Brennan

602
00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,920
Speaker 1: Hymas instead of Zach Bailey, I am, you know, not

603
00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,480
Speaker 1: gonna lie a little disappointed. I thought Zach Bailey was

604
00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,720
Speaker 1: their best backup on the team period. In the preseason.

605
00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,760
Speaker 1: I thought that he what he displayed on tape was

606
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:08,040
Speaker 1: a true level of consistency, explosiveness, and he played three

607
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:12,200
Speaker 1: different positions in the preseason. So I really like Zach Bailey.

608
00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,320
Speaker 1: I was pretty surprised that they decided not to keep

609
00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,200
Speaker 1: him on the initial fifty three. But it is what

610
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,000
Speaker 1: it is. Like I mentioned, I think some of this

611
00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,440
Speaker 1: is defense, with center being such a valuable position. You know,

612
00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,160
Speaker 1: teams need centers all the time. We just saw former

613
00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,400
Speaker 1: Charger center Dan Feenie get traded because the Bears needed

614
00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:34,280
Speaker 1: a center, and maybe them looking at Brendan Hymis and saying, hey, like,

615
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,000
Speaker 1: we need to protect this guy for now, and let's

616
00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,040
Speaker 1: keep working with him and maybe he's he can become

617
00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,200
Speaker 1: something down the road and we'll clap can kind of

618
00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:42,440
Speaker 1: fill in the gaps there.

619
00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm very curious what this and I guess we'll

620
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,320
Speaker 2: never know. To me, I hear your argument, for you know,

621
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:51,480
Speaker 2: we'll club going to guard and this sort of thing.

622
00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,720
Speaker 2: It kind of feels like Aukham's razor in this regard,

623
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,840
Speaker 2: where it's just like the simplest answer is potentially the

624
00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,040
Speaker 2: right one, and that's that he was their draft pick,

625
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,200
Speaker 2: and I think that that is something that they're going

626
00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,120
Speaker 2: to stick with. They did obviously we just talked about

627
00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,000
Speaker 2: tight end with Trey mckittiy, like they're going to stick

628
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,960
Speaker 2: with it and work through it now. I do think,

629
00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,400
Speaker 2: and I want to give him credit here. Brendan Himas

630
00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,800
Speaker 2: finished the preseason really strong, and that final game was

631
00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:19,560
Speaker 2: about a lot of guys like, Okay, here's your snaps,

632
00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:21,480
Speaker 2: Let's see what you got, you know, even the edge

633
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,560
Speaker 2: rushers that aren't even going to make the practice squad,

634
00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,200
Speaker 2: like Carlo Kemp going elsewhere, Tys She'll be going elsewhere potentially,

635
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:29,680
Speaker 2: They gave them a ton of run in that game

636
00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:31,680
Speaker 2: to just see what do you got? What are you

637
00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,840
Speaker 2: going to show us? And Brendon Himas had a really, really,

638
00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,400
Speaker 2: really good game and looking at the preseason as a whole,

639
00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:40,080
Speaker 2: like you're looking at not that it was just him.

640
00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:43,280
Speaker 2: Zion and Jamari obviously contributed. Jordan mcfadt and Zach Bailey contributed.

641
00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,600
Speaker 2: But the team rushed for six hundred one rushing yards,

642
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,360
Speaker 2: and I think they're going to look at Brendon hypisiness

643
00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,239
Speaker 2: and say, like, yeah, he gets you. He should get

644
00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,120
Speaker 2: a ton of credit for that. For at least in

645
00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:56,080
Speaker 2: that regard, they performed very well. I think he performed

646
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,560
Speaker 2: very well. It really just comes down to, you know, before,

647
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,400
Speaker 2: really early on, before training camp, we talked about questions

648
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,000
Speaker 2: that we had that we needed answering in training camp,

649
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,040
Speaker 2: and one of the first ones I talked about, if

650
00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:12,400
Speaker 2: not the first one, was Okay, when Rashawn Slater and

651
00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,960
Speaker 2: Trey Pipugan throw off the field, who are the tackles?

652
00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:19,360
Speaker 2: And I feel like I know less now than I did,

653
00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,080
Speaker 2: because to me, with Zach Bailey, you felt like, Okay,

654
00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,480
Speaker 2: Foster Carral's your swinging tackle. If a Shawn goes down,

655
00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,000
Speaker 2: Foster Cerol goes over there. And if you have Zach

656
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,200
Speaker 2: Bailey on your team and something happens in right tackle,

657
00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,000
Speaker 2: he looked great in the preseason, so there's your other tackle. Whatever.

658
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,160
Speaker 2: Now I'm not really so sure. Now, again, this is

659
00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,360
Speaker 2: initial roster. Things might change. Everything we're talking about now

660
00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,400
Speaker 2: by the time it airs tomorrow could be completely different.

661
00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:49,560
Speaker 2: But for right now, I don't have that question answered

662
00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:55,440
Speaker 2: yet of what is the plan at backup tackle, And

663
00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,320
Speaker 2: as we've sort of gathered throughout the preseason in training camp,

664
00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:03,200
Speaker 2: is that a good plan? We'll find out or hopefully

665
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:05,480
Speaker 2: we never do, but if we find out, if we

666
00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:07,960
Speaker 2: have the opportunity to, we will eventually find out.

667
00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,120
Speaker 1: Yeah. I think like the way that I interpret this

668
00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,840
Speaker 1: roster right now is that if anything happens on the interior,

669
00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,320
Speaker 1: we'll Clap goes in at any three spot. If anything

670
00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:22,960
Speaker 1: happens at offensive tackle, Foster Srell goes in. If anything

671
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,240
Speaker 1: else happens after that, then you have Brendan heeimis Jordan

672
00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:31,360
Speaker 1: McFadden And did I say we'll clap and Brendan Heeimus

673
00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:33,400
Speaker 1: excuse me to film in the gaps? After that? Had

674
00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,479
Speaker 1: at little brain part there. That's okay. So I think

675
00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,480
Speaker 1: this team trusts their ability to kind of workshop it

676
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,600
Speaker 1: and figure it out, and you know they've they've shown

677
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,280
Speaker 1: a good enough track record that I think we should

678
00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:48,120
Speaker 1: have some trust in that. So again I thought Zacharly

679
00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:49,920
Speaker 1: should enough to make the roster. I thought to me

680
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,120
Speaker 1: he was a lock, and I wish him well if

681
00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:55,280
Speaker 1: he ends up on the practice squad again, great because

682
00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,480
Speaker 1: I think that would be a fantastic depth option to have.

683
00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,760
Speaker 1: So we'll see what happens there. All right, let's shift

684
00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,520
Speaker 1: gears talk about the defense here as we're running out

685
00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:08,680
Speaker 1: of time, Chargers keeping six defensive linemen Morgan Fox, Christopher Hinton,

686
00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:12,319
Speaker 1: Austin Johnson, Sebastian Joseph Day, Scott Madlock, Scott Mattlock, and

687
00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:18,920
Speaker 1: Nick Williams. To me, this is a Christopher Hinton positive story.

688
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:23,239
Speaker 1: I think this is a great opportunity for him. And

689
00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:26,080
Speaker 1: you know, Sebastian Joseph Dy highlighted it today. He was

690
00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,800
Speaker 1: a guy who, you know, maybe potentially left college a

691
00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,360
Speaker 1: little bit earlier than some might of thought, goes undrafted,

692
00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,120
Speaker 1: signs with the Falcons, gets cut, signs with the Giants,

693
00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:39,640
Speaker 1: gets cut, gets signs with the Chargers, and play some

694
00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:43,640
Speaker 1: key moments down the stretch of last season, and was

695
00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,479
Speaker 1: getting first team run without Austin Johnson on the team

696
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,480
Speaker 1: this year. So, Tyler, what do you make of the

697
00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,480
Speaker 1: decision to keep Christopher Hinton. I know a lot of

698
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:55,320
Speaker 1: fans out there wanted Gerrod Clark on this roster too. CJ.

699
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,080
Speaker 1: Koya sounds like he's going to be back on the

700
00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,080
Speaker 1: practice squad. But what do you make of how this

701
00:34:59,160 --> 00:34:59,960
Speaker 1: room got sorted out?

702
00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I guess I'll start with Drawd Clark player,

703
00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,239
Speaker 2: absolutely deserving to make it. I think based on his

704
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,280
Speaker 2: preseason play, wouldn't have been surprised. It wouldn't be surprised.

705
00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:10,480
Speaker 2: It would be surprised to me if he was the

706
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,120
Speaker 2: fifty fourth guy, you know, just like I just just

707
00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:16,000
Speaker 2: couldn't do it. Had to keep Dotson or Smart or whatever.

708
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,440
Speaker 2: So bummer there. But I get it. Christopher Hinton, great story.

709
00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:23,920
Speaker 2: I did not see this coming. And then suddenly day

710
00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,400
Speaker 2: went off camp. You're like, oh, I guess Chrishinton is

711
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,080
Speaker 2: making the roster. And then that was it, Like there

712
00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,160
Speaker 2: was no really other debate discussion. He was out there

713
00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:34,640
Speaker 2: with the first team with two guys hurt, and he

714
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,160
Speaker 2: looked good and he played well, and I was so

715
00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:41,000
Speaker 2: surprised to see how he could function as a not

716
00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,760
Speaker 2: just a run stopper, because that is ultimate well Dirod

717
00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,319
Speaker 2: Clark will be, that's kind of a specialty. He had

718
00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:48,680
Speaker 2: some pressures throughout the preseason, but he is a run

719
00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:50,879
Speaker 2: stopper and maybe that is Chris Hinton more so too.

720
00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:53,440
Speaker 2: But he saw some great, great pressures. I think a

721
00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:57,359
Speaker 2: sack or two from him in the preseason. So give

722
00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,400
Speaker 2: Jay Rodgers whatever he wants. Man, if you have a

723
00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:02,040
Speaker 2: player who you feel really good about, who's been with

724
00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,000
Speaker 2: you now in your second year, second season, not really

725
00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:08,040
Speaker 2: two full seasons, I feel good about him, keep him

726
00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:11,080
Speaker 2: and keep him in that rotation because you know, you

727
00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,239
Speaker 2: really don't know a whole lot about some of these

728
00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,560
Speaker 2: undrafted free agents and how they might respond to an

729
00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,400
Speaker 2: NFL game. You don't know what's happening with Otito. We

730
00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,000
Speaker 2: have honestly, I mean you might, but it seems like

731
00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:24,879
Speaker 2: that's a mystery. You've seen Chris Hinton play, You've seen

732
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:27,279
Speaker 2: him in the NFL. You've seen him play. He works

733
00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,840
Speaker 2: with coach Ed, he knows the guys he's lining up against.

734
00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,239
Speaker 2: You know, again, if you have Sebastian just Up, Dave Morgan, Fox,

735
00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:34,200
Speaker 2: and Chris Hinton out there, those are three guys that

736
00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,560
Speaker 2: all train together. So I just think chemistry knowing about

737
00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,719
Speaker 2: him more and just he played good football. It's a

738
00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,280
Speaker 2: good move, and it was This six is not a surprise.

739
00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,400
Speaker 2: It's a solid group that only get better when Otito returns.

740
00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a group that I think is going to

741
00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,640
Speaker 1: be underrated and nationally, I mean, how often do we

742
00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,160
Speaker 1: see all the draft punnits wanting on a No's tackle

743
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:56,479
Speaker 1: in the first round this year? And I'm already seeing

744
00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:59,240
Speaker 1: that it's happening again for next monk the next draft season.

745
00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:03,320
Speaker 1: So a group that I think is underrated. But Christopher Hinton,

746
00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,520
Speaker 1: I think, you know, him making the roster really comes

747
00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,560
Speaker 1: down to versatility because I think that he can play

748
00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:11,879
Speaker 1: all spots across the line. He can be a run

749
00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,440
Speaker 1: defending nose tackle if you want him to. He can

750
00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:17,160
Speaker 1: be a pass rushing three tech or a pass rushing

751
00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:19,680
Speaker 1: five tech. I think he can play all across the

752
00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:21,480
Speaker 1: line and do it well. And again, this is a

753
00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:23,719
Speaker 1: guy who was a five star recruit, went to Michigan,

754
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:26,279
Speaker 1: shine at Michigan. Again, maybe came out of school a

755
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,240
Speaker 1: little bit too early, but this is what the NFL

756
00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:31,680
Speaker 1: is about, you know, finding a guy like Christopher Hinton

757
00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:34,799
Speaker 1: and turning him into a quality player and getting him

758
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,839
Speaker 1: in a right situation with Jay Rodgers and learning from

759
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,720
Speaker 1: behind guys like Sebastian, Joseph Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox,

760
00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,279
Speaker 1: and I think it's it's super cool to see it

761
00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,239
Speaker 1: come to fruition. I wish to Rod clark well, I

762
00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:46,960
Speaker 1: hope he's able to come back on the practice squad,

763
00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,640
Speaker 1: because that's a guy who was like very clearly the

764
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:51,680
Speaker 1: top in the league in terms of run stop percentage

765
00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:54,839
Speaker 1: among all defensive tackles who played in the preseason. There's

766
00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,279
Speaker 1: a very defined role for him, though, and I think

767
00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,239
Speaker 1: that just kind of limited his opportunities because I think

768
00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,080
Speaker 1: Jay Rodgers, Brandon say they like these guys who can

769
00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,640
Speaker 1: play all across the line. That is Christopher Hinton, that

770
00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,600
Speaker 1: is Nick Williams, that is Scott Mattlock, that is Austin Johnson,

771
00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:11,480
Speaker 1: it is Sebastian, Joseph Day, heck even Morgan Fox. So

772
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:13,160
Speaker 1: that's hey, I want to learn how to play against

773
00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,000
Speaker 1: the center more often and fight double teams. So this

774
00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:17,879
Speaker 1: is a good group. I feel really good about this group,

775
00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:21,800
Speaker 1: especially that Austin Johnson is healthy. How healthy we'll see.

776
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,839
Speaker 1: But I like this group a lot.

777
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, me too. The last couple of years they've held

778
00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:31,239
Speaker 2: onto another guy to make the initial fifty three was

779
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:34,360
Speaker 2: really good at stopping the run. Forest Merril nose tackle,

780
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,799
Speaker 2: Brandon Vogo no tackle. But ultimately when it came to

781
00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:41,480
Speaker 2: the entire season outlook until injuries happened. They want a

782
00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:43,160
Speaker 2: guys who could do more than one thing, and Christina

783
00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:43,520
Speaker 2: can do that.

784
00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:49,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, moving on here outside linebacker, slash edge rusher,

785
00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:53,120
Speaker 1: whatever you want to call it, no surprises Joey Bosa, Klumack,

786
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,040
Speaker 1: Chris Frump and two Lee tweet Polo tu We've talked

787
00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,880
Speaker 1: a lot about this unit on this channel, on our

788
00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,800
Speaker 1: own channel. I think this is the best edge situation

789
00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,839
Speaker 1: that the charges you've had in a few years here,

790
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:06,799
Speaker 1: But did you have any thoughts about this group before

791
00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:07,520
Speaker 1: we move on?

792
00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,719
Speaker 2: No, not about these four. I feel very confident about them.

793
00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:13,080
Speaker 2: We've talked about them, and we'll see who the one

794
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,799
Speaker 2: EDG dresher is. Sounds like Andrew Farmer would be like

795
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,880
Speaker 2: the sort of priority there with you know, with Carlo Kemp,

796
00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,279
Speaker 2: it seems like he's destined to go elsewhere and not

797
00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:23,920
Speaker 2: make the practice squad. So Andrew Farmer showed a lot.

798
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:25,319
Speaker 2: I think he'll be the guy that ends up on

799
00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:26,040
Speaker 2: the practice squad.

800
00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:31,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, Kemp was I think just a little timing here

801
00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:32,680
Speaker 1: could have gone along way for him. I think if

802
00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:35,400
Speaker 1: he had had this kind of preseason last year. I

803
00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,200
Speaker 1: think you would have made the roster last year. But

804
00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,200
Speaker 1: I think no real surprises with this four making the

805
00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,440
Speaker 1: ultimate four or initial fit four. I guess all right,

806
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:48,799
Speaker 1: let's get to the linebackers. Inside linebackers again, no real

807
00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:52,680
Speaker 1: surprises here, Dayon Hanley, Eric Kendrick, Kenneth Murray, Nickneman, and

808
00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:56,120
Speaker 1: amon ogbang Lamiga. What are your thoughts here, Tyler?

809
00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,720
Speaker 2: Honestly, if you asked me who was the defensive surprise

810
00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:01,560
Speaker 2: to make the team, I would have said, Okay, like

811
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:05,400
Speaker 2: Michael Jones or Blake Lynch or something like that. So

812
00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,439
Speaker 2: I figured maybe like this could be the area. Turns

813
00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:10,120
Speaker 2: out it was Aj Finley for the safety group. Nope,

814
00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:12,280
Speaker 2: feel good about this group. You have a good combination

815
00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:16,280
Speaker 2: of you know, a veteran, a hopefully ascending Kenneth Murray,

816
00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:18,960
Speaker 2: special teams guys, a rookie draft pick you feel really

817
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:23,000
Speaker 2: good about. So again, slightly unproven still, but you still

818
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:24,800
Speaker 2: feel good about about some of these guys.

819
00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:27,680
Speaker 1: And I think it's a union that has a lot

820
00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:30,680
Speaker 1: of potential but definitely needs to click together here. I

821
00:40:30,719 --> 00:40:32,680
Speaker 1: think obviously Eric Canwicks is a big part of that.

822
00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:37,600
Speaker 1: Dan Henley had a really fantastic preseason, very curious about

823
00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,440
Speaker 1: what really is his role because you know, from a

824
00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,560
Speaker 1: snap's perspective, it always felt like Amen and Nick Neeman

825
00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:47,000
Speaker 1: were ahead of him on the depth chart. But we'll

826
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,640
Speaker 1: see how that changes throughout the course of the season.

827
00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,560
Speaker 1: You mentioned Michael Jones. I thought he was really fantastic

828
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:55,680
Speaker 1: in the preseason games, especially against the Saints and the

829
00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:00,080
Speaker 1: forty nine Ers. Really instinctive linebacker. I think he's a

830
00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,960
Speaker 1: little bit limited in coverage duties, but he's a guy

831
00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:06,320
Speaker 1: I definitely want to circle for a potential practice squad spot,

832
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:08,440
Speaker 1: and hopefully by the time you guys are all listening

833
00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:11,160
Speaker 1: to his that has already come to fruition. So he's

834
00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:13,480
Speaker 1: a guy that I definitely want to see them continue

835
00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:14,600
Speaker 1: to work with going forward.

836
00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, I had we have so much. We have limited

837
00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:20,279
Speaker 2: time right to do what we do and to look

838
00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:21,960
Speaker 2: at these undrafted free agents, and when you have a

839
00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:24,359
Speaker 2: bazillion of them, it's hard to keep track of all

840
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,240
Speaker 2: these guys. So I didn't prioritize linebacker one bit because

841
00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:30,000
Speaker 2: you know, they were keeping the guys that they were keeping,

842
00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:33,279
Speaker 2: right like that was and they did. But Jones, over

843
00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:35,560
Speaker 2: the course of the last couple of games, And I'll

844
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:39,040
Speaker 2: be completely honest, I noticed him out of comedy, out

845
00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:41,080
Speaker 2: of a funny bit because of the way that he

846
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,000
Speaker 2: helped Dan Henley secure the interception, and then he, you know.

847
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:44,640
Speaker 1: Played.

848
00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:49,080
Speaker 2: Yeah, So I'm like okay. And then I looked up

849
00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,600
Speaker 2: him and the numbers and I'm like, okay, maybe I

850
00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:54,239
Speaker 2: should pay attention to him more. And he looked great.

851
00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,959
Speaker 2: So as the I don't know how many practice squad

852
00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,120
Speaker 2: linebackers they usually keep, but I hope he's one of them.

853
00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:02,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly. Could I agree more?

854
00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:02,359
Speaker 2: There?

855
00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:05,160
Speaker 1: All right, let's get to the defensive backfield. We talked

856
00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:08,719
Speaker 1: a little bit about AJ Finley. No real surprises otherwise

857
00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:12,520
Speaker 1: in terms of the safety group and cornerback group. Obviously

858
00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:16,040
Speaker 1: Michael Davis, J C. Jackson, and as Sante Samuel Jr.

859
00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:19,279
Speaker 1: Along with Jasa Taylor and Dean Leonard make up the

860
00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:22,319
Speaker 1: cornerback group, and then again the safeties being Derwin James,

861
00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:27,960
Speaker 1: Alohi Gillman, Raheem Lane, and obviously AJ Finley. But regarding

862
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,759
Speaker 1: the cornerbacks, Tyler, are you at all surprised that maybe

863
00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,560
Speaker 1: Timon Mullin or Cam Brown didn't make this roster? How

864
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:34,640
Speaker 1: do you feel about that? Group.

865
00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:38,160
Speaker 2: No, I'm not surprised. I think you feel very confident

866
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:41,680
Speaker 2: in your five corners. We'll see what Jac's health, of course,

867
00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:44,960
Speaker 2: how that all plays out. Honestly, even without J. C. Jackson,

868
00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,240
Speaker 2: you feel pretty good about what you've seen from Assante

869
00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:49,959
Speaker 2: Semler Jr. You know what you having. Michael Davis, Dean

870
00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:52,400
Speaker 2: Leonard I argue has been one of the best guys

871
00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:56,040
Speaker 2: of training camp in the preseason. Just a phenomenal improvement

872
00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:58,920
Speaker 2: from him over the last year and a half or so.

873
00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,040
Speaker 2: So he's been great. Joy they feel good about. So

874
00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:06,120
Speaker 2: no surprises here. If Mullan made it cool, I get it.

875
00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,640
Speaker 2: If Cam Brown made it cool, I get it. But

876
00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:09,880
Speaker 2: no surprise they didn't.

877
00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:13,399
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, time one. Mullen I think was a guy

878
00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:15,200
Speaker 1: who grew on me a lot, you know, just seeing

879
00:43:15,239 --> 00:43:17,759
Speaker 1: his physicality that he brought to the table in the

880
00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:22,600
Speaker 1: preseason kind of redundant. Unfortunately with the Sante and you

881
00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:24,879
Speaker 1: see Taylor on the roster, you know, Derwin's gonna play

882
00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:26,800
Speaker 1: in the slot a lot. You know, we'll see what

883
00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:29,319
Speaker 1: happens in terms of other slot defenders, but you know,

884
00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:32,120
Speaker 1: it's tough to find a role at that star position.

885
00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:35,000
Speaker 1: As Brandon Stateley likes to call it, so definitely just

886
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,720
Speaker 1: want to circle him and Cam Brown for the practice squad.

887
00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:41,160
Speaker 1: But we'll see what happens there. To your point about

888
00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:43,360
Speaker 1: Dean Leonard, I think one thing I do want to

889
00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:46,200
Speaker 1: highlight here is that, like you can make a real

890
00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:48,440
Speaker 1: real argument that the two most improved players on the

891
00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:51,520
Speaker 1: team from last year to now are in this defensive

892
00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:54,600
Speaker 1: backfield being Dean Leonard and J. T. Woods, And those

893
00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:57,160
Speaker 1: are two spots that we really needed to see that improvement.

894
00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,520
Speaker 1: And and so I think, you know, definite tip to

895
00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,400
Speaker 1: those guys who have really come out, worked super hard

896
00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:05,920
Speaker 1: and put it out on the practice field, took it

897
00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:08,719
Speaker 1: to the preseason games, and hopefully we can see some

898
00:44:08,760 --> 00:44:10,920
Speaker 1: of that improvement you know, come to shine in the

899
00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:11,600
Speaker 1: regular season.

900
00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, we've been Harley. I've definitely been singing Derek Ansley's

901
00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:17,920
Speaker 2: praises as the guy who was the DB's coach and

902
00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:21,239
Speaker 2: now the defensive coordinator. You just feel great about him

903
00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:22,920
Speaker 2: and the development of these guys in the charges. To

904
00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,120
Speaker 2: continue with that, I mean j T. Woods, I know

905
00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:26,960
Speaker 2: it's not really what we're talking about it in today,

906
00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:29,719
Speaker 2: but he's improved tremendously and I think you just see

907
00:44:29,719 --> 00:44:34,400
Speaker 2: that statistically on film, Etcjean Leonard looks. I mean again,

908
00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:37,840
Speaker 2: the transformation, what he's done over the last year and

909
00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:40,800
Speaker 2: a half or so since they drafted him last April

910
00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:43,479
Speaker 2: is tremendous. So good for him, good for this group,

911
00:44:43,520 --> 00:44:45,280
Speaker 2: you feel really good about him.

912
00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:49,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, Last, but not least, the specialists on

913
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,359
Speaker 1: the team. Again, there was only one punter, only one

914
00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:54,120
Speaker 1: long snapper, so JK Scott, Josh Harris, making it definitely

915
00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,760
Speaker 1: not a surprise. We got to see an actual legitimate

916
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:01,560
Speaker 1: kicking battle, although Hopkins was injured for a little bit,

917
00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:05,320
Speaker 1: but Cameron Dicker ultimately ends up winning the position battle

918
00:45:06,040 --> 00:45:09,919
Speaker 1: beats out Dustin Hopkins, who gets traded to the Cleveland Browns. Again.

919
00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:11,560
Speaker 1: We talked about this a little bit earlier. I want

920
00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:13,600
Speaker 1: to Wishusin Hopkins very well man like. He saved the

921
00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:16,200
Speaker 1: Chargers from a really tough spot in twenty twenty one,

922
00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:20,840
Speaker 1: was fantastic for that team down the stretch and literally

923
00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:25,040
Speaker 1: left every ounce of energy that he possibly had on

924
00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:27,320
Speaker 1: that field against the Denver Broncos. One of the coolest

925
00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:29,759
Speaker 1: moments to see him kick that game winning field goal

926
00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:33,239
Speaker 1: basically on one leg. So Dustin Hopkins. I don't know

927
00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:34,880
Speaker 1: if you're listening to this, but I do want to

928
00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:38,120
Speaker 1: wish you well because you are one of the best

929
00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:42,799
Speaker 1: kickers in Chargers' recent memory, so hopefully you experienced nothing

930
00:45:42,880 --> 00:45:46,480
Speaker 1: but success in Cleveland. That being said, I'm very excited

931
00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:49,680
Speaker 1: about Cameron Dicker. Man. I think Dicker has earned this opportunity.

932
00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:52,880
Speaker 1: He was like ninety three percent all throughout the summer,

933
00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:56,120
Speaker 1: and I think Charges fans should be really really excited

934
00:45:56,160 --> 00:45:59,200
Speaker 1: to see Dicker and his potential be the Chargers kicker

935
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,120
Speaker 1: sho'ly so heading into twenty twenty.

936
00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:06,439
Speaker 2: Three, Yeah, feel great about it again. And Ryan Fick

937
00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:10,000
Speaker 2: and we trust, and in Cameron Dicker and previously Dustin Hopkins,

938
00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,680
Speaker 2: we trust. It has been a joy to know that

939
00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:17,239
Speaker 2: I got married this year and I might actually make

940
00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:20,480
Speaker 2: it a few more years because the Kickers have finally

941
00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:22,719
Speaker 2: brought my stress levels down, like I am going to

942
00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:25,600
Speaker 2: be able to start a family, I'm gonna have kids.

943
00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:28,400
Speaker 2: I'll go on a honeymoon next year because these Kickers

944
00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,160
Speaker 2: have stabilized the position. And everyone I talked to in

945
00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,239
Speaker 2: the stands every single time we're up in the stands,

946
00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:38,080
Speaker 2: and they would whoever it was you named the list

947
00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:40,680
Speaker 2: of people over the last few years. They go out

948
00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:44,080
Speaker 2: to kick and we just stood there, like, please, just

949
00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:48,560
Speaker 2: anything close to within the uprights would be great. If

950
00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:51,760
Speaker 2: you could hit seventy eight percent this year, that'd be awesome.

951
00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:55,040
Speaker 2: And turns out Dustin Hopkins over ninety percent.

952
00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:55,839
Speaker 1: You know.

953
00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:59,040
Speaker 2: The Washington for whatever reason, decided to cut him, and

954
00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:01,759
Speaker 2: we went thanks, and we never really looked back. He

955
00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:05,200
Speaker 2: was awesome for the Chargers, watching him beat a division

956
00:47:05,280 --> 00:47:08,760
Speaker 2: rival on primetime on one leg where after he kicks

957
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:11,640
Speaker 2: every kick he falls over because he can't land it

958
00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:15,120
Speaker 2: after he kicks. For him to do that, and then

959
00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:17,440
Speaker 2: not that he did this, but get himself traded for

960
00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:20,400
Speaker 2: a draft pick, like, salute to you, Dustin Hopkins, man,

961
00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:25,239
Speaker 2: I appreciate you. Cameron Dictor, you're here now. Jesus took

962
00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:28,040
Speaker 2: the wheel and now you are the kicker for the

963
00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:32,359
Speaker 2: Los Angeles Chargers for the foreseeable future. I think this

964
00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:36,080
Speaker 2: is a guy that I'm hoping like a Justin Tucker,

965
00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:39,319
Speaker 2: for example, although Dustin Tucker's a whole different story. I

966
00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:41,120
Speaker 2: hope he's the kicker that they can land for years

967
00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:43,040
Speaker 2: and years and years and years and years and years

968
00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:45,239
Speaker 2: and years and years again, I'd like to start a

969
00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:48,600
Speaker 2: family and have my blood pressure stay nice at a

970
00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:49,360
Speaker 2: manageable level.

971
00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,480
Speaker 1: So your hopes of starting the family are arresting on camera?

972
00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:58,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. His career, yeah pretty much. If he misses

973
00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:02,399
Speaker 2: the first kick, check in on me. You know, we'll

974
00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:04,120
Speaker 2: see how it goes. But yeah, if he misses the

975
00:48:04,120 --> 00:48:06,480
Speaker 2: first kick against Miami, yeah, check in on me.

976
00:48:09,239 --> 00:48:13,680
Speaker 1: I'm dead. I'm dead. It's amazing. Yes, obviously, hope Cameron

977
00:48:13,719 --> 00:48:17,080
Speaker 1: Dicker experiences nothing but success. But the Chargers, you know, again,

978
00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:20,040
Speaker 1: these stories that the Chargers have on the roster are crazy.

979
00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:22,400
Speaker 1: He was he signed with the Rams as a punter.

980
00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:25,880
Speaker 1: He was gonna punt for the Rams after his college career.

981
00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:28,279
Speaker 1: And you know, he's the guy who did both at

982
00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:31,520
Speaker 1: the University of Texas and ultimately decides to stick it,

983
00:48:31,719 --> 00:48:34,600
Speaker 1: to stick to the kicking profession, and it's really worked

984
00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:37,120
Speaker 1: out for him. So I'm excited about Cameron Dicker. I

985
00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:40,240
Speaker 1: know that there's been some concern about his leg strength.

986
00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:43,359
Speaker 1: He had a fifty eight yarder at Texas. He's looked

987
00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:47,000
Speaker 1: good from very far out at training camp. You noted

988
00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:49,120
Speaker 1: during the scrimmage he was kicking from like sixty yards

989
00:48:49,160 --> 00:48:52,560
Speaker 1: out and not like one hundred percent accuracy, but definitely

990
00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:55,440
Speaker 1: had the leg to get it there. So I'm excited

991
00:48:55,440 --> 00:48:59,320
Speaker 1: about Cameron Dicker and hopefully we can, like you mentioned,

992
00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:00,680
Speaker 1: have him around for the long haul.

993
00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:04,280
Speaker 2: Yeah, can't wait for the postseason game winning field goals.

994
00:49:05,239 --> 00:49:09,360
Speaker 1: Yes, speaking into existence? All right, Tyler, any other thoughts

995
00:49:09,400 --> 00:49:12,000
Speaker 1: about this roster before we head out of here tonight.

996
00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:15,839
Speaker 2: Nope, let's play football. Well, you guys play football. I'll

997
00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:16,560
Speaker 2: have to talk about it.

998
00:49:18,239 --> 00:49:21,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll talk about it. Yeah, that's gonna do it

999
00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:24,520
Speaker 1: for us today. Hopefully guys enjoyed it. I know previously

1000
00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:27,759
Speaker 1: our shows have been releasing on Tuesdays. They're now going

1001
00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:31,919
Speaker 1: to be up on Wednesdays throughout the regular season. So

1002
00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:35,480
Speaker 1: hopefully you you know, set those notifications, subscribe to the channel,

1003
00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:37,720
Speaker 1: and maybe throw us a bone at our own channel

1004
00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:41,040
Speaker 1: as well. We always great greatly appreciate the support. Thanks

1005
00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:44,440
Speaker 1: to Tyler for joining me, thanks to Greg Kim for producing,

1006
00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:46,839
Speaker 1: especially thanks to the Charges of course for giving us

1007
00:49:46,840 --> 00:49:49,200
Speaker 1: this platform. That's gonna do it for us. We'll see

1008
00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:51,120
Speaker 1: you guys next time. As always, both top