00:00DRS, you mentioned something about Justin Herbert right before the break.
00:03Justin Herbert last year, incredibly efficient.
00:06And we were told by both Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman in their first year in Los Angeles,
00:11we're taking the onus off of this guy.
00:13He has had to do far too much in his first four years in the National Football League
00:17in this organization.
00:18Justin Herbert in his first three years in the NFL, that he was fully healthy,
00:23threw for more than 4,300 yards every year, more than 5,000 in 2021,
00:28in his second season, 14,089 passing yards DRS through his first three NFL campaigns
00:35that the most for any quarterback in their first three years in NFL history.
00:41Then he was a little bit banged up in 2023.
00:43Brandon Staley got fired.
00:45Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman come in and they say, listen, we are running the football.
00:49We have built up this offensive line.
00:51We are going to take it off the right arm of Justin Herbert.
00:54They let him open it up a little bit at the end of last year.
00:58And then a porous performance in that wildcard game against the Texans.
01:02Four INTs in H-Town, more in a single game than the three that he threw in the 17 regular season games
01:10he played for LA the entirety of the regular season.
01:14There are some questions about LA come the postseason, but Donnie, you are not incorrect.
01:18That next step for the Chargers is maybe unseating the Chiefs atop the AFC West.
01:24And even as a wildcard team, winning a playoff game and making that deep postseason run.
01:31Yeah, exactly.
01:32And what could be holding them back?
01:33Because you do have the horrible offense, right?
01:36We talked about that nasty offensive line quarterback there that should be able to excel.
01:39And what we expect to be a really, really good running game, which should open up the passing game.
01:44But having said that, Ladd McConkie is a really good wide receiver.
01:48He's unbelievable in the slot and looks like he might be that premier guy over the next four to five years.
01:52Almost like a young version of Cooper Cup when he was at the height of his powers there in the NFL.
01:57But we're underwhelming on the outside.
01:59We just are.
02:00And it's a shame that Quentin Johnston was such a whiff in round number one.
02:03Because he should be your prototype wide receiver.
02:06Get me downfield.
02:07Get me open.
02:07Let me make big catches so McConkie can work that underneath routes.
02:10But the guy can't catch.
02:12And then you bring back Mike Williams, who does have a lot of success in the NFL, when he's healthy.
02:17But that's the big question mark.
02:18Like, if you say 17 games, yeah, I'm going to get eight out of Big Mike.
02:21And, oh, well, what happens at that point?
02:23I just wish they went out and actually solidified the outside wide receiver.
02:27Like the other crosstown team they have in Los Angeles.
02:30If Devontae Adams showed up there on the Chargers, boy, I might even have a higher outlook saying,
02:35you got the number one on the outside.
02:37You got the number one slot guy.
02:38That running game is going to work.
02:39Boy, let's see Harbaugh craft some magic here with Justin Herbert.
02:43That's just the big question mark.
02:45And that's a tough question mark to answer in the NFL when you don't have that true big-time wide receiver on the outside.
02:51No doubt about it, DRS.
02:52It still feels like that missing piece because everything else has been rather taken care of.
02:57No Joey Bosa anymore.
02:59But when you look at what the Chargers did through the draft, I do appreciate how they went about it.
03:03Omari on Hampton, the very talented running back out of North Carolina.
03:07Adds to that explosive running back room.
03:10No J.K. Dobbins.
03:11He is in Denver.
03:12Speaking of explosives, Najee Harris injured in a fireworks accident, but should be ready to go by the start of the year.
03:19Trey Harris, big-time wide receiver out of Ole Miss.
03:22Maybe not that prototypical number one, but I think a nice piece of that wide receiver room.
03:26Keiondre Lambert-Smith later in day number three out of Penn State.
03:31And keep an eye on Kyle Kennard, a ferocious edge rusher from South Carolina.
03:35I like that look for L.A. as well, trying to replace some of that production of the veteran Joey Bosa, who was a part of the final draft class when the Chargers were in San Diego.
03:45Speaking of rookies, DRS, they report to camp the first batch of them tomorrow in Los Angeles.
03:51You saw Omarion Hampton, the 22nd overall pick, a first-round selection by the Chargers this previous April.
03:59He has the fourth best price to win offensive rookie of the year at 10-1.
04:03Who is the favorite?
04:05The first running back off the board.
04:07The sixth overall pick.
04:08The earliest we have seen a running back drafted since Saquon Barkley.
04:12At second overall in 2018, our reigning Heisman runner-up in Ashton Gentry at plus 270.
04:18Cam Ward, that first overall pick at 3-1.
04:23Travis Hunter has a price that is both relatively short to win offensive rookie of the year and defensive rookie of the year for the Jags.
04:31That 9-1 number.
Comments