SAN DIEGO -- Here are five observations on the San Diego Chargers, based on camp practices of July 30:
1.
For years, head coach Marty Schottenheimer opened training camp with the old Oklahoma drill, a physical eye-opener in which a defender has to beat a blocker and tackle a running back within an area lined off with pads. As the drill processed Sunday, the true competitive nature of the defense emerged. If tapes get back to opposing offenses, they might get a little scared.
Linebacker Shawne Merriman blew up a blocker, made a hit and kept getting in the faces of his offensive teammates. Linebacker Carlos Polk implored the offense to run the ball between the pads. The Chargers showed they are an in-your-face defense that defies you to run the ball. The more success they have stopping the run, the more vocal they get. Clearly, the Chargers have one of the most physical defenses in football. They limited teams to 3.5 yards a carry and 84.3 yards a game on the ground last season.
Remember how much fun Chargers fans had watching Junior Seau celebrate each time he made a big play? Well, the players on this defense feed off one another and collectively come together after stops. The longer the drill went, the noisier it became. The hits grew louder. The taunting rose in volume. The Chargers' defense doesn't settle for just stopping an offense. The players like to punish in a clean, hard-hitting way.
2.
Merriman has established himself as one of the defensive leaders on this team. The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year only looks better this summer. Merriman always has been known as a tireless worker in the weight room. He's dropped his weight from 273 to 266 and doesn't have much body fat.
Shawne Merriman
Linebacker
San Diego Chargers
Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Solo Ast Sack FF Int
54 41 13 10 2 0
"I'm really moving," Merriman said. "I just tried to better myself."
His leadership started to emerge late last season as he put together a 10-sack season. Schottenheimer talks about the time late in the season that Merriman, still only a rookie, stood up in a meeting and started spouting off what the defense needed to do to be good. His words became deeds.
Merriman quickly is becoming one of the game's most dominating defensive players. He's got the strength to blow up blockers and the moves to sack quarterbacks. His closing speed is exceptional. His aggressiveness and intimidating ability is even better.
3.
Even though he's widely considered the sport's best running back, LaDainian Tomlinson uses the offseason to improve certain aspects of his game. For a couple years, Tomlinson worked on core training, trying to strengthen his stomach muscles and improve his balance and maneuverability moving at full speed. His latest effort has been in the tape room.
"I think I've become a smarter player this offseason," Tomlinson said. "I watched a lot of tape of myself during the offseason. I worked on my pre-snap reads. I always studied what I do well."
Tomlinson is an automatic. He's had no fewer than 1,335 yards and as many as 1,883 in the past four years. Tomlinson considers his vision the best part of his game. He thrives on making quick decisions while on the run, eluding tacklers and running to daylight. He's worked a lot this offseason with his coaches on getting an edge in recognition of defenses.
4.
The Chargers' secondary has a chance to reach its potential. Cornerback Quentin Jammer is coming off his best season and is playing with confidence. Drayton Florence finally is established as a starter after the Chargers traded former first-rounder Sammy Davis to the 49ers.
An interesting addition is Antonio Cromartie, the team's first-round choice. Knee problems limited Cromartie to only 25 games at Florida State. He has no problem running. His ability to stay with receivers on long routes is impressive. He's a little lost on slant rounds and stopping receivers with moves, but that's only natural. He's a rookie learning the techniques. Still, he has a chance to be a good coverage asset of the future. He'll likely win the job as a third cornerback with hopes of challenging for a starting job by mid-season.
The defensive back creating the most excitement is safety Marlon McCree. He's played with Carolina, Houston and Jacksonville. The defensive coaches like his smarts and playmaking ability. They've been looking for a McCree-type for the past three offseasons.
5.
As it is with most teams, the biggest question mark is the offensive line. With the transition at quarterback to Philip Rivers, the line can't have breakdowns to slow the development of the offense. Left tackle Roman Oben is still hurting from last year and you wonder how much he'll be able to contribute. Leander Jordan is the best athlete along the line and has the starting left tackle job. Third-round choice Marcus McNeill is raw and probably more of a player being developed for the future. Nick Hardwick has come into his own as a solid center, and Kris Dielman did a decent job at guard. Shane Olivea is solid at right tackle. Mike Goff is a force and leader at right guard. It would help if Oben is healthy by September, but there is no guarantee.
1.
For years, head coach Marty Schottenheimer opened training camp with the old Oklahoma drill, a physical eye-opener in which a defender has to beat a blocker and tackle a running back within an area lined off with pads. As the drill processed Sunday, the true competitive nature of the defense emerged. If tapes get back to opposing offenses, they might get a little scared.
Linebacker Shawne Merriman blew up a blocker, made a hit and kept getting in the faces of his offensive teammates. Linebacker Carlos Polk implored the offense to run the ball between the pads. The Chargers showed they are an in-your-face defense that defies you to run the ball. The more success they have stopping the run, the more vocal they get. Clearly, the Chargers have one of the most physical defenses in football. They limited teams to 3.5 yards a carry and 84.3 yards a game on the ground last season.
Remember how much fun Chargers fans had watching Junior Seau celebrate each time he made a big play? Well, the players on this defense feed off one another and collectively come together after stops. The longer the drill went, the noisier it became. The hits grew louder. The taunting rose in volume. The Chargers' defense doesn't settle for just stopping an offense. The players like to punish in a clean, hard-hitting way.
2.
Merriman has established himself as one of the defensive leaders on this team. The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year only looks better this summer. Merriman always has been known as a tireless worker in the weight room. He's dropped his weight from 273 to 266 and doesn't have much body fat.
Shawne Merriman
Linebacker
San Diego Chargers
Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Solo Ast Sack FF Int
54 41 13 10 2 0
"I'm really moving," Merriman said. "I just tried to better myself."
His leadership started to emerge late last season as he put together a 10-sack season. Schottenheimer talks about the time late in the season that Merriman, still only a rookie, stood up in a meeting and started spouting off what the defense needed to do to be good. His words became deeds.
Merriman quickly is becoming one of the game's most dominating defensive players. He's got the strength to blow up blockers and the moves to sack quarterbacks. His closing speed is exceptional. His aggressiveness and intimidating ability is even better.
3.
Even though he's widely considered the sport's best running back, LaDainian Tomlinson uses the offseason to improve certain aspects of his game. For a couple years, Tomlinson worked on core training, trying to strengthen his stomach muscles and improve his balance and maneuverability moving at full speed. His latest effort has been in the tape room.
"I think I've become a smarter player this offseason," Tomlinson said. "I watched a lot of tape of myself during the offseason. I worked on my pre-snap reads. I always studied what I do well."
Tomlinson is an automatic. He's had no fewer than 1,335 yards and as many as 1,883 in the past four years. Tomlinson considers his vision the best part of his game. He thrives on making quick decisions while on the run, eluding tacklers and running to daylight. He's worked a lot this offseason with his coaches on getting an edge in recognition of defenses.
4.
The Chargers' secondary has a chance to reach its potential. Cornerback Quentin Jammer is coming off his best season and is playing with confidence. Drayton Florence finally is established as a starter after the Chargers traded former first-rounder Sammy Davis to the 49ers.
An interesting addition is Antonio Cromartie, the team's first-round choice. Knee problems limited Cromartie to only 25 games at Florida State. He has no problem running. His ability to stay with receivers on long routes is impressive. He's a little lost on slant rounds and stopping receivers with moves, but that's only natural. He's a rookie learning the techniques. Still, he has a chance to be a good coverage asset of the future. He'll likely win the job as a third cornerback with hopes of challenging for a starting job by mid-season.
The defensive back creating the most excitement is safety Marlon McCree. He's played with Carolina, Houston and Jacksonville. The defensive coaches like his smarts and playmaking ability. They've been looking for a McCree-type for the past three offseasons.
5.
As it is with most teams, the biggest question mark is the offensive line. With the transition at quarterback to Philip Rivers, the line can't have breakdowns to slow the development of the offense. Left tackle Roman Oben is still hurting from last year and you wonder how much he'll be able to contribute. Leander Jordan is the best athlete along the line and has the starting left tackle job. Third-round choice Marcus McNeill is raw and probably more of a player being developed for the future. Nick Hardwick has come into his own as a solid center, and Kris Dielman did a decent job at guard. Shane Olivea is solid at right tackle. Mike Goff is a force and leader at right guard. It would help if Oben is healthy by September, but there is no guarantee.
