Extreme Boltage
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Extreme Boltage
Building Around Herbert: The Chargers' New Offensive Weapons
Welcome back to Extreme Boltage. My name is Dee Melkonian. We are discussing the 2025 Los Angeles Chargers team construction period. That's right, it's post-draft evaluation. We're going to talk about the Chargers offense specifically today. We're going to just go down and see how these draft picks that we got just a couple months back in april, see how that's going to fit into the current team construction, give you a nice synopsis of what it looks like from a 20 000 feet above and just get a nice little dissection of of what we're looking at for the chargers offensive front. So let's get started with Chargers offense 2025.
Dee Melkonian:Okay, the draft came and went. I'm sure you have seen some of the nice targets and tools. We've added in some young men that are going to come in and potentially, you know, provide us with some extremely great talent, hopefully to kind of get this Chargers team above ground. Great season. Last year we talked about 11-7 season, so, correction, 11-6 season. So now we're going to go ahead and forge ahead and see what this offense looks like.
Dee Melkonian:So none other than let's talk about our first round draft pick O'Marion Hampton from North Carolina. This was look, first round running backs. Right, you can discuss one way or another if you like them, don't like them. This, that, but the quality guys that you're going to get that hopefully transcend your traditional good running backs, quality running backs you'd get in the mid rounds. Maybe second day, third day, you spend a first round pick. You expect extremely gifted runners, and O'Marron Hampton fits that bill. In regards to what the Chargers are going to be doing and they're hoping that's going to be the case and again, draft picks man, it's difficult, right? I mean, you can project so much Obviously great pedigree of talent, a great type of statistical productive running back in North Carolina for a number of years, and now he's bringing his talents to the big show. So you expect to get what is perceived to be a great running back in the first round. So this is a huge step, for the Chargers Hasn't have drafted a running back in the first round for a while. So this is a great move. Look, they had their druthers right. You could take it what they can take, but they could have had a receiver in their first round, fit in with Nadja Harris in the backfield and look, this is the 2025 season we're talking about. In 2026, this could be a completely different ballgame. This could be your prime time top five, top ten, running back in the league. Potentially. That's what we're talking about with Omerian. He has that type of skill set that can give him that in regards to what the Chargers are looking for. So in that aspect, o'marion comes in here knowing that the Chargers are going to be utilized as a run-heavy offense, or at least a 50-50 offense.
Dee Melkonian:Right, the running game is such a crucial type of tactic for the Chargers to use with Justin Herbert. They tried last year right effectively in the first. You know maybe five, six games and then injury bugs hit them a little bit, with Dobbins getting nicked up and having to go on the bench bench. We had an injured, came back but really didn't provide that extra oomph, that juice, uh, as you will. Um, so really was the running attack, wasn't really all there. Jk dobbins was the guy last year and when he was healthy he was very productive. And then defenses caught up, right, defenses caught up, stacked the box, uh, injuries also obviously derailed. Uh, he was off for a few weeks with with that ankle or knee, uh, so that that hurt him. Uh came back. Yet wasn't his explosive self all the time, consistently, I should say at least, and I think that the defensive game plan uh, on opposing teams really stacked it up where you know. They made them run at that point right and and herbert had to rely on the passing game, which really wasn't quite there last year. Lad mcconkey fantastic, fantastic receiver, um, but again, quentin Johnston eight touchdowns last year and we'll talk about the receivers here in a minute.
Dee Melkonian:I still want to focus on the running backs, but what I'm trying to say is the running game last year became an issue because of the, like we said, the earlier injuries and what have you Some players not really stepping up? Kamani Vidal, the running back, coming in, he had glimpses, he had flashes, but really didn't provide that extra oomph. So I think, in regards to that, the Gus Edwards stalled injury beginning of the year and then really wasn't very consistent throughout. And of course, the JK Dobbins inconsistency in enforcing the injuries in the end, I think, really curtailed and hurt this offense. And again you have to mirror that the fact that the receiving core for the Chargers was not fantastic last year, with the exception of Vlad McConkie, you didn't have a lot of weapons on that offensive front and I blame that, I blame that on the Chargers personnel.
Dee Melkonian:Quentin Johnston, you know, there a better season than the first rookie year, but yet some issues with hands, some drops. Even though the eight touchdowns came in, there were some crucial drops along the way and that hurt him, even just the separation issues. Right, how often are you open and what can we do in regards to gaining that trust with Herbert? So there was that issue in regards to the receiving stuff. Josh Palmer great season last year, okay, great season last year. Got signed away to Buffalo this year on free agency but provided that additional receiving asset but maybe not enough to take away from the diminishing running game that the Chargers saw throughout the season. Chargers saw Throughout the season, especially the second half of the season, and that really did come back to bite them.
Dee Melkonian:So all this to say O'Marion Hampton Pretty exciting to get him in the fold and let me just tell you what O'Marion brings with him. And again, we're bringing college stats up here, which, okay, sounds great, but you got to prove it with the big boys here in the nfl, right. So I'm not saying this is what is going to be, but you know what. This is going to give you a good factor of what this guy has done and let me show you what it did in 2024 right, and 12 games played last year 281 attempts, 1660 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns fantastic, right, uh. 38 receptions over 370 yards, uh, with two touchdowns right, so fantastic, this guy can do both he's a runner and a receiver coming off.
Dee Melkonian:One other thing that we have to really, really impress on is, yeah, running backs can come in an nfl, but you can't really stay on the job or or having playing time if you cannot have pass bro, you got to protect in the passing game, you got to make sure justin's not getting destroyed out there, and this is what a marion can bring. He's a big boy that can, that can bring the thunder of that block, uh. So look, not just last year, but 2023. Let's go back. He had 13 games in 23, again about 250 yards of attempts, just a little over 1,500 yards on the ground with, again, 15 touchdowns. He mirrored the 24 and 23 touchdown production. Going back to the receptions, he had 29 receptions in 23 along with a touchdown, so 29 receptions for over 220 yards. So he's bringing to you consistently about 30-plus touches in regards to receiving or catching.
Dee Melkonian:In regards to our receptions over 30, averaging about 32, 33 catches a season right, and he's giving you quality, quality rushing attempts and the kid, knock on wood, is staying healthy and that's a huge thing to ask for, especially for a running back coming in with all the hits you're taking. So this is a good move. I'm excited about it. Uh, we're gonna see what. What's gonna happen, obviously, and transpire with it. But the fact that you have naji harris as well, that came in, naji came in and that was pretty exciting.
Dee Melkonian:I thought quite honestly, uh, a free agency pickup, that was a good quality running back. Am I saying? He's an exceptional back that's gonna blow it it up? Not necessarily, but he's giving you that four-minute offensive drive running back where you can consistently have the ball in his hands. Defenses know it's coming, but he's still making an impact in the game, gaining positive yards and moving the sticks, and that's what you need in a running back, right, and that's what Najee is going to bring. And also, it's not going to put the burden on a brand new kid coming in as a running back to carry that full burden of a running attack. That's a huge thing for a young guy.
Dee Melkonian:The pressure man, the pressure of the NFL, the pressure of that position, the pressure to be in that lead back role can be staggering, right, and that can actually curtail the growth of a good running back. Any good player right, any good player with that much pressure on you've seen it for quarterbacks, you've seen it for receivers you know sometimes that overwhelming pressure of being the guy can really retard the growth of a good running back right, of a good player. So I think the fact that you have Najee and he's coming in, and course O'Marion, hey, even 50-50 splits I don't care if it's 60-40 going to Harris right in the beginning, I think by mid-season you're going to see an easy 50-50. I predict second part of the season you're seeing him as a lead back and I think you might be getting 35-40 percent of Najee Harris coming in. And that's what I'm what I'm looking at. I think there's so much of a skill set and the confidence he's going to gain playing on a weekly basis.
Dee Melkonian:And man, don't forget, do not forget that the quarterback, the quarterback is an exceptional talent. It's one thing. If you have just a guy behind center right and you're a running back, that's got to go there and play. Let's go back to the old days of Walter Baton, right? You can't name me a quarterback in Chicago. I don't care if it's McMahon that wasn't a quality quarterback. I should say that was not an elite quarterback, at the very minimum, right.
Dee Melkonian:So what I'm saying is that, running back, o'marion Hampton has an exceptional quarterback in front of him and that's going to make his open lanes right. That A and B gaps. They can't fill it all day long because if they do, they're going to get destroyed in the middle of the field and back in that field. Okay, because Herbert's going to pick people apart, and the fact and the fact that we've added on to that receiver set which we'll talk about here in a minute that's going to be a factor as well, okay. So, yes, I'm telling you right now, the offensive game plan is not going to shrink this year with a running game, but it's going to exponentially expand, because you're having two really good running backs, one potentially superstar in O'Marion and also the flourishment of an amazing Herbert, along with this really underrated offensive receivers and tight ends, which we'll talk about here in a minute. I think that's going to create a really great landscape where the Chargers offense is going to dictate and take over certain games, and that's going to be exceptional to watch and I'm looking forward to that happening. And that's the game plan, right, that's what we want it to happen and that's what the coaches and player personnel folks are looking at the saying, okay, that's what we're going to run. Of course, defenses are going to have to target you have to pick your poison on this and we'll talk about that in a minute.
Dee Melkonian:But the first-round pick of Mary Hampton fantastic move on the Chargers and that's really going to bring in a strong foundational running backs in that farm. So who do we got going on? We have Nadja Harris, which we talked about. That came in from Pittsburgh. Right, quality back that's going to, as we mentioned before, is going to provide you that tough, tough inside the tackle running, some receiving skills as well, good pass pro. So you trust him back there. He's going to do a good job for you. Right, we talked about a Marion and what he can bring as an exceptional first round talent.
Dee Melkonian:Do not downplay Hassan's role. I think he is the third back coming out. Big, big boy, big guy, only 25 years of age, carries 228 to 230 pounds on him. Six foot two, that's a big back and that's a good relief back to come in, especially on third downs. You got some money downs to play in there. We need this big back coming in and and providing that thunder.
Dee Melkonian:Uh. This is what hassan can bring, and we saw some explosion from hassan, so this is a good back. That's going to be and listen, number three back app all day long, absolutely all day long. Hassan can bring that. So unless uh one of the undrafted guys uh beats him out maybe. Look, he's 25 years old. I can't even say a younger guy because he's 25. He's a young guy that's played in the NFL Don't forget the Tennessee Titans. He was actually leading the way for the first year or so, so he has experience in the NFL. He's a big guy that can carry load and I think that will be a great number three back to carry. So Hassan Askins, I think, is your number three um.
Dee Melkonian:Jared patterson, I've always liked uh. Five foot eight, 195, a little little smaller, I would say right in regards to that role, but still a really good feat. Good, good uh speed in regards to what he carries, good quickness um 25 years of age as well. Uh from buffalo has two years of experience now with the chargers. That is is going to compete for your number four role, uh, along with kamani vidal, last year's rookie, 5'8", 215. So very comparable in regards to size. Kamani brings a little more of a size to him, but he's got a lot of wiggle to him as well at 23 years of age. So I say for that one.
Dee Melkonian:In regards to how it's going to go in camp look, we'll know at camp who's going to beat out who. But I think Kamani Vidal has a little bit of a shot. Look when you're a draft pick, even though you're later rounds, he's a third day guy. You still have a little bit of an edge. But that's going to be open competition. So my guess right now is Kamani steps up, but I have no idea. We haven't seen any really besides OTAs. We haven't seen any type of a mini camp yet. So we'll get a better idea of what he looks like when he's in camp. But that's your four right now.
Dee Melkonian:In regards to running backs, right, and if they're going to use the fullback position Scott Matlock last year did the fullback. If they put him in there full time this year, I don't know yet. Once July 17th rolls around, we'll get a much better idea, knowing this system, knowing Roman's system as offensive coordinator, he likes to have that big back attack or have a fullback that's alignment right Coming in and destroying folks just like the ravens. Uh, you know, utilize. I think scott stays there. Uh, he did a good job last year. He's got hands as well. If he's got to, you know, go out there and in the red zone and sneak out in the end zone and catch a little like a two, three yard pass. He can do that, but he's bringing lumber as well. So I think scott matlock stays as the fullback.
Dee Melkonian:This, this team, operates a fullback, unlike many other teams that do not. This team operates a fullback, so I'm guessing that Scott Matlock will be in there as well. So that's your running back room. Much, much needed upgrade with a Marion Hampton coming in. And now Jay Harris.
Dee Melkonian:Again, he's taken JK Dobbins' spot from last year. Jk's obviously the Chargers did put a transitional athlete tag on him. Uh, in regards to restricted tagging, uh, so anybody I can pick him up, I think is going to be do a draft pick later on, but that's, that's pretty much it. I don't foresee jk coming back. It would have been great to have jk dobbins in a room. I think he'd be a perfect number. Uh, three in here two and a half to three, but I don't think that's going to happen. He's probably going to go somewhere else, as of last uh reading, I think denver broncos, uh, uh wind and dined him a couple days ago, so it makes sense for him to kind of go to a place that is that's really wanted and needed and that'll be a great pickup for the broncos. Unfortunately for the chargers, but that's the four folks in a room on that end.
Dee Melkonian:Uh, I'm going to skip over quarterback for a little bit. We're going to come back to it because I do want to talk about Trey Lance. Let's go to the receiver room. This is exciting for me because we kind of briefly talked about the receivers, right, and you know everyone last year when I say everyone, media frenzy, you know really, before the season really attacked the Chargers and the fact that you know, losing Keenan Allen, losing Mike Williams, losing that really top 1A and 1B in that offense really was going to hurt him and unfortunately it did. It really did, and I don't think here's the whole thing, though Even if they kept Mike Williams and Keenan Allen again, we'll never know, but even with that, it's not the same team. These guys are older.
Dee Melkonian:You saw what happened last year. Mike was just coming off that ACL, right, not looking what he looked like. Again, I'm not going to use all the whole Jets experience that he had with the negative Aaron Rodgers play, but just the fact that he went to Pittsburgh afterwards and actually was looking really good. But it takes a while to get over that ACL and he was just freshly coming off that. So even if he stayed with the Chargers, you can't expect a healthy Mike Williams like that to be doing what he was doing the prior year. So that would have been a slow start for him anyway. Keenan Allen look still a quality receiver, but it was one year after right.
Dee Melkonian:Smartest move they made, quite honestly, was giving up that huge signing, or I should say the contractual obligation, and having to move on and get that fourth round draft pick Right. That was huge and obviously, obviously used that to to gain a receiver. So in that aspect, even if the boys came back, uh, yeah, maybe it would have been a little bit better, but still I don't expect night and day results from what they had. So and I'm not trying to defend, uh, the organization I think it's a tough situation to be in and I'm, and what I was hearing and reading is that fact they want to keep keenan and, uh, it just, it just did not happen for them. So it is what it is. We're going to move on from it. But here's your receiver class. Okay, this is what I'm loving.
Dee Melkonian:Look, in regards to the man, lad mcconkey, he is incredible and his connection with herbert was fantastic throughout the year. Uh, great stats, great touchdowns, great. I mean, the man really played outstanding last year. Talking about Ladd coming out of Georgia Second round draft pick just fantastic. Can't ask for anything else. He even surpassed the first round receivers, quite honestly, in what his production value was.
Dee Melkonian:The Chargers are looking at him to be that guy, but defenses opposing defenses are also looking at that connection and saying, look, we're going to take a lot out of the equation. Right, we're going to take number 15 out of the equation. You have to pick somebody else and you know good defenses can do that. They'll roll their best corner on them, they'll roll a safety on them, and now you got a lot of problems happening if you're going to focus just on that one receiver and Justin's better than that. Herbert knows how to get the ball distributed well on his offense and get to the open man. But listen, don't be shocked if Ladd doesn't have a kind of season that he had last year, and that's not a regression in any way, but it's what the defenses will do against what they're seeing as a positive right. Good defensive coordinators will realize that, hey, we got to stop 15, right, you can't have them as the open guy, and then they'll put people on them, right, or they'll do something else with it just to take away those routes. So if that's the case, other guys have to step up.
Dee Melkonian:Who are the other guys? Quentin Johnston right, third year, third year. Had a good season last year, like we talked about, but the drops did hurt us once again. And the reason why the drops hurt is because they're crucial drops. They're the drops that result in first down. They're the drops that happen in the third and fourth quarter where that drive needs to continue for time to kill that time off the clock when you're leading, or to come in and get that last field goal or touchdown to put you ahead by double digit points, to keep that lead strong in that fourth quarter, especially playing against a team like Kansas City where you have that fear of these guys are going to come back at you and win at the end.
Dee Melkonian:These are the crucial drops that cannot happen. Will they happen? Hey, guys always drop balls. I get it. But Quentin knows it. The spotlight's on him. This is his third year. Other receivers have exercised these kind of demons before. He's not the first guy that has drops. He's not going to be the last guy. And will he drop a pass again? Absolutely every receiver will. But it's what you do afterwards, how your confidence stays up and the crucial moments is what I'm going to be looking at. I'm not too worried about the first and second quarter with quentin right now. But what? But how you make your money is that fourth quarter. How you make your money is on third down. How you make your money is playoff games and victories.
Dee Melkonian:It's when the pressure's on which we just talked about a little bit ago with running backs right. When that pressure's on and you're the guy that's got to make that catch, that tough catch or whatever you got to make sure your feet are on the first down marker, you're on the sideline and you're inbounds. This is the crucial position and Quentin has got to have that confidence ready to go at those moments and it seems like the drops happen during those pressure-filled moments, which is very normal to any human being. Filled moments, which is very normal to any human being Because once the pressure's on, you know you start losing focus on certain areas eyes, hands, concentration, feet and that can hurt you in the reception column. So Quentin right now currently is still number two on my books I think he's doing he's going to be the lead guy along with Ladd until until we have some other guys that are going to step up.
Dee Melkonian:Okay, a whole year removed from ACL, comes back home, has that nice connection with Justin, right, this is what I can see easily transpiring into a very positive situation with Mike jumping right back on 6'4", 220, 30 years old, still has a lot of juice to play. You know what Mike can do. He's going to stretch that field down there. He might not burn you, but he's going to go up and get on that ladder and grab that ball away from any corner or safety, and he's a tough hombre, right. The only problem is, you know, he gets banged up on those kind of plays. So Mike's issue is availability, right, especially in this role that he's going to be in. But I think you're not playing Mike every snap either. I think you're smart not playing a 30 year old on it every snap. I think that's crucial on a 17 game schedule and you have to always think about your playoffs, right? You got to keep these guys healthy enough for the postseason while they're contributing so greatly during your wins. So Mike Williams is right there for the number three. I think he's going to take a good step there and be in there for you as well.
Dee Melkonian:How's your second round pick? Trey Harris from Ole Miss? Trey Harris look, this is an exciting receiver coming in the second round. A lot of guys were thinking maybe receiver in the first right. A lot, a lot of fancy names up there. Trey harris, exceptional player and I know the chargers were targeting him to really try to get him in that in that round and they were kind of worried that you know, the more and more that um, that jackson dart was being shown on screen I remember the gm talking about this the more and more Dart was being shown on screen when he was getting picked in that first round from a trade. They're worried that their other team is really going to get that Trey Harris again. That Trey Harris might have been drafted pretty quick, but the Chargers got him in the second round and this is a phenomenal receiver 6'3", 210.
Dee Melkonian:Miss you want as a receiver?
Dee Melkonian:Let me give some stats on this young man. For trey harris, old miss, last two years, uh, 2024. Eight games, 60 receptions, over a thousand yards, 17 yards average per catch, 128 yards a game, uh, and that was with seven touchdowns. Last year, uh, year before, 12 games, 54 catches, um, 985 yards, close to that 1,000-yard marker, again, 18.2 per reception. He's a big play guy, right, 82 yards per game and had eight touchdowns. And then, prior to that he was at Louisiana Tech with 10 touchdowns, 65 receptions, again 935 yards, and again 14 yards per catch.
Dee Melkonian:So consistent receiver, consistent big play receiver. Okay, not necessarily a burner, but a separator. Right, it's one thing to be a burner, as you know. It's another thing to be a separator. Burning is great, but being a consistent separator, that's where your money's being made, because you're making those catches when we need it, right, it doesn't matter what the defense looks like, if you're separating, you're making catches. He has really smooth movements and great hands for him. So, once again, 6'2", 204 pounds really brings it.
Dee Melkonian:In regards to size, I mean all these receivers have size man. With the exception of Darius Davis, all these cats have size on the Chargers, which is great for Herbie, right, he can just unload man from any spot, any spot. He's got basketball players out there catching passes for him. I'm excited to see it. I want to see how fast I think Trey, by middle of the season, is going to be moving up to that second or third spot. Quite honestly and I they're not going to say it whatever I'm reading right now they meaning the Chargers, you know coaches, they're not going to say it. Whatever. I'm reading right now they meaning the Chargers, you know coaches, they're not going to say it because they're not going to put that kind of pressure on the kid. But we know what they're expecting. Right, they're expecting this cat to be the number two to lad.
Dee Melkonian:So potentially, what you're looking at is you're looking at lad number one, right, trey number two, quentin number three, uh, and then fourth. You got mikey williams coming in and working it that way. You want that kind of four person rotational thing going on and don't discount lad playing the uh, the z playing the outside receiver. Okay, he's not big enough for the x per se, but he can play that as well. He's not just a slot guy. Don't pigeonhole um lad into a slot receiver. He can, he can. Just he can destroy defenses from anywhere. Uh, trey harris, same. He could be a good x for you being that lone wolf out there, right, putting that, maybe even adding a second or a safety, rolling up to his area and kind of opening up that field. That's one what trey can do once he establishes himself with some great route running, some separation and some great ball skills. So we're looking at that.
Dee Melkonian:I'm excited about the second round draft pick. That's the one I'm looking at, besides O'Marion, obviously for the season coming up, for the training camp portion. I should say that's going to be fun to watch. I want to see what he's going to do. How fast can he make the adjustment from college to the NFL? You saw the adjustment from Louisiana Tech, right, to play in regards to the big-time football, so that to Ole Miss. So that's going to be a factor, right, it's always an upgrade. So now you're upgrading yourself from Ole Miss to the NFL. Well, how much can you bring that? And don't forget, you have Justin throwing at you, right? All great stuff with Jackson Dart, but this is Herbert throwing at you. Right, all great stuff with Jackson Dart, but this is this is Herbert throwing at you. So it'll be fun to see how that works out. I'm excited for it. Big number nine out there for you as a receiving potential. So, yeah, by halfway through the season I think he's more of a your number two if things go well.
Dee Melkonian:Let's go back and see what else happened in regards to the draft. On offensively speaking, tight end was finally, finally provided and I got to tell you it was worrisome. A lot of good tight ends were on there, man, and just a lot of good, and I was thinking, hey, look, man, get this guy in a second, the Miami kid, the LSU kid, there are so many good tight ends up there. It just didn't happen, right, it just didn't happen with the Chargers. So what do they do? They go in the fourth round and they get Oronde Gatson from Syracuse.
Dee Melkonian:I don't know him, I didn't see a lot of his games, but I'm looking forward to seeing him at training camp. Good looking kid, lot of his games, but I'm looking forward to seeing him at training camp. Good looking kid. He's 6'5, 235. Now, what he brings in, he's not going to be a blocking tight end whatsoever. He's going to be another receiver on the field and that's what they're looking at right. That's what the chargers are looking at is establish another type of receiver and have more weapons for justin at any time. Um, and we'll talk about the tight ends currently in the room right now and who's going to be playing. But if Aranda gets it together in regards to transitioning from the college level to the NFL bullets, that's going to be fantastic to see. And let me tell you what's going on. He's a third year junior that's coming out. And let me tell you what's going on. He's a third-year junior that's coming out.
Dee Melkonian:Played four seasons Last year 13 games, 73 receptions on 934 yards Look at this 12.8 yards per reception another big play, tight end right. And he gave you seven touchdowns last year for Syracuse, the ACC Great season. The year before only played in two games, so very nominal issues with an injury in 2023. Going back to 2022, another really good year for him as a second year player the ACC had 61 receptions for 975 yards, 16 yards per reception, and he brought over six touchdowns as well. So really good two seasons with him the 22 season and the 24 season, minus that 2023 injury year.
Dee Melkonian:So, look, you're getting, potentially you're getting a really good player here. Is it going to happen? We don't know. Fifth round draft pick, right. So the odds are a little bit stacked against him. But the skill set's there. The 6'5" 210 is there. That's a really good size for a tight end. I know they're going to put some bulk on him a little bit. You know 210 is not, 210 is a receiver, 210 pounds is a receiver weight. So this might not be an instantaneous fix. If you're expecting to see a ronde this year, lighten it up. I don't think that's realistic. If he was going to do that, he would have been a first or second or third round draft pick. He's a fifth round draft pick for a reason Great potential, great skill set, almost a receiver as a tight end, which we love to see. Right, but doesn't have the size yet and I think that's going to take a little bit. So in that aspect, I say hold off, hold off putting him in and having them inherit the role there, because that's not his game yet. Right, that's not his game yet and there's other tight ends in the room, but I'm excited to see how it's going to do and if the Chargers are smart, they're going to go slow with him, right, you don't want to get him blown up there right now. Just start slow and kind of work his route, see what works for him, what's cooking, and kind of work with that end.
Dee Melkonian:Tyler Conklin, picked up from the Jets this year, that's going to be a factor for the Chargers as he stays healthy. 6'3", 248 pounds, only 29 years old Look, it's a good age group for him at 29. He's got a good couple years left three to four years left, potentially Eight years in the pros Really has a great set of hands, very aggressive, very tough, pass blocking, uh, tight end that can work that line as an, as an extra lineman, can easily go out and make that nice catch and run. So I'm excited to see tyler conklin. That's going to be a great combination with will, disley and disley's at 28 years of age, even younger, six foot four, 265. Will's a big boy and he loves to block right. We saw some issues last uh, last year in the postseason with some uh, with some drops right that that did hurt uh. However, I think, I think the combination of tyler, uh and will, I think they're gonna be your number one, number two, and they should be. They should be. They can both catch the ball. They're very physical on the line and they can be great receivers coming out or very good quality receivers coming out. I should say no one's going to burn you from there, but they're going to do some. They can separate and create damage, especially of all those receivers we talked about earlier. Now you sprinkle in these quality tight ends that are tough hombres, especially in the running game. Don't forget there's a running team, right, this, this team's gonna team team team is planning on running. So these kind of tight ends will just, will just provide the additional assets needed with the fact that they go out there and catch. I love it.
Dee Melkonian:One thing I want to talk about is this other tight end. Okay, this is one guy that people are maybe talking about, maybe not. I saw a little bit of chatter on him steveau klotz, who's an undrafted tight end this year, right, undrafted, uh, free agent tight end um four years. Uh, all with iowa state, the big 12. Here's what he did the last last two years. Okay, 2024, 13 games, eight receptions, only eight receptions, 89 yards, 11 yards per catch, basically with um with one touchdown right the year before 13 games, seven catches, 60 yards with one touchdown. So, okay, his numbers aren't there, but you gotta look at what the potential is with him. Okay, I think the chargers are excited with him.
Dee Melkonian:Six foot four, 250 pounds, and he's also played linebacker right. But this is tight end spot. So far in voluntary camps I've been hearing his name a lot and they're really excited with his skill set. Yes, has he performed at that level in iowa state to be that guy? No, but he's had very limited, as you saw with the stats I showed to you right now.
Dee Melkonian:I talked about very limited opportunities, right, and you know that could be his issues where the opportunities weren't there because he wasn't separating, he wasn't, you know, doing the right routes or what have you. But limited opportunity does not mean that's what's going to be the case with the Chargers, does not mean that's what's going to be the case with the chargers. Right, again, I'm looking at him as the four, fourth tight end right now, maybe the fifth tight end, maybe a practice squad guy that's gonna have to stay out there and kind of get himself, get himself ready for next year. But he has the size, he's got this size right and I'm sure he's gonna get built up as well we just talked about. You can't build six, four, 250 right away and just go out there, but he already has that, so that that's a good 40 pounds bigger than godson. So this is and what I've been hearing is very positive with him. If he's able to block nfl blocking and get these running backs free, he's going to see playing time right, he's going to see some good playing time in here, and how nice would that be as a third tight end coming in. That'd be fantastic. Now I've heard great things about his hands as well. So if this kid builds up and again, just don't look at it as a one year project because you know, don't expect, you know, this guy to be your starter, obviously. But I'm telling you this is a good buildup. If you have somebody like this, that that has these potential traits and does well and gives you a year in the practice squad or a third or fourth tight end coming off and getting some playing time, that's a good potential buildup as well. So Steve O'Clotz one name to talk about that might be our lottery pick. That might do some damage in regards to their training camp. We'll see how that one goes.
Dee Melkonian:Other tight ends in the mix Tuckerucker, fisk uh. 6'4, 285, big boy, 26 years of age. Uh from stanford. He played last year as well. Good looking, tight end, decent hands, not too shabby. I was, you know, impressed with his blocking. I don't know much about his uh in regards to how much playability he has as a down the field target. We'll see how much improvement he's done from last year. But that's going to going to wrap up your tight end room.
Dee Melkonian:In regards to what we're looking at for that aspect, we're going to break into the offensive line next time we're on. I want to talk about that a little more in detail. I think we've got a lot to discuss, especially the Mekhi Becton situation, the uncertainty in the center position, along with all the other additions and concerns on that offensive line. So we'll discuss that next time. We appreciate you, uh, listening to us. Next time around, we're going to break down that defense as well and give you all the nitty-gritty on all the uh positional rooms. We want to acknowledge kevin mclaud for strength of the titans and the ice giants. You can find kevin on filmmusicio. We appreciate you listening Once again. My name is Dee Melkonian and you can find us on Instagram at Extreme Boltage Podcast. Until next time, we'll catch ya, go Bolts.