5 Things to Watch in the Chargers' Preseason Finale vs. Saints
The Chargers completed their 19th and final training camp practice on Wednesday. Now, they'll shift their focus towards the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, where players will get one final opportunity to prove they belong on the 53-man roster.
Kickoff at the Caesars Superdome is slated for Friday, Aug. 26 at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Here are five things to watch:
The final touches of the right tackle battle
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley has refrained from announcing the starting right tackle, but when viewing practice this week, it's pretty clear who’s won the job. Trey Pipkins has taken all the first-team reps at right tackle, whereas Storm Norton has played with the second unit – sometimes at left tackle.
"I told you guys that we will announce our starters when we’re ready, when we feel like we’ve made that decision. We’re not there yet," Staley said when asked about the starting right tackle spot. "When we are, we’ll make sure that we let you guys know.”
While Staley isn't ready to pencil in his starter for the job quite yet, actions speak louder, and Pipkins appears to be the guy for the role.
It's unclear if Pipkins will still play in the preseason game if that's truly how the team feels internally. The last two games, he and Norton have each played a few series a piece.
“They’re both doing solid. I think Storm has been a lot stronger than he was last year. I think Trey has been more consistent, more confident," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. "We’re pleased with both of their trajectories and feel good about both of them. Whoever ends up lining up game one, I’m sure the other one will have to play at some point. We like our depth."
Can the Chargers get the running game back on track?
After a stout performance in the preseason opener, the Chargers struggled to get things going on the ground last week against the Cowboys.
Rookie running back Isaiah Spiller will miss the game with an ankle injury. That leaves a combination of Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree, Kevin Marks Jr. and Leddie Brown to handle the carries.
Kelley and Roundtree figure to play the first half with Marks and Brown getting the work in the second half.
Last week, the Chargers running back group totaled 23 rushing attempts in which they averaged 2.3 yards per carry. The team's leading rusher against the Cowboys was quarterback Easton Stick, who scrambled twice for 24 yards.
The rushing attack will look to show flashes from the preseason opener against the Rams, where Spiller and Kelley each averaged at least 3.4 yards per carry or more.
Chargers' special teams unit looking to rebound
The Chargers' special teams unit had about as ugly of a performance as you could imagine in their second preseason contest. Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin, the MVP of the USFL last season, returned a 98-yard kick return and a 86-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Chargers last Saturday night.
Certainly, there's players playing on special teams in these preseason games that ultimately won't make the roster, but as a unit overall, any coach will tell you, there's no excuse for allowing the return man to take it the distance and score.
The Chargers find themselves in the process of learning the concepts implemented from new special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. He's come over after aligning a successful unit while being on staff with the Minnesota Vikings.
“I think we have a lot to improve on," linebacker Troy Reeder said of the special teams woes. "Everywhere I’ve been before, I think I said in a previous interview, I’ve had four different special teams coordinators in my four years. I’ve learned a lot from each of them. I love coach Ficken and I’ve had a lot of fun working with him.
"Right now, we need these live opportunities to learn how to play with each other, all of the guys that are out there. That’s just really hard to recreate in practice, especially the way camp is now with you are hardly ever in pads, they are trying to de-load your bodies, running. These game reps are huge and crucial for us learning how to play with each other as a full unit."
The Chargers have worked an abundance of special teams drills in practice this week, looking for new results Friday night in New Orleans as they put their final stamp on the preseason.
Can Michael Bandy stack another solid preseason performance in hope of securing a roster spot?
Michael Bandy has been terrific this preseason. He caught eight passes for 69 yards and one touchdown last week, and had seven grabs for 73 yards and one touchdown the week before.
He's been the team's leading pass-catcher this preseason, exclusively working from the slot. On special teams, Bandy also offers return ability.
“Michael Bandy has been a real bright spot for us in the preseason," Staley said of Bandy after last week's game. "He’s a competitor. He’s doing a great job being friendly to our quarterback, getting open, making big catches. He’s a guy who is really taking advantage of his opportunities.”
Bandy has proven he's deserving on an NFL roster spot. However, with the Chargers' wide receiver group particularly crowded, it might not be with them.
Factoring in that the Chargers have Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer, Jalen Guyton and DeAndre Carter as the top five receivers on the depth chart, Bandy could end up being the odd man out just based on the numbers game.
In a dream scenario, the Chargers could re-sign him to their practice squad if he passes through waivers, but with the production he's shown in preseason play, that's probably a far-fetched proposition.
Which quarterback comes away with the second-string job?
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco confirmed on the game broadcast last week that they'll keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. However, the order of who's the second and third-string is yet to be determined, Telesco said.
Chase Daniel and Easton Stick have each rotated who received the starting nod across the two preseason games thus far. Both have had their moments of showing encouraging signs, including flashes of scrambling with their legs.
But there's also been throws they would probably like back. Stick has turned the ball over twice with an interception in each game. Daniel hasn’t turned over the ball and has completed passes at a higher clip than Stick.
It seems Daniel will play the first half and Stick will follow in the second half. Daniel has the experience and better preseason productivity, that in all likelihood, probably puts him ahead in the pecking order to secure the second-string job assuming he puts together a similar performance as his first two games.
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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.
