Official Chargers Blog

Few QBs will enter 2006 under as much scrutiny as Philip Rivers. But Rivers, who has throw just 30 passes in two seasons, is eager to lead and ready for the challenge, writes ESPN.com’s Len Pasquarelli.

Posted by Joel Price at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

LT will be featured on the NFL Network’s Total Access shows today and tomorrow. Tune in today at 4:00 p.m. (pacific) for a one-on-one interview featuring LT during this afternoon’s show and tune in tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. for a feature on LT’s recent football camp. Tune in!

Posted by Joel Price at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

As budding NFL rookies go through the job interview process during the summer months, a different group of hopefuls try their hardest to make another NFL roster... a cheerleading roster.

NFL Network goes behind-the-scenes to get an understanding and appreciation of what it takes to become an NFL cheerleader in Making the Squad. On Mondays in June, NFL Network will follow the San Diego Chargers squad.

The schedule is as follows:

Chargers Cheerleaders: Making the Squad
July 10, July 17, July 24 at 5:00 PM (Pacific)

Each three-part-series takes viewers inside the grueling, highly-charged and competitive NFL cheerleading audition process up through the tense point when the final squad is determined.

An NFL Network crew follows the squad as the competition heats up. Veterans compete to maintain their spot against eager rookies who struggle to make the team during an emotional and often grueling process.

Making the Squad shows what it takes to obtain a spot on an NFL cheerleading team, including interviews with the participants and the cheerleading director, and footage from the auditions and annual calendar shoots.

Posted by Joel Price at 05:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

With the NFL Draft now a thing of the past, it's time when the Media hands out the grades. <sarcasm>Of course the media spends countless hours watching tape and breaking down each pick, so they must know something.</sarcasm> Anyways, this is what makes the NFL so great, everyone has an opinion. Below you will find the Chargers Draft “Report Cards” from various media outlets.

Broncs, Niners rule draft class
NY Post 5/1/06
By Steve Serby

Grade: B CHARGERS: Raw CB Antonio Cromartie, big corner to match up against Randy Moss and Jerry Porter, could be Deion Sanders . . . or Col. Sanders. Marcus McNeill could start at LT.

Grading the 2006 draft
Sporting News 5/1/06
By Dan Pompei

Grade: B The Chargers are rolling the dice with cornerback Antonio Cromartie. If offensive tackle Marcus McNeill stays healthy, he should be a starter soon. QB Charlie Whitehurst was a nice value pick.

Draft grades: Fair or not, you want 'em, you got 'em
CBS. SportsLine.com 5/2/06
By Pete Prisco

Grade: B- Their first two picks have medical issues, although first-round pick Antonio Cromartie has a chance to be a star.

Grading the 2006 Draft
Washington Post 5/1/06
By Mark Maske

Grade: C+ First-round CB Antonio Cromartie is risky because of his injury history, but he's a big-time talent. He and second-round T Marcus McNeill went about where they should have gone. But why did the Chargers use another first-day pick on a QB (third-rounder Charlie Whitehurst) when they have a virtual rookie (Philip Rivers) as their new starter?

Biggest hits, misses come at top of first round
SI.com 5/1/06
By Paul Zimmerman

Grade: C This is another situation where, if the gamble pays off (CB Antonio Cromartie with only one start, coming in), the grade will be significantly raised. They wanted a tackle and they found a 6-8 work in progress, MarcusMcNeill. Oh yes, they also got veteran Rams end Brandon Manumaleuna. You know something? I think this grade is too low. What the hell, I'll let it ride and see how Cromartie does.

Don Pierson sizes up the 2006 picks team by team
Chicago Tribune 5/1/06
By Don Pierson

Grade: C A gambler's draft, Cromartie would have been a top-10 pick had he not missed the entire season with injury. McNeill has more size than skill and might be too tall at nearly 6-8. Whitehurst is the son of former Packers quarterback David. He has talent, but his performance was up and down. The Chargers have to hope their 2004 draft decision to acquire quarterback Philip Rivers can produce results this year after losing Drew Brees to New Orleans.

USA TODAY grades the NFL Draft
USA Today 5/1/06
By Jarrett Bell

Grade: Two Stars Tough not to gamble on a first-round cornerback like Antonio Cromartie, who brings a ton of athleticism after sitting out last year. OT Marcus McNeill is the run-blocker LaDainian Tomlinson needs, and QB Charlie Whitehurst is another ACC passer to groom behind Philip Rivers.

Grading the NFL Draft
Newark Star-Ledger 5/1/06
By Paul Needell

Grade: C CB Antonio Cromartie, the No. 1 pick, has perfect size and speed but started only one game in college. He missed all of 2005 due to knee surgery. Talk about an all-or-nothing risk. But then, aren't they all? GM A.J. Smith did well with massive RT Marcus McNeill in Round 2 and QB Charlie Whitehurst, son of David, in the third.

Grading the 2006 NFL draft
FOXSports.com 5/2/06
By John Czarnecki

Grade: C- Took total potential in the first round with cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who didn't even play last season at Florida State because of a torn ACL. But he was a workout warrior with a 42-inch vertical jump and several 40s in the 4.3 range. But he does have the size (6-2, 210) to be a quality starter if he can play! Big question. Clemson QB Charlie Whitehurst had good games and awful games. A.J. Smith took a big chance in the second round with huge Auburn OT Marcus McNeill, whose narrowing spinal-cord column could limit his years in the NFL, according to some teams.

Grading the draft
Baltimore Sun 5/1/06
By Bill Ordine

Grade: D+ There are tons of questions about the Chargers' picks. Round 1 choice DB Antonio Cromartie had just one college start. Round 3 QB Charlie Whitehurst was hot-and-cold at Clemson.

Posted by Joel Price at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)

Sports Illustrated photographer Peter Read Miller is the winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence for his entry in the 38th Annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest. His photo, titled “All Charged Up" was deemed the Photograph of the Year.

"All Charged Up."

The color action image captures San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson in mid-air while as he jumps over the line of scrimmage. The photo was taken during the Chargers 48-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills on November 20, 2005.

Posted by Joel Price at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Auburn offensive tackle Marcus McNeill is described as a massive mountain of a man who is an imposing physical presence. Take a look on what Buddy Nix and Marty Schottenheimer had to say about McNeill:

BUDDY NIX:
“Alright somebody asked why we didn’t get a tackle, and now we’ve got a tackle. How about that? He’s a big guy that we think can play left tackle. He’s been a player in one of the better conferences in the country for four years. He started as a freshman. Huge man. I don’t know if you’ve seen him, 6-7 ½ , 335 pounds with 36 inch arms. (He will) keep them off our quarterback.”

What were the concerns with his back?
“He had stenosis. The first two years he was at Auburn he was limited in his practice time. He didn’t miss a game but he couldn’t practice some during the week. They strengthened his back which is the big thing. Obviously, we’re very conscious of the guy’s physical and medical reports. You can’t put that much money in a guy and him not be physically able. We are not doctors. Our doctors make the decision. He was given a complete physical and an MRI with our doctors at the combine, we brought him back for a re-check in Indianapolis with our doctors and then we brought him here and had our doctors do it again. He did not miss a practice or a game his last two years, started every game and made every practice. We know his position coach well and talked to him periodically the last two weeks. He is a very conscientious kid about conditioning, he does his sprints, condition workouts after practice with the linebackers. He doesn’t run with the lineman. The big ol’ boy can run. He works hard at it. All we’ve got to do is keep him strong and it shouldn’t be any problem with him.”

What did the MRI’s show?
“It shows that he’s gotten weak. Now there again, whatever stenosis is, I won’t get into that. The doctors will have to answer that. He’s no concern. They were to start with but we followed through with it thoroughly. We feel very fortunate that he was there for our second pick.”

Were you surprised he was still there?
“Absolutely. It’s a rumor time of year and that’s what makes guys drop in the draft. Sometimes you get lucky.”

When did concerns of his back come up?
”They came up a long time ago. For a year we’ve been researching to be sure. As sure as you can be.”

MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER:
“Our first pick was a big corner and our second pick is a giant tackle. We had him in here and I’m stretching it a little bit, but I thought when he first came into my office he had to duck to come through the doorway. He’s a great, great kid. I don’t know if we had anybody that I enjoyed more than him. He was just a delightful young man to be around. He comes from a football background. His father was a coach. We really were impressed with this young man. He brings obviously size, pass protection skill and don’t hold me to the number but he’s gone over I think the last 43 games and never gave up a sack. That’s pretty good competition down there. In the SEC, it’s a speed conference if you will. He’s a terrific addition.”

Left tackle or right tackle?
“My sense would be that we would probably start him at left tackle which is what he played at Auburn. I would think that would be the case. We’ll have to see.”

What did you like about him?
“I liked the young man. He was very affable. I was impressed by the way he carried himself. He was just a delightful young man to interact with.”

With Roman’s (Oben) injury, how concerned were you with that spot?
“Our hope is that Roman will be fine. There is a bit of uncertainty at this point not as to his availability but to when he will be available. So we’re going to be cautious as we go through the coming months.”

Was he your No. 1 choice for the second round?
“We had him rated clearly . You put a board together and you have players and what you like to do is in the perfect sense is to walk through the board with the highest rated player at a position you need. That’s the ideal. We were able to do that twice today.”

Was he the highest rated tackle?
“At the time that we chose.”

Posted by Joel Price at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Following the conclusion of the 2006 NFL Draft, the Chargers got busy filling in their rosters with 15 players not picked during the two-day event. Below the list of former college players that were signed following the draft.

Sean Coffey WR Missouri
Brett Elliott QB Linfield
Cletis Gordon CB Jackson St.
Gregory Steve CB Syracuse
Tyronne Gross RB Eastern Oregon
Patrick Massey DE Michigan
Brandon McKinney DT Michigan St.
Nick Mihlhauser C Washington St.
Anthony Mims CB West Virginia
Jason Murphy G Virginia Tech
Robert Ortiz WR San Diego St.
Mark Simmons WR Kansas
Alvin Smith DT Oregon St.
Bryson Sumlin RB Fresno St.
Shawn Willis FB Oklahoma St.

Posted by Joel Price at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)