San Diego Chargers' Third Year Players

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jun 12, 2009 7:11 AM PDT

Year three is the magical year. The year where the players who have been languishing start to get it. During the first year, many have a hard time adjusting to the speed of the game. Everything is happening faster than in college. The players are running faster, hits are bigger, there are no weak links. Also, the mental part of the game is a big hurdle for first year players. Schemes are much more complex, talent can no longer make up for blown assignments or bad technique. First year players spend so much time thinking about what they should be doing that they can't react to situations, they have to think about them. This slows them down even more. The first year is pretty much lost for most players.

Of course, this is not true for all players. Some, like Shawne Merriman, LT, and others make an impact right away. It's truer for some positions than others. RBs can usually play right off the bat, speed pass rushers can play right away. Everydown LBs, WRs, lineman, and especially QBs historically have trouble coming up to speed in that first year.

By the second year, things start to click, the game slows down a bit, they have a full year of full time training under their belt, and they typically start to show their true colors. The problem in the second year is mainly consistency. They may be getting quality PT and lots of practice time, but they still have good games and bad games. They learn to deal with success and failure and smooth out the hills and valleys of a 16 game NFL season.

Which leads us to the third year. AJ Smith says that after three years the role you will play is pretty much known and set in stone. I figured it would be interesting to look first at the guys who were in their third year last year and then at the guys who are entering their third year this year. AJ has said some players are on notice, and I think he is primarily referring to guys in these groups.

So let's get started...

This is the list of Chargers whose first year in the NFL was 2006. They may have been on the practice squad for a year so they may not all show up with three official years of NFL experience, but they are all entering their 4th year in the league. Here are the names and a short discussion.

Player	Position	Drafted	Notes
Cromartie, Antonio	CB	1st	First player and already the weakness in the third year judgment is revealed. Cromartie was coming off an injury in college during his first year and played through a broken hip last year. Was last year really his third year or do we give him an extra year because of his injury his rookie year? And how can you evaluate someone who played with a broken hip last year? The jury is still out on Cro, but I think he will be more like the 2007 Cro than the 2008 Cro.
Clary, Jeromey	T	6th	When I look back on Clary from last year, I see a guy who played very well against 75% of the teams we faced. But he was exposed against the upper echelon rushers. I think the third year judgment here works out fine. I think Clary will be an above average right tackle, but never much more. He is going to need help against the upper echelon guys. Getting some stronger guard play will help him out as well.
Dobbins, Tim	ILB	5th	What did we learn about Dobbins from last year. Solid against the run, weak against the pass, stud on special teams. I think that is Dobbins role. That is what we can expect. He isn't going to ever be a starter without injuries happening. I think he is Carlos Polk++
Gordon, Cletis	CB	UDFA	Cletis got some sporadic time on defense in nickel and dime packages when there were some injuries. He was pretty good on special teams. I think this is his ceiling. Not a whole lot of use hoping for more.
Gregory, Steve	DB-S	UDFA	see Cletis Gordon.
McNeill, Marcus	T	2nd	Some people don't listen to the third year judgment theory. Marcus started his first year and played at a pro bowl level. He has gone down hill since then, but has some injury excuses. At some point yearly injury excuses become an injury prone label, and McNeil is close to that. So his third year doesn't help us at all... we need a fourth to figure him out.
Whitehurst, Charlie	QB	3rd	No one holds a clipboard and wears a baseball cap quite like Chuck. I think we can expect the same high level of suave and smooth sideline demeanor for years to come.

I think the third year judgment rule worked pretty well last year. The only exceptions are Cro and McNeil and both of them get a break because they have made pro bowl trips in their first three years and have injury excuses...

All right, let's look at the guys who we can expect to figure out this year. These guys saw their first NFL contract in 2007.

Player	Position	Drafted	Notes
Davis, Buster	WR	1st	OK, we haven't seen a lot from Buster over his first two years. He has had some injury problems, but hasn't shown enough over the last few years to justify any sort of hope. Outside of three plays in the KC game last year, I'm not even sure he saw the field. He doesn't contribute a whole lot on special teams. This is definitely an important year for him, when AJ says some people are on notice, he means Buster is on notice. Unfortunately, he is 4th or 5th on the depth chart without any obvious path ahead.
Naanee, Legedu	WR	5th	Legedu has shown some flashes. Even in his first year when they couldn't figure out if he was a WR, TE, or H-Back, he still made a few plays that made him stand out. Because he was a 5th roundpick, there is less pressure on him to really stand out than there is on Buster. I hope Legedu looks this year like Floyd looked last year: 20-30 catches with some more consistent flashes.
Oliver, Paul	DB	4th (Supplemental)	Is he a safety or corner? He has the speed of a safety and the size of a corner, which is not exactly what you want. I think we figure out this year if Oliver is ever going to challenge for a starting job, if he can be an impact nickel or dime guy, or if he will simply be a special teams/injury replacement guy who fills out the bottom of the roster.
Siler, Brandon	LB	7th	Special teams stud and short yardage linebacker? Or maybe something more? This year we find out.
Tucker, Jyles	OLB	UDFA	Tucker is kind of an anomaly on this list. He played half a season his rookie year and made a big impact, got a nice fat contract in the off-season. Last year started in place of Merriman and played OK, played very well for a second year UDFA, not so well when you compare him to Merriman. I think he came along so fast that we lose sight of the fact that he is only entering into his third year. This is the year where he can show he was worth the faith AJ had in him, or he can find himself on notice.
Weddle, Eric	FS	2nd	Similar to Jyles Tucker, Weddle has had a lot thrust onto him early in his career. Entering into his third year, we will see if he makes great strides or not. I think a full summer absorbing Rivera's defensive tweaks will help, as will the defense's commitment to pressure.

If I had to guess, I think Weddle will make the biggest jump. Not just because he starts to figure things out, but also because we are going to get significantly better pressure this year, and that always makes ball hawking safeties look good. I think Tucker and Buster have the deck stacked against them a bit since they both are at relatively stacked positions and might not see the field enough to prove themselves, plus they both are playing under more of a microscope than others at their positions.

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Should Buster try and break through at Safety?

I know that sounds very strange, and given his lack durability it is probably out of the question. But Buster makes me think of Charlie Jointer.

Charlie started out as a DB and switched to receiver. They say the switch helped him get a better and unique understanding of the receiver position. At any rate Jointer could run a precision route, and he was almost always in the right spot at the right time to receive the ball. I think this "Key Yardage" type receiver (ala Largent, McCaffery, Welker) is what would work best for Buster long term.

All that said he is still WAY down on the depth chart, so maybe the best strategy would be to beat some of those guys he normally stands behind by facing us against them on the opposite side of the ball. I know Nanee could play safety.

by Trendsearcher on Jun 12, 2009 9:11 AM PDT reply actions

its tempting to think about moving a WR to safety

just because they fit the physical measurables so well. Size and speed. In the past we have also speculated on whether Osgood could move to safety. I don’t think it is out of the question for a WR to move to safety, but I do think the player has to be the kind of guy who really understands the game. More of a WR who gets by more on his smarts than on his physical skills. I don’t think of Buster when I think of wiley cerebral WRs (but I don’t know either way)

Plus, as you said, the physicalness of the safety position might tend to work against Buster’s injury prone-ness.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jun 12, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

LSU teaches 'em up good!

I wonder if Buster completed his studies down in the soup bowl?

Osgood would be good at safety wouldn’t he! One or more of these receivers near the bubble (Osgood, Davis, Nanee) should be thinking about the slim pickings at Safety. I would rather be #2 at Safety – dressing for the games, getting some reps, and have the chance of moving up if the need arises.

As opposed to #3 or 4 at WR – this ain’t high school! Those guys in front are not graduating or going anywhere. These depth chart guys should not be complacent. They aren’t getting any younger or any faster. They wait around for their chance & chances are at that future date some young gun (yet to be drafted) will scoop the job up anyway.

by Trendsearcher on Jun 12, 2009 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

First off....

I think we can expect the same high level of suave and smooth sideline demeanor for years to come.

You would’ve gotten rec’d for that alone, but the post is ridiculously good without it anyways. I think Chuck has become the mascot of BFTB. His third-year leap was adding the beard and long hair, which I don’t think he sported in his first two seasons.

Secondly, you’re dead-on with all of your assessments.

I know it’s only one play, but everyone forgets about the near-TD for Naanee last year. I believe it was against the Colts in the playoffs. Naanee goes streaking down the sideline, shifts into another gear and blows past the corner. He was home free for a 50+ yd TD except that Rivers underthrew the ball. In the fight to catch it, Legedu lost it and it fell to the ground. That was a side of the kid that I hadn’t seen before and the reason I think he can become more than a sure-handed underneath guy.

No, Cromartie’s first year doesn’t count. He didn’t even practice with the team.

I’ve been getting way too excited about Paul Oliver lately. If he doesn’t become a Pro Bowl safety this season I think I’m going to be disappointed.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Jun 12, 2009 9:26 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Oliver

Is he going to get on the field as a starting safety? There’s a lot of love going around on Ellison by the Chargers players and coaches. Oliver may get passed by on the depth chart.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Jun 12, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I know

I’ve been hearing the same things. I know my dreams are going to get crushed. The most I can hope for is a good player at SS. I can’t wait until preseason games.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Jun 12, 2009 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions

…so Charlie liked the ol’ wacky tobbacky, huh?

by Rocket Surgery on Jun 12, 2009 12:01 PM PDT reply actions

Naanee yes, Buster no

I see Legedu getting some reps this year. Good chance that CC won’t be back – I believe Legedu can be the guy to fill those shoes.

I’m not in the “Buster is a bust” camp yet, but he must stay healthy & contribute this year or he’ll likely become trade bait. I’m not counting him out, but I’m also not counting on him.

Was Nix the LSU connection?

If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!

Robert Hunter

by Buck Melanoma on Jun 13, 2009 4:56 AM PDT reply actions