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Former New York Giants practice squad player Dan DePalma did his best Wes Welker imitation for the World Champion Giants in practice the year they beat the then undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. These days he's doing his best to show the Chargers' coaching staff that he deserves to make the active roster in 2013.
The wide receiver corps is deeper in San Diego than it has been in years, and DePalma currently looks like the odd man out from the outside. Mike McCoy and company, though, have been raving about his efforts thus far. Ricky Henne of Chargers.com reported:
"He's done a nice job and he's made the most of his opportunities," McCoy said last week following the end of the team's final mini camp. "The way we rotate practice, we give everyone an opportunity to play. All the receivers have bought in to what we're doing and they are in the best shape of their lives. We're going to run them a lot, and (DePalma's) done a nice job."
The general report on DePalma is that he is catching everything. He's not the same caliber of athlete as the receivers currently projected to make the final roster, but you just can't count out a guy with great hands. There are plenty of stories of small school guys and former practice squad guys finally catching on with a team and having success. It's not outside of the realm of possibility for DePalma to do the same, and I suspect many Chargers fans will have a hard time not rooting for him.
