Fact or Fiction for San Diego Chargers' Biggest Offseason Question Marks
The offseason has presented a handful of questions for the San Diego Chargers, many of which can't be answered right away, but they will be in due course.
Most of those questions hinge on whether certain individuals can meet the expectations put on them ahead of the 2015 season. But since we're in June and just under three months away from the Chargers' opener, against Detroit on September 13, we can only speculate on if those expectations will be met.
The next five slides are directly linked to question marks the team has going into next season, and they have been labeled either "fact" or "fiction" based on educated guesses.
Fact: All 5 Draft Picks Will Make the Active Roster
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Last year, only four of San Diego's six draft picks made the active roster, but this year's class should go 5-for-5. Melvin Gordon, Denzel Perryman and Craig Mager seem like obvious choices to make the final cut, given they were Day 1 and Day 2 selections, but Kyle Emanuel and Darius Philon are just as likely to be among the final 53 as a result of the relative lack of depth in front of them.
Emanuel is looking at ample playing time in the rotation at outside linebacker, seeing as how the Chargers lost both Dwight Freeney and Jarret Johnson in the offseason. Philon, meanwhile, is a strong candidate to crack the rotation on the defensive line as a situational pass-rusher, which San Diego desperately needs.
Fiction: D.J. Fluker Will Be Moved to Guard Next Season
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There had been talk after last season that D.J. Fluker would be moving to guard for the Chargers, reported by Bolts from the Blue, but his recent weight loss, combined with the work he put in during the offseason, says otherwise.
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the one-time first-round pick looks more comfortable now than in previous camps. "He is better at keeping his feet under him," Krasovic noted during a minicamp session.
Fluker is hoping to get his weight down somewhere around 330 pounds by Week 1, and if he succeeds, it should result in better flexibility and movement with which to stay at tackle. He played at 339 pounds in 2013—the same year he earned a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.
Fact: Donald Butler Will Have a Bounce-Back Year
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Despite a couple of surgeries in the offseason, Butler insists the reason he played bad in 2014 wasn't because of injuries, reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune. As he told reporters at a news conference, "I just played bad. It happens."
The 26-year-old did not do well to justify the seven-year, $51.8 million deal he signed in March of 2014, but the presence of new linebackers coach Mike Nolan may be the influence Butler needs to get back on track.
The longtime coordinator and one-time head coach has a wealth of experience at the pro level. His resume includes two Defensive Player of the Year recipients, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, from his time as DC for the Baltimore Ravens between 2002 and 2004.
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Fiction: San Diego Chargers Have Big Issues on the Offensive Line
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After they lost veterans Nick Hardwick and Jeromey Clary to retirement in the offseason, it's only natural to assume the Chargers offensive line is in seriously bad shape. But what this group lacks in experience, it makes up for with increasing potential.
King Dunlap and free-agent pickup Orlando Franklin are arguably coming off their best years as pros, and their size alone makes them an intimidating pair with which to contend. Chris Watt, last year's third-round draft choice, was forced into action as a rookie at a spot he hadn't played before, but as Gehlken explained in a piece for the San Diego Union-Tribune, the 24-year-old is maturing quickly at center.
On top of the time spent learning from Hardwick, Watt took it upon himself to pick the brains of three former NFLers while back in his home state of Illinois. He worked with Olin Kreutz, James O. Williams and Roberto Garza, each of whom played in the league for more than a decade.
Then there's Fluker, who has shown in the past he can be effective at right tackle. What he went through last season was merely a sophomore slump, which many first-year standouts tend to incur. Where problems might arise, however, is at right guard.
Fourth-year pro Johnnie Troutman has not performed well as a starter in the past two seasons, but the competition in training camp will either push him to be better or it will produce his replacement. There's a lot to like, but only if this group plays to its potential.
Fact: Ladarius Green Is Poised for a Breakout Season
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Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune recently reported that Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich said he'd be shocked if Green didn't have his most productive year to date in 2015.
The fourth-year tight end was forced to take a back seat last season because of the sheer dominance shown by Antonio Gates in the passing game, but as quarterback Philip Rivers explained, Green needs to have a bigger role on offense next season.
"I hope and I think we all agree that he needs to be a bigger part of it as we move forward this year," Rivers said. "We need to have him be a weapon for us because he'll be a heck of a matchup for us on some defenses."
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