San Diego Chargers

Rookie wide receiver Keenan Allen, a 3rd round pick out of Cal, has decided to make himself part of the news cycle. Actually, I'm quite sure that wasn't his plan at all. The young man posted a Vine video of himself enjoying some In-N-Out Burger while wearing an Oakland Raiders baseball cap. Somehow he didn't realize that was a no-no now that he plays for the San Diego Chargers. In what will come as a surprise to nobody, Allen caught hell from the Chargers fans on Twitter and issued an apology: I get it fans!!!! Won't happen again! — Keenan Allen (@KAAdeuce1) May 18, 2013 This is where reasonable people will let this non-story die and move on with our lives. Since many of you are not reasonable people and thus won't have come up with that idea on your own, allow me to suggest that you please let this non-story die and move on with your lives. I've seen you guys call for Allen to be cut, traded, benched and fined over wearing a hat. Keenan Allen, the steal of the draft, should be shipped off before he ever plays a snap (or be kept but prevented from playing) because he wore a Raiders hat. That's brilliant, you guys. Seriously, if you ever have another thought that brilliant, keep it to yourself. I don't even know what to say to you idiots that were hoping he gets hurt. You're sick people and you should seek professional help. This will all blow over shortly if you let it and that can't happen soon enough. Nothing to see here, folks*. Move along. Okay, that might be wishful thinking on my part as this was a topic on NFL Network this morning, but that's just the NFL in May for you. *Except a bunch of Chargers fans making asses of themselves. (H/T to @LobShots who covered this story brilliantly over the weekend)

(Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports) It’s official, Manti Te’o has better protection than quarterback Philip Rivers had all season last year with the San Diego Chargers. Even minicamp is fully underway, the media has only had access to speak with the Bolts’ rookie once and that was after the initial rookie portion of minicamp concluded. No one is sure exactly why things have gone this way, but sooner or later Te’o must face the media head on. This stall tactic is merely delaying the inevitable barrage of questions that are sure to be thrown in Te’o’s direction concerning the whole fake dead girlfriend saga. It remains unknown whether the media mute button has been pressed by Chargers brass, Head Coach Mike McCoy, or at the request of Te’o himself. The only thing that is for sure is that the former Notre Dame All-American must face the music sometime, and that time might as well be now. You won’t find many analysts that feel like the Chargers did anything less than a remarkable job in this April’s NFL Draft. That is in large part due to getting a player in Te’o who was considered a top 10 prospect for a decent portion of the pre-draft process with the 38th overall selection. His addition on the field is sure to be far more important than anything going on off of it. The drama of his off-field distractions passed long ago, so why prolong the agony of rehashing things any longer than necessary? What keeping Te’o hidden from the media is accomplishing is actually adding to the problem if you ask me. If he really wants to be just another rookie trying to make a name for himself in the league, Te’o should be subjected to media time and answer any and all questions just like any other player. Perpetuating this stigma that Te’o is immune from the media’s wrath because he is different is the exact opposite of what was supposed to be the attitude coming into this situation. This may seem trivial on the scale of what’s important to an NFL team, but the Bolts coach McCoy had to deal with the media free-for-all that was Tim Tebow during his time with the Denver Broncos. If this team knows what’s good for it, Te’o will be in front of the media sooner rather than later to eliminate the inevitable moment when he is forced to address the Lennay Kukua fake girlfriend situation. Heck, he may even be able to answer some football related questions, you never know. Anthony Blake is a Senior Writer/Copy Editor for Rant Sports. You Can Follow Him on Twitter, on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

December 11, 2011; Baltimore, MD, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney (93) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) in the second half at M San Diego Chargers: What to Watch for at OTAs Bleacher Report The first week of OTAs for the San Diego Chargers did not go as planned after the team lost Melvin Ingram to an ACL injury, but it will be a new day in San Diego this week with several things to watch for when the team resumes OTAs. The Chargers will … Quentin Jammer expects to leave Chargers - Philly.com Philly.com Quentin Jammer wants to play next season, but he isn’t expecting to suit up in a San Diego Chargers uniform. The veteran cornerback told the San Diego Union-Tribune that his expectation “is to be elsewhere,” though he is very open to returning with the … Chargers hiding Te’o from media questions National Football Post (blog) The San Diego Chargers, who drafted Te’o in the second round of the draft last month, did not make the linebacker available for media questions during open locker room access of the off-season work Friday, says Matt Calkins of the San Diego Union … Chargers, Freeney ink 2-year deal Monterey County Herald SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers agreed Saturday to a two-year deal with aging star pass rusher Dwight Freeney that could be worth $13.35 million. The deal to bring Freeney to the Chargers came four days after outside linebacker Melvin Ingram … Chargers shielding Te’o from media NBCSports.com While it’s unclear whether it’s happening at the behest of the team or the player,Chargers rookie linebacker Manti Te’o has escaped, to date, the reach of the media assembled at the team’s offseason workouts. Yes, the guy who sat with Jeremy Schaap… Manti Te’o is not the Charger who needs protection U-T San Diego It is completely understandable that Chargers coach Mike McCoy would want to shield his celebrity of a linebacker from prying media members, and if the request came from Te’o, one can empathize with that as well. But this story isn’t like a headache or …

Word of Muth: Lane Johnson and D.J. Fluker - Ben MuthIf you line someone up right across from D.J. Fluker’s face in a five-technique, that end is going to have one really long game. The big offensive tackle is dominant when he can reach out and maul guys right at the line of scrimmage. He’s quick out of his stance, and he’s good at extending his long arms into the defender's frame before they are really out of their stance. I thought Fluker’s game against LSU was as good as you’ll see a college tackle play. Neil's NFL Daily: May 20, 2013 - Neil HornsbyAs requested, here is the full list of "QB Responsible Sacks" which includes the playoffs (minimum 300+ drop-backs), and to add additional value I’ve also included the number of hits and pressures which we have logged as being down to that player too. Manti Te’o Appears at Maxim Hot 100 Party to Honor Fake Girlfriend Lennay Kekua (Photo) - NESN.comThe new Chargers linebacker showed up at the Maxim Hot 100 party to honor his fake girlfriend Lennay Kekua, who was No. 69 on the annual list. It’s assumed that Te’o showed up as a joke, but you can’t rule out that Te’o might have thought Kekua would actually show up. Chargers solve problem with Freeney - Bill WilliamsonPushed into a corner, rookie San Diego general manager Tom Telesco responded with his highest-profile acquisition of the offseason by signing pass-rusher Dwight Freeney on Saturday. Freeney agreed to a two-year contract, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder. Telesco was in Indianapolis' front office when Freeney played for the Colts from 2002 to 2012. The San Diego Chargers should switch defensive schemes - Kyle PoseyMike McCoy said the defensive scheme will accommodate Dwight Freeney if he's signed. I'll tell you why the 4-3 Under is the best fit, and break down each member on the Chargers roster and explain their role in the new look defense.

Chargers rookie LB Manti Te’o talks about emulating Ray Lewis on the field. Find out which other legends inspire Te’O.

(Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports) Even though he was a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, all eyes will be on San Diego Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o during his rookie season as fans will be interested to see how much of an impact he can make with his new team. Before the 2012 National Championship, Te’o was expected to be an early first-round pick, but his performance against Alabama on top of the hoax scandal played a key factor in his draft stock declining. Take all of this into consideration with a poor performance at the NFL Combine–it was no surprise to see Te’o fall to the second round of this year’s draft. Still, the Chargers were smart enough to realize Te’o was worth taking a risk on considering the type of leadership skills he displayed at Notre Dame and it will be interesting to see what type of impact he makes during his rookie season. Of course, no matter how hard they try, San Diego realizes that Te’o most likely won’t be able to escape all of the questions surrounding the hoax scandal–so they realize that may not go away. However, that doesn’t mean the Chargers can’t do everything in their power to keep Te’o away from those conversations with the media as much as possible–which is why they’ve been playing it smart by protecting him from the media as much as possible. It will eventually get to the point where the Chargers won’t be abel to protect him anymore, but for now–this is certainly the right approach by the organization to help him prepare for his rookie season. “Like” Dan Parzych on Facebook Be sure to follow Dan on Twitter @DanParzych

Comments of the Week Rob Base • 7 days ago ? One of these days I will come up with something really profound that will make it on Comments of the week. Love it! Former Indianapolis Colts OT Winston Justice Visiting Chargers Stefanie Smith • 6 days ago ? You got it, Ernie. Make Rivers start throwing left handed. San Diego Chargers OTA Notes tubbs45 • 6 days ago ? With all of our line changes, may I suggest a new running article: Days of our OLine’s. sounds like they are really taking a critical look at what they have, shuffling where needed, and still feeling out the FA market. I like that we are not just running out and throwing everything in the cart, but being thoughtful risk / financially. Cgoodness13 • 6 days ago ? Ok with Rinehart at LG right now, want troutman to beat him out of the job though, dudes a monster. RIP Chuck Muncie ChargerGirl Cindi • 5 days ago ? When I was a kid Chuck was one of the best. We even had a dog named Muncie. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet him last year and get his autograph. He was so sweet. I’m going to change my pic back to me and him right now…. so sad. Peter Thompson • 5 days ago ? Nooooo!!!!! I really feel like I just got hit in the gut. Chuck Muncie was the very first Charger running back I cheered for, and my favorite player! When I was little, I used to go out into the yard alone after Charger games. I would throw the ball on the roof.. let it roll down… catch it… and pretend I was Chuck, as I sprinted across the yard for a touchdown! I also had really big dorky glasses when I was a kid, and my Mum used to say “See, Chuck Muncie wears his glasses, and they look great”!!! I never bought into it, but it did make me feel a bit better, and gave me something to throw back at the bullys at my school. I remembered how bummed I was when he got busted for cocaine, and went to jail. But, he is still my favorite player.. even more than LT… which is based off of good memories with my Dad.. not as much for talent (although Chuck was definitely talented). Might go outside and throw the ball on the roof tonight, just for old time’s sake ; ) RIP my good man, and thanks for making a good Charger out of me Melvin Ingram May Have Torn ACL blackroseMD1 • 5 days ago ? I’m just gonna go ahead and put my head down on the desk. Wake me up when the season starts. It’s the second freaking day! Were they even wearing pads and hitting? Which Is The Bigger Need Right Now: Dwight Freeney Or Max Starks? MC Boltman • 4 days ago ? But TT: can we have both? Eddie Royal, Jeromey Clary and Whitehurst seem to be expendable (although Clary seems to be a nice option at RG, but he´s a $5.7 million cap hit, i.e. he´s overpaid) Dwight Freeney Likely Looking For Money That We Won’t Give tubbs45 • 2 days ago ? Hell I’ll say it… I EXPECT ENGLISH TO PLAY HUGE, BEAST MODE, QB EATER SACK MACHINE. Now I dont know if it will happen, but I sure a F*&$ hope so!!! Jeromey Clary at Right Guard? Philip Rivers says YES! Rob Base • 2 days ago ? We need a Cut Clary T-shirt made stat! Ernie Padaon Mod • 2 days ago ? Also…. That money that can be saved might be his ticket out. He may be a June 1 cut and we could save even more money. If I could take that money and get a vet like Brandon Moore for the interior, then sign me up. He would be even better for Fluker. He knows his position and how to play it and also could run in a ZBS. Hmmmmm… May have to write this down. Haha Ernie Padaon Mod • 2 days ago ? I love Philip, but his judgement comes into question on things now. He was one of Norv’s biggest backers and how well did that turn out? That was one ugly mess. Don’t know if Clary can do it. Will have to see it for myself Chargers Reach Deal In Principle With Dwight Freeney Rob Base • a day ago ? Telesco is a OG! I love what dude is doing for our Bolts!! The Details On The Dwight Freeney Contract: 2 Years, $8.75M Ryan Ell

Cornerback Quentin Jammer says he is far from retiring and has been in contract talks with several teams, including the Chargers and Washington Redskins.

What are the weaknesses of English? Are they holding him back from taking that next step? He obviously has to step up for us this year and has not been very productive when on the field. - Senn Besides staying healthy? He's quick, but not fast. He has strong hands, but he's not strong enough to pull off a bull rush. He can be pretty easily game-planned against, but could make a good second pass-rusher (think Shaun Phillips' position when Shawne Merriman was with the San Diego Chargers) if the first pass-rusher is absolutely dominant. Given how little money we have remaining under the cap, how is signing Freeney any kind of a possibility? - Nohm Good question! Okay, here's where we learn about signing bonuses. A team can hand a player a check, called a "signing bonus" in his first season and the impact of that money gets spread over the duration of the contract. Considering the player is getting the cash either way, he doesn't mind if the team balances the cap by giving him a low first-year salary. Freeney's first year salary is $1.5 million, and he was given a signing bonus of $3.25 million. So, the team was able to guarantee him $4.75 million in 2013, but the cap hit is just $3.125 million. Make sense? Now, because Freeney has bills to pay and can't take a $3.25 million paycut in 2014, his salary jumps up to $3 million next year and his cap hit swells to $5.125, which the team can afford then but not now. Who do you think will have a greater impact on our offense this year, Mathews or Woodhead? - sdvip Woodhead. Based on production efficiency, Woodhead was a top 5 Running Back in 2013. McCoy and Whisenhunt will fine ways to get him into those spots again. if you had to live of of one food and one drink for a whole year, what would it be? - LetsGoChargers2 Cheeseburgers and iced tea. Do you see Vincent Brown being the #1, #2, or #3 WR? What’s the best position for him? - Nohm I see Brown as a perfect #2. He's too slow to be a legitimate #1, and I feel like a lot of his skills would be wasted at #3. Can you explain why it’s been so difficult to get a new stadium, and how much longer the Q will be habitable? From what I’ve heard, San Diego was always a prominent and desirable Super Bowl destination. I’m no numbers guy, but it seems that getting a new stadium and back into the SB rotation would offset the taxpayers grief (then again, its not me paying the proposed taxes). - WesChandler89 I can try, but it really should be made into a post of it's own. The Super Bowl "rotation" has expanded so much, and will be expanding further based on how the game in New York goes, that building a new stadium in San Diego can only really guarantee 1 Super Bowl and that's simply not enough to offset the costs, especially when money made by the city by tourists isn't going back into the pockets of the residents (who are probably going to be asked to fund about half of the stadium). That's not to mention that San Diego has been built on so much that there's no real logical place to fit a stadium and a parking lot, much less a downtown-esque area around the stadium that the team keeps demanding. There's tons and tons of reasons why it hasn't happened, but the real one is that the team didn't feel like it needed to come down from its demands as long as Los Angeles was threatening to take the team away. Not that L.A. has become less of an option and more of a sideshow, expect the real negotiations to begin. As far as how much longer Qualcomm can be habitable, it depends on your definition. The Oakland Coliseum should've been destroyed years ago. I think we'll see a new stadium open in San Diego in 6 or 7 years. If Rivers has another bad season (not mediocre, bad) will the Chargers look at a QB in next years draft? It’s not like we’re not in quazi-rebuilding mode. We saw the Colts choose Luck over Peyton (not inferring the colts-telesco connection again) - Ccarl24 Yes.

This story isn’t like a headache or bruise that will go away if you just leave it alone.