Second-year players are locked in to offseason regimen after losing time to 2011 lockout - Scott Bair
"Having the playbook helped a little, but losing my first offseason was tough," Liuget said. "You can work out on your own and stay in shape, but there's nothing that can replace these (organized team activities), where you can get to know your coaches and your teammates. I learn best by doing, and there's nothing better than these practices. Having a real offseason is extremely beneficial."

Chargers Offseason Report: Talent Is There, But Is The Consistency? - Joel Thorman
The Chargers enter the 2012 season and hope the moves they made in both free agency and the draft will be enough to offset the talented players they lost in the offseason, improving on a 2011 season that saw them win eight games.

Stadium Thoughts and Musings: This Is the Song that Never Ends... - Jeff (sliderockmpc)
To sum up, the Chargers and the city of San Diego are currently discussing a $1 billion facility downtown, when the city could have spent a quarter of that (closer to a third if you factor inflation) 15 years ago, and dictated lease and use terms under conditions that would have been far more favorable to the city.

Chargers evaluating, not expanding, backfield - Michael Gehlken
San Diego has no immediate plans to add a running back in free agency, a team source said, as the organization's attention, for now, centers on evaluating the running backs currently in place.

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Can Ryan Mathews be Chargers' workhorse back? - Gregg Rosenthal
San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner told San Diego media that Mathews is going to get "everything he can handle" this year. Those words aren't as telling as the Chargers' actions this offseason.

Should the San Diego Chargers Pursue LeGarrette Blount from Tampa Bay Buccaneers? - Erik Lambert
Years ago every team put their faith in one running back but in the modern NFL it's better to have two. The San Diego Chargers proved this for years but don't have that luxury anymore. Should they seek LeGarrette Blount from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

Chiefs reach out to exonerated LB - Bill Williamson
ESPN’s Rick Reilly reports the Chiefs called Banks about setting up a tryout. Banks, now 26, was a highly-prized USC recruit was he was convicted of sexual assault. He was recently exonerated.

Beating the Blitz with the One-Back Offense (Bob Bratkowski) - Chris
The original one-back offense, the one that can trace its roots back to Jack Neumeier at Granada Hills high school and was popularized by Dennis Erickson, is both one of history’s best offenses and was a forerunner to today’s dynamic spread attacks.

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Ranking the AFC West tight ends - Bill Williamson
1. Antonio Gates, San Diego: Gates is getting older and health has been an issue. But he is still the class of this division.

The mind matters most for Chargers - Michael Gehlken
"People always ask me, 'How do you last long in this league?'" Spikes said. "You've got to be smart, and you've got to be tough. I don't want to be out there with a dumb football player, somebody who doesn't understand formations, who doesn't recognize situations."

Chargers add three names to roster - Chargers.com
Most notable is the addition of veteran strong safety Corey Lynch. The 27-year-old Lynch was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Appalachian State. After one season with the Bengals, Lynch was signed off of Cincinnati’s practice squad early in the ’09 season by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he has played the last three seasons. In 2011 he made 25 tackles and one interception.

Rivers ready to run for a cause - Jay Paris
Rivers isn't much of a runner, though, so him holding a 5K race is a bit of a head-scratcher. Until you scratch below the surface, which is always enjoyable with the Chargers' quarterback.

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Bolts' Mathews having one of those offseasons - Michael Gehlken
Mathews is having one of those offseasons, the kind that build a buzz about a young player coming into his own, about the strong season that, in a few months’ time, could follow.

Should the Chargers re-sign Tomlinson?: Final verdict says no - Dan McLellan
The idea of RB LaDainian Tomlinson finishing his career in San Diego sounds wonderful. It would give Tomlinson one last chance at a Super Bowl and allow fans an opportunity to see him play in a Chargers uniform one more time. The Chargers, however, need to win now. Many consider Tomlinson to be the greatest player to ever wear a Chargers uniform, but his production since his MVP season of 2006 has dramatically depreciated.

Phillips happy to welcome new blood - Scott Bair
Ever since the effectiveness of former Charger Shawne Merriman waned due to injuries starting in 2008, the Chargers have looked to Phillips to lead the way. The players opposite him have been underwhelming during the Chargers' two-year playoff drought, a period in which Phillips' snap count has spiked.

Hands on approach - Scott Yoffe
New secondary coach Ron Meeks has an impressive resume and brings a hands on approach to the Chargers secondary.

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'The NFL Beat': The End of the Super Agent - Alex Dunlap
Rosenhaus would like you to think he has been busy getting LeSean McCoy's deal wrapped up, recently solidifying (via a large contract extension) the young running back's future with the Eagles franchise at the position. What he might not like you to know is that he has been just as busy losing clients lately. London Fletcher, Beanie Wells, and Willis McGahee, among many others. By my count, Rosenhaus has lost close to 20 clients during this offseason alone.

Chargers: Dream/nightmare scenario - Matt Williamson
What if Mathews gets hurt? In a dream scenario, Mathews could have as strong a season as any running back in the NFL. But his injury history is very troubling, the Chargers have very little behind him and their offensive line ranks among the worst in the league right now. The offensive line could be the downfall of the entire team and could easily lead to injuries to the Chargers’ most important players, Rivers and Mathews.

New face in the crowd - Jamaal LaFrance
It has been nearly a decade since new San Diego outside linebacker Jarret Johnson was one of the new faces in the huddle.

Overanalyzing President Obama’s Passing Form - Dan Amira
This is obviously some kind of long-ball throw," Brown continues, "and it's a common technique on long throws for the passer to point his shoulder slightly upwards so that he has a higher release point to get more arc under the throw. But unless he's trying to take out one of the lights in the stadium, I'm not sure even he knows where that ball is going to land."

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Yeah, so our fearless leader was busy or something today and I guess that means I'm doing this. It's only fair since he did the links one day this week. Let's hope I can do as crappy of a job at this as he did at that.

My understanding is that these don't have to be about football so this won't be. Bloody Elbow pays me to do the USA Today / MMA Nation Consensus Rankings, but not to write about the sport because I have nothing worthwhile to contribute. However, since having nothing to contribute is basically the point of this particular series of posts, here are my predictions for the main card of UFC 146 on Saturday (impress your friends by saying the opposite of what I say) after the jump:

Today's Posts:

San Diego Chargers Daily Links: May 24, 2012

San Diego Chargers Positional Analysis: Inside Linebackers

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Upcoming Bouts:

#1 Jose Aldo vs. #8 Erik Koch on July 21, 2012.

#2 Hatsu Hioki vs. #24 Ricardo Lamas on June 22, 2012.

#3 Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie on July 7, 2012.

#18 Yuri Alcantar vs. Hacran Dias on June 23, 2012.

#17 Manny Gamburyan vs. #25 Michihiro Omigawa on August 4, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#2 Urijah Faber vs. #3 Renan Barao on July 7, 2012.

#14 Luis Alberto Nogueira vs. Hiroshi Nakamura on May 25, 2012.

#6 Scott Jorgensen vs. #23 Eddie Wineland on June 8, 2012.

#23 Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton on July 7, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#3 Jake Ellenberger vs. #9 Martin Kampmann on June 1, 2012.

#8 Jake Shields vs. Ed Herman on August 11, 2012.

#17 Siyar Bahadurzada vs. #14 Thiago Alves on July 21, 2012.

#6 Jon Fitch vs. Aaron Simpson on July 11, 2012.

#16 Tyron Woodley vs. Nate Marquardt on July 14, 2012.

#20 Brian Ebersole vs. TJ Waldburger on June 22, 2012.

#19 Jay Hieron vs. Mike Bronzoulis on July 13, 2012.

#21 Mike Pierce vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha on June 8 2012.

#22 Mike Pyle vs. Josh Neer on June 8, 2012.

#18 Charlie Brenneman vs. Erick Silva on June 8, 2012.

#15 Rick Story vs. Papy Abedi on June 22, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#1 Ben Henderson vs. #2 Frank Edgar on August 11, 2012.

#4 Gray Maynard vs. #7 Clay Guida on June 22, 2012.

#18 Rick Hawn vs. Brent Weedman on May 25, 2012.

#15 Gleison Tibau vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov on July 7, 2012.

#24 Jacob Volkmann vs. Paul Sass on May 26, 2012.

#14 Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim on August 4, 2012.

#16 Melvin Guillard vs. Fabricio Camoes on July 7, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#1 Jon Jones vs. #2 Dan Henderson on September 1, 2012.

#4 Mauricio Rua vs. #16 Thiago Silva on July 21, 2012.

#5 Lyoto Machida vs. #8 Ryan Bader on August 4, 2012.

#10 Forrest Griffin vs. #15 Tito Ortiz on July 7, 2012.

#6 Phil Davis vs. Chad Griggs on August 4, 2012.

#20 Ryan Jimmo vs. Anthony Perosh on July 21, 2012.
#22 Glover Teixeira vs. Kyle Kingsbury on May 26, 2012.

#21 Brandon Vera vs. James Te Huna on July 11, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#1 Anderson Silva vs. #2 Chael Sonnen on July 7, 2012.

#4 Vitor Belfort vs. #19 Wanderlei Silva on June 23, 2012.

#3 Mark Munoz vs. #9 Chris Weidman on July 11, 2012.

#6 Luke Rockhold vs. #14 Tim Kennedy on July 14, 2012.

#11 Hector Lombard vs. #10 Brian Stann on August 4, 2012.

#7 Tim Boetsch vs. #5 Michael Bisping on July 21, 2012.

#17 Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley on July 14, 2012.

#18 Demian Maia vs. Dong Hyun Kim on July 7, 2012.

#8 Yushin Okami vs. Luiz Cane on August 11, 2012.

#22 Robbie Lawler vs. Lorenz Larkin on July 14, 2012.

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Upcoming Bouts:

#1 Junior dos Santos vs. #4 Frank Mir on May 26, 2012.

#3 Cain Velasquez vs. #10 Antonio Silva on May 26, 2012.

#5 Fabricio Werdum vs. #16 Mike Russow on June 23, 2012.

#8 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. #15 Cheick Kongo on July 21, 2012.

#11 Fedor Emelianenko vs. Pedro Rizzo on June 21, 2012.

#18 Cole Konrad vs. Eric Prindle on May 25, 2012.

#12 Travis Browne vs. #17 Ben Rothwell on August 4, 2012.

#14 Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman on May 26, 2012.

#19 Stefan Struve vs. Lavar Johnson on May 26, 2012.

#20 Sergei Kharitonov vs. Tony Lopez on May 26, 2012.

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Chargers are division underdogs in Vegas - Kevin Acee & Michael Gehlken
I couldn't care less about predictions," Smith said Wednesday afternoon. "It's fun to do, and it stimulates conversation ... As far as the division race is concerned, I know this, it will be very difficult to win the West. The Broncos are defending champs, and they added Peyton Manning. The Raiders and the Chiefs are much better. The Broncos are led by one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. I just hope the Broncos don't run away with the division and leave the rest of us behind in the dust."

NFL Players Association files collusion claim against league - Jim Trotter
For the second time in 17 months, the Players Association has filed a collusion claim against the NFL, alleging that owners sought to suppress wages in 2010 when there was no salary cap.

Shaping the Slot - Steve Palazzolo
It used to be a knock on a wide receiver. Putting him in the slot was like saying he was not good enough to beat the best cornerbacks in the league. Young receivers are often unprepared to handle the bump coverage associated with playing on the outside and playing in the slot represents a quick way to see the field early in their career.

Kaeding back in swing of things - Scott Bair
Nate Kaeding was at Chargers Park late Monday morning, doing box jumps a track star would be proud of. The Chargers kicker can flat elevate, using the lower body power and spring expected of a player at his position.

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Rivers reunited with his other brother from another mother - Kevin Acee
Every teammate can rightly call Philip Rivers a friend as much as they can call him a leader. Rivers considers filling all three of those roles the most significant aspect of being a quarterback.

What will we learn from OTAs? - Jon Clayton
The Chargers haven't focused on slot receivers in years. Norv Turner can experiment with his new offensive personnel during the minicamp.

View from the Top - Christopher Smith
Chargers President Dean Spanos reflects on last week’s Celebration of Life honoring Junior Seau and shares his thoughts on the new CBA’s impact on offseason conditioning and signing draft picks.

San Diego's team supports San Diego's ship - Bill Johnston
San Diego has a new Navy warship named in its honor – the USS San Diego – and the San Diego Chargers were one of the key sponsors of the Commissioning ceremonies over the weekend.

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2011's Best Performances: Safeties - Khaled Elsayed
When Miami came to San Diego, one player really stood out in the game and that was Weddle. He broke up a pass, intercepted two (though one was called back due to a penalty), and even got a hit on the QB. Throw in a tackle that brought on the Dolphins’ kicking unit and you’ve got a very nice outing.

2011's Best Performance's: Inside Linebackers - Khaled Elsayed
Top 10 Run Defense Ratings for Inside Linebackers 4t. Takeo Spikes (SD), Week 12 vs. Denver (+4.1)

Could be another tease, but early signs say Bolts added key pieces - Kevin Acee
And so … with the caution that this could well be like the movie trailer that promises thrills and chills only to turn out to be "John Carter," I am intrigued enough by what I see and hear to deliver the teasing news that the Chargers have perhaps found the final pieces of the puzzle.

Can Robert Meachem Be the No. 1 Receiver for the San Diego Chargers in 2012? - Michael C. Jones
Robert Meachem is the player that the Chargers have tabbed to become their new No. 1 receiver. At 6-feet-2-inches tall, he doesn't have the size of Jackson, but he's a young player with excellent speed. More importantly, he brings championship pedigree and a work ethic that has him focused and already working closely with quarterback Philip Rivers during the offseason's voluntary workouts.

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Turner: Antonio Gates is physically 'back' - Michael Gehlken
"Gates looks great — he's back," Turner said. "Physically, he's back to where we want him to be. I think, like anybody, going through this offseason program helps you get better. (It's) the combination of conditioning, the combination of getting better in the areas you can improve, and being out there with your teammates."

Le'Ron McClain gives Chargers options - Bill Williamson
"The guy I’m really excited that we added in the offseason is Le’Ron McClain, because he’s a very versatile player and he’s a big old-school fullback," Turner said in a radio interview. "But he’s a good runner, he’s got good catching skills and I think he’ll be a big addition."

2012 Tamme Index - Wide Receivers - Mike Clay
Brown may not see a ton of snaps with Eddie Royal manning the slot, but he’d immediately step into 50-plus snaps every week if a starter went down. Add him and consider him WR3 material.

Chat wrap: Robert Meachem's impact - Bill Williamson
Robert Meachem will be given a huge opportunity. He has great speed and he is a vertical threat. That is perfect for Philip Rivers' arm and Norv Turner's scheme. They expect him to be a difference maker. I think health is the key for him.

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Well, we already addressed your ridiculous expectations of the Chargers' day 3 and day 2 picks, so that brings us to Melvin Ingram. The 18th overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft has had some truly insane predictions made about his rookie campaign already. One observer has already projected an NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for Ingram in his first year as a pro.

Round 1, Pick 18, Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

I shouldn't have to tell you this, but if you are expecting a rookie outside linebacker making the transition from defensive end and splitting time with an already established group of outside linebackers to come in and win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year you need to calm down. In the grand tradition of this blog, allow me to state unequivocally that I, Richard Wade, will eat my hat* if Melvin Ingram wins that award this coming season.

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PFF Mailbag: The PFF 101 of 2011 Edition - Pro Football Focus
Both had their inconsistencies, both had head-scratching moments, but Rivers got closer to his absolute best for long stretches while Romo didn’t. After some shocking mistakes early in the season to cost the Cowboys what proved to be crucial victories, he cut out a lot of the errors but that came at the expense of elevating his team to a higher level. Those at the bottom of the list, Rivers and Cam Newton, showed the ability in 2011 to elevate their team with their play while Romo didn’t.

Chargers offense has key area to improve - Michael Gehlken
"If anyone is trying to figure out our offense, there's one area where we need to show drastic improvement," coach Norv Turner said. "It's not red-zone offense. We were 10th and started slow. It's not time of possession. We've got to protect the ball better."

Seau's restaurant shuts down - Lori Weisberg
A little less than two months shy of its 16th anniversary, Seau's the Restaurant in Mission Valley shut down Wednesday, announced trustees for Junior Seau's estate

Charger talks childhood, strikes chord - Michael Gehlken
"I was watching him, and I was like, 'Man, this guy puts the ball on the money every time,'" Royal said. "It was so catchable. It was like a pillow being tossed out there. I thought, 'Those guys are lucky to play with such a great quarterback.' I was thinking that while we were playing them.

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Pressure point: Chargers - Bill Williamson
Arguably, no one in the AFC West faces more pressure than Turner this season. Every time the Chargers lose a game, Turner will be reminded of his tenuous job security. Every time one of his players makes a mistake, folks will wonder what Turner could have done to prevent it.

Fantasy: Projecting Running Back Yards-Per-Carry and Other Statistics - Jonathan Bales
4. Ryan Mathews: 280 carries for 1,274 yards (4.55)

McClain looks for rebirth in SD - Christopher Smith
"It’s a blessing. Just to hear from him the first day I met with him, him saying, ‘We want to use you more than just that ramming fullback,’ that brought a smile on my face," McClain said. "It felt good to be wanted. Now I have time to map it out a little and find a place to stay around here. I just got in here real smooth this time."

New Chargers stadium? Delay of game! - Matthew T. Hall
Mayor Jerry Sanders still has seven months in office, but he’s only running out the clock on the issue. He talked a good game for two and a half years, but now he’s doing what the last mayor did: making it the next mayor’s problem.

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Much like we discussed last time, while reviewing the Chargers' day 3 picks, optimism isn't necessarily a bad thing and in some cases it is definitely warranted. However, it's important that fans take a step back from the best case scenario and embrace the likelihood of lesser outcomes. That doesn't necessarily mean that these players will be bad or even average players, but it's almost certainly for the best if you don't expect every draft pick to be a day 1 starter and All Pro because then you're going to be disappointed when that player has a pretty good season as part of a rotation. Don't do that to yourself.

Round 3, Pick 73, Brandon Taylor, LSU

Out of all the Chargers' draft picks, perhaps none of the projections are more unrealistic than the ones made of Taylor. The transition from safety in college to safety in the NFL is one of the more difficult ones. Also, Taylor was the fourth safety drafted out of what was widely considered to be a weak safety class. This isn't to say that Taylor won't be able to unseat Atari Bigby as the starter. He very well could. However, he could also end up playing special teams and getting only limited snaps on defense.

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Ranking AFC West receivers - Bill Williamson
2. Malcom Floyd, San Diego: Floyd is good, but he probably wouldn’t be ranked this high in most divisions. If he can stay healthy, he can be a star.

Chargers sign San Diego native - Michael Gehlken
On Monday, the team signed former Nebraska-Kearney cornerback Arthur Hobbs, a San Diego native, and ex-Chiefs defensive tackle Garrett Brown to three-year contracts.

Mathews plans for explosive third season - Christopher Smith
Mathews figures to set the table for an even-better 2012 by going through an entire offseason training program with his coaches and teammates at Chargers Park. "Being able to be at our facility with our own stuff instead of having to find somewhere to work out, it’s just a lot better for us. It affected a lot of guys (last year)," Mathews said.

Chargers have deals with all seven draft picks - Michael Gehlken
Around the league, third-round draft picks have generally taken more time to sign, said Alvin Nelson, Taylor's agent, pointing to the matter of how much money is allocated.

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How bad was Chargers' D on third down? - Bill Williamson
The Chargers were last in the NFL on third-down defense last season. If you can’t get your defense off the field, it’s difficult to win. The most pressing task for new defensive coordinator John Pagano is fixing the problem and Smith’s moves on defense this offseason were made with third-down success in mind.

Chargers rookie looks to bulk up - Michael Gehlken
"They're telling me to bulk up a little bit," said Green, who caught 51 passes for 606 yards and eight touchdowns last year at Louisiana-Lafayette. "Get around the mid 240s to high 240s."

Ross tells story of Seau's 'bounty' - Michael Gehlken
"We'd get into the pregame warmup, and Stan Humphries is throwing nothing but long balls, and I'm saying, 'Stan, what the hell is going on? Quit throwing those long balls! What the hell is this?' He said, 'I gotta tell you coach. Junior told me that if I could hit that guy in the stands, he'd give me a thousand dollars.'"

Ingram debuts at Chargers rookie minicamp - Michael Gehlken
At 6-foot-1, he's the same height as former Chargers nine-year veteran Stephen Cooper. He looks about as stocky, too. But it may take some getting used to, watching the new 54 move this fast.

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Following a draft that, unlike previous years, received rave reviews from the so-called draft experts, many Chargers fans are excited about the incoming rookies. There's nothing wrong with being optimistic about your favorite team, but I think some people are in need of a reminder of what's reasonable to expect out of rookies (especially day three picks).

Round 4, Pick 110, LaDarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette

I'll start by granting you that Green has a ton of upside. He's a physical freak as a 6'6", 238 lbs tight end that ran about a 4.5 40 yard dash. He has good hands and will represent a matchup nightmare eventually.

The reality is that Green is a very raw player. As a tight end, he doesn't have great strength and is going to struggle getting off the line against NFL defenders. He basically needs to learn how to block and that's going to limit how much he can be on the field in Norv Turner's offense. He's an Antonio Gates type of tight end and the Chargers already have the real deal in Gates. Randy McMichael is going to see way more snaps than those drooling over Green want to imagine. There are only so many looks to go around and Green is going to have to get in line behind Gates, Malcom Floyd, Robert Meachem, Vincent Brown, Ryan Mathews and maybe even Le'Ron McClain and Eddie Royal.

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Top 10 Worst Stadiums in the U.S. - Nick Carbone
Earth to the Chargers, is that an alien mothership that you play in? Qualcomm Stadium takes the form of a concrete arena surrounded by 122 acres of even more concrete – the venue’s immense parking lots that seem to pool out from the stadium. Built in the late 1960s, Qualcomm’s architects opted for a Brutalist-style arena. You can just picture how well the bland-colored monstrosity fits among the Spanish-inspired architecture and towering palms of the Mission Valley neighborhood.

Chargers lock up two more draft picks - Michael Gehlken
The latest came Thursday, as the team inked four-year deals with fourth rounder Ladarius Green and fifth rounder Johnnie Troutman. Safety Brandon Taylor, a third-round selection, and running back Edwin Baker, a seventh, remain unsigned.

Stadium gearing for Seau crowd of 60,000 - Brent Schrotenboer
Qualcomm Stadium officials are expecting a crowd of 30,000 to 60,000 for Friday’s public tribute to Junior Seau – an event that is expected to attract national media coverage and last around 90 minutes or more.

Bill Walton 'sad' he couldn't help Seau - Nick Canepa
Bill Walton literally crawled to the brink of suicide and somehow willed himself to step back. Junior Seau, for reasons we may never know and perhaps in a different kind of pain, stepped forward. And today Walton grieves for his friend, all but placing the blame for Junior’s death on himself, because he believes he could have helped.

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Mailbag: Rookie TE in San Diego - Bill Williamson
I don’t think the Chargers are counting on the fourth-rounder for much more than being a special teamer this season and learning the system. If Green -- who could be the eventual replacement for star Antonio Gates -- can come in and catch 20-30 passes, it would be a bonus. Green has strong receiving skills and the Chargers have an eye on him for the future.

Vegas book places odds on Chargers' schedule - Michael Gehlken
Cantor Gaming released weekly handicaps for every NFL game through Week 16, and the Chargers are considered the favorite in 10 of them, most in the AFC West. Their Sept. 10 season opener in Oakland is a pick 'em.

Fouts, Tomlinson, Harrison to speak at Seau memorial - Scott Bair
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and a large crowd is expected. The parking lot will open at 2 p.m. and gates will open at 4:30 p.m. Attendees are advised to arrive early or take public transportation.

Chargers to host Cowboys for joint practices - Michael Gehlken
For the second straight year, the Chargers and Cowboys are scheduled to break from the dog days of training camp, facing each other during two days of joint practice. This time, instead of the sweltering South, the workout sessions will be held in San Diego from Aug. 20-21.

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Broncos join Chargers in Florence race - Bill Williamson
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the popular recently released cornerback will visit the Broncos this week. San Diego is also highly interested in Florence. He spent his first five NFL season in San Diego.

Ex-Charger QB Ryan Leaf Pleads Guilty - NBC San Diego
After former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf pleaded guilty to drug and burglary charges in Montana Tuesday the judge said he believed there was "no question" the former San Diego Charger needs rehab.

The tragedies of the 1994 Chargers - Elizabeth Merrill
"It's insane, isn't it?" said Blaise Winter, a defensive tackle on the '94 team. "I mean, Chris Mims, [Shawn] Lee, Miller, Rodney. ... It's like, 'Is the ceiling above my head going to fall on me?'

Bolts reach terms with Ingram, Reyes; sign Molk - Michael Gehlken
Well before training camp, and even before this week's rookie minicamp, the Chargers agreed to deals Tuesday with outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, their first-round draft pick, and defensive end Kendall Reyes, their second rounder.

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Chargers funding Friday's Seau tribute Brent Schrotenboer
The Chargers are hosting -- and paying for – a public tribute to Junior Seau Friday at Qualcomm Stadium, an event that could draw a capacity crowd, according to early estimates.

Chargers release LB Travis LaBoy - Michael Gehlken
"It gives Travis an opportunity, since it was early enough, to catch on with another team," said John Pagano, defensive coordinator. "It's a good opportunity for him. There will be more opportunities for him.

Will Ingram short-arm the skeptics? - Bill Williamson
The Chargers aren’t worried about Ingram’s arms and were thrilled that Ingram fell to them. San Diego general manager A.J. Smith quipped to U-T San Diego about Ingram’s supposed issue:"I think Melvin will have the same problem Tyrannosaurus rex had millions of years ago."

Fantasy Football: 2012 NFL Draft Impact - Scott Spratt
Green is one of those TE prospects that projects to be a better fantasy player than actual player. He has great hands and enough speed and quickness to be dangerous after the catch. He is tall but needs more size. He is a terrible blocker, so his future is Antonio Gates’ replacement. No complaints here. Knee tendonitis is a concern, but Gates’ own injury issues make Green the 2nd rookie TE behind Coby Fleener.

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Chargers: One big question - Bill Williamson
Did the Chargers do enough on defense? If the San Diego Chargers are going to end a two-year playoff drought and coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith are going to save their jobs, the defense must make strides.

2011 Run Stop Percentages: Cornerbacks - Khaled Elsayed
There’s more to playing the run then just making defensive stops. Cornerbacks can do just as good a job as linebackers or defensive linemen at beating or standing up receivers and forcing runners to alter their path. Looking at these run stops, though, helps shed some light on an under-recognized part of their game.

Chargers interested in Florence reunion - Michael Gehlken
Drayton Florence could be coming back to San Diego. The Chargers hope so, anyway.

A Q&A with Chargers defensive lineman Kendall Reyes - Scott Bair
Kendall Reyes cuts an imposing figure. Built at 6-foot-4 and 299 pounds, Reyes is a defensive lineman who looks the part. He's big, tough and nasty on the field.

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