Q: Aloha Ricky. Give us a name of a player who hasn't been getting much attention that we should be paying attention to? Mahalo! – Keola Brown
A: If you asked me earlier this week, I'd have said Isaac Rochell. However, the second-year defensive end drew praise from Head Coach Anthony Lynn on Thursday, so I'll go with Braedon Bowman. The tight end spent all of last season on the practice squad, but I've been impressed with his playmaking ability this spring. Bowman is a 6-2, 240-pounder with soft hands as a receiver and the snarl to succeed as a blocker. He has NFL experience, appearing in three games for the New York Jets in 2016 before injuring his ACL. With the Bolts needing some of their young tight ends to step up, he's a name to watch during training camp and preseason action.
Q: What position group has shown the most growth throughout the offseason program? – George Williamson
A: Great question! This is totally subjective, but I've had a blast watching the defensive backs, especially the young corners out there. I'm talking about guys like Craig Mager, Michael Davis, Brandon Facyson and Tony Brown. With the majority of defenses in sub-packages these days to counter three-wideout sets, it's more important than ever to have depth in the secondary. If this spring is any indication, the Bolts have exactly that. Still, the Chargers can't go into the season with eight cornerbacks, so it'll be an intense battle come training camp to see who earns those final spots behind Casey Hayward, Jason Verrett, Trevor Williams and Desmond King.
Take a look behind the scenes from Chargers Promo Day as the players get hyped for the 2018 season.
Q: I have heard that Dylan Cantrell has a great set of hands and can block good. What is the possibility of "beefing" him up and temporarily using him as a tight end in Hunter Henry's absence this year? – Scott Cochran
A: This has been bandied about by fans, but GM Tom Telesco put the kibosh on it during a recent live chat:
"I have heard this thought from a couple people. Not a bad idea thinking outside the box. Dylan is 6'3" 225. But right now, we are very excited for him as a WR. That is the position we think his future is at."
Q: Where's the coverage on Justin Jackson? I think he deserves some love! – Patrick Mortel
A: Noted! I've had something planned with him for a while, so I'll try to get it out next week for you. I will say this, though – the running back showed exactly why he was one of the most productive players in Big Ten history over the spring.
Q: How is Forrest Lamp progressing with his recovery? Is he expected to be ready for training camp and get starter reps? – Tommy Nguyen
A: This is another question Telesco answered in his live chat, so I'll again share what the GM had to say:
"Forrest is progressing, so that is good news. His frame of mind is very confident as well. I don't have any firm timelines on when he will start working full but everything is positive right now."
* Q: *I have yet to meet ANY of the Bolt family! Are there practices where fans can show up to possibly meet the guys and get some autographs? – Bryan Lopez
A: If you want to meet the players there's no better place to go than training camp. Many members of the team head toward the fence once practice ends to sign autographs and take photos with fans. Chargers Camp will once again take place at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa beginning July 28. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for additional information.
