Bigby joins Chargers' defensive backfield

With strong safety being one of the largest holes in the San Diego Chargers' roster, the team added depth to the position tonight by signing Atari Bigby, formerly of the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. According to Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times and Aaron Wilson of Ravens Insider, Bigby signed a two-year deal worth $2.5 million and could earn up to $4.5 million.

The 5-11, 213-pound Bigby entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2005 but failed to even make it to training camp. After spending the 2005 preseason with the New York Jets, he was waived on the final cut day, and didn't find a home until the Packers signed him to their practice squad later that year. His best season was in 2007, when he replaced Marquand Manuel as the starting strong safety and recorded 86 tackles, intercepted five passes, and forced three fumbles. He also intercepted four passes in 13 games during the 2009 season. After joining the Seahawks last summer, he had 18 tackles and a sack in 15 games.

The signing of Bigby doesn't mean that San Diego general manager A.J. Smith is done adding to the strong safety spot. As of right now, Bigby, 2010 fourth-round pick Darrell Stuckey, and DeAndre McDaniel, a 2011 undrafted free agent who signed with the Chargers in January, are the three strong safeties on San Diego's roster. Smith is rumored to be smitten with Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, who is likely to be selected in the second round of this April's draft.

Nevertheless, bringing Bigby in tonight makes up for the departure of Steven Gregory, last season's starting strong safety.

Lewis's stock continues to rise

The NFL draft season is a funny time. Players who had outstanding college careers could see their stocks fall considerably if they don't put up favorable numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine and pro days. Conversely, players who didn't stand out on the actual football field during their college careers can see their stocks rise considerably if they do put up favorable numbers at the Combine and pro days.

One prospect who seems to be enjoying the tremendous benefits that result from fantastic pre-draft workouts is Oklahoma defensive end/outside linebacker Ronnell Lewis. After posting good scores at the Combine in February, Lewis came through again with an impressive effort at Oklahoma's Pro Day Wednesday afternoon.

The workout is well under way in Norman, Oklahoma and the early results have been good for Ronnell Lewis. The college pass-rush specialist, who projects to outside linebacker in the NFL, slightly improved his 40 time from the combine, posting 4.65 seconds. In Indianapolis, Lewis was credited with a electronic time of 4.72. His vertical jump of 32.5 inches represented an improvement of 1.5 inches.

In Oklahoma, Ronnell Lewis comes away with glowing reviews from his pro day workout. Lewis also worked linebacker and defensive line drills after running the 40. He looked incredibly athletic, quick and balanced during defensive line drills. He was surprisingly smooth when put through pass coverage exercises. Lewis was quick moving in reverse, effortlessly changed direction and got tremendous depth on pass drops. For a player who primarily made plays behind the line of scrimmage in college, Lewis showed surprising ball skills today. Expect his draft grade to move into the top half of round two after today.



While Lewis has proven he's a superior athlete, the question remains whether his skills will make him a good player in the NFL. I wrote about Lewis last month, before the Combine, in which I pounded the point that he didn't produce much at Oklahoma, as he finished his career with just 10 sacks and 20.5 tackles for losses. I also cited a scouting report put together by National Football Post's Wes Bunting, who wrote the following on Lewis:

“Overall, his game reminds me some of former 2010 second round pick Sergio Kindle and former 2011 third round pick Justin Houston. He’s an explosive kid with a ‘plus’ first step, generates a lot of natural explosion into contact and is a powerful striker. He’s got the ability to threaten the edge, fend off blocks through contact and shoot gaps well inside.

“However, I don’t see a ton of savvy to his game as a pass rusher yet. Lewis isn’t a real sudden kid when trying to slip blocks and counter off his speed rush and does look a bit tight when trying to work his way around the edge.”

My take: I really don't care very much about what Lewis has done the last month in shorts at the Combine and his Pro Day. The most important element to look at is how Lewis performed on the football field. From what I've been reading, Lewis didn't exactly tear it up for the Sooners, so my hope is the San Diego Chargers won't waste a premium draft pick on him.

With the addition of outside linebacker Jarret Johnson this week, the Chargers already filled their need of a run-stuffer at the position. They now need a dynamic pass-rusher who can collect 10-15 sacks a season, and Lewis doesn't appear to fit the bill.

A San Diego spin on Kiper's chat wrap

After the Super Bowl is over, there may not be a more renowned figure in the NFL world than ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. Nobody works the NFL draft harder than Kiper, and he's an entertaining character, for sure. That hair of his alone is worth watching for serious lengths of time, in hopes that at some point it will move.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon I read Kiper's latest chat wrap on ESPN's Web site. There weren't too many San Diego Chargers-related questions he had to answer, but he did mention some prospects who are probably high on general manager A.J. Smith's wish list. The following is a selection of questions and answers I pulled from the chat wrap. In bold, I will type my thoughts underneath Kiper's answers.

Pete (Cincy)

Mel, any chance DeCastro makes it to the Bengals at #17?

Mel Kiper

  (1:05 PM)

Yeah, I think he could definitely be there. He's a pure guard. He's an interior OL. Dallas at 14 could take him. But Cincinnati at 17 could really use him.

Stanford offensive guard David DeCastro would be a great pick for the Chargers. He'd most likely become the Chargers' starting left guard right away, and some believe he'll make multiple Pro Bowls over his NFL career. It looks like the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals are the biggest threats to prevent DeCastro from falling to San Diego's 18th overall pick.

Shaun (AL)

Do you see Courtney Upshaw being a decent backer in a 3-4 scheme? What position is going to be able to play if he goes to a 4-3?

Mel Kiper

  (1:07 PM)

He's a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB. That's the great debate. I think it's split. He could be a Lamar Woodley in a 3-4 scheme. San Diego at 18 could use him as a 3-4 OLB. The Jets at 16 could use him. Those would be two nice destinations.

Upshaw, an outside linebacker from Alabama, was considered the best pass-rushing prospect heading into the 2011 season, but he's lost some steam as others, such as South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram, have seen their stocks rise. I happen to think Upshaw is an overrated prospect and that the Chargers could do better with the 18th overall pick.

Jeff (Florida)

Will Kansas City pull the trigger and get a Tackle for the offense and a NT for the defense in Free Agency if so who will it be?

Mel Kiper

  (1:18 PM)

Where they're picking at 11, they could look at Dontari Poe. If they want the OT, I don't see anybody being there in the draft. Riley Reiff is your second best OT and I think he's gone by pick 11. They could look at Luke Kuechly at MLB.

As a division rival, I hope the Kansas City Chiefs aren't able to get Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff, as he looks like a great player. My hope is they'll take Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe, whose stock is rising based mostly on his outstanding performance at the NFL Scouting Combine last month. Poe didn't dominate at a lower level of competition of college football, so I don't expect him to tear it up in the NFL.

Jeff (Cedarburg, WI)

Will the Packers be able to find a pass rushing complement to Clay Matthews when they pick at 28?

Mel Kiper

  (1:19 PM)

They could. They could look at a guy like Nick Perry, Whitney Mercilus, Dont'a Hightower.

USC's Nick Perry and Illinois' Whitney Mercilus are both pass-rushers who have been tabbed as possibilities for San Diego's first-round pick. Alabama's Dont'a Hightower would be a nice fit alongside Donald Butler as the Chargers' inside linebackers of the future.

Jeff (Atlanta, GA)

Mel, I've heard rumors that the Buffalo Bills are also interested in Mercilus in the 1st round? Isn't that a little high for him and wouldn't Ingram be a better prospect?

Mel Kiper

  (1:24 PM)

Very high. He's a one-year wonder. It's very high for a one-year wonder. You keep hearing about Buffalo and Mario Williams. If you take a DE at No. 10, you're taking Melvin Ingram. If they get Williams, they could look at Michael Floyd at WR.

This shows it's probably unrealistic to think San Diego has a shot at Ingram in the first round. It's also interesting to see Kiper mention how much of a reach it would be for Mercilus to go in the top 15.

Tom (Chicago)

How early in the second round do you expect to see Bobby Massie go?

Mel Kiper

  (1:29 PM)

Very good player. He was a RT at Ole Miss and did a very good job. He played against some very good DEs and played very well. He needs to get stronger. Ole Miss beat out Alabama to get him. He can play guard, he can play RT. He can slide and move your feet. He's a solid 2nd rounder.

It would have been nice if Kiper had actually answered the question and told us if he thinks Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie will go in the early-, mid-, or late-second round. It's clear he thinks highly of Massie, though, and if the massive offensive lineman is there for the Chargers in Round 2, they probably shouldn't hesitate to grab him as the future starter at right tackle. If San Diego is lucky enough to get Massie, hopefully it won't take him long to take Jeromey Clary's job.

Tom (Chicago)

With the way you see it, is Nick Perry going in the top 15?

Mel Kiper

  (1:43 PM)

No. I see Nick Perry as a top 20-31 pick. I have him going to Green Bay at 28.

This is good news for those of us who want to see Perry in a San Diego Chargers uniform. According to Kiper, it's realistic to believe that Perry will be there for the Chargers at selection #18 in Round 1. It would be golden if San Diego could trade back, acquire an extra second-round pick, and still get Perry at the end of the first.

John (Memphis)

Where do you see Fletcher Cox going? Do you like him to the Eagles at 15 or do you think he could move somewhere in the Top 10?

Mel Kiper

  (1:45 PM)

He could. He's battling Dontari Poe and Michael Brockers. I have Cox going anywhere from 15 to Philly to 25 to Denver.

Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox would be a defensive end in San Diego's 3-4 scheme. The Chargers selected a defensive end, Illinois' Corey Liuget, in the first round of last year's draft, but perhaps they aren't confident in fourth-year veteran Vaughn Martin. While Cox in the first round is a longshot, I won't rule against it right now.

Rob (Cincinnati)

What position(s) do you see the Bengals getting the most value at with their two two first round picks?

Mel Kiper

  (1:52 PM)

They could look CB at 17, either Kirkpatrick or Gilmore. Then at 21, they could look at DeCastro or Cordy Glenn. Depending on how they work it, they could go CB and then OL or OL and then CB. Theo ther need area is, at some point thinking about RB. WR also wouldn't hurt.

It's nice to see Kiper writing that it's a possiblity DeCastro could still be around for the Chargers in the first round. If San Diego passes on DeCastro, I think it will be a huge mistake.

Tom (Chicago)

How badly is Mike Adams' stock dropping?

Mel Kiper

  (1:54 PM)

He's a talented athlete. Very, very talented football player. But he's a guy that has to go out there week in and week out and be consistent. That's something that's lacking. Game to game he was inconsistent, sometimes even series to series. Why is he so inconsistent? If he can level off his performance, he can be a good player. He's a little bit hit or miss. Inconsistent LTs can be a recipe for disaster.

Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams has been a prospect I've touted throughout the draft season, but it now looks like he may be too much of a risk for the Chargers in the first round.

I will continue to check into Kiper's chat wraps and follow up with my own analysis leading up to the draft. Thus far this offseason, all of his chat wraps have been scheduled on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. ET.

Royal is a done deal

With an emphasis on adding blazing speed to their group of wide receivers, the San Diego Chargers polished off that goal by signing Eddie Royal, formerly of the Denver Broncos, this evening. All of the terms of the contract have not been released, but the length of the deal is believed to be three years.

Royal, along with the just signed Robert Meachem, should add a dimension that's been missing in the Chargers' aerial attack: turning short receptions into long gains. Over the last five seasons San Diego has relied on big, power forward-bodied pass-catchers who could jump high and outmuscle defenders for receptions. It's worked well, but it became quite clear last season that San Diego needed receivers who could gain more separation from opposing defenses' coverages.

"That's something that we really haven't had a ton of, is the run after catch, the big play from the wide receivers," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said when talking about Meachem during an interview with XX1090's Darren Smith yesterday.

After entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2008, Royal caught 91 passes for 980 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. His numbers went down in 2009 (37 receptions for 345 yards and no touchdowns), up in 2010 (59 receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns), and down again in 2011 (19 receptions for 155 yards and one touchdown). Much of that can be attributed to instability at the quarterback position, as Denver went from Jay Cutler to Kyle Orton to Tim Tebow. Royal has also played for three different head coaches (Mike Shanahan, Josh McDaniels, and John Fox) in four years. Royal was also limited by a concussion and groin injuries last season.

Royal is also a dynamic kick/punt returner, which the Chargers missed in 2011 after Darren Sproles left for New Orleans last summer. In four years Royal has returned one kickoff and two punts for touchdowns. He's produced a 24.1-yard average on kickoffs and 11.9 on punts. He's returned just eight kickoffs in the last two years. In 2011, he had a 16.1-yard average and one touchdown on 12 punt returns.

In addition to the Chargers' pursuit of Royal, the Washington Redskins showed immense interest, and Cutler, now quarterback of the Chicago Bears, expressed his wishes for a reunion with the former Bronco, as the two played together in Denver during the 2008 season.

"I would love to see Eddie here," Cutler said on ESPN 1000's "The Waddle & Silvy Show".

"If we get him, that would be great. I know he would fit in. He's a great teammate. It would be like old times."

Sorry, Jay!

With Meachem, Antonio Gates, Malcom Floyd, and Vincent Brown already on San Diego's roster, some may believe Royal will struggle to make a heavy contribution in the Chargers' offense. Head coach Norv Turner is an offensive mastermind, though, so Royal will surely be utilized to the best of his abilities. And by making this signing, general manager A.J. Smith can cross wide receiver off his needs list for April's draft.

Has Smith taken the proper route in free agency?

San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith has filled many holes so far this offseason by making frugal decisions in the free agent market. These moves should help the team, but the fact remains that the biggest areas of weakness, offensive line and pass-rushing outside linebacker, still haven't been addressed. San Diego still doesn't possess a pass-rusher who will strike fear into opposing offenses, and the right tackle spot is still manned by Jeromey Clary, who's infamous for being one of the worst at his position in the NFL. Although some fans seem to be pleased with the choices Smith has made, it remains to be seen if the path he's taken has been best for his questionable future with the organization.

Smith chose not to take the route the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used this offseason. The Bucs signed two elite players in Vincent Jackson and offensive guard Carl Nicks but haven't done much else. Smith re-signed three offensive linemen, two of them starters, and reeled in three unrestricted free agents from outside the organization, the most prominent being former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem. And with Denver Broncos unrestricted free agent wide receiver Eddie Royal rumored to be joining the Chargers, it appears Smith isn't done adding to the roster.

So, this question must be raised: Was Smith wise to sign Meachem, outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, fullback Le'Ron McClain, and possibly more players instead of adding just one elite talent in Mario Williams, who signed with the Buffalo Bills, at a position of much greater need?

My take: Heading into Monday, I thought I would be disappointed if Smith didn't sign Nicks, Williams, or Ben Grubbs, another offensive guard. (Grubbs signed with the New Orleans Saints today). I was also hoping Smith would replace Clary. Since none of that has happened, I can't help but feel let down. As of right now, I don't see how this team has improved on either the offensive or defensive line.

There's still the draft in April, but recent history has shown Smith hasn't been able to find difference-makers with his picks, so it's difficult to get excited about a rookie coming in and making enough of an impact to help the Chargers capture their first Super Bowl title. Yet, as a nutty fan, I'm still hopeful I'm wrong.

Chargers showing interest in Royal

After signing Robert Meachem last night, the San Diego Chargers may not be done adding wide receivers to the depth chart. According to U-T San Diego's Kevin Acee, the Chargers are pursuing Denver Broncos unresticted free agent wide receiver Eddie Royal.

Here's what Acee tweeted about two hours ago:

Chargers looking to make Eddie Royal their No.4 receiver. Odds seem pretty good, I'm told.

Along with Meachem, Royal would add an element that's been missing with the Chargers' pass-catchers recently: blazing speed. Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, and tight end Antonio Gates are big pass-catchers who make huge plays, but they don't often turn short passes into long gains.

"That's something that we really haven't had a ton of, is the run after catch, the big play from the wide receivers," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said when talking about Meachem during an interview with XX1090's Darren Smith today.

After entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2008, Royal caught 91 passes for 980 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. His numbers went down in 2009 (37 receptions for 345 yards and no touchdowns), up in 2010 (59 receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns), and down again in 2011 (19 receptions for 155 yards and one touchdown). Much of that can be attributed to instability at the quarterback position, as Denver went from Jay Cutler to Kyle Orton to Tim Tebow. Royal has also played for three different head coaches (Mike Shanahan, Josh McDaniels, and John Fox) in four years.

Royal is also a dynamic kick/punt returner, which the Chargers missed in 2011 after Darren Sproles left for New Orleans last summer. In four years Royal has returned one kickoff and two punts for touchdowns. He's produced a 24.1-yard average on kickoffs and 11.9 on punts. He's returned just eight kickoffs in the last two years. In 2011, he had a 16.1-yard average and one touchdown on 12 punt returns.

Earlier today I mentioned I wanted San Diego general manager A.J. Smith to sign New York Giants unrestricted free agent wide receiver Mario Manningham. But I won't be disappointed if the Chargers sign Royal instead.

Chargers add a traditional fullback

For the first time since Lorenzo Neal departed following the 2007 season, the San Diego Chargers will have a traditional fullback leading the way for their featured runner. This afternoon general manager A.J. Smith signed Le'Ron McClain, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, to a three-year contract.

This is good news for Ryan Mathews, who hasn't had the luxury of running behind a true fullback since entering the NFL in 2010. McClain spent four years with the Ravens after being selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. During that time he blocked for Willis McGahee and Ray Rice, who gained over 1,200 yards in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons. In 2011 McClain was brought in to Kansas City to block for Jamaal Charles, but Charles suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2.

If needed, McClain has shown he can be an effective workhorse, as he led the Ravens in rushing during the 2008 season, finishing the year with 902 yards and 10 touchdowns. He's also caught an average of 19 passes over the last four years, about a third of them resulting in first downs.

While this may not be the big splash Chargers fans have been waiting anxiously for, this signing, along with the addition of outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, is a step in the right direction towards becoming a much more physical team. Hopefully Smith isn't done yet.