27-year old RB Darren Sproles might be on the small side at 5′6″, 181 pounds.  But he has great speed and moves as he can go the distance any time he touches the ball.  Sproles played in 16 games for the Chargers last season and he returned 54 kickoffs for 1,300 yards (24.1 avg).  He has now played in 62 games in his four years with the Chargers and he has returned 207 kickoffs for 5,212 yards (25.2 avg) with 2 TD returns. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  A

The Chargers will likely be without starting LT Marcus McNeill for a huge chunk of the 2010 season due to a contract holdout and he’s the best lineman on the team.  Philip Rivers won’t likely be near as comfortable in the pocket in 2010 as he was in 2009.  Brandyn Dombrowski, Tra Thomas, Tyrone Greene and Corey Clark will all battle in training camp for the LT job.  I think when the dust settles it will be Dombrowski covering Rivers’ blind side.  He played well last season at RT but LT is a harder position.  LG Kris Dielman has been to 3 straight Pro Bowls.  Dielman has good balance and he’s very aggressive in the running game.  Center Nick Hardwick gets by with his brains as he is a finesse position type of blocker.  RG Louis Vasquez is a good run blocker but he has issues with fast rushers in the passing game.  RT Jeromey Clary is a below average tackle but his competition would have likely been Dombrowski who is needed on the left side.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS O-LINE in 2010:  C-

As hard as I might try I can’t blame Norv Turner for last year’s playoff loss to the Jets as Nate Kaeding is the lone goat.  Turner led the Chargers to a 13-3 (81.3%) record during the regular season but they lost their only playoff game 17-14 at home against the Jets.  Turner now has a 32-16 (66.7%) record during the regular season for the Chargers and he’s 3-3 (50%) in the post season.  Turner now has a career record of 90-98-1 (47.9%) in 12 years as a head coach and he’s 4-4 (50%) in the post-season.  I have never thought that Turner was much of a coach and I still don’t.  The Chargers should have at least made it to a Super Bowl one of the years that Turner was here just based on the talent on the field.

28-year old kicker Nate Kaeding missed some key kicks in the 17-14 playoff loss to the Jets last season which overshadows his great regular season.  He played in all 16 games for the Chargers last season and he made 32 of 35 fields goals (91.4%) and 50 of 51 extra points good for 146 points.  Kaeding has now played in 96 games in his NFL career and he has made 150 of 172 field goals (87.2%).  He has also made 303 of 305 extra points as he has 753 points in his career with the Chargers.  Kaeding has a big and accurate leg as he will remain a solid weapon for the Chargers in 2010.

28-year old Nick Novak likely won’t have much of a chance to make the Chargers in 2010 unless Kaeding gets hurt.  Novak last kicked in a regular season game in the NFL in 2008 with the Chiefs.  Novak has played in 22 games in his NFL career and he has made 19 of 30 (63.3%) of his field goals.  He has also made all 32 of his extra point attempts as he has 89 points in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS KICKERS in 2010:  A

27-year old WR Vincent Jackson is holding out right now and that could cripple the WR corps of the Chargers.  Jackson played in 15 games (all starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 68 passes for 1,167 yards (17.2 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  He made his first Pro Bowl in 2009.  Jackson has now played in 70 games (54 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 198 passes for 3,400 yards (17.2 avg) with 25 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 10 times for 96 yards (9.6 ypc) in his time with the Chargers.  He is a player the Chargers can’t replace.

28-year old Malcolm Floyd will likely be the new #1 starter for the Chargers this year.  Floyd played in 16 games (9 starts) for the Chargers last year and he caught 45 passes for 776 yards (17.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 51 games (14 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 97 passes for 1,597 yards (16.5 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  Floyd has the potential to step up but he’s better as a #2 WR.

26-year old Legedu Naanee will likely start opposite of Floyd at WR this season.  Naanee played in 15 games (1 start) for the Chargers last season and he caught 24 passes for 242 yards (10.1 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He has now played in 44 games (1 start) in his three years with the Chargers and he has caught 40 passes for 375 yards (9.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Naanee does have solid potential so don’t be surprised if he steps up in 2010 for the Chargers.

30-year old Josh Reed will likely be the Chargers’ #3 WR in 2010.  He played in 14 games (4 starts) for the Buffalo Bills last year and he caught 27 passes for 291 yards (10.8 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Reed has now played in 115 games (52 starts) in his 8 years in the NFL and he has caught 311 passes for 3,575 yards (11.5 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 14 times for 57 yards (4.1 ypc) in his career to date.  He is a solid possession receiver but he lacks big time speed.

24-year old Craig “Buster” Davis could move up the depth chart if he gets off to a quick start in 2010.  Davis played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 6 passes for 52 yards (8.7 avg).  He has now played in 19 games (1 start) in his three years in the NFL and he has caught 30 passes for 299 yards (10.0 avg) with 1 TD grab. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS WRs in 2010:  With Jackson:  B+     Without Jackson:  C-