Chargers Weekly: NFL Schedule Reaction & Joe Hortiz Interview

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Late fifteen ten touched up What's Up. Guys.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome into a schedule release edition of Chargers Weekly, as always,
joined by the Voice of the Chargers, Matt Muney Smith
and Buddy. We're gonna break down this schedule. We just
got it. But we should also mention that we had
a great interview with Joe Hortiz that we're going to
air after we break this thing down.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Joe was awesome.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, So stick around, kind of go through
the schedule. I know that's what everybody's doing right now.
We had a chance to catch up with the general
manager of the Chargers a little bit before the schedule release.
Is obviously not that it's an all hands on deck
for the person heel department, but it's a pretty big
deal when they launch, and you know, the Chargers do
what they do and make their magic. So excited to

(00:51):
be part of it. It's ridiculous that this is like
a national sporting holiday. But here we are on Wednesday,
May fourteenth and the schedule release and everybody freaks out.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, hey, the anticipation is real because we now know
how it all lines up, and let's just start week one.
We've known this for a long time that the Charges
are playing Brazil in Brazil. Uh, They're gonna be playing
the Kansas City Chiefs Friday night on YouTube.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
This is probably gonna set big numbers money.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah, free, free stream. So it's not YouTube TV. It
will be obviously available on YouTube TV, but this is
just straight YouTube. You log on, you watch, and like
you said, because of that, because it's not a premium service,
it's not Prime, it's not Peacock or Paramount or any
of that. It's it's gonna do huge numbers. I mean

(01:39):
as a standalone game. Patrick Mahomes justin Herbert, Andy Reid,
Jim Harbaugh. You know, I think for for all the people,
and I get it. I totally get the whole Charger
fans season ticket holder dude, we want to have the
Patrick Mahomes game here and stuff, and I think there's
you know, credible. You know, I think there's there's it's
it's credible to be upset about that for sure. At

(02:02):
the same time, I think for the Chargers to be
on a standalone to have this heavyweight bout is great
for the team. It's especially if they can finally slay
that dragon. We know how close it's been in all
these contests, but to do it in week one, to
do it in Brazil, to do it against Mahomes like,
it's I actually like the idea of it.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
I'm alright with it.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
You know, we've seen the last several years where they've
come so close, and last year was no different. So
the opportunity to see this team right at the beginning
of the year and kind of set the tone for
the division because we go straight from Kansas City to
I guess a little bit of a bye actually a
good amount of a bye given three or four ten

(02:48):
days Week two at Las Vegas, so not a long trip,
quick trip to Vegas, Cepe Carroll in the What's Your
Deal Bowl Week two on a national stage.

Speaker 3 (02:59):
Again, yeah, I kind of as I dug through the schedule,
I didn't have a chance to go through everybody's by
But right now, just with the Chargers, you know, in
terms of where their schedule are, they have one, two,
three four extra rest games as it stands right now
until I can dig into the buys, we just wanted
to get this thing out there. So both games against

(03:20):
the Raiders Raiders week thirteen, they're coming off of their
bye and then this one again. Week two is coming
off Brazil, so it's ten day rest, so both division games.
I'm sure the Raiders aren't happy about that. The Chargers
as it stands right now, going to have extra rest
going into those and then they'll also have extra rest
coming off the bye against the Tires, I should say,

(03:42):
coming up Thursday at football against the Titans, and then Denver.
It looks like it's that Saturday game, So that's not
bad as it stands right now. You got four extra
rest games. But you mentioned the Raiders there, and it's
pretty wild start to the season. Man Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos,
Bing Bang Boom, AFC West one two three.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
That was the number one thing that stood out to
me from this schedule because we always hear about you're
not really yourself, you're not really a team until mid October.
You're trying to get the cobwebs out. So this could
go either way for the Chargers. On one hand, it's
an opportunity to maybe get three division wins right at
the beginning of the year. It shows the importance, the
added importance of the regular season for the Chargers this year.

(04:25):
I don't know if I like it, and I'd be
interested interested to know what fans think about playing three
divisional opponents in the first three weeks of the season
without really having an opportunity to kind of get the
cobwebs off.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
And you know, I know that.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
There's going to be an early start to the year,
mid mid July training camp, you have the Hall of
Fame game, So this is gonna be a long.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
Lead up to the regular season for the Chargers.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
I just don't know if I've seen this where you
have three division games first three weeks of the season.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
Man, I personally like it. You like it, you like, yeah,
just number one, You've got a new quarterback, new coach
in Vegas, right, So I think that benefits the Chargers
continuity versus change. I'd rather play the Chiefs knowing that
we got our best, that it's not a man if

(05:11):
only we had derwin for this game. Oh you know,
you know what I mean. I always felt like there
was something like that hanging over this team. So the
fact that it's week one coming out and you know,
knock on wood, that nobody gets hurt in training camp,
but you know, it's everybody's healthy.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
Both sides have continuity. I like it. I do.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
I I like the idea that because you know, the
Chargers know who they are. Yeah, they lost you know,
some some cert they certainly lost some big pieces and
obviously Joey Bosa, but for the most part, you know,
secondary's back. Your linebackers are there. You still got Khalil
mack and Tuley and Bud Dupree, and you still have
that offensive line which probably gonna be the same five

(05:50):
guys save Mackay Beckton, which is an upgrade. And you
know you got this running gay man, you got this.
It's to me with the way the Chargers are going
to play, it's like, hey, hey man, welcome back to football.
Here we are, Omari and Hampton, Nachi Harris, McKay back,
then Joe Alt I'm gonna beat the absolute crap out
of you. And I kind of like it in the
early part of the season to sort of I don't know,

(06:12):
I get what you're saying, but at the same time,
I just I feel like that's good for this team.
I feel like it's good for the latest team plays
who's coming back, all of their coaches, both of their coordinators.
I think that's a good deal for them.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
Listen, it's good if they can win, if they go
two and one or three and oh the first.

Speaker 1 (06:31):
Three weeks, then it's great.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
It's it's early adversity, it really is, because you have
to start training camp early. You have that extra preseason game,
and I know not everybody's gonna play that game, but
it's just it's it's an added thing to the preseason.
You have to go to Brazil, you have to go
twelve hours there, fourteen hours back, whatever it is, and
all within that you have three division games.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
So I agree, that's it.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
There's a there's a heightened sense of urgency at the
beginning of the year.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
There always is. But when you know you have games
that we always talk about they count as two.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
So weeks one, two and three, I mean you talk
about added importance right off the rip, and then week
four I.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
Would will say, real quick, Chris, just like real quick
on the Brazil thing. Look, I travel a lot. You
travel a lot, but you know, as to me, all
flights are kind of the same.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
You know.

Speaker 3 (07:21):
That's like, once you're up in the air and you
know the Brazil ones, it's a good one, right, It's
only a four hour time change. I know, it's a
long flight. But it's not like we're losing a day.
We're losing a day and a half and going to
Australia and it's like, yes, fourteen hours back is not pleasant,
especially when you're a large human being and you're trying

(07:42):
to cramp into a plane seat.

Speaker 4 (07:44):
That part I get.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
But at the same time, of all the international games,
you know, the time change for Spain, Ireland, London, Germany,
like this is best case scenario because you're still for
the most part on your clock. It's no different than
us going to the East Coast for a couple of days,
you know, And I think because of that time change,
you don't have to go four or five days ahead
of time, and you don't really have to worry about

(08:06):
your clock getting reset. It's not really all that different
than us going to New York or going to Miami.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Plus the bye week helps coming out of that, and
now you get the extra.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
Raiders on Monday night.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
So week four, though, you go back to these coast,
you play the New York Giants, a team that's they
I think they think they're up and coming. I think
that they're still the fourth place team in the NFC East,
but nonetheless an early kickoff Week four in New York.
Then you come home for Week five, a homecoming for
Jade and Daniels Washington, Washington Commanders. I believe that's October fifth,

(08:41):
a late window game on Fox, which will probably be
a Brady burkhard game.

Speaker 3 (08:46):
Yeah, you would guess. So, you know, jad and Daniels
justin Herbert. It's all about quarterbacks. It's a team that
made the conference championship last year. It's a Charger team
that won eleven games. You've got you know, like you said, Jaden,
who's a local guy, and that's Look, it's one twenty five.
You said it that that that may be one of
the games they protected, you know, because it's it's obviously

(09:08):
a huge fan base. It's it's that late window where
it's probably the standalone game on Fox and you know
whatever they call it America foot Americas game of the Week. Yeah,
America's game of the week. And yeah, that's again good
for the Chargers. You know, that's that's good for the Chargers.
So the trip to New York, it's early, it's September,

(09:28):
it's beautiful that time of year.

Speaker 4 (09:29):
It's not too humid, so that's cool.

Speaker 3 (09:32):
You kind of you miss it there instead of going
to New York in December or something. And and then
you come back and you know, look, the Giants are
still trying to figure it out.

Speaker 4 (09:40):
It's one of the new qbs.

Speaker 3 (09:42):
It's gonna likely be Jackson Dart out there as your
as your starter, and so you get him early trying
to figure it out here in the NFL.

Speaker 4 (09:49):
So that's probably a little bonus too.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Week six back to the East Coast at Miami in October.
You know, if it was September would be a lot
a lot more cumid. Maybe, yeah, catch a little bit
of a.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
Break in October.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
Then you come back Week seven versus Indianapolis, and we
don't know if that's going to be Daniel Jones or
Anthony Richardson. And then we gate Thursday Night Football. We're
looking at JJ McCarthy and Jim Harball sharing the field again.
So just the last three I mentioned at Miami versus
Indy and then yet another primetime game money. I think

(10:25):
it's three to five versus the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (10:27):
At so far, yeah, I think, you know, it's kind
of fun to go through it week by week, but
just kind of to pick up on.

Speaker 4 (10:32):
What you're laying down.

Speaker 3 (10:33):
I think sort of the themes also good as sort
as I'm looking at it. Give the people the overview.
You said it five primetime games, right, the Vikings on
the short week, Thursday Night football, it's home, huge benefit,
you know. The Thursday night football games on the road
are a real kick in the pants just because A
it's a short week and B you've got to travel,

(10:53):
so you lose essentially your entire practice week. So you've
got not only a home game on Thursday Football, but
back to back home games. So Colts at home then
Thursday Night Football, so it's not only you're the home team,
but you're also home the prior week, so you're not
flying in late, you know, Sunday night, dragon ass Monday

(11:14):
morning when you got to get right back to it
because you don't get that Monday off.

Speaker 4 (11:18):
So now it's no big deal.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
It's like, yeah, guys, you wrap it up at one o'clock,
you know with the Colts on Sunday and you're fine,
you know, kind of getting that practice day in on Monday.
So that's a big benefit there. You mentioned the five
prime times, Chris might as well just run through them
right now. We have talked about the Raiders in Week
two and KC Week one obviously on YouTube and now
Vikings on Prime on Thursday Night Football.

Speaker 4 (11:41):
Week eight. We got two other ones in there.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, Week ten versus Pittsburgh Sunday Night Football. We saw
that movie a few.

Speaker 1 (11:47):
Years ago where this Deelers on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (11:50):
It was a great one. It was a great one.
And then we get the Philadelphia Eagles. The Philadelphia Eagles
were at SOFI last year against the Rams on Sunday Night.
They're going to be here Monday night, Week fourteen. So
the defending Super Bowl champions. That's a big game because
that comes after the bye. You have the buye, then
the Raiders what you mentioned, you get a little extra
time to prepare for them, and then an extra day

(12:13):
for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Speaker 4 (12:14):
Man, So the.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Schedule guds think that the Chargers all primetime is a
good thing.

Speaker 4 (12:20):
It always is. You know, there's stars.

Speaker 3 (12:22):
You got a star head coach and you got a
star quarterback, and they typically do not get blown out
in games, so they regularly play pretty close games. You know,
my big takeaway on the primetimes, we know we've done it.
We're on the West coast. You know, Monday have football
game on the East Coast. It sucks, man, it's brutal.
You're not getting home until two, three, four in the morning.

(12:42):
Your schedules just kind of off for the next couple
of days because you can't really sleep on the plane.
It's never more than a four hour maybe if it's
really long, a five hour flights. You're not getting a
good night's sleep there and it's too early to fall asleep,
so it really just screws with you. But look at that. Obviously,
Brazil is whatever. It's a Friday, you're going to get

(13:04):
ten days into your next game. But Raiders Monday night football,
that's a thirty minute flight, No big deal, man, that's
your one road game. Otherwise, Thursday n at home, Sunday
night football home, Monday night football home. And even if
it's a primetime on Saturday, as it's a TVD against
Houston on December twenty eighth, is kind of what they
have that's slotted in right now. That's a home game,

(13:24):
so that could be your Saturday night or and you're
still at home. Like it's it really works out well
for being in the Western time for being in the
Pacific time zone and not having to deal with those
cross country flights from Monday or Sunday night football, that
can really knock you off kilter for a week.

Speaker 1 (13:43):
So buddy, let's go back to the first eight games.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
We talked about a three division games to start the season,
East Coast trip to New York, you come back for
the Commanders, another East Coast trip to Miami, then you
come home for Indy and then Minnesota on Thursday night.

Speaker 1 (13:57):
That's kind of the halfway point of the schedule.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
Anything else stand out to you the first eight weeks
other than three straight division games.

Speaker 4 (14:05):
Let's see what do I have.

Speaker 3 (14:06):
I got the short week games, which figures I got
the extra rest games, only one back to back roadie
there late in this I'm just looking first, Okay, Yeah,
so new quarterbacks you mentioned the first Let's just go
first nine weeks, right, because you've got basically three rookies
in the first nine weeks, Cam Woard, JJ McCarthy, and

(14:27):
Jackson Dark. So three of your first nine games are
going to be against quarterbacks that are trying.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
To Tommy DeVito unless it's Tommy DeVito with exactly Tommy CUTLTZ,
forget forget Russ and Jamis.

Speaker 3 (14:40):
Yeah, so that's that's a good one. I think that's
good for them is kind of get to those guys
early now. Jaden Daniels of course rewrote the script. Last
year bo Nicks was solid, but and those guys may
be the same. But at the same time, I think
that's good, you know, get him earlier than later as
they're still trying to figure this league out. So that's
kind of what my I guess if you're just looking
at those first eight weeks, sure go ahead, rip through

(15:02):
the rest of it, just kind of and then we
could kind of dig in instead of going game by game.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
All right, let's do it, all right, So second half
of the season, going to Nashville. You mentioned a cam
Ward Week ten, you come back home Pittsburgh Saunday football,
a little revenge game for Najie Harris. Is gonna be
Will Howard or Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolf. We have
no idea at this point. Week eleven Duval at Jackson
Villa see Travis Hunter a week twelve by which we
were hoping for a late bye as.

Speaker 1 (15:27):
Opposed to that that week five early in the year.
Do that's huge any thoughts on the by happy right?

Speaker 4 (15:32):
Huge?

Speaker 3 (15:33):
Huge, huge, compared to last year week four, was it,
week five, whatever? It was first week? Yeah, disaster just
way too early. That's great, you would rather it be
later than I mean, look, you'd love it to be
week ten, week nine, right there in the middle. But
we'll take twelve, especially considering what we're looking at after
the buye man, because you want to talk about the

(15:54):
gauntlet here it comes.

Speaker 2 (15:56):
It's brutal. It really is brutal. So you get that
extra week to prepare for the Raiders. Then we mentioned
Philly Monday night football at home. This never fails you
and I talked to it right before the pod. Short
week going to Kansas City.

Speaker 3 (16:11):
Right every time, every time, every time, Short Week, Kansas City.
And hey, I mean the good news is because you've
got Philly on Monday night, they can't flex you a
Thursday night. So there's that at least, because that's something
that certainly could have been in play, as the Chargers
were the first ever Thursday night football flex last year

(16:31):
with the Broncos. And how did that game turn out?
My god, it was incredible, So you know that was
something you fear. I guess that's the one good news.
But yeah, it never fails. If you were to go
through the Chargers schedule the last six years, seven years,
you will see guaranteed at least one of the two
games against the Chiefs is on a short week.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
So the two games that stood out to me, I
know they're ten am right now. Week fifteen at KC,
Week sixteen at Dallas.

Speaker 1 (16:59):
If Dallas is good.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
This year, you better believe that they'll flex them to
Saturday night or Monday night football.

Speaker 1 (17:04):
Oh yeah, that's all at Kansas City ten am.

Speaker 2 (17:07):
If that if that game is for the division or
is a game within the division, very high probability did
that gets flex a Sunday night or Monday night.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
We saw the Charges get flexed last year.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
So I look at those two teams, and then Week
seventeen that that looks to be a Saturday game similar
to what they And then Week eighteen at Denver. Who
knows if Denver is in contention for a playoff spot
and the Chargers are as well, that could be for
something or could be meaningless.

Speaker 1 (17:37):
We don't know.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, I mean, and that's that's why those two are
TVD because obviously, but you look at those two teams
and I think if you were to at least lean
one way versus the other. You're leaning, Yeah, those are
those are going to possibly be primetime games. Those are
that that looks like a potential. You know, as good
as the Broncos were last year, I think they're going

(17:58):
to be better this year. As good as the Chargers
were last year. I think they're going to be better
this year. As good as the Texans were last year.
We'll see. I think not so sure about that offensive line,
but the defense is incredible. So I think there's still
the class of the AFC South. So, yes, you've got
four games in a row. You can't flex them all.
What's the max seven? I think you can have vers
at six prime times. I can't remember what the cap is,

(18:22):
but you're not going to get all four of them flex.
But I think it's I think it's prudent to say, yeah,
one of those is going to be moving into a
prime time slot and you close the season on the
road three or four weeks, likely against three really good teams.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
Yeah, what about weather here Week eighteen, Denver, that's a
lot roodered at Kansas City.

Speaker 1 (18:45):
That's going to be tough.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
Okay, so three division games at the beginning of the
season right one, two and three, you have two of
the last four in the division on the road in
cold condition, and then you have that controlled climate coming
off the buy against Vegas. So it's very unique how
the division opponents are stacked. You had the first three

(19:09):
uh yeah, first three weeks, and then they'll like the
last to the last.

Speaker 3 (19:13):
Four, so you've in the middle week eighteen has always
been a division opponent, you know, they've done that now
the last about half decade or so. So that's that's
we knew that was going to be locked. You know,
last year it was Raiders, this year it's Denver. Next
year it'll probably be the Chiefs. It's kind of how
the it feels like they rotate those because we have
the Chiefs two years ago, you know, Raiders last year,

(19:33):
and now Denver this year.

Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (19:36):
Look, it's not ideal to be playing Kansas City and
Denver and what are likely going to be incredibly cold
climates or at least snowy climates fourteenth of December against
Kansas City, uh, fourth of January against Denver, especially if
that's a night game. You know, imagine if you're in
Denver and that's like the primetime game and you're outside
and it's cold. But again, yeah, the Chargers play in

(20:00):
Los Angeles, but it's less about it is it's certainly
about where you play, but it's also about how you play.
And if this brand of football that they say they
want to play in fact is able to be executed,
then that.

Speaker 4 (20:12):
Works for us.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
Works for the Chargers, you know, to be a physical, run,
heavy team with big, bruising backs that every time you
try to tackle them, you know that, you feel it
that you're tackling a two hundred and twenty pounds back
and you're out there on the field in Kansas City
on December fourteenth or January fourth against Denver and you
like that, Like that's that's something you'd be into. So overall,

(20:38):
I think it's I think it lays out. Look, it's
a tough schedule last year. We knew looking at it,
it's like they can make some hay here with these opponents.
Looks this looks pretty friendly coming off a fourth place
finish in the division. You know, with the matchups, the
cross matches that you got this year not as easy.
You know, you're cross matched with a Vikings team that

(21:00):
won thirteen games last year. I think Kevin O'Connell's a
hell of a coach. And you're cross matched with who's
the other what is it? It's the Vikings and oh and
now the Colts because we play the AFC South and
the Dolphs are the cross match helped me out here
because Dolphins. Huh Dolphins there you go. Yeah, yeah, a

(21:21):
Dolphins team. That's that's okay, that's that's all right. I'm
comfortable with that is tough.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
I mean, yeah, three of those four teams especially, are
are going to be tough. And you know, just going
back to the beginning of the schedule, if this was
year one of Jim Harball, I think I'd be maybe
a little bit more concerned with the division games. The
fact that it's year two and a culture has been established.
They know how they want to play. They've seen these
teams twice last year. I look at it, you know,

(21:51):
and I'm sure Jim will spin it this way. This
is an opportunity, man, like, this is an opportunity to
jump on this division, take hold of it from the beginning,
and don't let goal of it.

Speaker 3 (22:01):
Yeah, I mean imagine and look, I fully believe they
can win that Week one game. So imagine you win
that Week one game. Now you get ten days off
and you're you're going up against a Raiders team that
you know again, new system, offensively, new coach, new quarterback.
Obviously they're experienced guys. It's a little bit less of

(22:22):
a deal than you know, a coordinator that's been promoted
to head coach and a rookie quarterback and things like that.

Speaker 4 (22:27):
But I like it. I like it.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
There's only one back to back Roadie. It's late in
the year. The buy comes late. It does not feel
like you have too many. You know, you do have
that sort of window where you feel like, Okay, Miami,
Indy Vikings with JJ McCarthy at your place on Thursday night,
Titans pit Jacksonville. Like, that's a nice little you know,

(22:53):
to use the golf term moving day for the Chargers.
You know, you have a solid start to the season.
You take avantage of those division games, like you said,
get the sweep or win two a three, go to
New York against a.

Speaker 4 (23:07):
Hell of a defense man.

Speaker 3 (23:08):
That defense is going to be a nightmare to deal with,
but an offense that's maybe searching a little bit, and
you know, you could feel pretty good by the time
you hit your buy through eleven games, if you're projecting,
you know which ones we think the Chargers would be
favored in. Let's see, I would say they'll be favored one, two, three,
maybe not there, four, five, six, seven. I think probably

(23:34):
eight of those games they'll be favored of the eleven.
So if you're getting into the by at eight and three,
feeling really good.

Speaker 1 (23:41):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
The one thing I kind of noticed throughout the course
of the schedule too, is you know, we talked about
the miles in Brazil, but you got to go to
New York, then you come back home, then you get
to go to Miami, then you come back home for
a couple then you got to go to Tennessee, which
is almost in the.

Speaker 1 (23:56):
East coast trip.

Speaker 2 (23:58):
Then you got Pitchurg and he got to go to Jacksonville.
So it's like it's almost alternating these these long East
Coast trips.

Speaker 1 (24:05):
And I'm with you.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
I agree that flying in twenty twenty five a little
bit different.

Speaker 5 (24:10):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (24:11):
These guys are are used to it, and it's not
as as strenuous as maybe you would think on the outside.

Speaker 1 (24:17):
But a lot of trips, a lot of miles.

Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yeah, and that's probably why they didn't do the back
to backs. Now, would it have been better if we
had done?

Speaker 4 (24:26):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (24:26):
You know if Miami was week four and the Giants
were week five, that would have been interesting, would have
been kind of what we got going here?

Speaker 5 (24:33):
Now?

Speaker 1 (24:34):
Maybe for us, maybe for us.

Speaker 4 (24:35):
That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (24:36):
You know, maybe that could have worked out all right
as a matter of fact.

Speaker 4 (24:39):
But it lays out all right. And you know, not to.

Speaker 3 (24:44):
Not saying this because there are partners, but are our
charter people are awesome? Flight attendant's awesome, pilot's awesome. You
think about commercial flights and and what it's what it
takes you when you fly from New York back to
LA when you're when you're walking into JFK Lag already
or Newer compared to what we get, you know, you're
like five and a half, no, about four forty. Really, Well,

(25:06):
all right, then let's get a couple thousand feet higher
than everybody else and go about seventy eighty miles an
hour faster than everybody else and get home that extra
hourly so that it works out. Okay, I think it's
better that way to just alternate home road home. Well,
I guess technically we have two back to back home
road games. But think about that. It's it's it's the Raiders,

(25:27):
it's the twenty five minute flight. So that it worked
from week one from Brazil works out pretty well.

Speaker 4 (25:33):
Man. I think I just try and see it. Sorry,
go ahead, No.

Speaker 1 (25:38):
I just said it.

Speaker 2 (25:39):
If I told the everyday human being that you had
a trip to Brazil, New York, and Miami all in
the span of four or five weeks, you wouldn't think adversity, right,
you would not.

Speaker 1 (25:48):
You'd be like, Okay, I get to go to Brazil,
New York, and Miami. Pretty good. In Vegas, in Vegas,
in Vegas, I forgotten.

Speaker 3 (25:55):
Yeah, Apollo Vegas, the Big Town and South Beach. Yeah
that's hey, man, keep your blenders on, people, just be careful.
And you live in LA and you live in Los Angeles. Yeah,
I think I'm trying to see if I have any
other notes. Talked about the short week Minnesota, Denver week three,
coming off of Monday night football, Jacksonville week eleven coming

(26:17):
off sort of coming off Sunday night football, not really
a short week. But and then of course Kansas City
we already talked about, only went back to back Roadie
closed with three of four on the road. Got into
that the last four of five are all playoff teams,
including the two conference champions, Philadelphia, Casey and your Super
Bowl champ. I mentioned the new QBS and then here

(26:38):
you go last one. I put a note on Chris
big name rookies offensively week two, Ashton genty week four,
both that dual Carter who you know we think is
going to be pretty special in Jackson darted quarterback week seven.
How about Tyler Warren with our friend Shane Steichen and
the Colts week nine. We talked about cam Ward week eleven.
We get to see Travis Hunter. In week seventeen, you

(27:01):
get to see those pair of Iowa State receivers and
Jaden and Jalen Higgins and Noel. I'm out there at
SOFI against Houston. So what game?

Speaker 4 (27:11):
So here we go.

Speaker 3 (27:12):
Let's wrap with this, maybe Chris, so we can get
to Joe Ortiz road game. You would say the Charger
fans should go to and home game that the Charger
fans should go to.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
Oh okay, I say the excitement of September. Get to
Vegas in week two, right off the rip. This team
needs to win division games. You get to see Pete
Carroll versus Jim Harball. You get to see Amari and
Hampton versus Ashton gent and we know the feeling towards

(27:48):
the Raiders get to Vegas week two, so I know
that's on the schedule every year. If I had to
pick another team, I would listen. Nashville is one of
my favorite road cities. If you wanted to enjoy a
Charger game on the road, I would.

Speaker 1 (28:03):
Say Nashville the home game.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
I would just pick a team that we have not
seen come to SOFI in a long time, and I
think Week five Commanders Jayden and Daniels being an La
guy and San Bernano guy. They're an exciting team to watch,
and just seeing Daniels versus Justin Herbert reminds me of
Jade and Daniels.

Speaker 1 (28:22):
I think true freshman.

Speaker 2 (28:23):
Year, that duel that they had Oregon versus Arizona State
where Ayuk was in the mix, and so they kind
of have shades of that. So I would say early
in the year, Week two and Week five.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
Yeah, I'll go no budget Brazil. Obviously, when else are
you ever going to go to Brazil? There's a seed
that's planted, you know, there's a carrot out there for you,
if you're a diehard Charger fan to check that box
and head down to South America. I think it'll be incredible,
beautiful country, awesome people and football and at a Chargers
Chiefs game. You know, So that would be number one,

(28:56):
no budget, if you're on a budget.

Speaker 4 (28:59):
You know. I love New York City. I just do.

Speaker 3 (29:02):
I think it's special whenever we play there. I don't
care how good the teams are, and I know met
Life isn't the greatest stadium and it's kind of out
in the sticks and it's kind of a pain in
the ass to get to, but uh, there's just something
cool about walking around that city. And you know, we
go out a day early, and walking around the city
on Saturday is just so much fun. When there's college

(29:25):
football and you're you're in one of these pack bars
watching college football games and walking through the city and
hitting up Central Park and all that.

Speaker 4 (29:32):
It's just a special trip.

Speaker 3 (29:33):
So I always I always appreciate when we get a
chance to go to New York City.

Speaker 1 (29:38):
And then uh, September two, right September.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
September, it's going to be beautiful, It'll it'll be great.
I'm very excited about that one, and then I think
home game. Yeah, I love the I think I think
you got the number one pick and the Commanders. That's
going to be really cool. So I'll take the other obvious. Well,
you know what, No, let's go. So let's go week seventeen.

(30:01):
You know Chargers are pushing for the division. They got
a rematch, revenge game. You know that game should have
been in LA if the league had its head out
of its took us and would would slot the playoffs
by record instead of by division winners. And let's let's
show them what it looks like if you had home
field and you didn't have to travel to Houston, even
though you had a better record. So that's the one

(30:24):
I would pick. Let's go late in the season, a
lot on the line for playoff seeding, maybe the division
as well, maybe the number one seed, all that stuff.
Let's think positive. So let's go Houston week seventeen and
get that place loud, playoff atmosphere, and set the tone
of what it should have been last year. One of
these days, I'm going to get Goodell drunk. I'm going
to really lay into him. What are we doing?

Speaker 2 (30:46):
I don't know if that would go, well, if we
don't want to lay into the commission.

Speaker 3 (30:49):
You know, we got the we got we got the
Dartmouth connection. So that's a that's a good place for
I always start with that with him, and start with that.
It tends to be tends to be a good ice breaker,
and then I can come with the uh, come on, man.

Speaker 4 (31:01):
What are we doing?

Speaker 3 (31:02):
Why are we seen by these division winners? The AFC
South sucks every year and they host the first game
of the playoffs every single year on Saturday at freaking
noon because you don't want to watch them anyway. So
let's just change things up, man, and slot it by record.
You get into the playoffs for winning your division, you
don't get a home game. That's all there was to it.

(31:22):
And it was proposed this year by the Lions, God
bless them, because the Chargers did it two years ago
and everybody thought it was sour grapes because of the
Jacksonville thing, and it's.

Speaker 4 (31:30):
Like, no, it's common sense. But what was the vote?

Speaker 1 (31:33):
What was the vote that? How did it hash out?

Speaker 4 (31:37):
This year?

Speaker 3 (31:38):
I tabled it, Okay, they tabled it, Yeah, they tabled
it because they were trying to add in the stupid, like, well,
unless the division winner has a winning record, let's only
do it. No, no, not if the division winner has
a winning record, you slot by how many games you win.
This game is hard enough, This league is hard enough.
There is no reason to give anybody an advantage for

(32:00):
not winning more games than their opponent by giving them
home field in the playoffs. It just doesn't make any sense. Sorry,
never had, but you know what.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
I'll say, we just gave the fans like a home
in a road game that we're looking forward to. There's
so many that we've left off the table, like this
is a fun fan schedule, great schedule. You can go
to Miami, right, You could go to Dallas later in
the year.

Speaker 1 (32:24):
You can go to Nashville.

Speaker 4 (32:25):
Dallas is special.

Speaker 3 (32:26):
I'm glad you mentioned that because I know we say
we went preseason last year and you forget what an
incredible venue that is. It's still the best stadium in
the league. It's it is so cool to go there.
And I always tell people, like, it's just it's the whole.
Everything's bigger in Texas. Just the concourses are wider, the
bathrooms are bigger, the suites are bigger, the press room

(32:47):
is bigger. The patio, the you know outsort of outdoor
cocktail party vibe above one of the end zones is incredible.
It is such an awesome place to see a game.
That's a good call risk.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
You know, SEC secondarily too, And we were talking to
Joe about just the college games that are in these
opposing markets as well. So that's another thing you can do,
is like, hey, if you're gonna, if you're gonna go
to Nashville for the weekend, I think I already checked this.
I don't think Vanderbilt's in town, but like, look look
at the SEC schools that are close by, or the
Big ten schools that are close by, and see what

(33:23):
college games are going on on a Saturday, and make
a football weekend out of.

Speaker 3 (33:26):
It, you know what, before we go, because we talked
to Joe a little bit earlier, so we know what
he's gonna say.

Speaker 4 (33:33):
So let's just kind of get in here real.

Speaker 3 (33:35):
Quick and see if, in fact what his recommendation, which
is Florida and oh it's all TVD. Yeah, that's right.
They haven't released their schedule yet, so so until they do,
I forgot about that. So we'll, uh, we'll figure at least. Oh,

(33:57):
that's that's just times that are TVD.

Speaker 4 (33:59):
So here we go. We are in Miami on the twelfth.

Speaker 3 (34:01):
And they are gone. They're they're at Texas A and M.

Speaker 1 (34:07):
Oh.

Speaker 3 (34:08):
Yeah, they're at Texas A and M. So let's see
what else. Might as well just go through these real quick.
Let's see if we are going to Jacksonville. That's the
one I checked. Yeah, that's what it is.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
The Hurricane games. The Hurricanes are on a buy obviously
because they play in the same stadium.

Speaker 6 (34:24):
When when we're in Miami.

Speaker 3 (34:28):
I'm not going to a Rutgers game. I'm walking the city. Yeah,
not not interested in going as well. And it's Monday
night football for for Vegas Nashville. You said you checked
Vandy already.

Speaker 1 (34:38):
Yeah, I think that is it? Is it Texas that week?

Speaker 4 (34:42):
I think? Bummer? Yeah, we're shut out, man, I guess
that's it.

Speaker 1 (34:48):
Well, Dallas, maybe maybe there's a.

Speaker 3 (34:51):
Little bowl game, little Texas bl or something on Texas
Bowl on the twentieth.

Speaker 4 (34:56):
That's our that's our only hope.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
I'm excited, dude.

Speaker 2 (34:59):
It's it's so fun how this this uh this day
has become such a big deal. But it's all it obviously,
allows fans to start planning and get get rolling, find
out your road trips, find out the games you want
to go to.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
It so far and uh, we're gonna blanket over.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
Here exactly right now. I gotta check the concert calendar,
see who's playing where.

Speaker 4 (35:17):
Maybe there's a show.

Speaker 2 (35:20):
All right, hey, we we tease this at the top.
A great conversation with general manager Joe Hortiz.

Speaker 1 (35:26):
Here it is all.

Speaker 6 (35:27):
Right, money as promised.

Speaker 2 (35:29):
General Manager Geo Ortiz joins us on Chargers Weekly and Joe,
so much going on in the month of May. Let's
just rewind to to rookie mini camp. Obviously, it's one
thing to evaluate these guys and draft them. Now that
they're in the building and kind of integrating into the culture.

Speaker 6 (35:43):
How do you think of win?

Speaker 5 (35:44):
I thought it was great. You know, we set it up.
Coach had a great idea about really giving the obviously
the rookies the draft picks coming in, getting them acclimated,
but then given the the tryout players a chance to
compete and show what they're capable of doing. So great,
great energy. You out there all weekend, a lot of movement.
We're out there on the grass for a good bit
of time, and uh, guys were able to acclimate themselves

(36:06):
here to the chargers and get a chance to see
them unwrap the gifts a little bit, se see our
new toys, you know. So it was a lot of fun.

Speaker 3 (36:13):
Yeah, it's an interesting idea and concept totally makes sense.
But as someone who's got to evaluate and you're trying
to figure out, you know, which of these guys can
help you out how to work for you, like just
sort of taking that approach instead.

Speaker 5 (36:24):
Yeah, it was great because, like you know, you're doing
the install, you're doing teaching, but then he carved out
some time where we are. They're all doing the same drill,
whether it's a position drill, or whether it's a special
teams drill, or if it's a you know, an activity
with you know, exercise with strength and conditioning or you know,
we did a three cone drill and we taught them
how to run it properly, and they all were out

(36:45):
there executing it and you get to measure them against
each other. So it was a great opportunity to really
evaluate the athletes and the competitors and their ability to
process and learn. So a little bit of.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
Everything and network we're seeing everybody together now, you know,
kind of mixing with the OTAs. What's like for you
to see kind of a new season officially begin with
the integration of the rookies and some of the free
agents that you brought in to go with the guys
who were existingly here.

Speaker 5 (37:08):
It's exciting. It's like it's like New Year's Day really
in football. The coaches said it before, when you get
out there, all right, there's our ninety man, you know
there it is. We're seeing that this week and watching
seeing you being able to envision what the the new
D line is going to look like in the new secondary.
You know, just all the new people we've added and uh,
Washington worked together. It's great. It's great. And uh you know,

(37:29):
seeing the vets that we signed come in and connect
with the rookies, it's it's a lot of fun.

Speaker 4 (37:36):
So let's start.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
I guess there where you know, you mentioned Vets connecting
with the rookies. Look at the running back room and
it's a lot different. You got you know, naw, she's
one of the first free agents you signed, your first
round pick as a Marion Hampton just kind of what
you saw last year in your first year and what
you wanted to do in remaking that room.

Speaker 5 (37:51):
Yeah, you know, I wont. JK and Gusts were awesome
and uh and obviously I'd spent five years with them
in Baltimore. Uh and uh, they knew the system and
the opportunity to add Gus you know last year and
JK was great for us. And then Nase He's a
player that we've I've competed against my you know, his
entire career. You know, he was Pittsburgh Baltimore rivalry and

(38:12):
then we played him last year. So a player that
just he's always out there, tough, tough player to play against.
And bring him into the fold. And then add Omar
and it's it's been awesome. And uh, you know the room.
All rooms change and uh you know running backs rooms,
wide receivers room. That's that's the nature of the NFL.
So you know they're going to change. And when you
get a chance to add two really good players to

(38:33):
the room, you do it.

Speaker 3 (38:34):
Let me, I want to add one more to that
because coach mentioned him, you know, Raheen Sanders. It seems
like that's someone that you guys are really excited about
and kind of what is for people that may not
know undrafted free agent, but and I know he was
exempt from some of the drills.

Speaker 4 (38:47):
I felt like maybe a little like, what's going on there?

Speaker 5 (38:50):
Well we did, Yeah, we Rocket was a guy we
definitely did a thorough evaluation on and we felt like
he was a draftable player and uh and so you
know where he was on our board. You know a
lot of times you don't get guys in free agency
there that you know that are still on your front board.
But it definitely a player we targeted in the draft,
and obviously we didn't take him, but we made him

(39:11):
a big priority after the draft to try to get
him locked up and and become a Charger. So big,
fast player runs really physical. You know. I was at his,
uh his game against LSU and we're we're leaving in
the middle of the fourth quarter and kind of went down.
I like to go down to the field level before
the game and you know, before I leave the game,

(39:31):
just to feel the vibe of the stadium and really
to see the player's speed. And he busted out a
long run and ran right towards us. So I'm like, wow,
this guy's trucking. So uh yeah, that's kind of where
he made his first impression with me and uh and
then other scouts liked him and coaches everybody. Guy, we
all liked and had a chance to get him, and
we're excited about it, you know.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
You know, we hear about getting help for Justin and
sometimes you think of that as just outside weapons, but
seemed like it was really a concerted effort to to
bolster the backfield with guys who are a durable We've
seen note you carry the load, you saw Mari and
carry the load in college. How important is ze f
for a quarterback to have two durable guys who could

(40:12):
carry the load.

Speaker 6 (40:13):
And how does that open things up for just on
the outside.

Speaker 5 (40:16):
Yeah, I mean, you know, hey, you develop a strong
run game, teams commit players to the box, you know,
and then that opens things up in the passing game,
so that certainly they'll help do that. Then, like you
mentioned the durability, you know that that's one of the
key things you want in all players, and certainly the
running back position. And two guys that have never missed games,
you know, and just carry the ball a lot. And

(40:38):
now we're gonna put them back there together and they'll
share the load and work well playoff for each other.
And then you've got Kamani and Haskins and Rockets. So
we got we got and j Patt, We got a
really nice group of running backs to you know, competitive
room and you know, but yeah, strong running game opens
it up. It really does. It opens up a lot.

(40:58):
And I've always said, and I always say, we help
Justin by helping the team and you know, build a
strong defense, build a strong secondary, get the ball back.
You know, you're helping Justin. So the more we can
get Justin the ball and help Justin keep the ball,
the better we're going to be.

Speaker 3 (41:15):
Yeah, a little more directly helping him. You know, I
don't know if you would agree with this, but it
seemed like you really attack the X receiver. You get
Mike Williams. We know how special he can be out
there in the chemistry he has. You draft Tray Harris
and then even like I know, not size wise you
would think of it, but just speed wise with KeAndre
Lambert Smith, it seemed like, is it fair to say
that that that seemed like a position looking back at
last year and how it played out versus what it

(41:37):
looks like.

Speaker 4 (41:37):
It could be this year. Is dramatically different.

Speaker 5 (41:39):
Yeah, you know, you want to inject youth, you want
to inject speed, and you want to inject reliability, and
so we did a little bit of that with all
those guys. And there's also versatility. You know, Tray can
jump into the slot and play in the slot. He
did it at Ole Miss and KLS can x see
he can move around. So certainly he offers that big

(41:59):
de threat vertically, you know, with his speed, great athlete,
and then Trey his versatility, size, jump, all, you know, physicality,
and then again he's one of those players with that
decept to speed that you just you just don't realize
how fast he is until you're playing against him. And
Mike's Mike man. We all know Mike so excited to
get him back.

Speaker 4 (42:20):
Is it fair to put Gadsden in there too, Well.

Speaker 5 (42:22):
Yeah, he's like he's your traditional or your new f
type tight end. So he's gonna, he's gonna he's big, long, fast,
challenge to see him a great contested ball catcher, and
so I think he'll he'll help us out in the
middle of the field.

Speaker 2 (42:38):
You know, speaking of gats and one of the things
I mentioned in Money last week on the podcast. Was
I noticed, you know, Joel comes from a football family
NFL bloodlines, Gats and Mickens. Is that something that you
look at in the evaluation process just a you have
to love football, but do you come from a family
that knows what this is?

Speaker 5 (42:55):
Yeah? Yeah, I don't think it's something you necessarily target.
But those players have been taught the way by their fathers,
and they've been in some cases they've been in locker rooms,
they've been in the facilities, they've seen the pro business,
the you know of of football, and so yeah, they
get a little bit of a head start i'd say

(43:17):
in their football life, and they just they know what
to expect and it's ingrained in them by their fathers
and uh, and so you know, those guys, it helps
them get to where they are. You know, I don't
think it's a necessity by any stretch, but uh, there's
a lot of good parents out there that can instill
a lot of good work ethic and values and their
kids that aren't players. But the guys that have done

(43:40):
it and instilled it in their sons, it's it's neat
to say, just.

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Kind of sticking with that tight end room and and
sort of what you what you found last year, you know,
and Tucker Fisk and how it is physical and and
I'll even kind of throw Matt Locke in there a
little bit, just the way that you use tight ends
and fullbacks and just sort of what you're looking for
and what you added and what Conklin can bring. I
just kind of think about the red zone last year
and sort of what you brought in with with Conklin

(44:04):
and with Gadsden and how that might help all that.
But just am I right and said it felt like
that was maybe an area that you attacked and it
seemed like you really kind of helped throw some resources
at it.

Speaker 5 (44:13):
Hey, absolutely, you know, and I think a guy like Conclictue,
it's just such a mature, polished player, tough, great teammate,
excellent hands and just the great thing about him is
he's a vet. And when we brought him in to
talk and visit and try to get him on board,
all he talked about was getting better. And you're talking
about seven years in the league and knowing, hey, I

(44:35):
still can learn, I still want There's still things I
don't know, And that's such a great thing to hear.
And you know that he's excited to be here and
continue to grow as as a player. And then you
bring in Aronde and got a young talent to mold
and so yeah, it's we definitely wanted to, you know,
increase or add to the passing game at that position.

(44:55):
And you know, you got Fisked Disley did a great
job set career Mars last year as receiver, and obviously
he very very solid blocker as well. But then you
got Tucker and Scotti that get in there and bang
and you know, free up the run game or create
some lanes in the run game. So those were those
two parts were kind of parts we are missing going

(45:16):
into free agency. We're able to pick up one in
Conking free agency. And then at around in the draft.

Speaker 2 (45:21):
You know, Joe, we flipped a defense and it's kind
of a new look defensive line too.

Speaker 6 (45:25):
And I couldn't help, but it kind of resonated with me.

Speaker 2 (45:29):
Tier was talking i think at the podium a couple
of days ago and just how much he felt like
he belonged here and how you guys really embraced him.

Speaker 6 (45:38):
You got he came in.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
Late, how he was recruiting Nakwon to come and it
just it felt like to me that that that's how
a culture starts. And just I don't know if you
could just speak to carrying over what you did in
your one and some of these guys who really kind
of felt that, Hey, one eleven games, I feel like
this is a place I can win and I want
to others to be here.

Speaker 5 (46:01):
Yeah. Well, I mean all you got to do is
come out here for a day, and that should that
should recruit you in and of itself.

Speaker 6 (46:08):
But it's a good shift here.

Speaker 5 (46:09):
It's yeah, I mean it's it's not bad coming to
work every day here. But you know, I think that's
the culture that really coach has helped build a pond.
You know, it was here when we got here. There
are great leaders here, There were great competitors here, There
were great teammates here. There were guys that cared about
the Los Angeles Chargers before we got here. We just
added to it, you know, and coaches like the gasoline

(46:32):
you're throwing on the fire, you know, And he just
in him and his staff and they do a great job.
And I think that's what's great about our staff. They're
here to make players be their best version of themselves.
And that's our position coaches. That's herb been down in
the weight room, that's Marco and his training staff. Everybody's
smitty and equipment. This whole organization circles around the team,

(46:54):
and that's what we want to do here. And I
think we've we've done that this past year, and I
think guys they come into this place for the first
time feel that. And that was Tierre's case, you know,
and he came in and felt it, and we wrapped
our arms around him while also challenge them like, hey,
let's go be the best version of you because you
have a chance to be great, and we're going to
help you get there. We're going to do everything we
can in our power to make these guys the best

(47:16):
version of themselves.

Speaker 3 (47:17):
When you're you know, when you don't necessarily have this
eye popping production or these spotlight moments in playoff games
that lead to these big free agent deals, like if
you can walk us and the people watching and listening,
like how you come to an evaluation for guys that
maybe don't have a lot of production, that aren't playing
a ton of snaps, that are more rotational players, and
how you say, you know what, that's Deshaun Hann or

(47:38):
Nick won Jas.

Speaker 4 (47:39):
These guys are the guys that will fit.

Speaker 3 (47:40):
Like what is it about what they do that you
think and your coaches, you know, as you talk with them,
think are going to be good fit. Like Dante Cha,
I just think about all those different guys that you sign.

Speaker 5 (47:49):
Well, you know, I think as you spend all you know,
our pro staff does a great job and you watch
players every week, and you know, in the end of
the year there's a nice bank of plays at all
in it felt players have played and maybe one plays
four hundred, maybe one plays eight hundred. You know, but
you take those four hundred plays or those two hundred
plays and you watch them. They're playing against the same

(48:09):
opponents the guy who played four hundred plays is so
let's watch them and see what he does. And you
just isolate on that player. Does he do things that
fit our scheme? Does he play the way we wanted
to play? And do we see potential to improve them?
And we take that approach with every free agent, every
player we evaluate on the pro side, and you know,

(48:30):
we look for fits and in terms of like I said,
scheme fit, but also temperament and personality. So you know,
some guys may be overlooked. But you know, I think
our scouts are Lou and Denny and Tyler are all
the young guys in the pro side, and then our
coaches phenomenal job and evaluations during free agency, so we

(48:50):
find the players that fit what we want.

Speaker 2 (48:53):
Obviously, this Rooky class is fresh, but just going back
to last year and seeing what Joe and Ladd and
even amatar Heat did in big spots last year, in
your estimation, your years and years of doing this.

Speaker 6 (49:06):
How much better can you get from year one to
year two? And you know, we're not even talking about
guys like a boy Bee who we heard.

Speaker 2 (49:12):
Put on a ton of way good way, good way,
good way, Yes, and Junior who didn't get it really
opportunity because of injuries that leap from year one to
year two in your estimation, how how much better can
these guys get?

Speaker 5 (49:25):
Yeah, I think that's just historically, just been doing it
as long as I have. I think that's when the
players make their biggest jumps, you know, And so it's
really exciting when you think about Joe and Ladd and
Cam and Tarhee because they were out there producing forest
last year and that you know, but you I talked
to all the rookies after the season, and I challenge them, like,
this is when you make this is your move? Like

(49:46):
this is when you make your move. They call it. Well,
Saturday is moving day. And in golf, you know, the
off season between year one and year two is moving
is the moving phase for players and that's they really
can make a jump. And and I think you'll see
that from a lot of the guys, and you know
they know it. We tell them, I tell them, And
Justin's a great example. I said, hey, the guys, I

(50:09):
know that play your position. Their biggest games were made
in the weight room. Between year one and year two.
They were here every day. They were there every day
working out. And I saw Justin every single day downstairs
out my window. He's out there working and twenty pounds
of muscle. It's not twenty pounds, it's twenty pounds of muscle.
So he's done a great job. I mean it is

(50:29):
twenty pounds, but it's all good weight. So we're excited
to see where he is. And Junior has been out there, Kaman,
he's been out there. They think about where they were
last year to where they are this year. There's a
significant difference.

Speaker 3 (50:41):
Just sticking with Justin because you know of where you
came from. I don't think anyone has done a better
job finding those interior of d linemen in that third
fourth round than Baltimore. Like it just seems like every
year they pluck one. So kind of just what you
learned when you were there and how you evaluate sort
of you saw with a boy b and you told

(51:02):
us lash year, like let's the developmental guy. You know,
it's it's gonna take them a bit sort of like what
your vision was and where you think that could be going.

Speaker 5 (51:09):
Yeah, you know when you talk about d Lyman, it's
a it's a tough job, you know, especially in this scheme,
and because you do a lot of grunt work. You know,
you're you're taking on blocks, You're you're keeping the backers free,
you're picking for the ends. You know, like it's a
little onsong at times, and but what you want, you
know what we look for players to play with the
right technique. I like players when I'm watching film on

(51:31):
the tight copy from behind, I can always read their name.
I can always see their numbers because they're playing square,
They're not getting moved, they play with leverage, good technique
justin great hand play, great technique, and then the motor
and the toughness, and you get all those things, you
can build the rest. You know, they're going to get
d Limen are going to get bigger and stronger as

(51:51):
they become pros because they're they're not worried about going
to class. You know, they're getting the nutritions even more
doubt and then colleges have done a great job developing
their nutrition inside of it. But now they just have
all that they can focus on football all the time.
And and I think we'll see that with Justin and
uh yeah, you just look for guys that just have
the right technique, have the right right amount of athleticism,

(52:14):
but just play hard and physical and tough, and that's
what he did.

Speaker 2 (52:18):
Jill, how pleasantly surprised were you with tarkhivan cam last
year as fifth round guys? And and I guess yes,
it's the player of course, and the strises they make,
the work they put in, but the coaching too, and
just kind of that match with Jesse and how he
can get these guys up to speed and playing meaningful steps.

Speaker 5 (52:36):
Yeah, you know, very excited for both them, and I
think they both fell in and saw it throughout the
course of the year when when they had some big games,
and uh, but just really just they're they're both great
kids first and foremost. See they come in, we draft them,
you know, right away we're getting great, great kids that
we think have ability as players. And just to watch

(52:56):
the work ethic, they showed the competitiveness to resilvelliency, you know.
And you know, Clink awesome, awesome coach, and really he
poured all his efforts into them and really pulled the
best out of them. And Jesse scheme is is great
and you know, you know, Jesse knows how to use
corners to their strengths and get the most out of them.

(53:19):
So I'm really proud of both those guys, probably the
whole draft class, you know, just you know, just go
out there and compete and play hard and do everything
you can for the Chargers.

Speaker 3 (53:27):
No kind of one of the tenets of social media
and doing what we do is stay out of your comments.
But we appreciate the people that watch and YouTube, and
so I'll go through the comments and I think probably
and look, some of most of them are incredibly positive.
People are excited. Obviously, what you did last year and
turn this team around winning eleven games. But I'd say
probably the most conversation. I think this could speak to

(53:48):
what you and coach have done about tip of the spear,
offensive lineman or weapon. That's where the majority of it is.
They kind of you know, Bradley is center, and what's
the future of Zion with the fifty year eyes being
declined and signing Mackay. So I guess probably focus on
that group a little bit here and sort of what
you saw last year through the eleven wins, what you

(54:08):
took away from that Houston game, and kind of how
you wanted to get that position right going into twenty
twenty five.

Speaker 5 (54:14):
Yeah, I think it really is. It's all positions, but
offensive line is such a critical position for sustained success
offensive success, and you know, Bradley's just such a tough,
smart competitor, a great teammate, and Zion we think he's
got the versatility to work at center as well. But
picking up the option, you know, that's that's the the

(54:38):
money side of football. That has nothing to do with Zion.
He's a player that we love and and want to
continue to talk in the future keeping him around and
then get a chance to add a guy like McKay,
big physical presence in there. You know, he's got tackled,
he's played tackle actually, you know, had a lot of
success last year affiliate gar and Uh, just a guy

(55:01):
who can just change the landscape, you know, of every play.
You know, him and Joe next to each other, you know,
and you continue to try to improve every position every year,
and you can't do it all all the time. But
I love the guys. I watched them battle last year,
the guys that are back. I watched them all battle,
you know, Pip saw your you know, on top of

(55:22):
Brad and Zion, Uh, and those guys fault their butts
off for us and really respect how they are and
how how much they care about this team and the
effort they put in. And no one's going to have
a perfect game. No one's going to have a great game,
you know, every single week. But eleven wins with that group,
and I think we can get more this year. You know,
they just we keep building.

Speaker 4 (55:41):
Do you see it static there with Bradley.

Speaker 3 (55:43):
It's just like as you kind of visualize it right now,
Bradley is Center's ion it left.

Speaker 5 (55:47):
Yeah, you know, I say I'd say it's fluid, you know,
in the end, that's the beauty of offensive line, you know.
And and then getting players that are versatile. You remember
when Bradley came into the league his first year, he
play left guard, first two years played left guard for
Baltimore and uh, and then he became a center. So
you know, he's he's got that position versatility. He's ion

(56:09):
was obviously a tackle in college and then guard, you know,
and so he's got flexibility to move around. The thing
about offensive lineman is you can move them if they're intelligent,
and that's what we have. We have a very intelligent
group of offensive linemen who are tough, who are physical.
So we have that versatility to find the best fit.
And we have plenty of time to do that. You know,

(56:30):
it's May, and uh, we're gonna be We'll get the
best fit out there in week one.

Speaker 2 (56:34):
What about Andre James bringing him in, a guy with
a lot of quality starts within the division.

Speaker 5 (56:39):
Yeah, absolutely, you know a player that we watched him,
you know, his whole career. You know, but you look
at you know, last year may have had some you know,
quote unquote lesser grade, but the year before you know,
but that's football, you know, like some guys, you know,
it depends on who the greater is too. But you
watch Andre. He's quick, Uh, he's smart at let you know,

(57:00):
he's got range and he's enough size to say, hey,
same thing. Can you play some guard? Yeah? I can
get I can play some guards. So you upgrade the position,
you upgrade the depth, you upgrade the starters. You always
try to upgrade it. You can upgrade any position by
upgrading the last man on the fifty three man roster,
you know. So that's our goal is to always upgrade,

(57:21):
and we feel like Andre's helps us upgrade from last year.

Speaker 3 (57:24):
I think the one obviously other question and as I
look off and I see executive Josh over there, and
he knows how gnarly the contract conversations can be with
me in the future, and what's waiting for you.

Speaker 5 (57:35):
I've heard about that.

Speaker 3 (57:37):
Just contract situation with Rashawn is another question that we
get a lot of and kind of my I mean,
I should just let you take it from there, but
sort of I just said, I think back to the
Bosa deal and the Darwin deal and just kind of
what those look like when you have a player of
that caliber at a position that's going to be making
that kind of money, they tend to take a little
bit longer. Just if you could share sort of where

(57:57):
that's at and what your vision is of Rashawn and
this team moving forward.

Speaker 5 (58:00):
Oh yeah, we want Rashaan here, and I can tell
you that.

Speaker 2 (58:03):
I mean, uh so, it's hard to upgrade the tackle
positions here.

Speaker 5 (58:07):
Yeah, I mean, wait, listen, I'm you know, it's it's
really hard to upgrade those to those two players. So, yeah,
we want Rashaan here, and that's why we're engaged with them.
And you know, you know, I came in, you know,
coach came in, We got around Rashawn. It's like, all right,
let's you know, but do you want to get to
know the players and be around them? And uh and
we did that and knew we wanted to keep Rashawn.

(58:28):
So we've had good conversations with his representation and we're
continuing that. And yeah, like you said, you know, those
players at the at the at the top of their positions,
they take some time, so you know, patient, but we're
working towards it.

Speaker 4 (58:47):
A couple more.

Speaker 2 (58:49):
The schedule obviously is going to be released this week
and I just looked at it. I think Schefter or
somebody tweeted out the amount of miles that the Chargers
have the log thirty seven thousand miles this year, and obviously
they zil trip is a big deal. Yeah, I know
in Baltimore, you guys had two trips to London, if
I'm not mistaken. Thoughts on international and in opening the
season in Brazil. I think we probably talked about it a

(59:10):
few months ago, but because it's this week and it's
schedule release, it's kind of top of mind for everybody.

Speaker 5 (59:14):
Yeah, it's I mean opening one. International games. They're unique
and they're fun. It's you know, as someone who's never
been out of the country other than on international games
and then a couple of trips to the Caribbean, it's
fun to go see somewhere different, you know, and just
being you know, just to say you've been there, you know,
put a pin in your map at home, you know,

(59:35):
I've been I've been there. So, uh, great opportunity. We're
we're on a standalone game, you know, I think it's
just got announced. It's on YouTube, so that's cool, and
they're expecting them, you know, obviously a big market a big,
big audience for that, and uh, you know, you get
a chance to you know, are we opening the season. No,

(59:55):
Philly's got that honor, but we're kicking. We're second up
and and so we're looking forward to that. It's a
great opportunity to be standalone and go see somewhere different,
and it's unique. The way they have it set up.
You kind of get, I don't want to say a bye,
but you're playing Friday, so you're not coming back from
an international game in Baltimore. We had an opportunity to

(01:00:16):
come back and play at home, you know, because it's
only a five hour flight and here's a little different,
so you've got a couple extra days to rest or recover.
But we're excited about it.

Speaker 3 (01:00:27):
Is it has it changed a lot, Like I just
think about back then, you you know, being around teams
to be like, uh international, and now it feels like
we want it, man. Yeah, it feels like it's really
shifted the last three four years, the teams wanting to
go on these, especially standalone.

Speaker 5 (01:00:42):
Yeah, you know, it's again, it's it's unique, and it's
a it's a cool opportunity for the players and the
teams and we've done. The league has done so many
of them. We've kind of worked out the processes and
the best methods of travel and when to travel, and
everyone's going to do things.

Speaker 4 (01:00:59):
Where do you come out on that?

Speaker 5 (01:01:00):
Like where do I come in?

Speaker 4 (01:01:01):
Epe?

Speaker 3 (01:01:01):
Like, do you want to be there in and out?
Or are you someone who thinks it's better to settle in?

Speaker 4 (01:01:05):
Kind of.

Speaker 5 (01:01:07):
So having done it both ways in the past, Uh,
we won when we got there earlier, So you know,
I'm like, hey, let's get there earlier, you know. But
it's it's it's also it can be a challenge too,
so you you got to get there. I like getting in.
What we have to do, we have to travel five
hours all the time, you know, or four or five hours,

(01:01:30):
So I don't mind getting there a day early and
getting acclimated and getting your body clock a little bit
more regulated to the local times. So yeah, I'm a
fan of getting there a little bit early, you know,
And I think it works out well that way.

Speaker 6 (01:01:43):
You get the you get the bonding time.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
So remember last year, you know, after beating Carolina, stayed
in Carolina in.

Speaker 5 (01:01:47):
The entire one.

Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
Sometimes you have to use that schedule to your advantage.
An opportunity to maybe kind of bond and spend some
more time together.

Speaker 5 (01:01:54):
Yeah, we have fun there. That was you know, that was.
That was a good week and certainly helps when you win, right,
you know, if we didn't win, we probably like, oh,
what are we doing here for another week? But yeah,
it's fun to be in there. You almost feel like
you're in the old days of training camp when you're
going and going to a different site and you know,
everyone's bunkerd in together. So but it was, it was

(01:02:14):
a good week, and you know, it's it's good because
you're the focus when you're in the hotel, the focus
is the game. You know, when you get there early,
the focus is the game. And so I enjoy the
way we do it. And uh, we had a lot
of success last year, so hopefully we can continue that.

Speaker 3 (01:02:29):
Just going back to the draft class, as you and
your staff put together your board and you have it,
I'll just think of your back to back picks in
the third and fourth round, right. And I had already
heard from a bunch of people that they really liked
Jamari call, but it seemed like the thing that I
heard most Tim was always watching Derek Harmon and I'm like,
who's act, you know, and that was sort of how
they found out. But you pick them, and you look

(01:02:49):
at a lot of the consensus boards the media people,
and you were maybe a little bit higher where you
selected them than those and then you get Cannard and
the fourth and they're like unbelievable. Well, so, how often
do you feel like and do you even pay attention
to that stuff? Do you feel like your board lines
up with maybe some of the other guys that are
doing it publicly?

Speaker 5 (01:03:07):
Yeah, I mean certainly. You know, listen, everyone's boards in
the first and second rounds, they're not coming from the
bottom of the picks aren't coming from the bottom of
the board very often, you know, so there's a lot
of information that gets out there. Once you start getting
to the third, fourth, fifth rounds, then it's the boards
start looking different and uh, you know, so you pay
attention to it, you do, because there's there's a little

(01:03:29):
bit of strategy involved, like, hey, all the rankings have
this guy lower, you know, do we have to pick
him that high? And so you know, as the guy
who sets the board and uh and sets our stack,
you know, I have to take that into account and
where you because you always want to get value, you know,
in every pick. So but there's times where you know, what,

(01:03:51):
this is the highest counter board, you know, Okay, are
we picking them? Everyone has them as a fourth rounder? Okay,
good for them. You know, we like them right here
and right now, so we you can develop into a
start and nose tackle. So let's take them, you know.

Speaker 6 (01:04:03):
So, Jill, last one for me.

Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
We have another month until we kind of break for
summer and you know, probably start a little early with
the Hall of Fame game. How important to the next
thirty days and what do you want to accomplish collectively
as a team that you feel comfortable breaking for the
summer and get ready to hit training camp.

Speaker 5 (01:04:21):
Yeah, you know, I think one if you go out there,
you guys, go out there and see our team that
everyone's in really good shape right now. Maintain that get better,
you know, I think that's the goal. You know, get
the offense down, get the defense down, and get the
special teams down, and let's let's be let's be well
oiled when we break and really chomping at the bit
to get back here. And that's the goal, you know,

(01:04:43):
And you know, from the personnel standpoint, it's our opportunity
to evaluate the players for the next thirty days and
kind of start thinking about what the fifty three man
roster's going to look like. For the players, it's an
opportunity for them to get better every single day, get
things dialed in, so when we come back at camp,
we're rolling, you know, And so that's the goal.

Speaker 3 (01:05:03):
Last thing, get you out of here. And you've certainly
given us a lot of time. Appreciate it. But one
of my favorite was schedule release. There's a secondary schedule
release because it's our road trips combined with what the
college schedule is.

Speaker 4 (01:05:15):
Where we're going. How quickly do you start because last ye.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
Week right away, right away.

Speaker 5 (01:05:20):
Like when it comes out tomorrow, When the schedule release
comes out tomorrow, I will look, I'll go right to
ESPN and I'll pull up their college schedule and I
will literally look, okay, you know, and then we'll print
it out and I'll be highlighting the games. Okay, we're
you know, we're in We're in Miami here, Okay, Miami's away.
Let's see if Florida Atlantic's home, you know, or maybe

(01:05:43):
let's see if I'll hit a game on the way
to Miami. Maybe I won't fly with the team, but
I'll go hit a game, you know, when we play
in Jacksonville, you know, New York. So who's Ruckers playing,
you know, So I do that. That's literally one of
the first things I.

Speaker 4 (01:05:56):
Do because it's great.

Speaker 5 (01:05:58):
It's great because you want to go to a great
I mean last year I went to Auburn Alabama, which
was really cool, uh because I took my son Jack.
He was traveling doing the tablets with us and he's
a big Auburn fan, so I was able to take
him to that game. I went to Oregon, Michigan.

Speaker 4 (01:06:12):
And we went to that one, you know.

Speaker 5 (01:06:13):
So it's just it's a lot of fun. L L
s U South Carolina. So that's a big thing, you
know what I mean, because I don't get a chance
to go out the colleges as much, if ever, you know,
so I want to get on the campuses and see
the players. So that's that's a that's an exciting moment.

Speaker 4 (01:06:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:06:29):
Yeah, at that state the best one we ever did though.
We played New England and Josh and I managed to
get to Brown penn and that was incredible.

Speaker 5 (01:06:36):
So I've been to a game of Brown Brown's. Brown's
a fun little environment. It was a wild back when
I did the Northeast. Yeah, there's little markets right around
the stadium and go get some fruit. You know, it's great.
I think that's yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:06:46):
We found a bar that had some beers. Although guys, fruit,
no fruit.

Speaker 5 (01:06:50):
I will say.

Speaker 3 (01:06:51):
Our scouting hat I think worked because we both walked
out of that game and we're like, man, Penn's got
a receiver, that dude, and Justin Watson just lighten it up, man,
just torch and.

Speaker 5 (01:07:00):
It's not that hard. It's not that hard.

Speaker 4 (01:07:02):
Look at the good.

Speaker 2 (01:07:03):
Well, well we appreciate it, man, Man, thank you appreciate it.
Are you what do you got this summer? You're gonna
be able to take some time?

Speaker 5 (01:07:12):
I don't know. We got Well, my oldest Joey's graduating,
uh congratulations and from high school. So we'll hit that
in early early June. Uh, Jamie, my third is playing
uh lacrosse. I don't know when that ends. And then
our jack will have some summer baseball, and then Julie
and our youngest play summer plays baseball too, so he's

(01:07:34):
got his all Star circuits and all that. Yeah, so
we'll be running it'll be it'll be baseball and lacrosse
all all summer. We'll sneak in some beach time and
maybe maybe I'll have a five day window where we
can go somewhere. You know, But you know, you sports
gets you. It eats up your summer, that's.

Speaker 4 (01:07:52):
For sure, it does.

Speaker 6 (01:07:53):
Jui Man, thank you so much.

Speaker 5 (01:07:54):
Appreciate you guys.

Speaker 2 (01:07:56):
Well, this was a fun episode and opportunity to break
down this schedule and also here from the GM a
good conversation with Joe.

Speaker 3 (01:08:03):
Yeah, look, the off the field stuff is fun and
figuring out where you're going to travel and how the
schedule lays out. It's impossible to project because of injuries.
You never know what a team is going to become,
or who's going to be good or who's not, or
who's going to go worse to first, like they do
every year. But it is fun to kind of figure out,
you know, what's the extra rest, what's the short rest?
Do we have a lot of back to backs? Are
their primetime games and all that's fun to lay out.

(01:08:25):
But certainly the conversation with Joe was the highlight of
this and really enjoyed it. We always appreciate him with
his time and just know kind of moving forward, we're
going to get We're hoping one of these a week,
you know, or at least close to it, if not
every other week. But I think we got a pretty
good shot to squeeze in some of these in here,
these next couple while they're at the facility. Coach Roman,
Coach Ficken for sure. And then we also want to
try to get with some position coaches as well, Coach

(01:08:48):
dev coach Devlyn from O Line, coach Alston d Line.
You know, we talked to coach Bowman last year, so
let's try to get coach Clinking this year all that
sort of stuff. Coach Lol, you know, I mean he's
a big one this year with all the new receivers
that are in. So you know, coach Day, we haven't
we have talked to Shane Day forever. So yeah, I
mean like there's a lot of guys we can get
on here that just kind of rap with and talk

(01:09:09):
football with because it's a hell of a staff and
we really should take advantage of it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:13):
Yeah, no question, we got another like five weeks until
these guys break for a little bit and then early
training camp we're back at it.

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
Dude, back at it, looking forward to it. And now
we got our schedules, so now I can lay out
my off the field activities, which gets me awfully excited
because you know, I don't sit in the hotel.

Speaker 2 (01:09:30):
Yeah, we got things to do now, we got we
got plans to make for the twenty twenty five season.

Speaker 1 (01:09:35):
Always appreciate you guys listening, watching, reviewing. You guys make
this and go for money. I'm Chris. This has been Chargers.
We

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Chargers Weekly: NFL Schedule Reaction & Joe Hortiz Interview

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