What is Joe Hortiz's plan with all this money now? There is NO WAY that they made this move without a plan on how to spend the money they are saving... 🤔🙏⚡
It can roll over to the future, i don't think it was about present day savings. They decided that they weren't going to extend him (especially if he's not going to take team friendly deals) and it was just a matter of when to cut the cord this year or next year. When he said no the pay cut, which is his right and he's earned every penny of that contract, they decided that business was business and the answer is now. There was probably sentimental value in the org to keep him, but the no to paycut was the kind of leverage the JH's needed to usher him out. The real key is JH doesn't value wr position. They want a hair on fire defense and use JH talent to make up the gap on offense. He's thinking about what wins superbowls (AKA the chiefs last two years who have had no wr1s). The reality is against a good defense the quality of your wr's matters a lot less. It becomes a 3 flags up game with the pass rush up your ass in 2 seconds. The other part is they want to set a culture of smash mouth blocking focused offense. It's harder to get that message when you have veterans like Keenan who have been part of the previous culture which was more "flashy west coast offense" for the lack of a better term. While you can't assume he wouldn't have adapted and embraced the new culture, from the JH's perspective they want to set a new tough culture for the young WR's coming in including QJ who is right now soft as charmin and paying 25mil to a veteran receiver instead of a dtackle or edge rusher or lb is not in their roster construction plans. I wouldn't be suprised if they don't even plan to take a WR in the first round. They will consider odunze, but they could take Alt and then take a WR in the 2nd or 3rd and then one with the 4th they got.
Harbaugh is going hard after defense to complement Mack-Bosa... say hello to Clowney.. then they trade 5 down a few spots and still get another D lineman and 2nd round receiver...
i understand the future money roll over but the report was they asked him to take a pay cut just yesterday. why would they wait that long into F/A and not ask him prior to free agency? the timeline of it is weird IF that report is accurate ya know? that's why it feels off and like something else is going on... 🤷♂️
@Michael...I'm 70 years old and a Chargers lifer. Been with the Bolts since Sid Gilman in 1960. The AFL drew me away from the sluggish NFL. Your attention to detail and knowledge is truly remarkable for a person so young. Always enjoy your content! 😊
I do agree they should have settled this sooner, they waited last minute. But usually stuff with agents take time and they haven't had that long since Joe has taken over. I'm not sure him taking a 5 million dollar pay cut would have helped them plug a whole in free agency in a major way. They are probably looking for a cornerback and maybe a center(although I think they will 100% draft a center early) and then some DL depth. I know they want to compete every year but realistically it takes probably the second year to get everything they want on the defense and offense roster wise. There wasn't really enough cap space this year and the whole cap mess w cuts/restructures has them too far behind in free agency (i don't think they will mortgage the future signing sub optimal free agents to multi year deals), but with a good draft class they can over perform. The goal of this year is probably more ala Rams to overachieve and develop young guys. This is more PURE speculation but on the front of why they asked him to take a pay cut when they didn't need him to: I think in real business world there are lots of politics and I wouldn't be surprised if they knew he would refuse a pay cut and that would give them the leverage to go to parts of the org and get approval to cut sentimental ties ("If he's treating it as business we should to...ect". Again pure conspiracy theory but executives operate at this level. More realistically Keenans trade market opened up when teams knew they were under the cap and no longer had to cut him. And when they got the offer from the bears they decided to ask keenan for a pay cut or move on. @@Michael_Maclane As a fan it still sucks. Keenan was the lifeblood of the team for so long but this is the price of a potential superbowl. Don't be shocked if they don't take a wr in the first round. They will consider odunze but value wise it's better for them to take a receiver later. If push comes to shove in a year where the defense is in order they can trade for a proven guy at the end of his rookie deal.
The team was 5-12 last year and has drastically underperformed for years now. We need to stop pretending like we lost guys that will win us anything. Trust the process. Embrace the rebuild.
Allen played the best on the team last season why should he have to suffer they wanted him to take a pay cut to do what get new guys and blow it like we did last year
Yessir I know this looks like the worst thing to happen but trust me when I say it actually is going to be the best thing to happen just be patient and trust the process is what I've been telling our fellow bolts fanbase
Seriously, when was the last time we’re in the red zone and we’re like “Keenan’s got this”…. Great between the 20s, but look at the gaps in performance from game to game, series to series… not clutch on anything but 3rd down outside the red zone
After I calmed down…..this makes sense. We couldn’t pay a 32 year old $30+ mil. He didn’t wanna take a pay cut so we had no choice. This team has BIG holes. Center, Inside Linebacker, and Corner are big needs. We need that money to fill them. Our skill positions can be addressed in the draft
@PactWitDaRacks bro ...if u don't know football stop commenting...Joe Hortiz is a scouting GENIUS...Harbough will take this team to the Superbowl 2 out of the next 5 years
@@JM-md4ri I was being sarcastic no dub he’s not getting shit he’s a bumb if yall can’t see that from season 1 maybe yall should leave when he gets cut. He hasn’t shown 1 single Play that would make us think he can be a receiver 3
I find it interesting that all the offensive guys left without considering a pay cut or restructure for the team. The two main defensive guys stepped up for the team and restructured.
Very good insight Michael, most people who have never played this game at a college or pro level fail to understand all the moving parts in this business. I personally was not shocked on this move at all and if we are being honest here I was expecting it. I was hoping for a 3rd round pick but if I was GM yes, knowing the cap space it would save plus a 4th rounder, I still would of pulled that trigger too. I also want to bring up the fact that you already did was that the organization "did" try to retain him but it was Keenan who put himself above the team. I won't fault him for that either, it is typical for older players who are declining from their prime to try and get as much as possible while they still can. Joey is still young enough to restructure and bounce back to form, I was shocked at how unselfish Mack was to restructure especially at his age. Ive got a knew found respect for that man.
Makes a lot of sense. Something big must be happening... keenan move was made so urgently. Deadlines make urgency... Maybe another team gave a deadline for a big player they needed moved.
I was shocked. Any true fan's initial feeling. Makes sense for any true football fans. As a chargers fan but biggers football fan, this convinces me that this new regime is serious about winning with Herbert now. A step in the right direction for the organization
I think the most positive news from free agency is both bosa and Mack taking pay cuts. Also we still got Derwin so I’m upset but not. Let hope for Marvin Harrison Jr.!!!!
One of the best Chargers draft picks. Keenan was originally a 3rd round pick in 2013. In the long run, getting a 4th for a 32-year old is not bad. Hope Keenan retires as a Charger in 2-4 years.
Most likely Allen was going to take a back seat and play mostly 3rd downs as a specialist. He doesn't block. Can't run well on early downs if receivers won't block
I have been a fan for 45 years and I must say that I commend your maturity level and not allowing your emotions to get the best of you. I like how you are looking at the potential positives of the trade and giving Jim and Joe the benefit of the doubt. I absolutely love your content. But no doubt Keenan is special and it does suck. But on the flip side, he has been the beneficiary of having 2 elite QBs as an NFL Player.
Small chance the Chargers can get Justin Jefferson for a year for 20 mil as part of the #5 pick trade with Viking. Which would mean getting JJ for 20 instead of Keenan for 34 each for a year. Would be crazy cooking 🧑🍳.
Man who you telling.. and my sales rep called a little after I found out and I told him "fuck them season seats" Hahaha... this video makes me feel a tad better
We just gotta be real here and realize Keenan got 1-2 years left in him left . Gets pricey every year . Bolts gotta draft smart and fold let's go bolts
I see a lot of people hurt and questioning these moves.. But, you might ask yourself this. What was the last team that won a superbowl who had that much money tied up in WRs? There are only a few WRs out there, that could be great anywhere, (MOSS, TO, etc.).. But, to be honest. Great QBs, make or break whether most WRs are even a household name. Look at what someone like Brady did in New England with leftovers. Then what happened to them once they left. A superbowl MVP that you never heard from again. Look at what CJ stroud did for a Nico Collins. If Herbert is who we think he is.. He will do just fine with who this management puts there for him. If you give your QB time, most any WR will get open. I have no doubt they are looking at OL first. After all.. They are what impact every play. RUN OR PASS. Its never fun losing a long time favorite, but I do believe that this management and coaching staff are looking past all that and concentrated on one thing. Building a TEAM that can win championships.
Good choice. This guy knows football for real. And plays the highlight film in the background and makes charts etc instead of just talking at the camera
You are the only guy looking at this logically. The new Roman offense should not be in so many 3rd. and long situations as the previous offense. Keenan would not be as involved with this new offense. If TT had swung this deal I would worry because he never could find a 4th round pick worth crap. We still need to trade back. My latest mock with the extra 4th still left us with holes on the roster. We need 2-3 more picks to get everything we need. I like the FA moves so far. I still think Detroit will trade for Joey. I’m not sitting in my running car in the garage yet.
Even Bosa agreed to a pay cut! The staff told these players, " hey man we are asking you to take a minor pay cut so we can get some good players in here and win a Super Bowl. Bosa and Mack said yes, for the team. Apparently...Allen was more...Umm...Me me me me me , what about me me me!!!
What a pathetic response! Allen had his best season ever (despite missing 4 games). He earned that money! So if you had your most productive year ever at work, and then your boss says at the end of the year, thanks but we're gonna reduce your salary, would you do that? Okay, then...SMDH.
Yes. If I was on the ground floor of a company and they were trying to build something. If my boss approached me and said we want you to take 15 million a year instead of 18 million a year so we can really get this going I would do it in a heartbeat! It’s called teamwork that’s why Keenan Allen and you are not on the chargers
Just want to say Thanks for all you do my man! I enjoy watching your segments. Love the knowledge and how you keep it in perspective and entertaining :). I do think that The Chargers will take one of the three WR's in the draft at 5 but I do love that TE in Georgia as well. Maybe they get T. Higgins. I watch him a lot considering I am in Ohio just 50 miles from Cincinnati and a lot of my family are Bengals fans and he is really good imo. GO CHARGERS!!
Sign OBJ to a vet minimum contract.. he’s coming from Baltimore so Hortiz knows him well and he showed last season that he can still get it done.. he’d be the veteran presence in the locker room and he played in LA already so he would help the WR room if we do in fact draft a young WR at 5.
For me, emotionally, Keenan is a worth 2 first rounders…. On paper, a 4th is great value for him and to save cap space to potentially sign the future or even bring back Mike Dub.
It's crazy everyone is so upset about keenan they are trying to bring Mike dub back. He had to go even though it broke my heart tu oo.i do hope he comes back for a little p peanuts one year to help us with our WR draft picks
He missed four games and still had his second best receiving yard season and his best reception season. If anything tells me a player still has gas in the tank that does he was averaging nearly 100 yards a game that would rank him at like fourth or fifth and receiving yards if he played out the season
Honestly I don’t have a problem with this. Keenan said he wanted to stay a charger in January and then wouldn’t restructure for the team. Harbaugh wants team first guys So Keenan is gone. Have a feeling he gets hurt early in the season and it will look like the right move
They sign hunter renfroe for a good price. We need a slot guy, then get another wide receiver in the 4th. Still need olineman in the first and second rounds. So we turn allen into two receivers and still have lots of money on the table.
i have always watched the chargers games so i know a lot about the team yall will be fine trust the process of the rebuild & i’m gonna love Allen on my bears team this yr he has always been a beast thank you chargers nation 🫡
Maybe money was just simply more important to Allen than winning a Super Bowl. Allen + took money = No Super Bowl titles Tom Brady + took pay cuts = 7 Super Bowl titles You can’t win a Super Bowl as a player BY YOURSELF. You need multiple players all playing great as ONE UNIT to win in this league and you need the funds in a salary cap era to pay those players. If this were MLB, totally different story. Then you could do what the Dodgers do and the Steinbrenner Yankees did.
As much as I am gutted, I get it. With his age, part of me has a suspicion that he won’t be as health next year, and I certainly don’t blame him for not wanting a pay cut, with this likely being his final contract. Having been a chargers fan since the Fouts and Winslow era, I just want to see a winning team team, with Justin Herbert being healthy and showcasing his skills.
watched the whole livestream (granted 2 hours later but) and wow man. harbaugh really might be 200IQ’ing our entire team rn. he has a plan, and he knows exactly what he needs to do. i have trust. 💛💙🤞🏻
Salary cap: Allen didn't agree on restructuring his contract (Bosa and Mack did). Allen knew he could be hired by other teams. (Bosa and Mack know they're aging older and it's difficult for them that other teams could be interested on acquiring their services.)
I think its safe to say the first three selections will be QBs. If AZ trades out of the fourth spot Chargers will be faced with the grueling decision to choose MHJ 😁. Now if AZ takes MHJ the Chargers just hit the jackpot, and will have a plethora of trade offers for Daniels or McCarthy to choose from. Minnesota your up!
As a Bears fan I'd like to say thanks combined with DJ Moore we have a top three receiving core with Kmet at tight end and the first and ninth pick were in great shape😊
I think the chargers are doing a good job. I have nothing but respect and love for Keenan and grateful for everything he gave to the team. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions.
So what do you think this big thing is if it isn’t a top tier vet receiver? They have a ton of cap space now, there has to be something outside of just replacing via draft??
They were not under the cap before they traded him. They would have kept him if they could have restructured him to get below and/or Bosa hadn’t agreed to restructure. These negotiations didnt happen in a vacuum.
This one hurts my heart, but my brain knows it’s not a bad trade & situation… the business side of the sport sometimes has to show its ugly face. It is what it is. ALL LOVE FOR K.A. SLAY FOREVER ⚡️🆙✊
Because they’re going to rebuild the offensive line and their defensive line. Then address their receiver needs in the draft. Harbaugh is going to want to run the ball and put 4-man pressure at the quarterback.
Michael... love your content... I think you're over-thinking it in terms of some big plan to acquire a FA WR etc. There are several holes on this team and Hortiz and Harbaugh will not sacrifice having a fundamentally sound team, especially in the trenches. We all need to stop talking about JJ, Boyd, Higgins, etc., etc. NOT going to happen. The stuff they are doing and will continue to do is not terribly sexy - but it's a winning formula... Nothing big is in the works - just nuts and (wait for it)... bolts.
“Power of the title” in the media, on full display to create the most hysteria and click bait. “Chargers release all pro WR1 Keenan Allen for a 4th round pick” Headline SHOULD have been “32yo 11-year veteran Keenan Allen refuses team friendly pay cut ahead of cap deadline, requested for trade and signed deal with Bears for 4th round pick” Doesn’t that paint a different picture? The amount of hysteria amongst Charger fans without looking into the story, actually seeing the big picture, is ridiculous. All they saw was “My favorite WR gone for a 4th rounder” OH NOOOOO
I think they are going to use the money to get depth pieces for the roster, just like last year are roster is top heavy, one injury can lead to a mediocre offense or defense. I anticipate a few 1 yr prove it deals this year to get decent talent and have a competitive training camp. Furthermore, since Jim has just came out of College Football, he will have an edge on who to pick and especially in the UDFA phase, we may a similar process as the 2010 seahawks.
Everybody probably thinks were taking a receiver at 5 now, because they always get distracted by the shiny objects, and forget thre oline is the most critical area on this team. Get renfrow, daft a receiver in the 4th, still have lots of capitol to build depth. Trading allen was the first half of this move
I think what a lot of ppl are also forgetting, is how amazing this coaching staff is. Let's not forget how much of a stud, QJ was at TCU. This new coaching staff is gonna get QJ up to speed and show him how to beast out!!
I just got a call from the chargers, told me to come down to el segundo to run some routes and possibly sign a 3yr deal, i guess they kno wat they doin
It's not shocking at all.....Joe Hortiz even said what he was doing to do in his introductory presser ..... he literally said don't over pay if there's no future value ....
You can't make an omlet without breaking eggs! This draft is rich in prospects - including WR and TE... . Keenan is getting long in the tooth and the value of a 4th round pick in the 2024 draft may be a lot more than the value we could get from Allen a year or more from now. This is not even mentioning that the money we save "could" buy us a Center or a Linebacker or perhaps both!
I wonder if Mack and Bosa would've taken a pay cut if they had known Keenan was going to get cut? If knowing BOTH of the teams top 2 receivers were getting cut would they too would have willingly taken a pay cut?
I'm not happy right now because K Allen was traded, he is a star WR the best Charger WR. I was expecting J Bosa trade for a draft pick instead. Allen still has 2 more yrs of top level performance.
I’m still sick to my core . My favorite charger ever gone just like that. This hurts more than LT leaving because of how unexpected this one was. If we’re not in the playoffs next season I hope this won’t be why. I wonder how Herbert feels.
Trade down in round 1 and take Fuaga. Trade down in round 2 and take the center from west birginia early then take Roman Wilson late second. Use all your other picks as BPA
I love KA but I was okay if they traded him last year. Probably could’ve got a 2nd or 3rd last year. I never had confidence in Staley so I was okay with getting younger last year.
I mean the team got rid of both of its receiving options while keeping both of its edge options even though one of them is like what 33 I understand he wouldn’t take a pay cut, but who is Justin going to throw the ball to? They already saved over 20 million getting rid of Mike Williams, I don’t know I understand they were in cap hell but it’s not like it was impossible for them to keep Keenan Allen, and wide receivers one of the most important positions in the NFL. I agree that if they were going to get rid of him, might as well get something back in a trade I mean I do that shit in madden all the time but a fourth round pick and also leaving your team devoid of receiving talent. you got rid of high tier number two and your star number one receivers like the game plan going forward is going to be blanket Whoever the fuck they drafted number five.😂😂 good luck, chargers fans
