SAN DIEGO—With every burst linebacker Larry English provides from the right side, the San Diego Chargers aren't sure whether to be pleased or disappointed.
They can certainly be pleased with English, a second-year pro who is eager to improve on his two-sack season of last year.
But with each sack or near sack by English in training camp, it's obvious the Chargers have issues at left tackle. With Marcus McNeill holding out in a contract dispute and Tra Thomas sidelined for at least two weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery, English has been shining.
Plus, with Shawne Merriman also holding out, English is getting additional reps during training camp.
"My biggest thing is coming out every day and not just try to make it through camp and get through practice but come in every day with the approach of getting better every day," English said. "I'm just chipping away and trying to get better all the way up to that opening game."
It was a steep learning curve for English in 2009. Used to playing defensive end with a hand on the ground at Northern Illinois, English was asked to stand tall and shoot in from the outside linebacker's position. While that doesn't seem like that big of deal, English said it was.
"It's a lot different," said English, the team's first-round pick in 2009. "I'm a lot more comfortable this time around because I know what to expect, know what is being asked of me at the outside linebacker position. I'm more
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comfortable now that I've made the transition and things are coming quicker."
This time last summer, English's head was swimming.
"I had so many things coming at me so fast that it was hard to stay focused on getting better," he said. "Now I'm a lot more comfortable and I think that is setting me up to make strides in my game."
The Chargers, though, haven't reported any advancement with the three key players who are holding out—McNeill, Merriman and Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
"I can't worry about who isn't here," English said. "I'm just concentrating on getting better."
Merriman, McNeill and Jackson are unhappy about not receiving long-term contracts.
Injured players missing practice were fullback Mike Tolbert (hamstring), cornerback Antoine Cason (hamstring), wide receiver Legedu Naanee (groin), linebacker Antwan Applewhite (knee) and offensive lineman Scott Mruczkowski (ankle). Wide receiver Craig Davis (ankle) got in limited work.
Also Thursday, the Chargers claimed linebacker Ali Highsmith off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals. He played in 20 games during two seasons. He is a cousin of former NFL player Alonzo Highsmith.
Wide receiver Bryan Walters (hamstring) was waived injured. If he is not claimed by another team, Walters will be placed on the Chargers' injured reserve list.
San Diego Chargers’ second year linebacker Larry English has looked impressive during training camp thus far.
The 2009 first round draft choice repeatedly blew past Chargers’ offensive lineman Brandyn Dombrowski and had to pull up many times to avoid hitting Chargers’ pro bowl quarterback Phillip Rivers, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune.
English played well last year, and has had a good offseason. A defensive end in college, English has made some changes in how he plays as he tries to adjust to the outside linebacker position.
What’s alarming for the Chargers is that English was beating Dombrowski so badly. San Diego is hoping that Dombrowski can step in and play well if Marcus McNeil follows through on his threat to sit out the first ten games of the season while he holds out for a new contract.
Philip Rivers-- one of the most competitive people I've ever known -- might have stayed down at some point if this morning had been a game.
Larry English repeatedly sped past Brandyn Dombrowski and had to hold up to not take down Rivers. And not just in one series.
English, the Chargers' first-round pick in 2009, looked as good as he ever has. And maybe, just maybe, he would have had that much success against Marcus McNeill.
If so, then English will make people forget Shawne Merriman (and maybe Junior Seau) by the fourth game of the season.
It is true that English has had a good offseason, was close on a lot of plays last year and has made some changes in how he plays as he learns the intricacies of outside linebacker versus the defensive end position he played in college.
But this should have scared the Chargers.
Maybe the afternoon will bring a different result.
The Chargers are giving undrafted rookie Nick Richmonda lot of work at left tackle. Given that he is 6-8, 309 and moves pretty well, they have hopes he can develop. He started just one season at TCU and has a lot to learn. It seems a little big for him now when he works with the second team, but he shows flashes of being able to handle himself.
Donald Stricklandis setting himself apart as the nickel and almost certainly a backup corner on this team. But it was Nathan Vasher who filled in for Antoine Cason (hamstring). The fourth-and-final CB spot should come down to Vasher, Brandon Hughes or Dante Hughes.
Tyronne Green, drafted in the fourth round as a guard and worked at center this offseason, is also playing right tackle now.
Mike Tolbert(hamstring) sat a second straight practice.
Ogemdi Nwagbuo had a really good morning practice working with the first team at nose tackle. He's fast.
The Chargers practice again at 4 p.m. The workout is open to the public.
Perhaps, it wasnt quite the rookie
season Larry English was hoping for, but with the 2009 season in the
past,
English is a player primed for a potential breakout year in 2010.
English,
the No. 16 overall pick in last summers draft, had 36 tackles with two
sacks
and a forced fumble in 2009. Bigger things could be on the horizon for
the Northern
Illinois product, as San Diego star linebacker Shawne Merriman is set
for
restricted free agency. If San
Diego lets Merriman walk, English could find himself in a starting role
in the
coming season.
To
be fair, as the NFL enters a year without a salary cap, its unlikely
that the
Chargers will let Merriman walk, barring a massive deal that prices him
out of
their range. As weve seen with Albert Haynesworth and the huge contract
he
received in the 2009 offseason, though, anything is possible.
So,
what should Charger fans expect out of English? Would he be a suitable
replacement for Merriman?
As
with all young players, its nearly impossible to equate their
accomplishments
with seasoned veterans. No one will say English and his 36 tackles are
on par
with Merriman and his 173 tackles with 43.5 sacks from the linebacker
spot, but
Merrimans recent injury history is sure to make some executives think
twice.
One
thing is certain; English can slide right into San Diegos 3-4 defensive
scheme.
Its
purely food for thought right now, and while San Diego fans would love
to keep
Merriman around at the right price, but the Larry English era may begin
sooner
rather than later.
It is very hard to believe, but Larry English is
just a
rookie in the NFL this year. Just
one year ago, English was honing his skills at Northern Illinois
University and
readying for the draft combine. Lets
take a look back at Englishs football career at Northern Illinois.
Englishs
collegiate career was off to an inauspicious start in 2004, when he
suffered a
season-ending injury in his very first game. Before the
injury, however, he recorded four tackles and
showing flashes of the brilliance to come. English
ultimately was granted a medical red shirt and a
chance at a fresh start the next year.
In
2005, English started nine of eleven games for the Huskies, recording 78
total
tackles and one sack. In a game
against Tennessee Tech, arguably his best of the season, English posted
seven
tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.
In
2006, English was a first team All-MAC selection in just his second full
season. That year, English started all 13 games
and tied a school record with 12 sacks. He also recorded 51
total tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and one
fumble recovery. Englishs best
game of the year was came against Temple, where he rang up nine total
tackles
-- 5.5 of them for a loss -- forced and recovered a fumble, and recorded
4.5
sacks, good for a school record. As you can see, there was
no sophomore slump for English.
As
if his gaudy numbers in 2006 werent enough, Englishs 2007 junior
campaign
served as quite the encore. On the
year, English totaled 67 tackles, 10.5 sacks and one forced fumble and
fumble
recovery. He also had to make room
in his trophy case, adding the MACs Vern Smith Leadership Award, a MAC
West
Defensive Player of the Week Award and the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski
Defensive
Player of the Week award. He was
named to his second consecutive first team ALL-MAC selection.
And
in his senior year, English really went out in style. He
had 37 total tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles
and one fumble recovery in 13 games. English was named
leagues Defensive Player of the Year by the MAC News
Media Association, earned his second consecutive MACs Vern Smith
Leadership
Award and his third straight first team All-MAC selection. He
was the first player at Northern
Illinois to win the Vern Smith Award twice and one of two players to
earn three
straight first team selections.
Larry
English had an illustrious football career at Northern Illinois and now
you can
see why the San Diego Chargers choose him in the first round of the 2009
NFL
Draft. English had a great resume
at Northern Illinois, and will continue to mature into a great NFL
linebacker.
