NFL Notes: Chargers, Dolphins, Texans

Chargers OL Coach Pat Meyer says that C Mike Pouncey was a “very important” addition for them this offseason.

“It was very important,” Meyer said, via Chargers.com. “Anytime you can get a veteran like that who has played in a lot of ball games, and played very, very well for many years, it’s important. From a leadership standpoint and an attitude standpoint, and just the way he comes and works every day, he’s (inspiring). He’s the first one to come in here every day. When you get here in the morning, he’s already in the weight room. He’s in there at 6:00 am or prior to that when he doesn’t have to be. So, just that is important. His demeanor and mentality has brought a lot to us. He’s helping a lot of the young guys seeing how he works.”

As for second-year G Forrest Lamp, who missed his rookie season with a torn ACL, Meyer mentioned that they’re still treating him as a first-year player.

“He looks like he’s getting healthier and healthier. He’ll be one of those guys competing inside. But he’s a rookie, really,” Meyer said. “We’ll just work him in there and get him practicing. See how he handles it. Try not to get him in there too quickly because you don’t want a young guy to get in there and break his confidence, either. So as soon as he’s (healthy), we’ll start working him in individual until he gets the techniques down again. Once he gets that down, the game speed down, he’ll be out there to compete and we’ll start (working) him in. Hopefully he gets the chance to compete for a job.”

Dolphins

Dolphins OC Dowell Loggains believes the presence of veteran G Josh Sitton will benefit some of the team’s younger offensive linemen including Ja’Wuan James and Laremy Tunsil.

“He speaks his mind,” Loggains said, via the Palm Beach Post. “ … You drop a really smart player into that room, with a young room and it’s a talented group of starters, and all of a sudden guys like Ja’Wuan (James) and Laremy can really lean on him and his veteran experiences.”

Sitton explained that his 10 years in the NFL has helped him gain invaluable experience that he can share with younger players.

“You learn smarter techniques,” Sitton said. “You learn to watch defenses. You learn to look at coverages. You learn so many small things that as a young player, you don’t realize. You’re so focused on yourself as a young player, and your own technique and things like that. As you grow, you learn these different things, and those are the things that I’ll be able to help him with — the small things from a step here, a step there, an angle here, an angle there, watching the linebacker if he moves over a couple of feet. It’s really small detail things that you don’t think about as a young player because it’s such a difficult position.”

Texans

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle takes an early shot at projecting the Texans’ 53-man roster.

• McClain mentions that the Texans could elect to go with just two quarterbacks again in 2018 — Deshaun Watson and Brandon Weeden.
• Some notable players who McClain has on the roster bubble include QB Stephen Morris, QB Joe Webb, RB Tyler Ervin, WR Braxton Miller, WR Sammie Coates, and G David Quessenberry.