CHARGERS HALFTIME - goddamn this game has been boring - I like Harbaugh being more aggressive w/ challenges but... - refs have been pretty awful - almost all-rookie OL has been better than I was hoping for - you have 4 WRs. let Gadsden touch the ball - run defense still good!

Washington backup QB Elijah Brown did a lot of what Huskies fans have been asking of Demond Williams Jr. when he came in for an injured Williams on Friday. Jedd Fisch says no QB controversy, but does Brown have a case to start? for Huskies Wire:

HUSKIES HALFTIME - Demond Williams Jr. is just not seeing the field and now he's hurt - defense has fallen apart - Washington still does not have the physicality to match up with Big Ten teams consistently - get Hunter McKee off kickoff - 2nd half will be telling re: fight left

katson's corner is BACK. the Chargers are 0-4, so we whipped around with quick previews on 2️⃣0️⃣ players in the 2027 draft at positions of need for LA on Guilty as Charged (note: I recorded the episode on Thursday last week, before LA lost *again*)

The Chargers Officially Enter The Jeremiah Smith Sweepstakes

YouTube video by Guilty As Charged

youtu.be

20 starts into the Demond Williams Jr. era, Washington feels like they're in... about the same place they were when he took over. is this just what the Huskies are? on Huskies Wire:

HUSKIES HALFTIME: - run game looks semi-functional, about as good as you can hope for - Jedd Fisch's trick play bag is deep - need more from the dropback passing game - run defense mostly bad - gotten lucky that USC has committed 5 penalties for 50 yards - CBs playing well

CHARGERS HALFTIME: - offense looks better, but the Mitchell runs are predictable - Genesis Smith! - defense has done well to force TOs but has been up and down otherwise - need more Ladd involvement - 2 FG attempts against this team might come back to hurt them

HUSKIES HALFTIME: - Minnesota attacking mostly laterally, DBs need to play more aggressive - Brian Bonner much more efficient than Trey Cooley - Dez Roebuck keeping offense afloat - UW run defense pretty good - why is Clark healthy enough to return kicks but not play defense

HUSKIES HALFTIME: - Demond Williams Jr. continues to struggle. offense can't find a rhythm - Huskies are feeling being down their top 3 RBs - Derek Colman-Brusa has been incredible - not the secondary's best half - special teams, still an issue!

HUSKIES HALFTIME: - slow start for Demond Williams Jr. and the OL - heavy rotation at WR has been interesting - 3 true freshmen on defense are the real deal - very easy to tell this defensive front is much deeper than last year - special teams still a bit up and down

breakout lists often include guys who already had a big role last year or former top picks who are supposed to be stars. I dug a little deeper to find 10 second- year players who hardly played last year but are poised to make a leap this year:

10 Breakout Players to Watch For in the 2026 NFL Season

Alex Katson has an issue with most "breakout players" lists. So, he made his own.

wideleft.football

Chargers rookie minicamp will be May 8-10. OTAs May 26-27, May 29, June 2-4, and June 8-11 before mandatory minicamp June 16-18

got to talk to new Chargers CB Avery Smith back in January at Shrine Bowl but hadn't had the time to transcribe it. pulled it from the archives now that Smith has signed in LA:

Interview: Meet Chargers UDFA CB Avery Smith

Chargers undrafted free agent Avery Smith spoke with us ahead of the draft. Get to know the newest member of the Bolts.

chargerswire.usatoday.com

annual Chargers UDFA analysis is here! two guys that took 30 visits with LA and two guys I had the chance to talk to before the draft. read up on the group of 18 here:

Chargers announce UDFA signings: Everything to know about 18 players

The Chargers signed 18 undrafted free agents on Saturday to supplement their 2026 draft class, Here is an in-depth look at each player.

chargerswire.usatoday.com

final Chargers 7 round mock draft:

Chargers 7-round mock draft: Who Alex has heading to LA in every round

Chargers Wire's Alex Katson gives his final predictions for Los Angeles' draft selections ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

chargerswire.usatoday.com

I've spent the last two weeks talking to reporters, reading reports, annoying sources, and analyzing GM tendencies to produce my only mock draft of the year. can't wait for tomorrow to validate this insane strategy or make me look stupid:

Alex Katson's Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft: A Bleary-Eyed, Sleep-Deprived Attempt at Predicting the Future

Alex Katson gathered data from local reporting, independent sourcing and GM tendencies to produce his official prediction for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft

wideleft.football

Norse Code Podcast Episode 603: Hugging an Italian (with guest @katson.bsky.social ) www.wideleft.football/p/norse-code...

Norse Code Podcast Episode 603: Hugging an Italian (with guest Alex Katson)

Listen now | We discuss the draft with Alex Katson. We also cover whether you actually NEED a GM, how long you have to wait to bully the child of a pro athlete, and unintended consequences.

wideleft.football

huge update to the pro day page over on Football Sheets over the last two days. attendance sheet updated through 3/30 and 1200+ players with official results added. up to 2,348 on the year with 700-800 still to go over the next week or so, perfect time to subscribe! $5/mo for 13 databases:

Football Sheets | Substack

Databases, tools, trackers, and research to help readers monitor the latest developments in all areas of the football industry. Click to read Football Sheets, a Substack publication.

footballsheets.substack.com

my player comp for Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger is a tunnel built by the government of Tajikistan in 2006

Arif Hasan, but NFL🔨⚒️🛠️@arif.bsky.social · 7mo ago

At Wide Left, @katson.bsky.social profiled a Tajik tunnel and an edge rusher at the same time www.wideleft.football/p/mason-reig...

NEW on Football Sheets: pro day season is underway and we've got some new tables to help track NFL free agency ahead of the tampering window opening tomorrow. $5/month or $50/yr for the best spreadsheet business in town!

NEW: Pro Day Results and NFL Free Agency Hub LIVE on Football Sheets!

Plus, some updates to other databases as legal tampering window opens tomorrow.

open.substack.com

NFL Combine tracker, Senior Bowl measurements (w/ wingspans!), and Pro Day schedule, among other things, live over on Football Sheets as of this evening. entering the most exciting time of year, continue to chip away at it!

NEW: NFL Combine Tracker and Pro Day Schedule LIVE on Football Sheets!

Plus, some updates to other databases as we approach on-field testing at the Combine.

open.substack.com

Gase has mostly just been hanging out and (maybe?) coaching high school since 2021 as far as I can tell, he was an advisor at 33rd Team in 2024 and went to visit the Broncos (father in law Joe Vitt is on staff) a few times the last couple offseasons. bizarre hire

Ian Rapoport@rapsheet.bsky.social · 8mo ago

He’s back: After a five-year hiatus, Adam Gase returns to coaching in the NFL, joining the Chargers as an assistant focusing on the passing game, sources say. The former Jets and Dolphins coach rose in the ranks as a record-setting offensive mind. Now back to his roots in LA.

hitting on players like Woodson is so crucial to runs like the ones the Patriots just went on. don't think enough people talked about how good he was all year especially as a rookie Day 3 pick. was basically the only guy who could stop Walker tonight

Arif Hasan, but NFL🔨⚒️🛠️@arif.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Craig Woodson and Christian Gonzalez were so good man

halftime show was good as hell

@katson.bsky.social joins me this week on Bolt Breakdowns for a 2026 early Chargers Draft preview: -Senior + Shrine Bowl standouts🔥 -How to address the OL this offseason🤔 -Sneaky position needs the fanbase isn't talking about -potential Alex Day 3 RB candidate emerges youtu.be/pCZNNWcjrrU

Chargers 2026 Draft Preview: Senior and Shrine Bowl standouts w/ Alex Katson + addressing the O-Line

YouTube video by Guilty As Charged

youtu.be

big updates over on Football Sheets today! - NFL free agents and extension candidates LIVE - all-star measurements LIVE - updates to 10+ databases! never been a better time to subscribe with combine and pro day results coming up the next 2 months 👀

NEW: NFL Free Agency Updates, All-Star Game Measurements, and More!

Breaking down the new features over on the Knack databases for paid subscribers.

footballsheets.substack.com

Covered Tucker/O'Leary and WMU up close this season and Tucker is spot on: mitten-football.ghost.io/chris-oleary...

Chris O’Leary brought the juice that's fueled Western Michigan’s stalwart defense

O'Leary has led a massive turnaround for the Western Michigan defense, and his secret sauce has nothing to do with scheme or skill.

mitten-football.ghost.io

alex katson 🇯🇵@katson.bsky.social · 9mo ago

asked Western Michigan EDGE Nadame Tucker at the Senior Bowl about what the Chargers can expect from new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary, who coordinated Tucker at WMU this season:

asked Western Michigan EDGE Nadame Tucker at the Senior Bowl about what the Chargers can expect from new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary, who coordinated Tucker at WMU this season:

☺️

After three days of practices, @noflagsfilm.bsky.social identified the five biggest winners from Shrine Bowl practices www.wideleft.football/p/shrine-bow...

Shrine Bowl Winners: Kaden Wetjen, Devon Marshall and Brent Austin Shine

James Foster attended Shrine Bowl practices this week and meticulously combed through practice film to produce a list of his biggest winners from the all-star week.

wideleft.football