Los Angeles Chargers bit again by Tom Telesco with rival Raiders

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers fans weren’t exactly happy with former general manager Tom Telesco by the time his tenure with the organization ended. 

As such, Chargers fans were pretty thrilled when Telesco turned around and joined the rival Las Vegas Raiders, expecting their sour points with his roster-building practices to harm an AFC West opponent. 

Instead, Telesco drafted the very best player at his position in the NFL. 

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So says NFL personnel polled by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, with Raiders breakout star Brock Bowers ranking first among all tight ends in the NFL.

Telesco, then, is responsible for the first-ever sophomore to take a No. 1 spot in the annual poll: 

“Among his Year 1 records: most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history (1,194), most receptions by a rookie at any position (112) and most receptions by any player in a single season in Raiders history.”

Ouch. 

One can lob out the idea that Telesco made the layup of a pick and shouldn’t get credit. They can also argue (correctly) that the Chargers at least came away with an elite offensive tackle with Joe Alt at No. 5, which helped Bowers fall to the Raiders at No. 13, anyway. 

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And the Raiders have plenty of other problems. Bowers’ breakout didn’t exactly prevent a 4-13 season last year and Telesco still needs to figure out the rest of the roster. 

Yet…it stings. The Chargers’ failure to get Justin Herbert a top tight end was a big complaint under the former regime and Telesco left and immediately found the best in the NFL. 

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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