Chargers training camp – Page 4

5 Chargers players who need to improve in 2024

The Chargers have some players who struggled during the 2023 season.

The Chargers are looking to turn things around under Jim Harbaugh after finishing as one of the worst teams last season.

They have the talent to make it happen, but it’s a collaborative effort and some players need to improve from the previous season to bring success.

Here are five players who need to make some strides in 2024.

WR Quentin Johnston

The Chargers drafted Johnston in the first round last year, thinking they would get an instant playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. That did not materialize, however. Johnston struggled to create consistent separation and dropped passes. The wide receiver group is not strong after the departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, so Los Angeles will be banking on an improved Johnston to get the most out of that positional group.

G Zion Johnson

Another former first-round pick, Johnson has yet to live up to his billing. This was even after he transitioned from right guard to left guard, his natural position. Despite being next to tackle Rashawn Slater, he struggled to create a surge in the run game and had his hiccups in pass protection. Johnson has the tools to be a dominant guard, but it’s a matter of whether it can come to fruition with the new coaching.

CB Kristian Fulton

The Chargers signed Fulton to a cheap deal this offseason. Currently, he is the front-runner to start on the outside opposite Asante Samuel Jr. However, they need Fulton to come on strong in that role after struggles on the field and with injuries during his time with the Titans. If he can stay healthy, Fulton has shown the ability to be a good coverage corner.

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

As of now, Taylor is the starting nickel corner. But that’s purely based on having the most experience at the position. His spot is not guaranteed, however, as Taylor will be competing with fifth-round pick Tarheeb Still for the job. After flashing as a rookie in 2022, Taylor’s play declined slightly, eventually leading to him losing his starting job midway through last season. In particular, Taylor must improve as a run defender.

DT Poona Ford

Ford is another player the Chargers signed at a discount with the intent of contributing right away. Ford took a step back in 2023 while with the Bills. He only played eight games and was a healthy scratch for 11 games due to his struggles. Once one of the best run-defending interior defenders during his time with the Seahawks, Ford must return to his old ways while continuing to flash as a pass rusher to help contribute to a thin defensive tackle room.

3 under-the-radar rookies to watch for at Chargers training camp

While Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey headline the numerous amounts of Chargers rookies, there are a few first-year players who deserve to be spotlighted.

Rookies reported to The Bolt, the Chargers’ new training facility, for the start of training camp.

While Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey headline the rookies in attendance, there are a few first-year players who deserve to be spotlighted.

Here are three rookies to watch in Chargers training camp:

DT Justin Eboigbe

Selected in the fourth round, Eboigbe was one of my favorite players the Chargers drafted.

Eboige has the strength to anchor at the point of attack and eat up double teams. While his strong suit is defending the run, he showed the explosiveness and technicality to get after the quarterback last season.

Even after the addition of Poona Ford, the interior part of the defensive line is not a strong position group, which should make it easier for Eboigbe to crack the rotation and contribute this season.

TE Zach Heins

The Chargers signed Will Dissly to serve as an inline blocker, but no one else on the depth chart offers the same skillset. Heins does. The undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State has the frame, grit and play strength to move bodies in the run game. He might not offer much in the passing game, but Heins is NFL-ready as a blocker and it might be enough to warrant a roster spot.

S Akeem Dent

There will be a battle in the back end of the safety room and Dent has a good chance of locking up a spot. Dent is versatile, as he saw playing time at cornerback, safety and nickel during his time at Florida State. The ability to play multiple positions in the secondary should appeal to Jesse Minter. But his athleticism, explosiveness, and physicality would also serve well on special teams.

Projecting the Chargers’ safety depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers safety room will look like entering the 2024 season.

With training camp nearing, I finish breaking down the depth chart for each Chargers position with the safety group.

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Derwin James

James finished the 2023 season with 125 tackles, seven passes defensed, two sacks and one interception across 16 games. He made his most appearances since his 2018 rookie campaign, but he wasn’t quite the same playmaker as he had in seasons prior when he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods. Despite the down year, James is still a dynamic player who can cover, play the run and blitz. Rather than moving him all over the field, Jesse Minter plans to put him in positions where he can best utilize his skills to get him back on track.

Alohi Gilman

The Chargers brought back Gilman this offseason after proving his worth in his first season as a full-time starter. He amassed career-high numbers in tackles (73), interceptions (2), and forced fumbles (3). With Gilman sticking around, he will play a key role alongside James.

Tony Jefferson

After retiring following the 2022 season, Jefferson returned to the NFL. After trying out at mandatory minicamp, he landed a contract with the Chargers. Jefferson has a decade of experience in the league, playing for four different teams. For his career, Jefferson has 492 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 24 passes defended in 113 games (67 starts). He has the versatility to play in the box, as a deep safety and in the slot.

Akeem Dent

Dent is the only undrafted free agent I have making the 53-man roster. Dent is an experienced player, appearing in 54 games (40 starts) for the Florida State Seminoles. He is versatile, as he has seen playing time at cornerback, safety and nickel. His athleticism, explosiveness, and physicality would also serve well on special teams. Across four seasons in college, Dent totaled 187 tackles, 16 passes defended, five tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Projecting the Chargers’ cornerback depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers cornerback room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

Next, I project what the cornerback room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel is coming off his best season in coverage, finishing with a 75.6 overall grade in that department. He posted a career-high 13 passes defended and has nabbed two interceptions in each of his three seasons. Samuel will play a vital role in Jesse Minter’s defense, as they will be counting on him as the No. 1 corner. He must continue to shine in coverage while showing improvements in run defense.

Kristian Fulton

The Chargers signed Fulton to a prove-it deal after he battled injuries during his four-year tenure with the Titans. He has showcased the coverage skills to stick with starting wide receivers, but due to the injuries, the sample size isn’t large. He is the front runner to start at outside corner opposite Samuel, but Fulton must stay on the field to hold down that spot.

Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor is coming off his first full season as a starter after his rookie campaign was primarily spent on special teams, with some starts towards the end of 2022, including a masterful performance against the Dolphins that year. His sophomore season was a mixed bag of results. While he was solid in coverage for the most part, Taylor struggled as an open-field tackler. Entering Year 3, Taylor has the opportunity to really break out under Minter. He will have to fend off rookie Tarheeb Still for the starting slot corner spot.

Deane Leonard

Primarily a core special teamer, Leonard was called on to start in three games last season. He showed some good things, forcing three incompletions. An ankle injury prevented him from finishing out the year. Heading into his third season, Leonard will make money on special teams, but he could also push for meaningful playing time.

Tarheeb Still

Still was selected in the fifth round out of Maryland. He finished his final collegiate season with five picks, tied for the fifth-most in the FBS. Still has already raised eyebrows, as he was a summer standout at minicamp. He can play outside or inside but will likely play in the slot and compete with Taylor for the starting job.

Cam Hart

After drafting Tarheeb Still, Los Angeles dipped at the position by adding Hart, who was a great value pick. He fell because of limited ball production and some shoulder injury concerns. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, Hart is a big corner with good speed to carry receivers downfield and plus zone coverage skills to read, react and make plays on underneath routes. He has the traits to push for playing time early on.

Projecting the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers linebacker room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Interior defensive line

Next, I project what the linebacker room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Denzel Perryman

The Chargers needed a veteran presence in the linebacker room, so they signed Perryman. Perryman donned the powder blue and gold for the first six seasons of his career before playing with the Panthers, Raiders, and Texans. He has dealt with injuries throughout his NFL career, but when he is on the field, he provides the defense with a physical and hard-hitting presence when coming downhill.

Junior Colson

Jim Harbaugh got his guy in the third round of the draft. Colson was one of the leaders of Michigan’s defense last season. Now, given his talent and familiarity with Jesse Minter’s defense, he is expected to be the starting Mike linebacker. Colson is a rangy and explosive linebacker whose coverage skills are high-quality NFL traits. He has the speed to stay in phase with tight ends and running backs and is also effective in the run game.

Daiyan Henley

Henley was selected in the third round of last year’s draft. During his rookie campaign, Henley was primarily a special teamer. Heading into Year 2, he should push for playing time, as he offers reliability in coverage, something that Perryman isn’t equipped to do. The team likely envisions Henley starting alongside Colson.

Nick Niemann

While serving as a core special teamer, Niemann had the opportunity to start three games last season when former Chargers Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray were injured. He finished the year with 40 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a fumble recovery. Niemann will make his money on special teams this season and can start in a pinch.

Troy Dye

Dye, a fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, spent the past four seasons with the Vikings. Dye reunites with Ryan Ficken, who was Minnesota’s assistant special teams coach (2020) and special teams coordinator (2021). With the Chargers, Dye will provide a special teams ace and depth at linebacker following the departures of Amen Ogbongbemiga and Tanner Muse.

For better or for worse: Evaluating Chargers offense ahead of training camp

A quick rundown of each position on offense and whether the Chargers are better, worse or neutral at that spot.

The Chargers lost some key starters from last season but added a few in correspondence via free agency and the draft.

But how do they compare from the end of the 2023 regular season to now?

Let’s break it down by position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback

Offseason moves: Re-signed Easton Stick.

Summary: The Chargers are locked in with Justin Herbert. Herbert is coming off a down year, as he was hit with injuries to both hands, with his throwing hand being season-ending. Another year, another offense for Herbert, marking his fourth in five seasons in the league. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to run the football, so it’ll be enticing to see how they design this offense to accomplish that and allow Herbert to flourish as a passer. They brought back Stick to serve as Herbert’s backup. Stick was the backup with zero experience as a starter until last season when Herbert was sidelined with his finger injury. Stick went on to start the final four games and finished with 1,129 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding 144 rushing yards and a score on 27 carries.

Verdict: Same

Running Back

Offseason moves: Lost Austin Ekeler (signed with the Commanders). Signed Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins (previously with the Ravens). Drafted Kimani Vidal (sixth-round pick)

Summary: After playing with the Chargers for seven seasons, Ekeler departed and eventually reunited with former head coach Anthony Lynn, who is now Washington’s running backs coach. With the vision of the offense pounding the rock and wearing defenses on the ground, Los Angeles went out and got guys familiar with Roman’s gap/power scheme. Edwards is coming off a year where he set career highs in rushing yards (810) and touchdowns (13). Dobbins has struggled to stay healthy, but his most productive season came under Roman in 2020 when he rushed for 805 yards, nine scores and 6.0 yards per carry. Vidal was productive at Troy, rushing for 1,661 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on 295 carries.

Verdict: Better

Wide Receiver

Offseason moves: Traded Keenan Allen (Bears). Lost Mike Williams (signed with the Jets). Drafted Ladd McConkey (second round), Cornelius Johnson and Brenden Rice (seventh round). Signed D.J. Chark (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: Once a strength of the Chargers, now the wide receiver room lacks top-end talent after the losses of Allen and Williams. Joshua Palmer has the most experience in the group, and he is expected to take a big step in his contract year. McConkey, who Los Angeles traded up for to get in Round 2, is expected to be a significant contributor in his rookie season. He and Herbert have already started to develop a rapport. The team is hopeful that Quentin Johnston can shake off his rough rookie campaign and provide the offense with a legitimate yards-after-the-catch threat. Chark hasn’t had a productive season since 2019 with the Jaguars when he earned Pro Bowl honors. He offers elite speed to serve as a vertical threat. Johnson and Rice will compete for roster spots.

Verdict: Worse

Tight End

Offseason moves: Lost Gerald Everett (signed with the Bears). Signed Will Dissly (previously with the Seahawks) and Hayden Hurst (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: In two seasons as a Charger, Everett was vital in the passing game with his yards-after-the-catch ability and clutchness on money downs. They found their replacement for Everett with Hurst, who played under Roman for two seasons in Baltimore. Hurst offers the upside as a receiver but can also block. In a new offense where blocking tight ends are integral, they signed one of the best in that department in Dissly. The offense hasn’t had a good blocking tight end since 2020. Parham returns for another season and should be reliable in the red zone with his 6-foot-8 frame.

Verdict: Better

Offensive line

Offseason moves: Lost Corey Linsley (likely to retire). Drafted Joe Alt (first round)

Summary: The Chargers felt the loss of Linsley throughout last season when he was sidelined with his heart issue. Filling Linsley’s void was arguably the most critical offseason move. They did so with Bozeman, who has seven years of starting experience and is familiar with Roman’s scheme, having played under him for four seasons. Los Angeles struck gold with Rashawn Slater. They hope they do the same with Joe Alt, who will start opposite Slater. Alt should make a difference in the run game from Day 1. Now it’s just a matter of how he holds up against NFL pass rushers. With Alt sliding in at right tackle, Trey Pipkins will move inside to right guard. Despite never playing the position, Pipkins has the athleticism, length and football IQ to make the transition seamless.

Verdict: Slightly better

Projecting the Chargers’ interior defensive line depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Next, I project what the interior defensive line room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Morgan Fox

Fox joined the Chargers ahead of the 2022 season, where he had a career year. He recorded 40 pressures, 6.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. For his efforts, Fox was re-signed last offseason. He continued to be an impactful interior pass rusher, finishing with 37 pressures and five sacks. Fox is in the final year of his contract.

Poona Ford

The Chargers lacked veterans in the positional room aside from Fox, so they went out and signed Ford on a cheap deal. Like Fox, Ford will be able to come on as a pass rusher from the middle of the defensive line. He can play on early downs. While he hasn’t been as a good defending the run the past couple of seasons, he has shown the ability to put on strong in this department in his early playing days with the Seahawks.

Justin Eboigbe

After signing Ford, the Chargers still needed more reinforcements up front so they selected Eboigbe in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Eboige is an interior defender who is tough and well-built with the strength to anchor at the point of attack and eat up double teams. While his strong suit is in run defense, he showed the explosiveness and technicality to get after the quarterback last season.

Otito Ogbonnia

After being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Ogbonnia made a name for himself in his rookie season. While he may not have stood out on the stat sheet, with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss in seven games, Ogbonnia was a reliable run defender by penetrating the backfield to cause havoc and occupying double teams. Unfortunately, a ruptured left patellar tendon during Week 7 cut his season short. Ogbonnia worked his way back and appeared in eight games last season, totaling 21 tackles and two QB hits.

Christopher Hinton

I expect the Chargers to roster five interior defenders, which means this will be a battle between a handful of players, including Hinton, Scott Matlock and Jerrod Clark. Hinton, the former five-star recruit, gets the nod because of his familiarity with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Hinton has shown flashes of being a nice rotational piece.

Projecting the Chargers’ edge rusher depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Next, I project what the edge rusher room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Khalil Mack

After considering retiring following the Chargers’ playoff collapse to the Jaguars, Mack had one of the best years of his career in his 10th NFL season. He set a career-high in sacks for a season with 17 and became the 43rd player in NFL history to hit the 100-sack mark. Mack was integral in getting after the quarterback and defending the run. For his efforts, he was named to his eighth Pro Bowl. Mack and Joey Bosa should benefit from new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Joey Bosa

Bosa has missed 20 games in the last two seasons with various soft tissue and lower body injuries. Entering Year 9, the Chargers are hopeful he can stay healthy and replicate his 2021 season when he had double-digit sacks and started in all 16 games. If all goes as planned, Bosa and Khalil Mack should be one of the top edge rusher tandems, something they’ve hoped for since Mack was signed two years ago.

Tuli Tuipulotu

The second-round pick of last year’s draft, Tuipulotu quickly made a name for himself upon entering the league. His snaps quickly crept up as the weeks went on, and he eventually became a full-time starter when Bosa suffered his season-ending foot injury. Tuipulotu was a mainstay in opposing team’s backfields on a weekly basis. His 88.4 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade led all rookies and trailed only Mack, Maxx Crosby, and DeMarcus Lawrence among qualified edge defenders. He also finished second behind Texans’ Will Anderson with 51 pressures.

Bud Dupree

The Chargers signed Dupree in May. Across nine seasons, he has 305 tackles, 53 sacks, 70 tackles for loss, 90 QB hits and 12 forced fumbles. The 31-year-old Dupree will be a rotational rusher in different packages with Mack, Bosa and Tuipulotu.

Projecting the Chargers’ offensive line depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers offensive line room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Next, I project what the offensive line room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

LT: Rashawn Slater

After missing most of the 2022 season with a torn biceps, Slater returned and started all regular-season games in 2023. Upon returning to the field, he was prolific in the pass-blocking department, allowing just three sacks and 38 pressures on 726 pass-block snaps. Along with continuing to be a dominant force at protecting Justin Herbert’s blindside, it’s imperative that he returns to form as a run blocker, something he was sharp at in his first season when he was named Second-Team All-Pro, especially as the offense will take a run-heavy approach.

LG: Zion Johnson

Selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Johnson has yet to live up to his billing. This was even after he transitioned from right guard to left guard, the position he flourished in college. Johnson has the tools to be a dominant interior offensive lineman, so it’s a matter of whether it can materialize with the new coaching.

C: Bradley Bozeman

With Corey Linsley headed toward retirement due to medical issues, the Chargers needed a starting center, so they sought Bozeman to fill that void. With the Bolts emphasizing the running game, Bozeman’s strength is paving the way on the ground. His 71.6 run-blocking grade since 2021 is 11th among all Centers over that period.

RG: Trey Pipkins

After starting at right tackle the past two seasons, Pipkins is kicking inside to guard following the selection of Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in April’s draft. Even though he is likely to be named the starter, Pipkins will have to compete with the starter at the position from this past season, Jamaree Salyer. Pipkins offers the size, length, athleticism and football IQ, but will the transition to the interior be smooth for him?

RT: Joe Alt

Alt was selected with the No. 5 overall pick. Despite never playing the right tackle position, he is a polished and physical lineman with great size/length, overall technique, and strength. Alt’s services will benefit Justin Herbert, who has been one of the most pressured quarterbacks since entering the league in 2020. He will also improve the ground game by being used in different blocking concepts.

Jamaree Salyer

Brenden Jaimes

Jordan McFadden

Alex Leatherwood

I have Leatherwood beating out Foster Sarell. Leatherwood played right tackle with the second team during mandatory minicamp and offers versatility as a tackle or guard.

Projecting the Chargers’ tight end depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers tight end room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Next, I project what the tight end room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Will Dissly

Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want an efficient running game, and signing Dissly was part of the process of achieving this goal. Dissly consistently ranked among Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded run-blocking tight ends, most recently finishing as the third-best behind George Kittle and Charlie Woerner in 2023. Dissly, a 2018 fourth-round pick out of the University of Washington, dealt with injuries in his first couple of seasons before becoming a key piece in the Seahawks’ offense. He started 55 of 62 games from 2020 to 2023. Dissly amassed 127 catches for 1,421 yards and 13 touchdowns throughout his time in Seattle.

Hayden Hurst

The Chargers continued their retooling of the positional group by signing Hurst. This is his fifth team since entering the league in 2018. He was initially drafted by the Ravens, spending two years with them, two with the Falcons and a season apiece with the Bengals (2022) and Panthers (2023). Hurst’s best season came with Atlanta, where he caught 56 passes for 571 yards and six touchdowns — all career-highs. When he played under Roman during his two-season stint with Baltimore, Hurst finished with his highest yards per reception marks of his career, 12.5 and 11.6, respectively. While Dissly will be used more exclusively as a blocker, Hurst will be a piece in the passing game.

Donald Parham Jr.

I have the Chargers starting the season with three tight ends, so there should be a battle for this spot between Parham, Smarrt and undrafted free agents Zach Heins and Luke Benson. But I give the nod to Parham. Parham has been dinged with injuries over the past couple of seasons, but when he is on the field he provides a big target with his 6-foot-8 frame, which especially comes in clutch in red-zone situations. Parham is also functional as a run blocker, as he can seal off edges.