Tag: Chargers wide receivers

Chargers WRs Jalen Guyton, Quentin Johnston flash vs. Lions

Jalen Guyton and Quentin Johnston stepped up while Keenan Allen was nursing a shoulder injury for most of the second half.

Despite the tough loss, two Chargers wide receivers stepped up while Keenan Allen was nursing a shoulder injury for most of the second half in Sunday’s game against the Lions.

Jalen Guyton scored his first touchdown since December 16, 2021. It was an 18-yard score in the third quarter that tied both teams at 24 apiece. This was only Guyton’s second game this season for Los Angeles. 

Guyton finished with four receptions on six targets for 41 yards.

“There’s really no feeling like being out there with the guys,” Guyton said of his return to the field. “I put a lot of work in, it was a long time coming. It’s priceless.”

Not long after Guyton’s touchdown, rookie Quentin Johnston tied the game at 31 with his first career touchdown on a crucial fourth down. The score was a 16-play, 75-yard drive featuring eight plays inside Detroit’s 10-yard line. 

Johnston finished with four catches for 34 yards and drew three defensive pass interference penalties.

“I feel more confident,” the rookie said on scoring his first touchdown. “I’m gaining the trust of the quarterback more and more.” 

If players like Guyton and Johnston continue to be consistent, they can help quarterback Justin Herbert have more dependable options to turn to on the field, especially while Joshua Palmer remains on injured reserve. 

Chargers’ Tom Telesco says he has no plans to move Keenan Allen

Chargers GM Tom Telesco put all the speculations regarding WR Keenan Allen to bed.

With the Chargers currently $20.39 million over the salary cap, there’s been speculation that Keenan Allen could be moved to clear some up. But general manager Tom Telesco all but put the murmurs to bed.

“Keenan Allen isn’t going anywhere,” Telesco told reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, IN, on Wednesday.

Allen is scheduled to earn $15.5 million in 2023, with $21.7 million charged against the salary cap. If he were released before June 1, Los Angeles would save $14.8 million against the cap.

In 2022, Allen missed seven games due to a hamstring issue, finishing with 66 catches for 752 yards and four touchdowns.

The 10-year wideout has been vital to the Bolts’ offense throughout his professional career. During that span, Allen has caught 796 passes for 9,287 yards and 52 touchdowns.

“Keenan Allen, to me, he’s our Andre Reed. He’s our Charlie Joiner,” Telesco said. “He’s an incredible football player. We have a great quarterback, we need weapons around him, there’s never been any thought of that.

While he is getting up in age, set to be 31 this season and coming off an injury-riddled campaign, Allen is productive when healthy. He is still one of the best route runners in the league. He is a safety blanket to third down.

The Chargers need to add speed to their wide receiver room, but letting go of Allen would do more bad than good to the state of the offense.

Telesco will have some wheeling and dealing to do, as the Chargers must comply with the salary cap at the start of the new league year on March 15. But that will likely be without moving their top wide receiver.

“It’s not tempting to me,” Telesco said at his end-of-season press conference. “Good players make money, and I would rather have a lot of good players on our roster than a lot of cap space.”

Projecting the Chargers’ wide receiver depth chart in 2022

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver room will look like in the 2022 season.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Next up, I project what the wide receiver room will look like heading into the 2022 season.

WR1: Keenan Allen

After dealing with injuries early on in his career, Allen has remained relatively healthy, where he’s been a consistent presence in the Chargers’ offense. Allen, the route-running technician, has amassed at least 100 catches and 1,100 yards in four of his last five seasons. 2021 marked a career-high in receptions (108), but he also had a fair share of dropped passes (8). Expected to be an area that will be cleaned up this season, the 30-year-old should resume his duties as a chain-mover with a knack for making big plays in the clutch.

WR2: Mike Williams

Williams is coming off arguably his most productive season to date, as he set career highs with 76 receptions and 1,146 receiving yards. In addition, he added nine touchdown catches in 2021. As a result, Williams signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension this offseason. A large part of his breakout year was his new role under offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. Not only was he a deep-field 50-50-ball threat, like how he was strictly used early in his career, but as the ‘X’ receiver, Williams attacked in the short and intermediate areas of the field and ran various routes.

WR3: Josh Palmer

The 2021 third-round pick made his mark right from the jump last summer, showing off his size, ability to separate and catch everything consistently. It carried over to the regular season. However, his snap count was not reflective of his efforts. Instead, Palmer was overshadowed by Jalen Guyton, who was on the field nearly three times as much as Palmer, yet had not been as productive with his playing time until the midway part of the season, when he became more involved. Palmer ended up catching 33 passes for 353 yards with four touchdowns, one of which was a critical fourth-and-21 touchdown in Week 18 that helped the Chargers eventually force overtime against the Raiders.

WR4: Jalen Guyton

Given his increase in target share towards the end of 2021, I gave Palmer a leg up to win the third receiver spot. However, Guyton should still see the field for 30-40% of the offensive snaps, as he is the Chargers’ best deep-field speed option. Last season, Guyton turned 48 targets into 31 catches for 448 yards (14.5 yards per reception) and three touchdowns. Furthermore, Guyton is expected to make an impact on special teams. With his great size and speed combo at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds and a 4.3 40-yard dash, the coaching staff is using that to their advantage by lining Guyton up at gunner with the punt team during OTAs and minicamp.

WR5: DeAndre Carter

I see the Chargers electing to roll with five wideouts, making this a battle for the final spot between a handful of candidates, including the most notable, Joe Reed. Reed had ankle surgery in September after a training camp injury last summer and spent the season on the practice squad injured list. Selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft, Reed would offer a versatile speed element at the position. But, ultimately, I believe Carter will earn the last spot. Signed this offseason, Carter finished third in yards averaged per kickoff return (25.11) and finished second to former Chargers’ Andre Roberts in total kickoff return yards last season. He was also one of only eight players who returned a kickoff for a score.

Recently released WR DeSean Jackson could add explosive element to Chargers’ offense

The Chargers would benefit from adding a player like WR DeSean Jackson.

The Chargers’ offense has come to a screeching halt the past two games. In particular, it has been the passing game that has been problematic.

Early-down play-calling and the right side of the offensive line are to blame. However, we have not seen Justin Herbert do much of this season that is proven to have success: taking shots down the field.

Herbert’s air yards per attempt is 7.6, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. Furthermore, he is only averaging 7.9 yards per play-action attempt, according to Pro Football Reference.

While Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are one of the league’s better duos, Los Angeles would largely benefit from a proven speedster to unlock Herbert’s cannon of an arm more often to establish efficiency again.

One solution could be veteran DeSean Jackson, who the Rams recently waived.

Jackson, 34, was not let go of because of an injury or lack of production, but the team did not have many opportunities for him to contribute.

He left the Rams with eight receptions for 221 yards and one touchdown and showed that he has plenty of juice to be a downfield threat.

Furthermore, despite the injury concerns, Jackson is the healthiest in the past three seasons.

Since it’s now after the NFL trade deadline, Jackson is subject to waivers. If the Chargers were to claim him, they would take on his current $4.5 million contract. If Jackson clears waivers, he becomes a free agent.

Currently, Los Angeles is 20th on the waiver wire.

The bottom line is while he would not fix the pass protection problems or the drops that have been detrimental, Jackson is capable of bringing a downfield specialist that would allow Herbert to do what he does best.

Chargers training camp: WR Josh Palmer has impressive showing

Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer looks the part on Day 4 of training camp.

Tyron Johnson earned the spotlight on Friday at Chargers training camp and while he put together another solid outing on Saturday, it was rookie Josh Palmer who drew the majority of the attention with a few eye-popping plays.

The first one was a catch made along the boundary from a pass thrown by quarterback Chase Daniel, as Palmer showed tracking and leaping ability and body control to reel the football and stay in bounds.

The next came during 11-on-11, as Palmer got open on a crossing route and QB Justin Herbert found him wide open down the field and he was able to run loose for a few more yards before being touched.

Aside from Keenan Allen, Palmer and Johnson have been the most impressive out of the receiver group thus far.

Given the fact that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi goes through a lot of different personnel packages depending on the defense they’re up against, Palmer will have his fair share of opportunities.

With his ability to separate at all levels of the field and reliable hands, Palmer could quickly establish himself as a viable target this upcoming season.

Chargers 2021 Training Camp Position Battles: How will wide receiver room shape up?

Assessing one of the more compelling positions to watch at Chargers training camp.

The Chargers head into camp with the wide receiver room being one of the deeper positions on the rosters, with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams leading the pack.

This season, Allen and Williams can be one of the better 1-2 punches under offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, but the team still needs to identify their compliments.

Below them on the depth chart, Tyron Johnson, Jalen Guyton and rookie Josh Palmer are all trying to prove themselves to the new coaching staff.

Last season, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more.

While he managed to put up decent production in his role, with 28 catches for 511 yards (18.3 yards per catch) and three scores, Guyton had six drops, and wasn’t quite as efficient as Johnson.

Palmer didn’t put up gaudy stats at Tennessee, never topping 500 receiving yards in a season due to playing in an offense that did him no favors, but he was a four-year contributor with a polished skill set and impressive size for this league.

However, unlike most teams, Los Angeles won’t likely have a bonafide No. 3 wideout.

The reason for that is because Lombardi’s offense is heavily predicated on matchups. Therefore, different receivers will consistently be rotating in depending on the defensive personnel they’re facing.

If speed is needed, one of Johnson or Guyton will be on the field. If the team needs another physical presence and someone who can get open with their route-running skills, they will roll with Palmer.

Either way, I expect all three to get a fair share of snaps this season.

The Chargers could head into the season with just Allen, Williams, Johnson, Guyton and Palmer, but they might elect to go in with six, which means there will be a battle on the back end for the last spot with Joe Reed, K.J. Hill, John Hurst, Jason Moore, Austin Proehl.

Reed, the team’s fifth-round draft pick of last year and Hill, the seventh rounder, are the presumed ones to beat.

Reed didn’t have many opportunities on offense. Instead, he served primarily as the kick returner. While he didn’t get to prove himself much, Reed’s special teams experience and versatility to work as a receiver and out of the backfield could be his selling point.

Hill, on the other hand, got more time on the field than Reed, but his productivity was nothing to boast about. He posted seven catches on 11 targets for 73 yards. In addition, Hill served as the team’s punt returner.

Proehl is another guy who could emerge. Signed this offseason, this will mark his fifth team since entering the league in 2018. With his surprising speed, ability to get open in all three areas of the field, competitiveness and special teams upside, Proehl might earn a spot.

Chargers WR Tyron Johnson among NFL’s best in yards per route run

Chargers WR Tyron Johnson is primed for a bigger role in 2021.

Chargers wide receiver Tyron Johnson showed plenty of flashes last season, as he emerged as one of the team’s top pass-catching options.

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson racked up 2.44 yards per route run, which measures productivity on a per route basis by dividing total yards by total snaps in a route.

Johnson’s YPRR marked the eighth-best in the NFL, tied with Falcons’ Calvin Ridley.

In 12 games last season, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more.

This season, Johnson’s skillset coupled with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi philosophy of enforcing different personnel packages depending on the defenses they’re facing, could lead to high production.

If the team wants speed and a sound route-runner, Johnson is their guy.

With that being said, he has the opportunity to become heavily targeted because of how well he does in the intermediate and deep parts of the field, areas that Herbert love distributing the ball to.

Projecting the Chargers’ wide receiver depth chart in 2021

The Los Angeles Chargers have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Quarterback

Running Back

Next up, I project what the wide receivers room will look like heading into the 2021 season.

WR1: Keenan Allen

Still not given the respect that he deserves, Allen has proven himself as one of the league’s most efficient receivers. Allen has averaged 100 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards over the past four seasons, with Pro Bowl appearances coming in each one of them. As long as he stays healthy, the crafty route-runner will remain as one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s go-to targets in the upcoming season.

WR2: Mike Williams

Since being selected in the first-round of the 2017 NFL draft, Williams has yet to live up to that status. While he has delivered in clutch situations as a big-play threat throughout the years, Williams has failed to surpass 50 catches, has just seven touchdowns over the past two seasons and has dealt with a injuries along the way. That could change in 2021, as Williams is expected to be an integral piece in Joe Lombardi’s offense as the ‘X’ receiver, which is the same role that was held by one of the league’s best wideouts, Saints’ Michael Thomas.

WR3: Tyron Johnson

This is where the battle begins. There are a handful of players fighting for the final spots, but basing it off of last season, Johnson is the front-runner for the job. Proven as a reliable option behind the two starters, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more. In a way, Johnson reminds me of former Saints’ Brandin Cooks, who Lombardi spent a few seasons with. They are solid route runners, have speed to take the top off a defense and have reliable hands.

WR4: Jalen Guyton

Guyton entered the 2020 season as the third wide receiver. While he managed to put up decent production in his role, with 28 catches for 511 yards (18.3 yards per catch) and three scores, Guyton had six drops, and wasn’t quite as efficient as Johnson. While Guyton’s speed should still have some value, Johnson has the leg up on him because his hands are more superior and he’s a better route-runner.

WR5: Josh Palmer

Drafted in the third-round out of Tennessee, Palmer will be in contention for the third spot alongside Johnson and Guyton. However, since this is a projection for the first week of the season, Palmer’s inexperience in the league will start him off lower on the depth chart. Nonetheless, with his ability to separate at all levels of the field, especially vertically, Palmer could quickly receive more playing time as the year goes down, especially considering that Lombardi goes through a lot of different personnel packages.

WR6: Joe Reed

The first five receivers listed are the presumed locks to make the 53-man roster. Assuming the team rolls with six wideouts, the final spot is a battle between five players: K.J. Hill, John Hurst, Jason Moore, Austin Proehl and Reed. Reed, the team’s fifth-round pick of last year’s draft, didn’t have many opportunities on offense. Instead, he was relegated to a return specialist, but was dethroned by Nasir Adderley in that role later in the season. While he didn’t get to prove himself much, Reed’s special teams experience and versatility to work as a receiver and out of the backfield could be the selling point to Lombardi and company.

Chargers top 5 breakout season players in 2021: WR Tyron Johnson

The Los Angeles Chargers could have a breakout season from one of their wide receivers.

Every season, there are players who break out onto the scene who may not have been dominant the season before, whether they had limited snaps, dealt with an injury or just improved as a player in the offseason.

This is the first story in a five-part series counting down the top Chargers players who I believe are most likely to have a breakout season in 2021.

Coming into the 2020 season, there was the question of who would be the receivers that would establish themselves as reliable pass-catching options behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

One of those players was Johnson.

Johnson, an undrafted rookie from 2019 out of Oklahoma State, flashed in spurts throughout the year, but showed his true potential when injuries to Allen and Williams led to extended playing time.

In 12 games, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more.

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Johnson will be a part of a crowded position group that returns Jalen Guyton, who had 28 catches for 511 yards and three scores in 2020, along with the addition of Josh Palmer, the team’s third-round selection.

While it may seem like it will be a battle for him to get more playing time than he did last year, Palmer’s skillset coupled with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi philosophy of enforcing different personnel packages depending on the defenses they’re facing, could lead to high production.

Therefore, if the team wants speed and reliable hands, Johnson is their guy.

The bottom line is that Johnson has the opportunity to become one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s go-to targets because of how well he does in the intermediate and deep parts of the field, which is where the signal-caller is pinpoint-precise.

Is Chargers’ K.J. Hill primed to win third wide receiver spot?

The skillset and mature makeup will help the former Ohio State product.

We are weeks away until training camp, where a handful of positional battles will unfold. Among the crop that will draw a lot of attention is the clash for the third wide receiver spot behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

The Chargers have a few that will be in contention for this job, which include Andre Patton, Darius Jennings, Jalen Moore and rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill.

However, a handful of analysts have tabbed Hill, the team’s seventh-round selection, as the front runner to win the No. 3 spot. Pro Football Focus’ Ben Lindsey is the latest to buy into the narrative.

Hill projects exclusively as a slot receiver after running over 90% of his routes from the slot in all four of his seasons with the Buckeyes. That’s an area where Allen already spends a fair bit of his time (52% of his routes in 2019), but Hill should be the team’s third-best wide receiver in 2020. The veteran options aren’t enticing, and Reed is still a project, particularly as a route-runner. Hill’s underneath route running and reliable hands are made for the slot, and I expect him to win that job.

There are two things that Hill is exceptional at: route-running and catching the football.

These are both required to excel at the NFL level, and Hill demonstrated them at a high level at Ohio State in his four years, which resulted in him becoming the school’s all-time reception leader (201).

His lack of speed and reps outside limits him to slot-only duties, which is where Keenan Allen plays. However, Allen has experience on the outside, which would allow Hill to be on the field at the same time.

Hill’s ability to win underneath would give Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, who both do well connecting on shorter routes, a solid option.

Winning the job won’t be a gimme for Hill heading into training camp, but the former Buckeye’s skillset and mature makeup gives him the advantage.