The Chargers are just one month out from training camp, and there’s been a lot of hype from the media and fans about what this team’s upcoming season could look like.
Here are some things to watch for if you’re heading out to Costa Mesa – or if you’re watching the stream of videos that will undoubtedly appear on Twitter this July.
More deep shots and 20+ yard passes from QB Justin Herbert
The Chargers closed portion of practice will be where the team continues to hammer out Kellen Moore’s new scheme. But in the open portions, we can expect to see Justin Herbert executing some more exciting plays and passes to new WR target Quentin Johnston as well as returning WRs Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer and Jalen Guyton. It is most likely that Herbert’s deep shots this season will go to his favorite deep targets, Williams and Guyton, over guys like Allen and Palmer. But the addition of Johnston will add more depth and yards after the catch to the scheme that the Bolts have been desperately missing over the past several seasons.
The return Joshua Palmer
Palmer has been sidelined this off-season with an injury and was unable to participate in minicamp. This triggered much speculation from media and fans about what his status could be for the season – if Johnston or Guyton would end up taking on heavier roles with Palmer’s growth potentially being stunted. Brandon Staley and the Chargers both assured Senior Writer Eric Smith that Palmer would still be a big part of their offense and add much-needed depth to the team. Palmer is expected to be a full participant in training camp this summer, so we’ll finally get to see just how Kellen Moore is planning to use him in the new scheme.
Cameron Dicker practicing as first-team kicker
Chargers kickers Dustin Hopkins and Cameron Dicker were facing off in minicamp this spring, competing for the starting kicker position on special teams. The Chargers officially named Cameron Dicker to the 53-man roster after minicamp came to its close. This bodes well for Cameron Dicker, but we will most likely still see Hopkins fighting for the position in the pre-season. If anything, the Chargers finally have more than one kicker to place their trust in when push comes to shove. Be on the watch for Dicker in training camp as he will be expected to have a near-perfect kicking streak when it matters most.
The Chargers cornerback room
A large question mark for the Bolts this off-season was the status of their cornerback corps. Since the return of JC Jackson this spring, that question mark has been somewhat lifted. With Jackson, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, and Kemon Hall all named to the 53 man roster, the Chargers are opting to keep some extra depth in six players. This could be due to Jackson’s recovery process – a process that is going much quicker than many expected. Jackson’s injury is one of the worst to recover from, so it’s been incredible for fans and coaches to see just how much progress he has been making. So much so that he was in his helmet and running drills at minicamp. Jackson’s status at training camp will be something of note to watch. If the uncertainty around him remains then it would be likely that Davis would step into the No. role after an explosive previous season. This will also be a great opportunity for second-year Taylor to show what he is capable of.