Chargers minicamp observations: Rashawn Slater arrives, Derwin James Jr. flashes

New York Times

a day ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers opened mandatory minicamp Tuesday at The Bolt, the team's facility.
They held a shorter practice lasting less than an hour and a half. The Chargers are scheduled for two more minicamp practices this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Those will conclude the mandatory portion of the offseason program.
Advertisement
The Chargers were initially scheduled for three voluntary organized team activities next week, June 16 through 18. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday, though, that the 'vets will leave' after Thursday and 'continue to stay sharp and crisp' for the start of training camp in July. Next week's sessions are instead looking like extra work for younger players, primarily rookies. Harbaugh has held practices like these in past, referring to them as opportunity practices.
Here are my notes, observations and takeaways from Day 1 of minicamp.
1. Left tackle Rashawn Slater was at practice Tuesday and participated fully. Slater and the Chargers remain in contract negotiations. Slater is slated to play in 2025 on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which would pay him $19.04 million, according to Over the Cap. The Chargers picked up that option in May 2024, a few months after Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz were hired.
Slater was absent from the Chargers' two OTAs open to media on May 27 and June 3. He instead chose to remain in Dallas, where he works out in the offseason. Harbaugh said he 'first saw' Slater on Monday, when the Chargers held their promotional day and took videos and pictures of players in full uniforms. The Chargers posted a video of Slater to social media.
Harbaugh said Slater passed his conditioning test. 'He came in in great shape,' Harbaugh said. 'He even said that the conditioning test was too easy. That was his quote.'
Slater was back at left tackle for the duration of Tuesday's practice, from positional drills to 11-on-11 drills. His presence is a promising sign as the two sides continue working toward a long-term extension.
'Great to see him,' Harbaugh said. 'Everybody here — I speak on behalf of, I would think, everybody in the organization — totally supports Rashawn, and we know what he's trying to accomplish for himself and his family.'
Advertisement
Harbaugh, staying true to his quirky form, added a quote from the 'late, great Tom Petty.'
'The things I seem to worry about never happen anyways,' Harbaugh said. 'So I don't worry.'
the tackles. pic.twitter.com/gMFqLEeQCR
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 10, 2025
2. Safety Elijah Molden, cornerback Deane Leonard, receiver Luke Grimm, tight end Jordan Petaia, receiver Mike Williams and receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith all worked off to the side in Tuesday's practice. Rookie offensive lineman Savion Washington and rookie safety RJ Mickens were the only two players not on the field. Harbaugh said the Chargers 'may have a few ailments,' but he otherwise expected perfect attendance.
In other injury news, linebacker Daiyan Henley and cornerback Cam Hart both participated in team drills in an open practice for the first time this spring. Henley and Hart both had surgeries after the season to repair torn labrums. Offensive linemen Trey Pipkins and Jamaree Salyer did not participate in team drills.
3. With Slater back on the field, the Chargers set up with this first-team offensive line: LT Slater, LG Bradley Bozeman, C Zion Johnson, RG Mekhi Becton, RT Joe Alt. Johnson got the bulk of the work at center in the practice. Bozeman took some snaps at center later in practice when Johnson was resting. Bozeman also snapped to quarterback Justin Herbert in seven-on-seven. Johnson had been working his way back from an injury earlier in the spring.
Andre James worked at center with the second-team offense. James also got third-team reps at left guard. With Pipkins and Salyer out of team drills and Washington not at practice, the Chargers only had 12 linemen, so some players played with both the second and third teams.
Harbaugh said Bozeman and Johnson have continued to rotate between left guard and center. He added that he hopes to settle on who is the center and who is the left guard 'about eight to 10 days into camp.' The Chargers open camp on July 17.
'Historically, that's when I usually like to start setting those starting lineups,' Harbaugh said. 'From now until then, the competition will continue.'
4. Over the second half of last season, safety Derwin James Jr. settled into a role that elevated his skill set. That role featured James playing closer to the line of scrimmage more frequently, including as the Chargers' nickel. He was a more prominent factor in the run game. He could blitz more effectively. And he could match up one-on-one with opposing tight ends and bigger slot receivers in man coverage.
Advertisement
Through these early spring practices, it is clear defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is going to continue leaning into that role for James in Year 2.
'This is not my first time going through it with these coaches, so it's not an experimental thing this year,' James said.
The role is defined now. If 2024 was about carving out the role, then 2025 will be about building it out. That process showed up in Tuesday's practice. For the first team period, Herbert was at quarterback in a modified seven-on-seven drill. The Chargers' safeties and linebackers matched up in coverage on the Chargers' tight ends, running backs and slot receivers. The Chargers set up with five defenders: Henley and Denzel Perryman at linebacker, Tony Jefferson and Alohi Gilman at safety and James in the slot. In four reps against Herbert, James had two passes defended.
On the first, James was one-on-one with receiver Willie Snead, who was at Tuesday's practice as a veteran tryout. Snead ran a slant. James was glued to him, jumped the route and deflected the pass in the air. Perryman picked it off. On the next snap, James was in man coverage on tight end Tyler Conklin. Conklin ran a shallow comeback route. James jumped that route, too, and broke it up.
Later in practice, in 11-on-11, James came on a blitz off the edge. He batted down a screen pass attempt from rookie quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
'I feel like this year, Year 2, homing in on it, it'll be a lot of fun for me,' James said. 'Be free, play fast.'
5. With Hart back in team drills, the defensive back rotation started to crystallize. When James was nickel, Jefferson and Gilman were at safety, while Donte Jackson and Tarheeb Still were at outside cornerback. Hart and Benjamin St-Juste were the second-team outside cornerbacks. Still also got work in the slot during the practice.
Advertisement
6. The Chargers continue to defer to the veteran receivers with their first-team offense. Quentin Johnston, Jalen Reagor and Ladd McConkey got the bulk of the work with Herbert and the starting group. Rookie Tre Harris got limited reps with Herbert later in practice.
Johnston had an up-and-down day. He caught an out route on the first rep of a seven-on-seven period. On the second rep, Herbert went back to Johnston on an out route to the right wide. That throw glanced off one of Johnston's hands. Johnston came down with a third-down-conversion reception later in practice in 11-on-11, coming open on a crosser.
Herbert attempted two go balls to Reagor down the right sideline. Both fell incomplete. McConkey had the best practice of the three, which comes as no surprise. His best moment: Third down in 11-on-11, McConkey beat Ja'Sir Taylor on a slant route in man coverage. Later in that period, McConkey had an explosive reception from Herbert on an over route off play action.
7. Chargers defensive backs picked off two passes on the day. Taylor intercepted a deflected Herbert pass in 11-on-11 that went off the hands of tight end Tucker Fisk. And rookie safety Jaylen Jones picked off an ill-advised off-platform throw from quarterback Trey Lance, who has been trading off with Uiagalelei as the third-string quarterback. Rookie right end Oronde Gadsden was coming open on a corner route. Lance was drifting to his left, and the ball was severely underthrown. Jones now has two interceptions in open spring practices.
8. Herbert and Gadsden connected on an explosive wheel route in the final period of practice. Gadsden is a smooth mover who can stretch defenses vertically, and this is the type of play in which he can make an impact as a rookie. Gadsden has also shown some run-after-the-catch ability this spring.
Receiver Derius Davis also had an explosive catch on a wheel route from Herbert, beating rookie corner Jordan Oladokun. The other big explosive play of the day from the offense came on a connection from quarterback Taylor Heinicke to receiver Jaylen Johnson. Johnson beat St-Juste on a go route, and Heinicke delivered an accurate back-shoulder throw.
9. Herbert was scheduled to speak with the media Tuesday for the first time this offseason. That did not happen. He is tentatively scheduled to speak Wednesday. Herbert has not spoken with local media since just after the Chargers' playoff loss against the Houston Texans in January.
(Top photo of Rashawn Slater: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)