Chargers OTA observations, Week 2: Zion Johnson at center, rookies on acclimation plan

New York Times

3 days ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off their second week of organized team activities Tuesday at the team facility.
They opened OTAs last week with a May 27 practice that was open to the media. Tuesday's practice was the second OTA open to the media.
The Chargers are scheduled for two more OTAs this week: Wednesday and Thursday. Next week, Los Angeles will hold its minicamp, which is scheduled for three days, from June 10 to 12. It is scheduled for three more OTAs the following week. Minicamp is mandatory, and OTAs are voluntary.
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Here are my notes, observations and takeaways from Tuesday's practice.
1. Once again, coach Jim Harbaugh produced encouraging attendance. Three players were not on the field for Tuesday's practice: left tackle Rashawn Slater, rookie receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith and rookie defensive back Nikko Reed. The Chargers also had three players missing from last week's practice: Slater, edge rusher Bud Dupree and offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III. Dupree and Pipkins were on the field Tuesday. Slater is the only player who has not been on the field for both open OTAs.
2. June 10, the start of mandatory minicamp, is the date to monitor for Slater. The Chargers and Slater remain in contract extension negotiations. Slater is one of the elite tackles in football and is worthy of a top-of-market extension. A deal is still likely to get done before the start of the season. The stakes become more pressing closer to training camp — and certainly once training camp is underway. From the Chargers' standpoint, they need Slater on the field; having their star tackle miss any time in training camp would not be ideal. From Slater's standpoint, those training camp practices are essential to getting in shape and performing.
Right now, the stakes are minimal. OTAs are voluntary. Players are free to continue training on their own. Whether Slater shows up to mandatory minicamp next week will be telling as far as where negotiations stand. According to the collective bargaining agreement, the Chargers would be eligible to fine Slater for any minicamp days he misses.
3. With Slater out, the Chargers set up with the following first-team offensive line during positional drills: LT Pipkins, LG Bradley Bozeman, C Zion Johnson, RG Mekhi Becton and RT Joe Alt. Pipkins did not participate in full team drills, and Jamaree Salyer replaced him at left tackle for those periods. The other four spots remained the same.
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4. Johnson, who started at left guard for the Chargers last season, has been working on his snapping this spring as he tries to make a transition to center. Tuesday marked the first day he worked at center during team drills for a practice open to the media. Bozeman was the Chargers' starting center last season, but he has experience playing left guard. He started at left guard for two full seasons for the Baltimore Ravens in 2019 and 2020. Greg Roman was Bozeman's offensive coordinator for both of those seasons. Roman is now the Chargers' offensive coordinator.
Harbaugh said earlier this spring that Bozeman and Johnson will be rotating at left guard and center for the foreseeable future. Bozeman was at center during last week's open OTA. Johnson worked at left guard during positional drills but did not participate in team drills. The test for Johnson will come when the pads are on in training camp and he will be forced to deal with contact and play speed more closely aligned with game action.
tre on the move pic.twitter.com/JEmDazssKc
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 3, 2025
5. When asked Tuesday about rookies Tre Harris and Lambert-Smith, receivers coach Sanjay Lal said the Chargers are purposely 'bringing them along slowly.'
'They're behind physically,' Lal said. 'They've been on the banquet circuit.'
Lal was referring to the many trips and visits of the pre-NFL Draft process. Harris was a second-round pick, and Lambert-Smith was a fifth-round pick.
'Their fitness is not like our other guys,' Lal said.
As mentioned, Lambert-Smith was not on the field for Tuesday's practice. Harris has been working in periodically with the first-team offense, but it is still early. He will have to earn his spot.
Harris caught one pass from quarterback Justin Herbert last week. He had another catch from Herbert on Tuesday, winning on a comeback route.
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'I have seen the skill sets that we drafted,' Lal said of the rookies. 'Those are showing up. Just got to get them more in shape.'
6. With the rookies on an acclimation plan, third-year receiver Quentin Johnston has been working consistently with the first-team offense. Johnston, who set career highs in catches (55), yards (711) and touchdowns (eight) last season, caught four passes from Herbert in last week's open OTA. Tuesday, he caught four more passes from Herbert. The highlight of the day for Johnston was a clean comeback route along the left sideline against rookie cornerback Trikweze Bridges. Johnston took advantage of a sizable cushion and drove suddenly out of his break. It was his best route of the day, and it led to a third-down conversion.
Johnston will be in a heated battle come training camp. The Chargers are easing the rookies along. But by mid-July, they will be in better shape. And they — along with veteran Mike Williams — will be pushing Johnston for playing time on the outside.
Johnston improved significantly last season in all phases, from his route deception to his releases. He still had untimely blips, none of them worse than a third-down drop against the Ravens in a late-November prime-time game.
Lal said he has 'only one expectation' for Johnston this season: 'That he keeps ascending.'
'I can't put a ceiling on it,' Lal added. 'It is what it's going to be. He works hard. He's diligent. He's self-aware. So he's very much on the right track.'
The Chargers also brought in three players this offseason — Williams, Harris and Lambert-Smith — who can play Johnston's position. Lal said he told Johnston, 'He's a starter, because he is.' Lal added that Johnson reacted to the receiver additions like 'water off a duck's back.'
'Just keep working,' Johnston said Tuesday. 'I feel like everybody still has to come and show up.'
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7. All these receivers will be complementary pieces to the Chargers' star: Ladd McConkey. And it seems McConkey and Herbert have picked up where they left off last season. McConkey had two third-down receptions in Tuesday's practice, including one on a smooth out route. McConkey set Chargers rookie records in receptions and receiving yards in 2024.
McConkey said his primary goal this offseason was 'getting my body healthy.' He battled hip, shoulder and knee injuries last season. McConkey played 17 of a possible 18 games, including the postseason. He was inactive for a Week 14 game against the Kansas City Chiefs because of the knee and shoulder ailments. McConkey conceded he was 'banged up a little bit last year.'
McConkey said part of his preparation for this season has been educating himself in the 'art to falling down.' McConkey is tough, and he is a weapon after the catch. But he is also smaller in stature. And he believes taking fewer hits will lead to more consistent durability.
'Obviously, there's times, like third downs, I got to do what I got to do to get the first down,' McConkey said. 'I'm always going to do that. But just being smart within the game.'
Lal cut up clips of former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman and current Tennessee Titans receiver Tyler Lockett as teach tape for McConkey. Lal coached Lockett with the Seattle Seahawks.
'Julian Edelman does a great job of falling forward and getting some extra yards,' McConkey said. 'He would run through people, too, but he had an art. I've watched a cutup of him catching and puncturing in zone and just getting a couple extra yards by diving forward and just falling forward — not taking a direct hit but still getting those extra yards.'
'Julian would get vertical, dive forward and get a cheap 2 or 3 more yards,' Lal said. 'Tyler had great feel of when to go down. You blend that and put it into Ladd, that will accentuate his game.'
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8. The Chargers continued to rotate heavily at cornerback. Cam Hart did not participate in team drills for the second straight week. He said last week he expects to be back participating fully during minicamp. Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, Benjamin St-Juste and Ja'Sir Taylor all played on the outside in Tuesday's practice. Jackson had a pick off a deflection. Taylor had a pass breakup while covering receiver Derius Davis on a third down. Taylor read Davis' out route well and played with great leverage.
9. Davis got Taylor back later in practice on a crossing route, surging across the middle to create separation. Lal spoke highly of Davis, who has served primarily as a returner in his career. Davis has 4.3 speed.
'The more confident he gets, the more he'll use his speed,' Lal said. 'There's so much untapped speed there.'
10. Keep an eye out for undrafted rookie tight end Stevo Klotz. He caught five passes in Tuesday's team drills. There might not be a spot for him on the 53-man roster, but he feels like a lock for the practice squad, with the potential to make an impact as an elevation player during the season. Klotz is a solid blocker, which should show up when the pads come on next month. And he should also be a factor in special teams. Klotz was working on his long-snapping in the early stages of Tuesday's practice.
(Photo of Zion Johnson working with Marcus Owens: Keith Birmingham / MediaNews Group / Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)