How to evaluate Chargers despite relative lack of competitive reps? ‘We'll be ready'

New York Times

7 hours ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers' starting units dominated Wednesday's unpadded practice, the team's 19th of training camp.
For the second straight day, the starters exclusively faced the backups on both sides of the ball. The defense had two pick sixes, one from cornerback Tarheeb Still and one from linebacker Daiyan Henley. Still had two other pass breakups. Edge rusher Khalil Mack was unblockable. He had a strip-sack of quarterback Taylor Heinicke and also batted the pass Henley intercepted. Safety Derwin James Jr. had two pass breakups and also forced a fumble when he punched the ball out of running back Nyheim Miller-Hines' hands.
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On offense, quarterback Justin Herbert was dealing. At one point in 11-on-11, Herbert converted six straight third downs, including two to receiver Ladd McConkey and two to receiver Keenan Allen. In the red zone seven-on-seven period that closed practice, Herbert completed all eight of his pass attempts, including six touchdowns.
All positive developments. At the same time, this is what starters should be doing to backups. The level of competition was quite different than what was originally scheduled.
Wednesday was supposed to be a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. Jim Harbaugh decided to cancel that practice. The Chargers coach said Sunday that injuries were 'the biggest reason' behind the decision. Most notably, the Chargers have already lost left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season because of a torn patellar tendon.
Joint practices can serve as a barometer for a team. As James said Wednesday, 'It's always different going against somebody because the competition is high, very high.' By canceling the joint practice, the Chargers lost an opportunity to properly gauge where the team is at. They were also able to fully control the practice environment. The Chargers' joint practice with Rams last summer was physical and pretty chippy. It is always a give and a take.
'I wouldn't say it's any loss,' Mack said of the canceled practice. 'But it is also good to get a good feel for somebody else for a change. All in all, we're still out there getting better.'
Starters have not faced starters since Thursday of last week. Herbert faced the first-team defense on 13 reps in that practice, including both 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven. Harbaugh has mixed in these starter-on-starter periods periodically over the past four weeks, but he has not featured any such periods this week.
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'It's different reps,' James said of facing the backups. 'But at the end of the day, if you don't got the right technique, any man can beat you. So I just try to focus on me, focus on my technique, what do I have on this play, on this assignment. I feel like if you go out there and you're like, hey, this is the backup guy, whatever you want to call it, he's going to beat you too. This is the NFL.'
Harbaugh has clearly made getting to Week 1 healthy a priority. He calls it the 'glide' theory. And it is hard to fault the strategy, especially considering the Chargers' injury history as an organization. The approach did not ultimately prevent the type of catastrophic injury Harbaugh was seeking to avoid. 'None of us are unbreakable,' Harbaugh said. 'Some things are unscripted.'
Most of the Chargers starters, including Herbert, James and Mack, have not played in the preseason. That is part of Harbaugh's strategy.
The Chargers do not have another joint practice scheduled. They have two more preseason games remaining. Should the Chargers consider playing some starters over those final two games? It is a slippery slope. If the starters do not play in the preseason, they would head to São Paulo, Brazil, to take on the Kansas City Chiefs with very few highly-competitive reps, to use James' description. They also cannot afford another injury to a key player.
'We'll be ready to play, bro,' James said. 'We'll be ready.'
Mack referenced his 2018 offseason when asked about preparing for the season without a joint practice. Mack was with the Raiders then. He held out for the entire offseason before the Raiders traded him to the Chicago Bears. Days after arriving in Chicago, Mack played in the opener against the Green Bay Packers and had a sack-fumble and a pick-six.
'I think I'll be ready to play,' Mack said.
stay tuned, stay hydrated pic.twitter.com/Kg0u2d26EA
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 13, 2025
• Chargers who did not practice Wednesday: cornerback Cam Hart, cornerback Deane Leonard, running back Jaret Patterson, cornerback Eric Rogers, right guard Mekhi Becton, receiver Dez Fitzpatrick and receiver Jalen Reagor. Becton has not practiced since July 28.
• Receiver and starting returner Derius Davis was back in individual drills. He had been out of practice since Aug. 3. Davis also fielded some punts from punter J.K. Scott on the side field while the rest of the Chargers went through team drills.
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• Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste continued to work with the first-team defense. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said he has seen 'great things' from St-Juste, who is pushing for a starting job after missing time early in camp with an injury. 'Great size, length,' Minter added. 'Matchup guy. Super physical. … Really happy with the trajectory he's been on the last couple weeks as he's been bouncing back.'
• Receiver Quentin Johnston had a drop in seven-on-seven. On a third-and-10, Johnston ran a stop-and-go double move down the left sideline. He was open. Herbert delivered an accurate ball. Johnston jumped and turned to the ball. It ricocheted off his hands and fell to the turf.
• With the injuries at cornerback, the Chargers made a move Wednesday. They signed cornerback Nehemiah Shelton, who spent 10 days on the Chargers' practice squad last season. They waived/injured cornerback Jordan Oladokun, a rookie undrafted free agent.
• Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II continues to show up consistently in the passing game. He had another explosive catch Wednesday, coming open along the right sideline off play action.
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