Chargers' Zion Johnson experiment at center is over as he returns to left guard

New York Times

2 days ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Zion Johnson experiment at center is evidently over.
Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that he has 'pretty much' settled on his starting offensive line for 2025: Rashawn Slater at left tackle, Johnson at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Mekhi Becton at right guard and Joe Alt at right tackle. Harbaugh said that grouping is 'the best five right now as we see it.'
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The Chargers had been rotating Johnson at center through the spring and into training camp. Johnson had never played center in college or the NFL. But Harbaugh, his coaching staff and the Chargers front office thought Johnson had some potential as a center. And so they asked Johnson to start working on his snapping early in the offseason.
In the end, Johnson played center for three padded practices, one of which he spent with the second-team offense. Johnson played 12 snaps at center in the Chargers' win over the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game last week. And while he showed signs of improvement in pass protection and as a run blocker, some snap issues persisted. Johnson had one high shotgun snap on the third play of the game. He and quarterback Trey Lance botched an exchange from under center on the fourth snap of the game. Johnson's snapping was uneven in practice. He also had a false start in his first padded team drills at center on July 27.
Harbaugh said Monday that he saw some 'really good things' from Johnson on the Hall of Fame Game tape. But he went on to indicate that Johnson's work at center will now be for the purpose of cross-training and options in case of injury during the season. Johnson will play additional snaps at center in the Chargers' second preseason game Sunday against the visiting New Orleans Saints, according to Harbaugh.
'The versatility that's been created has been really good,' Harbaugh said. 'I think that definitely, at every step of this process, Zion has shown real upside, a high ceiling, to have the ability to play center as well as be a starting guard.'
So where does this leave the Chargers offensive line?
They have one of the best tackle duos in the league in Slater and Alt. They have uncertainty and question marks all along their interior.
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Johnson started all 18 games, including the postseason, at left guard last season. Bozeman started all 18 games, including the postseason, at center last season. Both players struggled in pass protection. Bozeman allowed 30 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Only three centers allowed more. Johnson allowed 37 pressures, according to PFF. Only eight guards allowed more. They were inconsistent as a duo in picking up stunts and blitzers. That continued right up until the Chargers offensive line was dominated in a playoff loss at the Houston Texans.
The Chargers will be running it back at those two positions.
They signed Becton to be their starting right guard, and the theory is that Becton — months removed from his best season and a Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles — will elevate the interior play as a whole.
Becton has not practiced in a full week. He worked off to the side Monday with executive director of player performance Ben Herbert. He did not participate in the walkthrough portion of practice.
The next man up at right guard would be Jamaree Salyer, the third interior starter in that loss at the Texans. Salyer has lost weight, and his movement skills look substantially improved. At the same time, if Becton misses any game action, the Chargers would be starting the same exact offensive line as they did in Houston, when quarterback Justin Herbert was under siege.
'I'm just bullish on the offensive line,' Harbaugh said.
• A day after his best practice of training camp, rookie receiver Tre' Harris had two drops in Monday's practice. On the first, Harris was wide open down the right sideline on a go route, and he had created 3 yards of separation past rookie cornerback Jordan Oladokun. Herbert faked a handoff before throwing on time and on target to Harris. The ball went off Harris' hands. Later, in a red zone period, Harris came open on a wheel to the back left corner of the end zone. Herbert threw another perfect ball. Harris could not make the catch.
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Harris did catch two of his other three targets in the practice, including an explosive reception on a dig route off play action. Still, after a sizable step forward Sunday, this practice felt like a step back.
• The Chargers brought receiver Keenan Allen in for a workout Friday, and Harbaugh said that workout 'went well.'
'Did a lot of Keenan things,' Harbaugh said. 'It was an impressive workout.'
Harbaugh would not give any update on a potential timing for a deal to get signed. But he did say he is 'hopeful, as always.' Allen has more receptions and yards than any receiver in Chargers history. General manager Joe Hortiz traded Allen to the Chicago Bears in the 2024 offseason, two months after he was hired. Allen remains a free agent.
While playing with Herbert from 2020 to '23, Allen caught 380 passes for 4,125 yards and 25 touchdowns. When asked Monday what it would mean to reunite with Allen, Herbert said, 'Keenan's a special player. He's definitely a guy that we've got a ton of respect for. We know how special he is. Personally, we've been able to throw him the ball a bunch. But that's probably a better question for the guys upstairs.'
Allen is at his best in the slot. Ladd McConkey is at his best in the slot. How exactly would Allen fit into this room, when there is some position redundancy with McConkey?
'That's probably a better question for the guys upstairs, as well,' Herbert said. 'Obviously they're both the same position, and we know how talented Keenan is.'
• The starting offense faced the starting defense in a two-minute 11-on-11 drill. There were 40 seconds on the clock. The offense started at the 40-yard line. No timeouts.
Herbert completed to receiver Jaylen Johnson on the first snap on a stop route to the right for a 7-yard gain. The offense hustled to the line, and Herbert converted the first down by finding Harris on a comeback route. Herbert then spiked the ball to stop the clock with 10 seconds remaining. The offense then faced a second-and-10 from the 20-yard. Herbert attempted a throw to the right sideline to receiver Quentin Johnston on a comeback route. Cornerback Donte Jackson jumped the pass and should have picked it off. It fell incomplete. Harbaugh ended the series after this play.
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• The Chargers featured multiple red-zone 11-on-11 periods. Herbert threw touchdowns to Jaylen Johnson, receiver JaQuae Jackson, and tight end Oronde Gadsden.
• Chargers who did not practice Monday: linebacker Denzel Perryman, receiver Derius Davis, linebacker Junior Colson, safety Jaylen Jones, tight end Jordan Petaia, edge rusher Kyle Kennard, receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, receiver Jalen Reagor, tight end Will Dissly, defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe, Becton and McConkey.