Chargers training camp report, Day 1: Mike Williams retires, what now?

New York Times

4 hours ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers did not even make it through one training camp practice before facing a major change of plans.
In a surprising twist, receiver Mike Williams is retiring from the NFL after eight seasons, including seven with the Chargers. Williams' agent informed general manager Joe Hortiz of the decision Wednesday night. The Chargers held their first practice of training camp Thursday morning.
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After the Chargers cut him for salary cap reasons, Williams spent last season with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Williams then returned to the Chargers on a one-year deal in March. He was firmly entrenched in what the Chargers hoped would be a deeper, more potent and more versatile pass-catching group around quarterback Justin Herbert.
That depth took a shot Thursday when the Chargers announced the decision midway through practice.
'When everything mattered the most, he was going to show up,' Herbert said of Williams, who the Chargers had placed on the physically unable to perform list earlier this week. 'That's what I'm going to remember most about him. It was an honor to play alongside him, to throw him the ball. Definitely heartbreaking, tough news to hear about, but we got his back no matter what.'
Less than three hours after Williams' decision became public, the Chargers agreed to terms with second-round pick Tre Harris on his rookie contract, according to a person briefed on the agreement. Getting this deal done became even more essential after the Williams retirement. Heading into camp, Williams and Harris were the Chargers two best options at X, one of the two outside receiver positions. With Williams gone, the Chargers are now relying on Harris to be their starting X. They needed him on the practice field.
Williams being on the roster gave Harris some wiggle room. If Harris acclimated quickly, he had a path to earning starter snaps early on this season. However, if he required more time to adjust to the NFL game, the Chargers had an alternative and experienced option in Williams. That contingency plan is no longer on the table. The pressure on Harris to perform has increased exponentially.
Herbert was asked about Harris after Thursday's practice, not long before the rookie agreed to his deal.
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'We got a bunch of time in this offseason, and I know that he's been working hard this past couple of weeks, this time off,' Herbert said. 'Whenever that deal gets done and he comes back, I know he's not going to miss a beat. He's done an incredible job. He's picked up the offense really quickly. He's a true pro. So it's good to have a guy like that.'
In Thursday's practice, Quentin Johnston and Jalen Reagor filled the outside receiver spots with the first-team offense, with Ladd McConkey playing in the slot. Reagor had the play of the day, beating cornerback Cam Hart down the left sideline for a 50-yard touchdown. Reagor tracked the ball over his shoulder and hauled in the Herbert bomb with outstretched arms. He got both feet down and snuck into the end zone inside the pylon.
'I think he does everything really well,' Herbert said of Reagor. 'Whether it's the quick game, whether it's the intermediate stuff or whether it's the deep balls like that, he's definitely fast enough to be able to take the top off, and he's such a great route-runner that he's able to beat man coverage. Another guy that you feel comfortable going to whether it's zone or man. He just finds a way to get open.'
first herbo bomb of camp hits different pic.twitter.com/S7a6mWUPii
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 17, 2025
Reagor could provide some competition at X, but he lacks the desired size for the position. Johnston has not proven to have the skill set to play X. He is not consistent or strong enough off the line of scrimmage, and he struggles in 50-50 ball situations. Fifth-round pick KeAndre Lambert-Smith can play on the outside, and he had a touchdown reception from Herbert in red zone seven-on-seven drills Thursday, finding a soft spot down the seam. But the most logical fit for Lambert-Smith is as a speed Z receiver, not necessarily as an X. Williams was going to be the real competition and veteran security at this spot.
Herbert said it best: 'You can't really replace a guy like that.'
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Harris is going to have to try. The Chargers do not have any other viable options on the roster currently.
• We got our first look at some of the defensive rotations as the Chargers opened camp. The starting offense faced the starting defense for the first period of 11-on-11. Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu were at edge rusher. Da'Shawn Hand and Teair Tart were at interior defensive line. Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman were at inside linebacker. Derwin James Jr. was at nickel. Tarheeb Still and Hart were at outside cornerback. Alohi Gilman and Tony Jefferson were at safety.
When the second-team defense came on the field, Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste were at outside cornerback. Ja'Sir Taylor was at nickel. Junior Colson was at linebacker.
Safety Elijah Molden remains on the PUP list but should return to practice soon. Once he does, he will supplant Jefferson in that starting group. James played a lot of nickel in the second half of last season. He played a lot of nickel during spring practices. This feels like the package defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will be majoring in this season.
There will be a few pressure points to monitor on defense. Can Colson challenge Perryman for the starting inside linebacker spot next to Henley? Will Hand and Tart distance themselves atop the interior defensive line depth chart? And how does the corner rotation shake out, especially if James is playing a significant amount of nickel?
Later in practice, during the red zone seven-on-seven period, Still was at nickel while Hart and Jackson played on the outside.
'We got a lot of guys out there that can play,' James said of the corner battle. 'They all bring something different to the table, and I feel like you can never have enough corners in this league. You know how the season goes, man. … I feel like we have a lot that can battle and make plays, so it's only going to help us in the long run.'
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• Bradley Bozeman was at center and Zion Johnson was at left guard with the first-team offensive line. During the spring, Bozeman and Johnson rotated each day between left guard and center. On one day, Bozeman was at center and Johnson was at left guard. On the next, Bozeman was at left guard and Johnson was at center. Coach Jim Harbaugh said 'the plan right now' is to maintain a similar rotation in the early part of camp. So Johnson should be at center and Bozeman should be at left guard for Friday's practice.
'I don't know how many days that will go like that until we lock it in,' Harbaugh said. 'Will it be a better combination with him at center and Boze at guard? Or is it going to be better with Zion at guard and Boze at center? Let's find out. How are we gonna know? Like we do everything, they play the best.'
Johnson has not played center before in college or the NFL. But the Chargers are hopeful that a move to this new position will bring out more consistency from the 2022 first-round pick.
Said Herbert of Johnson: 'At center, you've got to be one of the fastest players out there mentally. He's capable of that.'
• Herbert was wearing red UV-protection contact lenses during Thursday's practice. He said they function like sunglasses. 'Sometimes when it gets bright, my eyes have a tough time,' Herbert added.
Herbert said he previously tried to use a tinted visor on his helmet to help his 'sensitive eyes.' But he had to repeatedly wipe moisture off the visor, which he did not like. This is a more comfortable alternative. Herbert said he first tested the contacts this past weekend. Quarterbacks reported to camp on Saturday with the rookies and got on the field for a few practices before camp officially started Thursday.
• Left Rashawn Slater reported for camp Wednesday while he remains in contract extension negotiations with the Chargers. He practiced fully on Thursday. 'He's got a commitment to our team, and we all appreciate that,' Herbert said.
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• The second-team offensive line for Thursday's practice: LT Trey Pipkins III, LG Jamaree Salyer, C Andre James, RG Branson Taylor, RT Corey Stewart. Pipkins started at right guard for the Chargers last season. 'In an ideal world, Pip is our swing tackle,' Harbaugh said. 'We can let him concentrate at tackle and we know if anything happens to either of our two great ones, we got a great guy that will go in and there will be little to no drop-off.'
• Running back Najee Harris reported for camp late Wednesday and was in meetings Thursday, Harbaugh said. Harris, who injured his eye in a July 4 fireworks accident, was placed on the non-football injury list Thursday.
(Top photo of Mike Williams and Tre Harris from OTAs: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)