Position battles to watch in Chargers training camp
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer.
The Los Angeles Chargers flopped in 2023, going 5-12. In the offseason, they hired new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who will try to rebuild the roster.
Here are three key position battles to watch when training camp opens on July 23.
No. 1 Wide receiver
Projected Starter: Joshua Palmer
Player(s) to watch: Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston
To save cap space, the Chargers dealt six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears this offseason.
Fourth-year pass-catcher Palmer is solid but has yet to prove he can be a No. 1 option. In his first three seasons with Los Angeles, he registered 143 receptions for 1,703 yards and nine TD catches.
Johnston — the 21st overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft — recently told ESPN's Kris Rhim he's "due for a breakout" under Harbaugh. However, the 22-year-old had 38 receptions for 481 yards and two receiving TDs in 17 games last season.
Don't be surprised if McConkey becomes Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's favorite target. At minicamp, Herbert said the rookie wideout already looks like a veteran, and he "[looks] forward to getting him the ball."
Right tackle
Projected starter: Joe Alt
Player to watch: Trey Pipkins III
It's fair to wonder whether the Chargers regret giving Pipkins a three-year, $21.75M deal in 2023. Per Pro Football Focus, the 27-year-old tied for fourth in the league in sacks allowed (nine in 17 games) last season. He also surrendered a career-high 49 pressures.
The Chargers took Alt—the son of former Pro Bowl lineman John—with the fifth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He will have to move from the left side of the O-line to the right side, but that shouldn't be a massive adjustment for the 2023 first-team All-American.
After the draft, Harbaugh indicated he would give Pipkins plenty of opportunities to keep his job, telling The Athletic's Daniel Popper, "he's one of our five best linemen." However, Alt will likely replace him. Over the past two seasons at Notre Dame, he allowed one sack.
Running back
Projected starter: Gus Edwards
Player(s) to watch: J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal
Former Chargers running back Austin Ekeler signed a two-year, $8.43M deal with the Washington Commanders in free agency, so L.A. brought in Dobbins and Edwards as potential replacements.
Edwards tied for fifth in the league in rushing TDs (13) in 17 games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 but averaged a career-low 4.1 yards per carry.
Dobbins, who averaged 5.8 yards per carry in four seasons with Baltimore, is more explosive than Edwards, but he has durability issues. The 25-year-old tore his ACL in 2021 and suffered an Achilles tear in 2023.
Vidal — a sixth-round pick out of Troy — is a potential steal. He rushed for 1,661 yards and 14 TDs on 297 carries in 14 games. CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan tabbed him as an under-the-radar player who could be a star in 2024.
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