Chargers training camp, Day 6: Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark have a statement practice
By Daniel Popper
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is settling into life without Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
The Chargers moved on from Allen and Williams, their top two receivers, in the offseason. The departures left a sizable vacuum in the receivers group as Jim Harbaugh entered his first season as coach. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz pieced together the group through the spring.
The Chargers drafted Ladd McConkey in the second round in April. They also signed DJ Chark after the draft. Baked into the strategy was also an expected jump from fourth-year receiver Joshua Palmer, who ascended to the top of the depth after the Chargers released Williams and traded Allen to the Chicago Bears.
Through six training camp practices, Palmer, Chark and McConkey have emerged as the primary trio in 11 personnel. They are quite clearly the best three receivers on the roster. McConkey has flashed throughout the spring and summer, particularly out of the slot. He had his best day of camp last week when he caught four Herbert passes.
Tuesday’s practice was a statement afternoon from Palmer and Chark.
Palmer caught four Herbert passes, including a touchdown. Chark caught three Herbert passes, including a touchdown.
“It’s like pick your poison of who you want to shut down,” Palmer said of his synergy with Chark. “That’s how I see it.”
The two receivers were the spark plugs in a successful two-minute drive for Herbert against the starting defense. The first-team offense took over in its own territory with 1:50 on the clock and two timeouts remaining. Palmer converted the opening first down of the drive on a dig, breaking away from safety Derwin James Jr. On the next play, Chark beat cornerback Kristian Fulton on a comeback route. The offense took a timeout with 1:03 remaining.
After receiver Simi Fehoko beat slot cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor for a first down, Herbert twice threw to receiver Quentin Johnston. Both fell incomplete. Johnston dropped the first ball on an out route. On the next play, Johnston was open on a go route, but he was late turning for Herbert’s ball, and it sailed over his head.
That set up a third-and-10. Palmer came open on a seam route, and Herbert pinned a throw on him for a touchdown. Herbert was under considerable pressure off his left side. Edge rusher Joey Bosa had pancaked rookie tackle Joe Alt on a bull rush. Guard Jamaree Salyer got injured amid the chaotic pocket on the play and left practice. Herbert stood tall through the pressure and delivered a strike to Palmer.
“Josh is a very, very meticulous guy, very detail-oriented,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “And it shows in his play.”
The next 11-on-11 period was focused on a third down. The starting offense went up against the reserve defense. Herbert faced a third-and-10 on the opening snap. Chark beat rookie cornerback Zamari Walton down the left sideline on a go route for the touchdown. It was the third explosive play on a go route for Chark in camp, and his second such catch from Herbert.
“He’s able to stretch the field,” Palmer said of Chark.
“We really sense a hunger in him,” Roman added, “and it’s showing every day.”
The first team period of Tuesday’s practice was running game-focused. The drill is referred to as “nine-on-seven.” Offensive linemen, tight ends, fullbacks and running backs for the offense. Safeties, linebackers and defensive linemen for the defense. Effectively, all the primary position groups for both rushing offense and run defense.
The Chargers split into two fields for this period. The starters went to one field and took 10 reps, all runs, at a lighter pace. The reserves were on the second field and played at a more physical pace, including some live reps.
Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins were the running backs on the first-team field. They each took five of the reps. All the other running backs were on the second-team field, an indication of where this depth chart stands. These were Edwards’ first reps in a team period since the Chargers signed him in free agency. He has been working his way back from an injury.
There were 15 defensive players rotating in the nine-on-seven drills on the first-team field. Interior defensive linemen: Scott Matlock, Morgan Fox, Poona Ford, Otito Ogbonnia. Edge rushers: Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph II. Safeties: James, JT Woods, AJ Finley. Linebackers: Denzel Perryman, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye.
Safety Alohi Gilman was not at practice. Harbaugh said Monday that Gilman was away from practice for the birth of his child. Bud Dupree also did not practice Tuesday.
Youngsters flash
The third-team offense and third-team defense went head-to-head in a fully live series in Tuesday’s practice. That meant tackling to the ground, and quarterback Max Duggan was included.
Two players jumped out in this series: defensive lineman CJ Okoye and rookie receiver Jaylen Johnson.
The series began with a first-down rush from running back Isaiah Spiller. He surged up the middle for a 5-yard gain. Duggan then found Spiller on a checkdown on the next play for a first down.
That set up a first-and-10. Duggan handed off to rookie running back Kimani Vidal. Okoye shed his blocker and stuffed Vidal for no gain.
On the next play, Duggan dropped back off play action. Okoye won quickly on his pass-rush move and delivered a crushing hit on Duggan. Duggan just managed to get the ball away before being upended.
On the ensuing third-and-10, Johnson won on a go route down the right sideline. He beat rookie cornerback Robert Kennedy. Duggan did well to recognize the one-on-one matchup. He threw an accurate ball. Johnson hauled it in for the touchdown.
Johnson, whom the Chargers signed as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina, continued to flash later in practice. He made a stellar catch on an out route in the two-minute drill with the second-team offense. Stick’s throw was slightly wide. Johnson extended and showed off strong, sticky hands.
Johnson converted a first down later in the two-minute drive, winning on a dig route over the middle.
DB vs. pass catcher one-on-ones
Coverage players and pass catchers matched up in one-on-one drills for the first time in camp. There were three groups. The outside receivers and the outside cornerbacks were at one station. The linebackers and running backs were at another station. The third station featured the slot cornerbacks and safeties against the slot receivers and tight ends.
Herbert was throwing to the slot receivers and tight ends. I watched that portion of the period. The third safety competition between Finley and Woods is perhaps the most heated position battle of camp. Taylor has a firm grasp on the slot corner role, but I still wanted to watch his reps and those of rookie slot corner Tarheeb Still.
The receivers were McConkey, Fehoko, Derius Davis and rookie Jaelen Gill.
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GO DEEPER
Chargers training camp, Day 4: Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey rediscover rhythm
A few notable reps:
• McConkey matched up with James, who has been playing a decent amount in the slot in certain packages. James was shading McConkey to the outside. McConkey showed off his great feel for leverage. He exploded upfield to force James to turn his hips. At the top of the route, McConkey gave James a subtle shoulder shake before breaking inside. Herbert hit him in stride.
• Still had all three of his reps in coverage on Fehoko. He had a pass breakup on the first rep. Fehoko responded in the next rep by winning on a smooth whip route. On the final rep, Fehoko ran a corner route. Still did a good job of getting hands on Fehoko early to disrupt the timing of the route. Herbert’s pass was long and incomplete.
• Taylor matched up with McConkey on the opening rep of the period. He was tight in coverage as McConkey ran an out route. Herbert’s throw was wide and incomplete. Taylor matched up with Davis later in the period. Davis tried to beat Taylor over the top on a slot fade. Taylor showed off some recovery speed and stuck with the speedy Davis down the field, forcing the incompletion.
• I thought Woods had a really good period. He had a pass breakup on a comeback route from Hayden Hurst. On his next rep, Woods was on McConkey, who ran a shallow comeback route. Woods lost his balance a bit on McConkey’s release. But he reacted well to as McConkey broke back to Herbert. The pass was complete, but Woods had closed on the route and wrapped up McConkey after a rather short gain. Woods lost his last rep to Davis, who created separation on a whip route.
• Dissly beat Finley down the seam route for an explosive play. Finley got caught ball-watching, and Dissly separated behind Finely. Herbert threw over Finley and completed the pass.
• Safety Tony Jefferson had a pass breakup while defending rookie tight end Luke Benson.
News and notes
• Tight end Donald Parham Jr. worked off to the side during Tuesday’s practice.
• Rookie offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart did not practice for the sixth straight day.
• Left tackle Rashawn Slater participated in the nine-on-seven period. But he did not take any 11-on-11 reps. Alt and Trey Pipkins III continued to work at both left and right tackle.
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