Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Jori Epstein is on the road covering training camp. Today’s stop: the Los Angeles Chargers, who were also visited by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports in July.
About QB
Starting quarterback Justin Herbert watched practice with a cleat while recovering from what the Chargers are calling a “plantar fascia injury” in his right foot. Although Los Angeles says he will be back for Week 1, he is not participating while he heals the foot he will need to plant, a sudden movement that will stress an inflamed fascia. Backup Easton Stick struggled in the practice I watched, so I’m going to wonder if the Chargers signed a more reliable QB2.
Newbie to watch
First-rounder Joe Alt is preparing for his transition from college left tackle to NFL right tackle. I hope he is effective even in his first year as a professional. Alt joins a lineup filled with first-rounders, and he’s picking left tackle Rashawn Slater’s brain on how to adjust his hand placement and technique to the power and speed attacks he’ll encounter. Practicing against Khalil Mack and a finally healthy Joey Bosa should accelerate his development.
Fantasy thinking
Second-round rookie Ladd McConkey may be on the smaller end of receivers, but that doesn’t mean the Chargers are restricting him to the slot. This franchise drafted McConkey with the vision of moving between the slot and the outside. The main concern: your health. After missing five games last season with back and ankle injuries, McConkey is now sidelined after limping due to a catch in team practice. The Chargers aren’t revealing what’s wrong.
Keeping my eye
Health of four-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa. Health is always the Chargers’ Achilles heel, but Bosa is healthier than he was three years ago. And he has a chip on his shoulder after injuries truncated his last two years. Could Bosa and outfielder Khalil Mack finally complement each other to dominate opposing lines? The Chargers could use that jolt of energy.
What I saw was interesting
During team practices, Chargers personnel held large yellow signs indicating the pace and intensity of a given repetition. One of them said “WHIZ TAG OFF”. Outro: “THUD NO TACKLE”. While the signs were generally effective in creating gradations of workout intensity, their design was much more reminiscent of college game signage than typical NFL decor. There is irony in Harbaugh “stealing” a signaling tactic from his college experience.
Wildcard
Jim Harbaugh didn’t lead teams to the Super Bowl and national title on a whim. Players and coaches have told me about a hyper-detailed leader who is attuned to his body’s workload response and his mind’s facility absorption. From demonstrating the QB’s footwork to the RB’s angles to which shoulder a guard should address when pulling, Harbaugh’s level of detail is catching the attention of his team.
