Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Jori Epstein is out on the road covering training camps. Today’s stop: the Los Angeles Chargers, who were also visited by Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson in July.
About the QB
Starting quarterback Justin Herbert watched practice in a boot as he recovers from what the Chargers are calling a “plantar fascia injury” in his right foot. While Los Angeles says he’ll be back for Week 1, he’s not participating at all as he heals the foot he’ll need to plant off, a sudden movement that will stress an inflamed fascia. Backup Easton Stick struggled at the practice I watched, so I’ll wonder about the Chargers signing a more reliable QB2.
Rookie to watch
First-rounder Joe Alt is settling into his transition from a college left tackle to an NFL right tackle. I expect him to be effective even in Year 1 as a pro. Alt joins a line chock full of first-rounders, and he’s picking left tackle Rashawn Slater’s brain about how to adjust his hand placement and technique to the power and speed rushes he’ll encounter. Practicing against Khalil Mack and a finally healthy Joey Bosa should expedite his development.
Fantasy thought
Second-round rookie Ladd McConkey may be on the smaller end of receiver builds, but that doesn’t mean the Chargers are restricting him to the slot. This franchise drafted McConkey with a vision to move between the slot and outside. The top concern: his health. After he missed five games last season due to back and ankle injuries, McConkey is already sidelined in camp after limping from a catch in team drills. The Chargers aren’t revealing what’s wrong.
Keeping my eye on
Four-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa’s health. Health is perennially the Chargers’ Achilles heel, but Bosa is healthier than he’s been in three years right now. And he has a chip on his shoulder after injuries truncated his last two years. Could Bosa and outside line backer Khalil Mack finally complement each other to overpower opposing lines? The Chargers could use that jolt of energy.
What I saw that was interesting
During team drills, Chargers staffers held up large yellow signs indicating the tempo and intensity of a certain rep. One read “WHIZ TAG OFF.” Another: “THUD NO TACKLE.” While the signs were generally effective in creating gradations of practice intensity, their design resembled in-game college signage far more than typical NFL decor. There is irony in Harbaugh “stealing” a sign tactic from his college experience.
Wild card
Jim Harbaugh didn’t lead teams to a Super Bowl and a national title on a whim. Players and coaches told me about a hyper-detailed leader who’s attuned to their body’s workload response and their minds’ installation absorption. From demonstrating QB footwork to RB angles to which shoulder a guard should head toward when pulling, Harbaugh’s level of detail is catching his team’s attention.
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