We’ve made it! Chargers Training Camp starts Wednesday and I can’t wait for all the action to begin. Below are some predictions for the next few weeks:
4 Bold Predictions for Chargers Training Camp
Joshua Palmer Becomes The Chargers Number One Wide Receiver
People have been hyping up wide receiver Josh Palmer all offseason and for good reason. He’s a veteran with a good connection with Justin Herbert, and once Mike Williams and Keenan Allen were traded, he was the logical choice to take over the lead receiver role. I see him solidifying the number-one receiver status in camp and enhancing his connection with Herbert. He does have some competition from Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and DJ Chark, but given his history with Herbert, if he’s healthy, with his overall skills and route running ability, he should win out.
Chargers Win All Preseason Games
I know for many that preseason games don’t matter, but they do show which players are rising and falling. And let’s face it, wins before the season, especially for players who are backups, show that the ones down the depth chart can make the team successful if needed. The Chargers won two of their preseason games last year with a very different squad and the way this team is getting prepared this offseason, and with the winning culture that head coach Jim Harbaugh comes from, they’re on track to see a lot more wins in their future.
If Ja’Sir Taylor Is The Third Cornerback, Tarheeb Still Will Be The Fourth (but Taylor better watch out)
Tarheeb Still has already been making waves in OTAs. Eric Smith of the Chargers site relayed how Still had two pass breakups and an interception during minicamp drills. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter remarked during his press conference that Still had made some good progress during the last few practices. Lance Zierlein in his NFL combine analysis saw Still more as a slot corner due to his size, and according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) Still played a lot of snap in the slot during his time at Maryland.
Still is a ball hawk and really disrupts plays. And the fact that he had two sacks in 2021 and a career-high PFF run defense grade (88.4) in 2023, shows his versatility. If Taylor is looking shaky for that third spot, it’ll be a nice competition between the three (Cam Hart, Taylor, and Still). Still does have more tackles under his belt than Taylor in the last couple of years and Hart, so that may help distinguish him. The way Still has already been showing out, demonstrates that he is ready to kick off this season and will be a force come preseason.
Running back Kimani Vidal Will Score The Most Touchdowns During Preseason Games
Kimani Vidal is going to turn some heads during these preseason practices, enough so to insert himself into the Chargers third running back spot. He had career-highs in many areas last year, including rushing touchdowns (14), and yards after contact (1,056). According to PFF, he had the second most yards after contact of all running backs in the NCAA FBS, tied with Ollie Gordon. He also had the second-most receiving yards (1,661).
He’s fast and able to find openings, and we should see some great things from him this training camp. The running back battle is going to be intense, especially down on the depth chart after J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, so Vidal will have to really show something to distinguish himself, and if his college showing was any indication, he’s not going to have an issue doing that.