Chargers playmaker achieves major feat by avoiding unflattering list

This Los Angeles Chargers weapon has finally avoided a rather stark list on which he has seen his name quite frequently.
Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs the ball against Denver Broncos cornerback Fabian Moreau (23)  during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs the ball against Denver Broncos cornerback Fabian Moreau (23) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston has spent the vast majority of the offseason being viewed as a potential trade chip for the Chargers, who signed Mike Williams and drafted a pair of receivers over the last several months.

A former first-round pick, Williams has not lived up to expectations, which has many wondering if the TCU product actually figures into Los Angeles' future.

Well, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently posted a list of 10 players on the trade block heading into training camp, and Johnston was actually not present.

This is a pretty notable feat for Johnston, considering the 23-year-old has seen his name surface all over these types of lists since the end of the 2024 campaign.

Here's the thing, though: Johnston actually has two years remaining on his contract, and he did display some signs of improvement last season, so barring a major move elsewhere, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for the Chargers to move Johnston just yet.

The Temple, Tx. native caught 55 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, which was definitely an improvement from his rookie campaign when he logged 38 catches for 431 yards and a couple of scores.

Los Angeles still needs weapons for Justin Herbert, so subtracting one wouldn't make much sense at this point. Johnston still has talent, and it's entirely possible that he could still realize it in 2025.

That being said, if Johnston struggles once again next fall, it would not be surprising to see Los Angeles try to move him by the trade deadline, especially if rookie wide outs Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith have strong showings.

Los Angeles Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston.
Oct 29, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs the ball against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks (6) during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.