Gambling With Justin Herbert and More from Chargers Minicamp

Some Chargers minicamp notes and takeaways ahead of the break.

Omarion Hampton | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers approach the summer break with some major developments unfolding across OTAs and overall minicamp work. 

Those Chargers, after all, left Jim Harbaugh’s comfort zone when hiring Mike McDaniel to replace the more traditional Greg Roman as offensive coordinator. 

McDaniel’s fingerprints have been all over the Chargers’ offseason moves. Now, that’s translating to on-field work, creating some must-know storylines and takeaways. 

Gambling with Justin Herbert’s line

Here comes the risk on the offensive line in front of Justin Herbert again. 

This time, the Chargers aren’t running it back with Roman’s gap scheme and obvious backfire gambles like Mekhi Becton, at least. 

What the Chargers are doing, though, is resetting the entire scheme to an outside zone. 

Joe Alt told The Athletic’s Daniel Popper this about the scheme switch: “It’s a very freeing offense to play in. From the beginning, you’ve got your assignments and your technique, but from there, it is turn and sprint and run as hard as you can. You’re able to play fast, play physical and kind of unleash and not really think as much as I have in the past. It’s really just, ‘Go!’ And I think that’s a lot of fun for an offensive lineman.”

Sounds great! 

Except…it’s a work in progress. The Chargers added 10 new offensive linemen this offseason. There will be three new interior starters. At one guard spot, Cole Strange is a journeyman. At the other, Kayode Awosika is beating second-round pick Jake Slaughter, a college center drafted to play guard. 

Risky bets, but the Chargers like McDaniel and it’s early…so who’s complaining? 

Pushing Justin Herbert, too

It’s not just the offensive line for Justin Herbert, either. 

Herbert has had some odd days compared to his old OTAs and training camp habits. There have been days over the last few weeks when Herbert hasn’t even thrown the football. 

Instead, McDaniel has been challenging Herbert to improve his footwork in certain scenarios. The biggest one is simply helping him get better and pushing the ball out faster than he ever has to this point in his career. 

Easier said than done and a notable mixup for Herbert. Not a negative, per se, and he’s got plenty of time to adapt. 

Onlookers should be excited for McDaniel to work with Herbert, so this is part of the process. But it’s slow going before training camp with some notable mixups, as expected. 

Chargers injury/attendance updates

Omarion Hampton | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Good news for Chargers fans: Omarion Hampton is back. 

The budding breakout running back had been working off to the side during recent OTA practices. But he returned to normal work to start the week, serving as the lead back in team drills and individual work. He’s still on track to be the unchallenged starter in the new scheme and one of the league’s biggest outright breakout candidates. 

In not so good news: Wideout Ladd McConkey continues to work off to the side a bit. No explanation, but not major cause for concern at this part of the offseason, either.

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