Coach Brandon Staley said in July they would bring Quentin Johnston along slowly, and that’s held true. Staley said the slow ramp-up for their first-round pick isn’t because Johnston isn’t ready, but rather because of the talent ahead of him.
But that timeline has shifted. Mike Williams suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Sunday’s win against the Minnesota Vikings. The Chargers no longer have the luxury of keeping their first-round receiver hidden on the sidelines.
“We believe in the makeup of this guy, and now he's going to get a bigger opportunity because there are going to be more opportunities available for him,” Staley said. “So it's a great chance for him to step up.”
Related players: Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer
Allen is obviously still the top target but will probably draw more attention from defenses. Johnston will battle with Palmer for the WR2 spot but certainly has a chance to take over that role given his first-round talent. But as the story said, Johnston's play fluctuated in camp and he struggled with drops at one point. Still, if you're looking for help at the WR position, Johnston should be picked up and at least stashed for a week or two to see how he starts to fit in with this high-powered offense.
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