Ekeler tied for second on the team with 51 receptions in 2023, while his primary backup last season -- Joshua Kelley -- is a free agent. The Chargers brought in Gus Edwards in free agency, but Edwards has just 30 catches over 69 career NFL regular-season games and will likely be ticketed for the early-down work that Ekeler and Kelley and shared. The cap-strapped Chargers are unlikely to dip back into the free-agent market at running back, though they could bolster their backfield during the 2024 NFL Draft. In the meantime, however, Spiller profiles as the top candidate to handle passing-down work. He's demonstrated good hands, albeit on a small sample size, catching all nine of his targets for 47 yards since the Chargers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Herbert was back at practice Monday and participated in team drills for the first time since August 1. He was initially expected to miss all of training camp, so he is trending in a positive direction. Nevertheless, Herbert likely won't be as mobile as usual when the regular season begins, and he has had little time to get acclimated to new coach Jim Harbaugh's offensive scheme, setting the stage for a sluggish start to the campaign.

The Chargers believe Johnston is at his best with the ball in his hands after the catch, and new offensive coordinator Greg Roman intends to draw up plays that put the second-year wideout in those situations. Johnston has also been playing hard in camp as he looks to erase the disappointment of his 431-yard rookie season. The Chargers parted ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the offseason, creating the opportunity for some combination of Johnston, Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark and 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey to step up. McConkey is currently sidelined by a lower-body injury.

It wasn't exactly a high bar to clear in a game the Chargers lost 16-3, but Perez's 61 passing yards were more than Max Duggan's 41 or starter Easton Stick's 31, and Stick also had an interception. With the Chargers scrambling to have a viable replacement available should Justin Herbert's foot injury linger into the regular season, Perez could put himself in the backup conversation if he continues to outplay Stick, Duggan and Casey Bauman.

The Chargers cut Mike Williams and traded away Keenan Allen this offseason, leaving their wide receiver room relatively barren. Palmer will look to fill that void and did step up to catch 72 balls for 769 yards in the 2022 regular season, making him the team's most proven receiver in recent years. Ladd McConkey, the team's second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, could eventually challenge Palmer, but for now, the rookie is competing for a role of his own.

The Chargers are optimistic Herbert will recover in time to play Week 1, but even if that's the case, McConkey will miss out on valuable practice reps alongside the starting quarterback during training camp. McConkey had reportedly been building a strong rapport with Herbert prior to the quarterback's injury, and the rookie wide receiver out of Georgia looked poised to begin his career as one of Herbert's favorite targets. The 2024 second-round draft pick's ceiling would be far lower with Stick, who hasn't thrown for more than 258 yards in an NFL game.

Stick finished last season as the Chargers' starter with Herbert sidelined due to a finger injury, but that was naturally under the previous coaching regime. However, even with Jim Harbaugh now at the helm in Los Angeles, Stick's experience, modest as it is, still trumps that of fellow backups Max Duggan and Casey Bauman and figures to therefore give him first crack at serving as Herbert's fill-in for at least two weeks. Stick completed 63.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and one interception while adding 144 rushing yards and another score over his five total regular-season appearances in 2023.

Herbert is expected to wear a walking boot during his recovery period, but for the moment, he's fully expected to be ready to play against the Raiders in Week 1. Before sitting out the final four games of the regular season in 2023, Herbert had recorded 62 consecutive starts. Easton Stick, who took over for Herbert in the final month last season and has appeared in six career regular-season games overall, is likely poised to take first-team reps while Herbert sits out.

Dobbins has achieved his goal of being ready for training camp, having completed his recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered in Week 1 of last season. He has a lengthy injury history, including a torn ACL along with the aforementioned Achilles tear, but Dobbins has been effective when healthy, boasting a career average of 5.8 yards per carry on 234 regular-season rushing attempts. If Dobbins manages to stave off injuries in 2024, he'll have a chance to carve out a sizable role in a Chargers backfield that includes former Ravens teammate Gus Edwards and rookie sixth-round pick Kimani Vidal.

Davis, whom the Chargers took in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, finished his rookie year with 385 punt return yards and one touchdown, which earned him a spot on the Second-Team All-Pro roster as a return specialist. Popper relays that Davis' performance last season, coupled with the return of special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, should make the TCU product a lock to make the Chargers' roster following training camp. Davis is unlikely to see an expanded role in the passing game, given he's behind Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark, Quentin Johnston and 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey on the depth chart.

Selected 21st overall by the Chargers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Johnston didn't have the same impact in his first year in the league as fellow rookie wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison. Despite seeing more snaps and targets after Mike Williams and Keenan Allen went down with injuries, Johnston finished the 2023 regular season with just 38 catches on 67 targets for 431 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games. Popper has Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark and 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey as the three receivers in 11 personnel packages, meaning Johnston will need to show out during training camp to carve out a consistent role in the Chargers' offense.

Parham is regarded as a below-average blocker, which could cost him playing time relative to offseason additions Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst. Additionally, undrafted rookie Zach Heins could earn playing time with his blocking skills if he makes the team. Parham also sat out team drills in spring practices -- presumably due to an injury -- so he hasn't gotten a chance to impress the new coaching staff on the field.

Heins has been participating in the Chargers' offseason program after joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State. The 6-foot-6, 259-pound tight end excels as a blocker, and new head coach Jim Harbaugh has a penchant for focusing on the run. As such, Heins has a chance to carve out a role in a tight-end room that has one strong blocker in Will Dissly and three underwhelming blockers in Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham and Stone Smartt.

Veteran center Bradley Bozeman is the source of the report of Herbert's quick command of his fourth offensive system in five years, remarking that the prolific quarterback already looks like he's been in the scheme "for 10 years." Bozeman serves as a good frame of reference, considering he already has three years in Roman's offense under his belt from their mutual time with the Ravens and has had an up-close look at Herbert's grasp of the system during OTAs and minicamp.

McConkey has a chance to emerge as Herbert's go-to wide receiver out of the gate, as the Chargers parted ways with veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams before drafting McConkey 34th overall out of Georgia. The rookie has impressed on and off the field, standing out with quickness and precise route running in practice while building chemistry with Herbert by attending a Zach Bryan concert together.

Palmer referred to Allen and Williams as his "two best friends" and noted it was "definitely different" not having either out there with him during offseason workouts. Palmer added that he looked up to both players professionally, but that he's moving forward and is seeing a mostly young wide receiver room begin to take shape as training camp approaches.

Colson played for new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, and Reuter cites the linebacker's familiarity with the boss's expectations and system as part of the reason why Colson landed in Los Angeles. Reuter notes Colson, who racked up 257 total stops in three college seasons, should be able to clog up running lanes and use his speed to force running backs outside, and he envisions the rookie cracking the 100-tackle threshold right out of the gate in his NFL career.

Rhim notes that while offensive linemen evaluations are always a challenging proposition in OTAs and minicamps due to the absence of pads, Harbaugh clearly feels his top pick is ready to handle first-team duties from Day 1. Alt lined up mostly at right tackle during offseason on-field work, and Rhim adds that's likely where he'll slot in during his rookie year.

Jefferson was still involved with the NFL last season, working as a scouting department intern with the Ravens following a May 2023 retirement announcement. The identity of the team that's coaxed the veteran safety out of retirement isn't entirely surprising -- current Los Angeles general manager Joe Hortiz was the Ravens' director of player personnel during Jefferson's internship in Baltimore, and current Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was Jefferson's defensive backs coach with the Ravens from 2017-19.

Palmer spent six weeks on injured reserve due to a knee sprain he sustained in Week 8 against Chicago. Before that, he stepped into the second wide receiver role vacated by Mike Williams -- who tore his ACL in Week 3 -- and saw four-plus targets in six-straight contests from quarterback Justin Herbert. With Williams and Keenan Allen gone, Filice believes that Palmer should command plenty of targets from Herbert as the leader of a wide receiver corps consisting of 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey and veteran DJ Chark.

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams now off the roster, the battle for the top spot in the Chargers' wide receiver room seems to be wide open. Incumbent Joshua Palmer would be miscast in that role, and Patra implies McConkey, whom Los Angeles selected out of Georgia in the second round of April's draft, could be the best candidate for the top role despite the fact he's a rookie and profiles as a slot receiver.

Johnston struggled as a rookie after being drafted 21st overall in 2023, posting only 431 receiving yards. Nonetheless, he has an opportunity to carve out a major role in his second NFL season, as the Chargers parted ways with veteran wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Hortiz's endorsement is notable since he wasn't the GM that drafted Johnson, but it appears the new regime also has a high opinion of the former TCU wide receiver.

Rosenthal believes Gus Edwards will begin the season atop the Chargers' running back depth chart while the team takes a cautious approach with Dobbins. Though Dobbins said in April that he's fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered in the first week of the 2023 season, that was his second season-ending injury in three years, as he also tore his ACL in 2021. Once fully up to speed, Dobbins has a chance to take over as the lead back in a familiar scheme run by former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

Rosenthal mentions that the Chargers referred to Edwards as a "bell cow" when they signed him in free agency, and Edwards likely won't require much of an acclimation period with his new team since the Chargers also brought in offensive coordinator Greg Roman, under whom Edwards played with the Ravens. Fellow former Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins will likely be brought along slowly in his recovery from a torn Achilles, while rookie sixth-round draft pick Kimani Vidal is unlikely to challenge Edwards for the starting role right away.

USC's Brenden Rice unsurprisingly has a very involved dad in Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who was incensed by his son's fall in the draft. Brenden noted his father told him "we're going to take this to a different level" after the former was the 32nd out of 35 receivers selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Disappointment about where he was picked aside, Brenden insists he's focused on the positives of joining a team where he'll have Justin Herbert as his quarterback and a chance to make an immediate impact due to the team's dearth of wide receiver depth and explosive players.

Allen averaged 10.2 targets over the previous four years with Herbert, but the veteran wide receiver is now in Chicago. Between the departures of Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett, the Chargers lost four players responsible for 55 percent of the team's targets over the past two seasons. McConkey, whom the Chargers drafted 34th overall in 2024 out of Georgia, has a skill set reminiscent of Allen's. Even with the Chargers likely to run the ball more under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, McConkey still has an opportunity to emerge as the top target for one of the NFL's best young quarterbacks once Herbert recovers from a fractured right index finger.

Palmer, who just completed his third NFL season, still sits atop the offseason depth chart for the time being, but Chark figures to absorb his fair share of targets if he's healthy. Palmer also has plenty of younger competition in 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey and 2024 fourth-round pick Derius Davis, so there's no guarantee he's still the de facto No. 1 receiver role by the time Week 1 rolls around.

Dobbins met with the media for the first time since signing with the Chargers and said he expects to be ready for training camp, though he added the caveat that the team's training staff will control the pace of his return to the field. Los Angeles selected Kimani Vidal in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. adding some extra competition to the running back depth chart, but if Dobbins is cleared in time be ready for Week 1, he should lead the backfield alongside Gus Edwards.

The Chargers set the tone by selecting Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick, then followed that up by taking versatile wide receiver Ladd McConkey out of Georgia early in the second round. The Bolts wrapped up their Day 3 picks with Troy running back Kimani Vidal and wide receivers Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson out of USC and Michigan, respectively. With Herbert's blindside protected by Alt and young skill players to plug in the holes left by Ekeler, Allen and Williams, the Chargers are putting their franchise quarterback in a position to succeed in 2024 and beyond.

Rhim relays the information from ESPN colleague Adam Schefter, who confirmed that the Chargers had quickly turned down both requests when they were made. Los Angeles general manager Joe Hortiz confirmed Thursday there indeed had been inquires at the NFL Combine but declined to specify which teams made them, adding "that is never an option" in reference to the possibility of trading the 2020 first-round pick.

Edwards inked a two-year deal with Los Angeles on March 11, and he'll now be joined by Dobbins, his teammate in Baltimore over the last four campaigns. Both players should have a relatively brief acclimation curve given they'll be operating in a system run by their one-time coordinator with the Ravens, Greg Roman. Provided Dobbins is fully recovered from the Achilles tear that ended his 2023 campaign in Week 1, Edwards could operate as a complementary option to the former.

Dobbins agreed to terms with the Chargers earlier in the week, and he's now officially in the fold and reunited with a couple of one-time Ravens colleagues. Dobbins will join Baltimore backfield mate Gus Edwards in Los Angeles, and both will be playing in an offense coordinated by Greg Roman, who had the same role with the Ravens during the first three seasons of Dobbins' career.

"I had the concussion and for a week after it was a little touch-and-go, but I went to the Mayo Clinic down in Jacksonville, got a second opinion, got full clear bill of health," Hurst said. "The only reason I sat out as long as I did was just, from the front office, there was really no point. They were 2-15, or 2-13 at the time, so there was really no point in rushing back." The veteran tight end signed with the Chargers after being released by Carolina in March, and he could compete for the starting job vacated by Gerald Everett when he left in free agency.

Ekeler tied for second on the team with 51 receptions in 2023, while his primary backup last season -- Joshua Kelley -- is a free agent. The Chargers brought in Gus Edwards in free agency, but Edwards has just 30 catches over 69 career NFL regular-season games and will likely be ticketed for the early-down work that Ekeler and Kelley and shared. The cap-strapped Chargers are unlikely to dip back into the free-agent market at running back, though they could bolster their backfield during the 2024 NFL Draft. In the meantime, however, Spiller profiles as the top candidate to handle passing-down work. He's demonstrated good hands, albeit on a small sample size, catching all nine of his targets for 47 yards since the Chargers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.