The Chargers’ wide receiver room remains a work in progress, and heading into June, it’s still unclear exactly how the group will shape up. Ladd McConkey is the safest bet to start, thanks to his polish and positional versatility. Beyond him, the options are far less certain. Mike Williams, turning 31 in October, is coming off a torn ACL. Tre Harris, a promising Day 2 rookie, is still untested. And Quentin Johnston, a former first-round pick, has inconsistent stats.
That uncertainty showed up in Pro Football Focus’ projected starting lineup last month. Analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick left Johnston out entirely, opting instead for Williams and Harris on the outside, with McConkey in the slot. If you look at it under a microscope, it makes sense. When the Los Angeles Chargers made Johnston the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, there were lingering questions. Johnston’s college production at TCU was impressive, yet the fit in Los Angeles wasn’t obvious. And yet, the Chargers clearly don’t see it the same way.
Sanjay Lal, the wide receiver coach for the Chargers, set off a chain reaction on Tuesday when he made an unvarnished comment about Quentin Johnston: “I told him he’s a starter. Because he is.” Despite its audacity, the statement surprised many people, particularly since Johnston was left off Pro Football Focus experts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick’s predicted starting lineup for 2025. Instead, they picked Tre Harris and Mike Williams on the outside, with rookie Ladd McConkey holding down the slot. But the Chargers’ staff obviously has a different perspective. The new administration is giving Johnston a full vote of confidence, a former first-round pick who struggled with inconsistency and drop concerns early in his career.
Chargers WR coach Sanjay Lal on Quentin Johnston: “I told him he’s a stater. Because he is.”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) June 3, 2025
When asked by LA Times reporter Thuc Nhi Nguyen about his goals for 2025, Johnston made his expectations clear: “Just elevating from last year… Having a thousand yards, for sure.” That’s the level of ambition the Chargers are looking for from the former first-rounder. But ambition alone won’t cut it. Johnston needs to show that his offseason work can translate into results on the field.
The critics haven’t been quiet on Johnston’s performance. His poor production, limited route tree, and drop rate made him a lightning rod. However, that story may be shifting rapidly. He just came off a career-best 711 yards and 8 touchdowns and has quietly grinded all offseason, showing up in OTA footage making contested grabs and running cleaner routes.
Not only did Sanjay Lal name him the starter, but he also fully encouraged his potential: “First thing I don’t look back, I don’t know the circumstances. Looking forward, he moves as well as any receiver I’ve seen. Approach each nuance of every route, master each technique, and see where we fall.” Johnston’s workload and attitude are beginning to align with the expectations of his draft stock, despite reports that he will be surpassed by younger players like Harris or more experienced veterans like Williams.
So, it might be all sunshine for Johnson now that Jim Harbaugh has his staff behind him. But while he gets a chance at redemption, Ladd McConkey is a strong contender who he won’t be able to ignore.
Ladd McConkey’s message for the Raiders
In the offseason, the rookie wide receiver, McConkey, has been working like a mad scientist with Justin Herbert. This week, he made a statement that should make every AFC West team squirm. “The next step is you go back and watch film. There’s times we might’ve missed a route, missed this, whatever. It’s more organic. We’re both competitors…We’re practicing, watching film. When the season comes, be ready for it.” It sounds like a typical rookie soundbite at first. But if you look more closely, you see that this wasn’t a message to the league but a direct jab at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Because September is not the only month that the season begins. It explodes in Week 2 when Jim Harbaugh and his former rival Pete Carroll, now dressed in silver and black, square off in what could be the most animosity-filled AFC West game of the year. And, Ladd McConkey, the rookie that most teams passed on in the draft, just added fuel to that rivalry.
This Chargers-Raiders game isn’t like the others. Once more, it’s Harbaugh vs. Carroll. This rivalry dates back to the college days, when Harbaugh and Pete’s famous “what’s your deal” handshake took place. Now that they are back in the same division, Carroll is leading a Raiders team that is still attempting to define itself, while Harbaugh is leading the Chargers into the new era.
And in the midst of that grudge match? A rookie wide receiver who’s been living in the film room, syncing with Herbert like it’s midseason. And openly declaring: “Be ready for it.” This is what Jim Harbaugh brings. The Chargers have delivered the first verbal blow in what is expected to be the season’s most petty, nastiest, and traditional AFC West rivalry.
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