Concerning Quentin Johnston Report Emerges From Chargers Training Camp

It's safe to say that Quentin Johnston's rookie campaign wasn't what Los Angeles Chargers fans hoped to see. Last year's 21st-overall selection struggled to establish chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert, leaving the fanbase demanding to see some major improvements once training camp began.

Unfortunately, Johnston hasn't done much to silence his doubters. Instead, he's given them a lot of ammunition to use against him. The ex-TCU wideout has been struggling to consistently run routes and has dropped more balls than you can count, leaving his frustrated supporters to hope for better times sooner rather than later.

As it turns out, Johnston's training camp struggles aren't doing him any favors in head coach Jim Harbaugh's books.

Chargers Rumors: Quentin Johnston Falling Down WR Depth Chart

The Atheltic's Daniel Popper is reporting that Johnston is no longer in the mix to be one of the Chargers' top three wide receivers next season. Popper cites Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark, and Ladd McConkey as the best trio in Los Angeles' WR room, which says a lot about Johnston's standing with the team.

If Johnston was a former Day 3 pick, his struggles likely wouldn't be under the microscope. However, his status as an ex-first-rounder certainly warrants scrutiny, especially when you consider that fellow wideout Zay Flowers — who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens one pick later — lived up to and exceeded expectations as a rookie.

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams missing time last season, Chargers fans hoped to see Johnston step up. Instead, the former Horned Frog only managed to catch 38 of his 67 targets (56.7%) for just 431 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also dropped three passes while one ball thrown his way ended in an interception.

Meanwhile, Johnston was outplayed by former 2021 third-round selection Joshua Palmer. Although he wasn't as productive as he was during the 2022 campaign, Palmer still managed to produce a 38-581-2 stat line across seven fewer games than Johnston.

Additionally, Palmer looks like his connection with Herbert has only improved since camp began.

Johnston now faces an uphill battle to earn more playing time. Chark — a former 1,000-yard receiver — has clearly played himself into HC Harbaugh's good graces while McConkey looks more than NFL-ready after amassing over 1,600 yards and 14 TDs across three seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs.

That's without mentioning how hungry up-and-coming WRs like Brenden Rice, Simi Fehoko, and Derius Davis are all vying for more snaps, too.

Considering how he was the previous regime's draft pick, it wouldn't be surprising if Harbaugh & Co. don't have much of an attachment to Johnston. While cutting him would result in a near-$5 million dead cap hit, trading the struggling playmaker would save the Chargers over $1.3 million, per Spotrac.

Given his age and draft pedigree, Los Angeles could potentially net a decent return if management is ready to move on.

Johnston finding a way to live up to his once-promising potential would go a long way in improving the franchise's championship outlook. As it stands, the Chargers will continue training camp with the 17th-best odds to win Super Bowl LIX (+4000) on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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