The Los Angeles Chargers’ final preseason game of this summer took place on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood versus their SoFi co-tenants, the Los Angeles Rams. It was one final tune-up for them before they open their 2026 regular-season schedule on Sept. 13 at the same venue versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh played his starters for several snaps in the first quarter, then went with his backups the rest of the way. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei got lots of playing time, and he was a mixed bag as he completed 11 of 18 pass attempts but bungled the team’s final drive, resulting in a 20-18 loss.
But Harbaugh, as well as new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, must’ve been pleased with the way two other men played on Thursday.
Quentin Johnston flashed his speed
Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images
Ever since the Chargers took him with the No. 21 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Johnston has been branded as somewhat of a disappointment, especially by the team’s fans. While he scored eight touchdowns apiece in both of the last two seasons, his receiving yardage has been modest, and his 59.5% career catch rate hasn’t exactly been impressive.
But on Thursday, Johnston gave everyone a preview of something that may take place a little more often this season. On the team’s second drive of the game, starting quarterback Justin Herbert flung the football downfield to a streaking Johnston, who took it to the house for a 65-yard touchdown reception after evading two Rams defenders.
As was the case when he was with the Miami Dolphins over the last four years, McDaniel’s offense is based more on pace, rhythm and motion than what the Chargers ran the last two years under then-offensive coordinator Greg Roman. The hope is that McDaniel will unlock Johnston’s world-class speed and bring out the best version of the Texas Christian University product.
Greg Desrosiers Jr.
The Chargers don’t exactly have anyone who is the second coming of LaDainian Tomlinson starting at running back right now. But they do have some depth there, and Thursday reinforced that notion thanks to the performance that Desrosiers Jr. put on.
The undrafted rookie took nine carries and turned them into 118 yards, plus a 34-yard touchdown he scored early in the fourth quarter to get the Bolts to within four points.
“At the end of the day, they’re going to have a big decision to make and my job was to make it hard for them,” he said.
Last week versus the San Francisco 49ers, Desrosiers Jr. had just 21 yards on four carries, and the week prior to that, it took him 10 rushing attempts to total 27 yards. He may have made a case for being the team’s fourth-string running back behind Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal.
