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Los Angeles Chargers GM Challenges WR: 'It’s Up To Quentin What He Becomes'

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Ryan Anderson | Last updated 5/14/24

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz joined Kay Adams on her show Up and Adams on Tuesday morning. Wide receivers have been a hot topic around the team since they released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen. The conversation reached its fever pitch after they passed on Malik Nabers early in the first round, but then selected three in the draft including Ladd McConkey with the 34th pick.

The New-Look Los Angeles Chargers Plans for Quentin Johnston

Lost in the shuffle of those debates, is what the new regime plans are for the Chargers 2023 first-round pick, Quentin Johnston. Johnston’s rookie campaign was marred by rookie mistakes and bad drops.

Adams astutely asked Hortiz about Johnston’s future with the team. First the glossy optimistic answer;

“We’ve all seen it and we believe in it and he’s a great kid and he’s a great worker,” Hortiz responded, “and everyone here has a high opinion of him. I believe he’s really gonna launch. I really do think his skill set is great. We’re going to work with him and make him better and better.”

Adams followed up on that answer to clarify where Johnston fits in the new pecking order of the Charger WR room.

“Is Quentin wide receiver one?” Adams asked. Hortiz gave a more grounded and realistic answer to her follow-up.

“It’s up to Quentin what he becomes. We’re gonna we’re gonna push him and work with him and develop him but I’m not going to anoint Quentin as anything. Quentin’s gonna develop and show what he is to the league and to everyone out there, but I believe his work ethic and his talent, he’s got a high ceiling for sure.”

“Quinten was a player that we liked in Baltimore as well last year. A player that I liked and the one thing you look at him when he was coming out of college he was an elite-size-speed athlete. You saw some rawness to his game but you also saw the ability for as big as he is, he’s six-three, I think, and 220 pounds, you watch him drop his weight, come in, get in and out of breaks, come to balance at the top of the route and get out quickly. He can do some rare things for a player his size. Jim was on the other sideline in one of [Johnston’s] better games.”

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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