Los Angeles Chargers rookie Quentin Johnston had a rough first season, but that had everything to do with him having to learn quickly. Johnston was essentially going to come along slowly, but injuries to Mike Williams and Keenan Allen forced him into action.
Johnston put up 431 yards and 2 TDs in his limited action, which are not terrible numbers. The issue is that he may have been misused as the deep threat that Williams was before he was hurt.
Still, Johnston had a rough rookie year, and many players do. Not every drafted player comes out of the gate and becomes a star. Johnston still can become a true WR1. Former Chargers cornerback Chris Harris Jr. believes that is the case, as he explained this on Bleav in Chargers.
""But the thing with Johnson is that you have to get used to the league. Right. and the league is different from a standpoint as in college, you might have more free access, right? Guys are scared of you, right, in college. So they're not going to get up on the line, and press you all game."
Harris explains that in college, the speed of the game is a bit loose in terms of the physicality of the opposition. Johnston was likely not used to being jammed up on the line by professionals, which could have thrown off his game.
With one season under the books, Johnston can elevate his speed to match the speed of the NFL. He is already hard at work training for the 2024 season, and we imagine he will make a big leap.
The Chargers lost both Allen and Williams and even if they do not pick up a proven veteran in free agency, Johnston will get another crack at being WR1 in 2024.
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