Chargers' former 1st-round pick undergoing position change remains mystery at OTAs

Zion Johnson is one of the more interesting talking points around the Los Angeles Chargers as OTAs unfold. 

The Chargers declined Johnson’s fifth-year option recently for obvious reasons. Yet at every turn, head coach Jim Harbaugh has still mentioned the former first-round pick as a likely starter in 2025 (alongside veteran Bradley Bozeman, another guy fans seemed to think would be back as a backup only). 

But so far, Johnson’s usage at Chargers OTAs has felt a little scattershot. 

As the team’s website pointed out early in the week, Johnson didn’t take part in team sessions after initially snapping to Justin Herbert early in the work. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper said that Johnson worked some left guard during drills against air before missing 11-on-11 work. 

Per Popper, this was the starting lineup in 11s (keeping in mind Rashawn Slater isn’t present): “left tackle Jamaree Salyer, left guard Branson Taylor, center Bradley Bozeman, right guard Mekhi Becton, right tackle Joe Alt.”

In other words, Harbaugh is staying true to his word about a competition and especially the point about giving Johnson a look at center.

But right now, it’s hard to see how the offseason moves to this point lead to anything but Johnson and Bozeman starting again, leaving Mekhi Becton as one of just three needy spots upgraded, which is a bold roll of the dice.