Los Angeles Chargers IOL Zion Johnson during minicamp at the Hoag Performance Center. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers' Zion Johnson experiment off to an extremely rocky start at training camp

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 3:00 PM ET

With an appearance in the NFL Hall of Fame Game on the schedule, the Los Angeles Chargers got to work earlier than most teams, with their 2025 training camp already underway.

One of the main focuses this season has been head coach Jim Harbaugh reshaping the offense to his preference. They got bigger and more physical with the addition of Mekhi Becton on the offensive line, as well as Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton in the backfield.

With their focus on controlling the ground taking center stage, Harbaugh is looking for the right starting lineup for his offensive line. That's included experimenting with Zion Johnson at center. Unfortunately, The Athletic's Daniel Popper says there have already been some issues.

"The pads are not on yet, so it is impossible to truly evaluate offensive line play. But one note: Herbert bobbled a couple of Johnson’s snaps. One snap in the two-point-conversion period was very high and led to a busted play. Johnson has not played center in college or the NFL." — Popper

Selected at No. 17 overall in 2022, Johnson hasn't lived up to expectations. As a result, the Chargers declined the fifth-year option in his rookie contract but are still trying to find a way to make it work. Perhaps he gets it figured out at center, but the start has been rocky.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Chargers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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