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The Los Angeles Chargers sophomore wide receiver Quentin Johnston is still a prime candidate to be traded. Johnston was predicted to be the No.4 receiver for the Chargers, but as of late, it looks as though the position hasn't been filled.
This is in part because Johnston has failed to meet expectations. The Chargers selected Johnston as the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The wideout was meant to add to the offense that year, but the hope was also that the TCU product would eventually fill the shoes of Keenan Allen.
At the time, Allen was still the No. 1 receiver for Los Angeles. Things quickly changed as Johnston had an underwhelming rookie year. He struggled with consistency and dropped passes. One dropped pass even cost Los Angeles a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Johnston was immediately labeled as a bad investment, but many speculated that it was simply growing pains at the start of a lengthy career with the Chargers.
To the dismay of Chargers fans, the dropped passes haunted Johnston into training camp and practices. Not only have his issues from his rookie season followed him but Johnston has consistently been outperformed by other wideouts like rookie receiver Brenden Rice.
Rice had the most snaps of any receiver in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks. There has been speculation that Rice could snag a spot in the back end of the receiver room.
If Rice were to be the No.4 receiver, Johnston would likely have to go. The sophomore wideout knows this is a reality and recently had a standout performance in practice.
Johnston made a splash play in Wednesday's practice with a leaping touchdown-grab. He also tallied eight catches throughout practice.
One of Quentin Johnston’s best catches today here pic.twitter.com/4nQdvAKuNM
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) August 21, 2024
Although Johnston had a memorable practice, it was his first standout performance in a while. He's been overshadowed by other wideouts throughout training camp and practice for some time now.
One big play won't remove him as a trade option for Los Angeles. It's evident that the new regime isn't as kind when it comes to underperformance.
A slew of players have already been released from the Chargers, which means the organization isn't afraid to let go of players they deem replaceable.
Johnston's attempt to redeem himself is noble, but it may not be enough to keep him in Los Angeles. A few potential landing spots for the receiver could be the Denver Broncos, the Dallas Cowboys, and the New England Patriots.
More must-reads:
- It's time for the Bengals to meet their disgruntled star halfway
- New list further highlights QB Jayden Daniels' value to Commanders
- The 'NFL stadium names' quiz
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Pitcher bizarrely faces old team on same day of trade
Seranthony Dominguez certainly had an eventful day on Tuesday. The veteran MLB reliever began the day on the Baltimore Orioles and was with his teammates in the dugout during the first leg of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays. The O's went on to win, 16-4, at Oriole Park in Baltimore, though Dominguez did not pitch during the game. But the day took a bizarre turn when the two teams agreed to a deal in the middle of the doubleheader. The Orioles traded Dominguez to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor league pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown. That led to a strange scene where Dominguez switched clubhouses after being traded, walking across the hallway to get to the Toronto side. Things got even weirder during the second leg of the doubleheader. Dominguez got the call to pitch for the Blue Jays against his former team. He had to walk past his ex-Baltimore teammates to get to the Toronto bullpen, and then entered the game in the seventh inning to pitch. Here is the unusual spectacle that saw Dominguez pitch against the guys that he began the day as teammates with. The whole thing was so bizarre that it even looked like Dominguez received a hastily-made Blue Jays jersey with the “8” in his No. 48 apparently stuck on backwards. Dominguez, a 30-year-old in his seventh MLB season, ended up striking out two in a scoreless frame against his former team. We have certainly seen instances of MLB players getting traded in the middle of games before, but that had to be the first instance of a player starting the first half of a doubleheader on one team and then pitching in the second half for the other team.
4-Time NBA All-Star Eager to Work With Pistons Star Cade Cunningham
Last season, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham drastically climbed the ranks of the NBA hierarchy. Following his breakout campaign, one former All-Star and champion opened up on his desire to work with him. Between having a fully healthy offseason and the Pistons making upgrades to the roster, the stage was set for Cunningham to take a step forward in his development. He made the most of this opportunity, posting career highs across the board. In 70 appearances in the regular season, he averaged 26.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 9.1 APG. This production not only got the Pistons to the postseason but also landed Cunningham All-Star and All-NBA honors. While appearing on FanDuel TV's Run It Back show Monday, Rajon Rondo praised Cunningham's abilities on the basketball court. With his experience, he also feels he could help take the Pistons' star to the next level. "If I can get my hands on a Cade Cunningham," Rondo said. "I think he could become that one type of point guard. It's only a couple of tweaks, and then it's also about personnel." Last season, Cunningham was one of the top facilitators in the league. If he spent some time with Rondo, there is no telling what it could do for his development in this area. At his peak, Rondo was a multi-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics and led the NBA in assists on three separate occasions. Though Cunningham already has a high IQ when it comes to playmaking, picking Rondo's brain could yield positive results for the Pistons guard. Seeing that he is more than willing to get in the gym with him, only time will tell if the two end up linking up this summer. Latest on Detroit Pistons’ Free Agency Key Details of Duncan Robinson’s Pistons Contract Detroit Pistons Make Official Trade Announcement Caris LeVert Officially Joining Detroit Pistons Pistons’ Paul Reed Decision Receives Questionable Grade
1 last-minute trade New York Yankees must complete before 2025 deadline
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