Los Angeles Chargers Quentin Johnston Calls Rookie Season 'Unacceptable'

The Los Angeles Chargers imploded last season due to a variety of factors. One of them was the play of rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston. The former TCU wide receiver was a first-round pick and came into the league with high expectations. He did not live up to them and struggled with drops throughout the year. In a recent interview, Johnston said his rookie season was “unacceptable,” and he looks to improve in 2024.

Los Angeles Chargers Quentin Johnston On Year 2

Quentin Johnston only caught 38 passes for 431 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie year with the Los Angeles Chargers. He also dropped many passes, one of them being in week 11, where he dropped a pass that would have set up the game-tying field goal. Johnston knows this has to be fixed.

“At the catch-point, taking my eyes off of it. I look it all the way in. I feel like it was a lack of focus all together. It was straight-up unacceptable. I always kind of go back to that moment when I step back out on practice or if I’m feeling a certain type of way at practice, I always go back to that. OK, if I take a day off here, it’ll kind of correlate or wind down into a game like that, which, obviously, I do not want again.”

There will be more pressure on Quentin Johnston this year. Kennan Allen and Mike Williams are gone. While the team brought in some rookie receivers like Ladd McConkey, Johnston will need to take on a bigger role for the Los Angeles Chargers. It is a new coaching staff so the hope is with new voices in the locker room, Johnston can make a year two leap.

Optimism For Year Two

We’ve been spoiled with players succeeding in their rookie season, especially wide receivers. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, players need some time to adjust to the NFL. Furthermore, the culture under Brandon Staley clearly wasn’t the best. Jim Harbaugh comes in with a proven track record of putting a quality product on the field. The Los Angeles Chargers won’t need to rely heavily on Quentin Johnston, which should help the second-year wideout.

The Los Angeles Chargers are a fascinating team in 2024. On the one hand, they aren’t projected to do well, given the coaching change and roster turnover. However, they still have Justin Herbert and some quality pieces on defense. Harbaugh has shown he can come in and win right away. If AFC teams are not careful, the Chargers could surprise them in 2024.