Chargers Training Camp Takeaways: Jim Harbaugh Making His Mark

Los Angeles conducted its first day of training camp at its new $250 million home on Wednesday, and its new head coach is already putting his unique spin on the squad.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh talks with tight end Donald Parham Jr., right, during the first day of training camp at The Bolt. / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Our second stop is at The Bolt, the Los Angeles Chargers’ brand-new (and not yet completely finished) quarter-billion-dollar home just a Justin Herbert throw away from LAX. And we happened to be there on the first day of Jim Harbaugh’s first training camp back in the NFL after nine years away …

• Let’s get the easy part out of the way first—Justin Herbert has blown away the new regime in Los Angeles. The size, arm strength and ability to move, of course, they knew about. What they’ve seen for themselves, though, is more than just that. First, it’s Herbert’s aptitude. The speed with which he’s picked up Greg Roman’s offense has reflected a very fast study, a maniacal worker or (and most likely) both. Second, his athleticism, and specifically ability to run and pull away from other great athletes in the open field, has been eye-opening—and tantalizing for a staff that knows how to threaten a defense with a mobile quarterback.

I’ve said over the past few months that Harbaugh’s excellent at getting more out of his quarterbacks by asking less of them (in having balanced teams that don’t need to be carried by the quarterback), and I see Herbert having a big year as a result. But by asking less of him, I’m not saying Herbert isn’t capable. Because the staff here can already see what the fifth-year veteran can do.

• One piece of 2023 Chargers tape that Harbaugh was blown away by in doing his work this spring was from the team’s first game against the Las Vegas Raiders last year. The L.A. edge defenders took that game over in a way he hadn’t seen before—Khalil Mack had six sacks, and then-rookie Tuli Tuipulotu was stout opposite him—and gave the coach a window into what defensive coordinator Jesse Minter would be working with in ’24. That game, by the way, came with Joey Bosa sidelined, and months before the team acquired veteran Bud Dupree, who just put together a very strong spring. So there’s one position that’s very much taken care of.

• It’s become a little bit of a running joke in the building how Harbaugh wants the players to do as Derwin James Jr. has done. But it’s also a nod to how he’s found a top-shelf leader in the three-time All-Pro. At Wednesday’s practice, he seemed to be on the field nonstop, even staying out there with the scout team defense at times. And he’s just one in a crew of vets that should help Harbaugh in the same way as the veteran core he inherited in San Francisco in 2011 (Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Joe Staley, Frank Gore, etc.), with Mack, Bosa, Denzel Perryman and Herbert very much in that category as well.

Alt, the Chargers’ No. 5 overall draft pick, makes for an imposing figure on the line. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

• Joe Alt is as advertised, freakishly tall and fit-looking for the 320 pounds he’s carrying, and with the kind of bend that you need to be effective as a 6’9” offensive linemen. The plan is to put him on the right side, opposite left tackle Rashawn Slater, and with Bradley Bozeman in at center and Trey Pipkins moving inside to guard, the Chargers feel like they’ll be able to roll out a solid starting five up front. That, of course, is pretty important to how the Chargers plan to play—something that was obvious even at this practice without pads (a prime example: reserve lineman Jordan McFadden was taking reps at fullback).

• If there are two positions on the roster that need to sort themselves out over the next month, they’d probably be corner and receiver.

At the former, Asante Samuel Jr. has been instinctive and aggressive, and is poised to nail down a big role, with veterans such as Kristian Fulton trying to hold off rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still for spots around him (having that pass rush, plus James and emerging free safety Alohi Gilman, will help).

At the latter spot, Joshua Palmer gives the team one reliable target, with second-year man Quentin Johnston (a big guy who moves with the agility of a smaller guy) and rookie Ladd McConkey (a tough cover who can play inside and outside) expected to make leaps in camp.

• And here’s a bonus one, because you can’t come out here and not pass along a couple of Harbaugh stories.

The first came at the start of practice, when a gaggle of El Segundo city officials were on the field for a ribbon-cutting for the new building. Harbaugh came over and said hello to everyone, and hung out for a minute before heading back over to the players as the photo op was prepared. Then, out of nowhere, he blew his whistle and called for the entire roster to go over and get in the picture with a surprised group of government guys, police officers and firefighters.

The second story came at the end of practice. After imparting his wise words on the team, Harbaugh pulled up a coaching intern, this one a recent former player, to recognize his effort in trying to do the team’s conditioning test as the players had the day before. Harbaugh said he’d never seen a coach try that before. This coach, for the record, did not pass what sounded to me like a pretty grueling test (no shame in that, of course).