Chargers News: Joshua Palmer Breaks Down Importance of WRs Learning to Block

Valentina Martinez | Aug 16, 2024

Jun 13, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) during minicamp at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Chargers plan to be a physical team on both sides of the football. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer shared on Thursday the importance of blocking for the position group.

"In the receiver room at least, there's always been an emphasis to block hard," Palmer said. "Everyone knows that clip of Keenan blocking the DN against the Raiders or my block for JK on the touchdown. So, we pride ourselves in blocking, we don't like when our guy makes a tackle. We're just going to take it up a notch and just do a little bit more and be that bully that Coach Jim wants us to be."

Palmer is slated to be part of the wide receiver core alongside rookie Ladd McConkey and DJ Chark. There was a lot of speculation surrounding the group following the loss of star receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

In the wake of a new era for the Chargers, the offense is in the midst of establishing a new identity. With a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator, and a new offensive scheme, Los Angeles has the chance to essentially rebrand the organization.

The Los Angeles offense has thus far had a slow start. In Saturday's preseason opener with the Seattle Seahawks, the offense gained just 15 yards in 13 plays. Miscues and incomplete passes stained the performance, but the unit was short its captain.

Justin Herbert won't be ready to go until Week 1 of the season as he recovers from a plantar fascia injury in his right foot.

Nevertheless, the offense wants to be known as bullies in the league this year.

"We want to be bullies, you know,” running back JK Dobbins said earlier this season. “We want to have a run game and a pass game. We want to be able to bully people and do whatever we want to do. And it starts here, camp, and we're gonna get that.

“We're gonna get to it, we're gonna work for it every single day. And we got the guys to do it. And so that's what we're shooting for. I know I'm shooting for it, not only as a team, but as a player as well. I want to be a bully on the field too.”

Although the offense had a nightmarish performance versus the Seahawks, the dynamic is likely to change once Herbert returns. The unit definitely has the right players to embrace a physical personality this year.