Chargers News: Bolts Add Depth to The Wide Receiver Room
The Los Angeles Chargers needed some pass catchers coming into the NFL Draft, and they addressed that in a significant way. Yes, the Chargers have the likes of Pro Bowl talents in Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, but it's been proven time and time again that those two aren't enough.
Chargers GM Tom Telesco was aware of that and did an extraordinary job adding depth to their wide receiver room. It's a significant upgrade (on paper) from last season, and it should propel the Bolts to a major height this upcoming season.
Chargers insider for the Athletic Daniel Popper did his final assessment of the roster after the draft weekend, and he is a fan of what they did with the receiver roo. Popper is a fan and calls this current group a deep one.
Johnston, the Chargers’ first-round pick, is the big addition to this room. A teammate of Duggan’s at TCU, Johnston is an outstanding athlete at his size — 6-foot-3, 212 pounds — and brings an explosiveness after the catch the Chargers were missing. Davis, initially, will serve as the team’s primary kick and punt returner. More on that later. But he has 4.36 speed and Staley said Davis “gives you that fifth receiver element, too.” Guyton, who is coming off a torn ACL, re-signed on a one-year deal. Bynum (USC) and Wilson (Florida State) are undrafted free agents. This is a much, much deeper — and more explosive — receiver group than the Chargers had in Staley’s first two seasons.
The Chargers kicked it off with their first selection in the draft by choosing Quentin Johnston from TCU. Johnston was one of the better college WRs last season and was one of the finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Derius Davis, Johnston's fellow teammate at TCU, is a speedy receiver and was taken in the fourth round.
They weren't done with those two; LA signed undrafted free agents Terrell Bynum from USC and Pokey Wilson from Flordia State University. It's too early to tell what role they'll play, but the team will have many options to choose from.
On top of that, you have veterans in Joshua Palmer and Jalen Guyton, who is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season. This group has the talent to take Their QB Justin Herbert over the top and the team to get where they want to go.
It's going to be a fun and exciting receiving core.
