Chargers’ Quentin Johnston finds comfort zone after rocky rookie season

“I just think he got a bad rap, looking at some of the clips coming out of training camp last year,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Johnston.

EL SEGUNDO — Quentin Johnston sprinted toward the corner of the end zone, looking relaxed and confident as he ran his route the other day during a training camp drill. He boxed out a defender, as a basketball player might jostle for a rebound beneath the basket. Then he leaped and caught the pass.

One day later, he ran a different route along the sideline, making sharp moves to shed himself off a defender. He turned to find the pass wasn’t as precise as it could have been. He slowed and adjusted his body so he could make the catch. Again, he shielded himself from his closest pursuer.

In between, Johnston caught almost everything thrown in his direction. He made difficult plays seem routine and routine plays seem, well, routine. He appeared more poised in the opening days of his second training camp with the Chargers, who picked him in the first round in the 2023 draft.

Johnston, 22, is another year older and another year wiser.

Or so it would seem.

“I just think he got a bad rap, looking at some of the clips coming out of training camp last year,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It just seemed like, in somebody’s mind, he was a disappointment. He hadn’t been at all in my estimation. I see a big, fast, strong and getting stronger (wide receiver).”

Harbaugh also praised Johnston’s speed and agility.

In fact, Johnston has looked like a seasoned veteran who has played his way through several years of battles in an extended period of time. He has not looked like a raw, uncertain rookie, as he did last year at this time. His best attributes are difficult to miss, especially when you watch him run his routes.

Were they always present and did everyone miss them last season? Or did he suddenly regain the swagger that he had during his standout seasons at TCU? At the very least, his comfort level appears to have been raised several notches above what he displayed last season as a rookie.

“I would say it’s significantly better,” he said of his confidence.

Last season, Johnston caught 38 passes for 431 yards and two touchdowns, which wasn’t what the Chargers, their coaching staff or their fans had in mind when he was drafted 21st overall. Worst of all, he seemed to have a bad case of the dropsies, especially during a Week 10 loss at Green Bay.

The expectation was that he would be a fast learner, emerging as a key third option beyond veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. It never happened, and now Allen and Williams are gone. Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears and Williams was released in a pair of cost-cutting moves in the offseason.

“I would just call it an opportunity, obviously, with those two great players gone,” Johnston said. “I’m very fortunate to have had at least a year with those guys, taking away a lot of the stuff they do, how they approach practice, just kind of adding it on to myself. Just being that much more confident going into this year.”

In fact, the Chargers will likely count on Johnston far more this season than last, with quarterback Justin Herbert searching for reliable targets to replace Allen and Williams. Johnston is locked in a camp battle with, among others, Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark Jr., Derius Davis and rookie Ladd McConkey.

How it plays out is anybody’s guess, particularly after only four days of training camp this past week, but Johnston certainly hasn’t hurt his chances to play a significant role when the regular season begins with the Chargers playing host to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 8 at SoFi Stadium.

INJURY (NON) UPDATES

Harbaugh was not forthcoming Saturday when asked about several players who suffered apparent injuries over the past few days, including offensive lineman Rashawn Slater, and he contradicted a statement he made Wednesday about running back Gus Edwards undergoing offseason surgery.

Slater did not practice Saturday and Edwards continued to participate only in individual drills. Harbaugh declined to address Slater’s injury specifically and seemed taken aback when a reporter asked directly about Edwards’ issue and whether he had, in fact, had surgery during the offseason.

“I’m not going to categorize it,” Harbaugh said of the injuries to players such as Slater. “Abundance of caution. You haven’t heard that term since the pandemic, but it applies to this stage that we’re in right now. (Edwards) is being brought back into play.”

Asked if Edwards had offseason surgery, Harbaugh said, “Not that I’m aware of.”