Chargers' July 2025 camp sees rookies KeAndre Lambert-Smith & Tre Harris challenge a struggling Quentin Johnston for a top WR spot next to Justin Herbert.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Welcome to the Harbaugh era, where nothing is given and everything is earned. As Chargers training camp rolls on in El Segundo, the most electrifying story isn't a game-winning drive, but the fierce competition to become Justin Herbert's next top target. While Ladd McConkey has locked down the WR1 role, the battle for the next spot on the depth chart is a chaotic mix of a struggling former first-rounder, an injured veteran, and a pair of rookies who look ready to seize the moment.
'He made a couple of adjustments today on the ball that you can't coach.'
The spotlight is shining brightly on the wide receiver corps, and some are handling it better than others. 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston continues to be an enigma, showing flashes of improved ball-tracking but then dropping a wide-open pass on Day 6, fueling fan frustration. Meanwhile, veteran Jalen Reagor, who had been running with the first team, is sidelined with a hamstring tweak, opening the door even wider. Stepping through that door are rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Lambert-Smith, in particular, turned heads again on Thursday, making two spectacular contested catches. His performance earned high praise from the man designing the offense.
The intensity isn't limited to the receivers. The backfield is shaping up to be a bruising battle between two powerful runners. Fans can breathe a sigh of relief regarding Najee Harris, as his agent confirmed the running back is expected to be fully ready for the season after a superficial eye injury from a July 4th fireworks accident. His return sets up a fascinating camp clash with first-round pick Omarion Hampton. In a Greg Roman offense that promises to be run-heavy, the competition for the starting role between the established veteran and the high-profile rookie will be a defining feature of this preseason.
While the Chargers sit atop the AFC West at 0-0 (as everyone does in July), the real work is happening on the practice fields of El Segundo. There are no games on the schedule yet, but these position battles are the main event. Coach Harbaugh is instilling a culture of competition from the ground up. Every rep matters, from the fight for the WR2 spot to the duel for RB1. This is how the 2025 Chargers will be built: through intense, daily competition that forges a tough, resilient roster around franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.
The storylines are set, and the competition is only getting hotter. Who will emerge from the pack to catch passes from Herbert? Will it be Harris or Hampton leading the ground attack? The answers will start to reveal themselves when the pads come on for real. All eyes now turn to July 31st, when the Chargers travel to face the Detroit Lions in the preseason opener—our first real glimpse at what this new-look team is truly made of.
