Chargers training camp report, Day 8: It's time to get Zion Johnson padded snaps at center

New York Times

2 days ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers are now eight practices into training camp, and Zion Johnson has yet to take a snap at center in padded team drills.
The Chargers have held two padded practices thus far — one Tuesday and one Thursday. For both of those practices, Johnson was at left guard, where he started last season. Bradley Bozeman was at center, where he started last season.
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It is early, and the Chargers started camp a week before the rest of the league because they are playing in the Hall of Fame Game to open the preseason. They have time to evaluate Johnson at center. He has played center with the starting offensive line in three unpadded practices in camp so far. In those practices, Bozeman has been at left guard.
On the flip side, though, what exactly are the Chargers waiting for?
Johnson has never played center in the NFL. He never played center in college. His lone experience at the position came at the Senior Bowl before he was drafted in 2022. As Johnson tries to make the transition from guard to center, the most important facet of the process is banking experience.
'Not having played center before, every rep is valuable,' Johnson said Friday. 'I try to take as much important care as I can with every rep that I get so I can get all those learning experiences that guys that maybe have gotten a lot more reps than me have gotten. So I'd say the challenge is trying to get the reps in and fit it in where I can — getting snaps before practice, getting snaps after practice, getting snaps in my room, wherever I can.'
There is also the option of giving Johnson center snaps in practice — with the pads on, when his capability at the position can be properly evaluated.
On the evaluation front, the Chargers have offered mixed messaging.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman was asked for his thoughts on the Johnson-Bozeman rotation after Day 3 of camp. 'I think we'll have a lot more information seven days from now as far as how that's progressing, once we get pads on.'
That was July 19. Saturday will mark exactly seven days since that exchange.
On Friday, coach Jim Harbaugh said this of Johnson: 'I do want to get Zion playing center in pads, get that under our belt.'
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Later in the same news conference, Harbaugh said, 'I've already seen that he can play the position. He'll be able to play, whether it's guard or center, at a very high, high level.'
Harbaugh added that 'the things that are really most important (are) the snaps and the time on task on that, and it's as good with or without pads.'
The Chargers had been rotating Johnson and Bozeman through the first seven days of camp. On Days 1, 3, 5 and 7, Bozeman was at center and Johnson was at left guard. On Days, 2, 4 and 6, Johnson was at center and Bozeman was at left guard.
Before practice, Harbaugh said he had no plans to change the rotation. When practice started, the Chargers changed the rotation. Friday was an even day, Day 8. Bozeman was at center for the second straight practice. Johnson was at left guard for the second straight practice. That was the first time the two players had stayed at the same positions in back-to-back practices.
So what does that mean? Perhaps the Chargers are planning on finally getting Johnson reps at center in padded team drills Saturday. The Chargers are also in pads Monday, so that is another opportunity.
What is clear is the Chargers need to remove the training wheels and see if this Johnson experiment at center has any chance of succeeding. If it does not, then they can station Johnson at guard, Bozeman at center and start developing cohesion with a starting interior three. They have a new right guard in Mekhi Becton.
Johnson said it is 'very important' for him to get padded snaps at center.
'That's something the staff and our room have been talking about a lot, Boze playing guard and me playing center,' Johnson added. 'We got to get the live reps together to build that chemistry, so that's definitely something that we have been talking about and thinking about implementing.'
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Bozeman, meanwhile, has not played a snap at guard since 2020, when he started at left guard for the Baltimore Ravens. Roman was the Ravens' offensive coordinator that season.
'It's like riding a bike,' Bozeman said. 'You might wobble a few times, but you eventually get it.'
Bozeman, too, will benefit from padded snaps at guard. You have to actually get on the bike to ride it.
'At some point,' Bozeman said, 'we just got to go in and figure it out.'
Bozeman re-signed with the Chargers this offseason on a two-year deal. On Friday, Bozeman said he knew he would be 'competing to start' when he agreed to come back.
'I love the honesty and the upfrontness of this front office and everyone else in this organization,' Bozeman said.
Johnson put in quite a bit of work this offseason to prepare himself for a move to center. He said he had discussions with former Chargers center Corey Linsley. He said he was in constant communication with Chargers assistant offensive line coach Nick Hardwick, who started 136 games at center for the organization from 2004 to '14.
'I have a lot of voices, a lot of people in the organization and in our room that I can really rely on to learn from,' Johnson said.
But the true test — Johnson's performance with pads on — has not happened yet. And it is time. There is only one way to find out if this experiment is going to work.
'It's a competition to get our best combination,' Harbaugh said.
• Chargers who did not practice Friday: tackle Rashawn Slater, receiver Jalen Reagor, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, cornerback Deane Leonard, running back Raheim Sanders, receiver Luke Grimm, tight end McCallan Castles, edge rusher Bud Dupree, receiver Brenden Rice, edge rusher Kylan Guidry and edge rusher Garmon Randolph. Harbaugh said Dupree was given a rest day.
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• Cornerback Tarheeb Still was on the field for stretch and individual drills but did not participate in team drills.
• Cornerback Cam Hart had the play of the day on defense. He was in one-on-one coverage on receiver Quentin Johnston, who was running an out route to the left sideline. This was one of two periods in which the starting offense faced the starting defense. Quarterback Justin Herbert threw to Johnston. Hart undercut the route, picked off the throw and returned it for a touchdown.
• Johnston had a 60-yard touchdown in 11-on-11 against the starting defense. The secondary badly busted a coverage, and Johnston ran wide open into the deep part of the field. Herbert hit him easily for the score. Johnston also had a key reception during the starting offense's two-minute drill late in practice. That series came against the reserve defense. The coverage was initially tight across the field. Herbert bought some time, and Johnston did well to break away from cornerback Trikweze Bridges in the scramble drill. The connection went for 20 yards and moved the offense into field goal range.
• Rookie receiver Dalevon Campbell had the catch of the day on offense. He showed off some impressive leaping ability, skying over safety Kendall Williams to snatch a jump ball for an explosive gain. The throw was from quarterback Taylor Heinicke. Campbell has responded well after a dropped touchdown early in camp.
• Three rookie defensive backs had pass breakups in Friday's practice. Nikko Reed, who had a pick-six in Thursday's practice, broke hard on a KeAndre Lambert-Smith dig route. Heinicke threw to Lambert-Smith. Reed timed his reach perfectly and knocked the ball away without drawing a flag. Jordan Oladokun broke up a pass from quarterback Trey Lance intended for receiver Dez Fitzpatrick on a comeback route. In the final 11-on-11 period, Heinicke threw to Fitzpatrick on an out route near the right sideline. Safety RJ Mickens punched the ball loose after the initial catch. It was an incomplete pass. Fitzpatrick did have an explosive reception in the two-minute drill, connecting with Lance down the right sideline on a go route. This was Lance's best throw of camp so far.
• Running back Najee Harris was on the field Friday for the second straight day watching practice in street clothes. Harris remains on the non-football injury list after injuring his eye in a fireworks accident. On both Thursday and Friday, Harris had large sunglasses covering his eyes.
(Top photo of Zion Johnson: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)