Chargers Training Camp: Trey Pipkins III, Quentin Johnston Working Through Early Struggles

Los Angeles Chargers training camp is built to find problems before they show up on Sundays, and early on, it’s found a couple. Justin Herbert has settled in fast under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary’s unit has set a physical tone in padded work. But not every position battle has gone smoothly. Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III and wide receiver Quentin Johnston have each hit rough patches early in camp, and according to ClutchPoints, those struggles have become storylines the team will want sorted out before preseason games start.

An offseason built for a bigger jump

The Chargers didn’t tinker this offseason — they overhauled. McDaniel arrived to modernize a passing game built around timing and route detail. The front office also added center Tyler Biadasz and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to the trenches, then used the draft to bring in edge rusher Akheem Mesidor and interior lineman Jake Slaughter. Coach Jim Harbaugh has said the left guard job is a genuine four-man competition, a detail confirmed by ESPN’s camp coverage.

Herbert has looked comfortable picking up McDaniel’s footwork-driven concepts early in camp. The pass rush has been disruptive in team drills. Against that backdrop, a couple of individual struggles stand out more than they might in a quieter camp.

Trey Pipkins III adjusting to life inside

Pipkins is trying to make a full-time move from tackle to guard, and the logic behind it is sound on paper — he’s athletic, he’s faced plenty of good pass rushers, and coaches like the versatility. But tackle and guard are not the same job. At guard, the space closes almost immediately after the snap, and every rep turns into close-quarters contact in what linemen call the phone booth.

Harbaugh has offered praise for Pipkins during camp, but the transition is still a work in progress. Per ClutchPoints, Pipkins needs to tighten his anchor against defenders who convert speed into power at the point of contact, and he’ll need to play with a lower pad level and quicker hands to hold up at left guard long-term.

He’s not the only name in that competition, either. Branson Taylor has picked up more first-team reps as camp has gone on, and his ability to absorb contact while keeping the pocket intact has made him a real threat to the job many assumed Pipkins would eventually win.

Quentin Johnston still searching for consistency

Johnston enters 2026 with about as much pressure as any receiver on the roster. A new offensive coordinator was supposed to be the reset — McDaniel’s system has historically helped receivers win before the snap through spacing and leverage. ESPN’s Kris Rhim noted the Chargers already picked up Johnston’s fifth-year option worth $18 million, which raises the stakes on this camp specifically.

The flashes are still there. Johnston’s size and speed show up in practice regularly, and his run-after-catch ability is still the trait that got the Chargers to draft him in the first round back in 2023. The issue is repeatability.

Part of it comes down to a scheme adjustment. Johnston and fellow receiver Ladd McConkey both told reporters that McDaniel has changed how the group runs routes, with a specific emphasis on finishing the top of the route faster and locating the ball more quickly — a detail ESPN confirmed directly from camp. That’s a timing change, not a talent problem, and it’s the kind of thing that tends to smooth out with reps. Still, it’s shown up early, and it’s worth tracking through the rest of camp and into preseason.

What it means going forward

Neither situation is close to alarming on its own. Camp exists to work through exactly this kind of thing. But with left guard still unsettled and Johnston’s fifth-year option already picked up, both players have real incentive to clean things up before the preseason opener. If they do, the Chargers get real depth and fewer questions heading into the regular season. If they don’t, per ClutchPoints, the coaching staff could be facing tougher roster calls sooner than they’d like.

Chargers Camp Snapshot