Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston celebrates after scoring a touchdown in a 34-17 preseason win over the Rams on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Johnston, the Chargers’ first-round pick in the 2023 draft, was not pleased with his overall performance Saturday. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
The Chargers opened their 2023 preseason slate with a 34-17 victory over the Rams on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Some takeaways from the game:
First-round pick’s bounce back
He caught a touchdown pass and two other balls, but it was the two passes he failed to secure that Quentin Johnston was thinking about afterward.
“I’m not satisfied,” the rookie said. “Hopefully, [I’ll] come back next week and be better.”
A first-round pick — No. 21 overall — Johnston dropped a pair of passes from Easton Stick early in the game, one coming on a long well-placed ball down the right sideline.
Drops were an issue for Johnston at times during his career at Texas Christian and something the Chargers largely have dismissed, at least publicly, since acquiring him.
“Just focus,” Johnston said. “Obviously a big stage, just not as dialed in as I would like to be. I thought I was. Obviously, I wasn’t. Just a learning experience for me.”
Asked if the two passes were ones he should have caught, Johnston said, “Oh, yeah, 100%.”
Read more: Chargers defense thwarts Justin Herbert and Kellen Moore in scrimmage
Late in the first half, it appeared that Johnston was done for the night as the Chargers, executing their two-minute offense, moved deep into Rams’ territory.
On first-and-goal at the eight-yard line, he hurriedly re-entered and caught a score from Stick.
Lined up in the left slot, Johnston made a quick move inside to sneak past Richard LeCounte and then snagged Stick’s dart of a throw before Jason Taylor II could close the gap.
“You’ve seen that throughout [training] camp,” coach Brandon Staley said. “He can make that guy miss. He can create that separation. He’s…
..
