Jim Harbaugh shouted out free-agent additions, promising rookies, a former practice squad player and a second-year pro trying to build on his exceptional debut. While trying to highlight only offseason standouts, the Chargers coach instead used a winding answer to mention 12 different players.
That type of depth is by design.
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“The competitive waters are so heated,” Harbaugh said as the Chargers finished minicamp last week. “As it stands now, to get to 53, there would be some really good players that would have to not be on the 53. … It’s in a really good place right now because so many have been added or trained themselves to be in ascending place.”
After three phases of organized team activities and a mandatory minicamp that saw nearly perfect attendance minus minor injuries or illnesses, the Chargers enter their summer break with confidence. Here’s what we learned about the Chargers during the offseason:
Options on offense breed optimism
Tre’ Harris is among the players at the forefront of the Chargers’ new-look receiving corps. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Adding just any receiver wasn’t going to be enough this offseason. Bringing in second-round draft pick Tre’ Harris, fifth-rounder KeAndre Lambert-Smith and free agent Mike Williams show a clear intention to add a significant vertical threat to an offense that generated the fewest passing yards of Justin Herbert’s NFL career.
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“We’re certainly not going to be just bombs away every play,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said, “but it’s going to allow us to attack down the field more, or at least present the opportunity to. We’ll hopefully have that aspect to our offense, as well our ground-and-pound mentality.”
Harris, who averaged 17.7 yards per catch and 100.8 yards receiving per game in two years at Mississippi, earned more reps with the No. 1 offense as minicamp progressed, trading positions with Jalen Reagor while Ladd McConkey and Quentin…
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