Chargers’ Rookie Development Under the Spotlight: A Deep Dive into Josh Kendall’s Takeaways

In a recent publication for The Athletic, writer Josh Kendall goes through his power rankings and rookie reviews through 6 weeks of the NFL season, with your Chargers landing 13th in his power rankings.

Key Takeaways:

• Kendall’s criticism of Brandon Staley’s coaching and the development of Chargers’ rookies raises eyebrows.
• Staley’s potential firing is debated, considering the Chargers’ underperformance.
• The assessment of rookies like Quentin Johnston and Tuli Tuipulotu is discussed.

Kendall’s comments about Staley and the Chargers’ rookies can be dissected on a few levels.

Regarding the first half, mentioning that Staley is functionally guaranteed to get fired is interesting. The argument is certainly there, as the Chargers have undoubtedly underperformed in his tenure. Still, at the same time, there are several limitations to in-season firings, especially considering Chargers ownership.

“If (when?) Brandon Staley gets fired, this draft class will be thrown into the list of reasons. Not high, but it’ll be there. First-round wide receiver Quentin Johnston, 4.49 speed at 6-foot-4, has six catches for 44 yards. Fourth-round receiver Derius Davis, 4.36 speed, has four catches for 24 yards. Second-round defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu is the only rookie contributing.”

The second half, however, is even more interesting and a very controversial argument. Just four games into the season, it’s difficult to get a gauge on a lot of rookies, especially players at positions where the Chargers are already strong.

Take Quentin Johnston, for example; while he’s definitely underperformed, he played the first three weeks of the season as the Chargers’ 3rd/4th receiver (interchangeably with Joshua Palmer and behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams), and in Week 1, the Chargers ran the football over 30 times. The Bolts have played one full game with Johnson as the 2nd or 3rd receiver, making it tough to assess his immediate impact. It’s certainly something to note that a top-25 draft pick hasn’t made much of a splash at all, especially compared to receivers taken around him, like Jordan Addison (Vikings) and Zay Flowers (Ravens), who have become instrumental parts of their team’s offense.

Derrius Davis is in a similar situation to Johnston, as being a reserve wide receiver who primarily plays on special teams will struggle to find a role out of the gate. He’s put forth some explosive plays (3 carries for 51 yards in Week 4), and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore should continue to find great ways to capitalize on his skillset.

Meanwhile, USC alum Tuli Tuipulotu being considered an asterisk by Kendall is certainly interesting, as he’s been nothing short of excellent, and it’s not feasible to hit on every draft pick, making Tuli’s development a strong argument for Staley’s competency.

Staley’s ability to develop rookies being questioned can be traced back to players like Asante Samuel or Kenneth Murray Jr., but to argue that Bolts who’ve been in the league for four games (some in crowded positions) can represent Staley’s overarching ability is a stretch.

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