After selecting Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris in the second round of last week's NFL Draft, could the Los Angeles Chargers be looking to unload another player at the same position?
That could easily be on the team's agenda as Harris — a 6-foot-3, 205-pound target with speed — could make at least one of the wide receivers on the roster completely expendable. Quentin Johnston, the team's first-round pick in 2023, could find his way out of the team's plans.
Johnston has left much to be desired on the field and even though he has done a good job of catching touchdown passes, he doesn't get separation on anything close to a consistent basis and he has been plagued by some mind-numbing drops. After bringing Mike Williams back in free agency, the Chargers should shop Johnston around.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report agrees. After putting together a list of players who should be moved following the draft, Kay listed Johnston and had this to say as the case for making such a move:
"Quentin Johnston has had a rough start to his NFL career. Taken by the Los Angeles Chargers in Round 1 of the 2023 draft, the wideout product has yet to come close to reaching the potential he displayed at TCU.
Now two seasons into his career and facing the real threat of being bumped further down the depth chart this offseason, it may be time for the Bolts to recoup what little value they can still salvage and give Johnston a chance to turn things around elsewhere.
Johnston has the size and athleticism to be a star but thus far has caught just 93 balls for 1,142 yards and 10 touchdowns across his first 32 career games. While those aren’t utterly terrible marks, they’re underwhelming for a No. 21 overall pick and don’t display how inconsistent the receiver has been.
One of the biggest issues with Johnston is his lack of reliability. He followed up a two-week stretch in Weeks 2-3 during which he garnered 95 yards and three scores with a one-catch, nine-yard outing. He had zero receptions on five targets after scoring three consecutive games between Weeks 6 and 8 and posted that same disappointing stat line during the club’s lone playoff game.
That lack of consistency, coupled with L.A. utilizing a second-round pick on receiving prospect Tre Harris and bringing back longtime receiver Mike Williams in free agency, could spell the end of Johnston’s tenure with the organization.
With teams like the Dallas Cowboys desperate for receivers right now, there’s a chance the Chargers could get at least a middle-round pick in exchange for his services. Johnston is still just 23 years old, is on a cheap contract and had a 13-catch, 186-yard explosion during the regular season finale—displaying upside that could boost his value during trade talks."
Because he's only 23 years old, the Chargers wouldn't have a hard time moving him. Depending on what the team would consider a reasonable return, there could be multiple potential suitors.
The Chargers could choose to keep Johnston and go into the upcoming season with him as one of their top four wide receivers but with Ladd McConkey, Harris, Williams, Derius Davis and the addition of Keandre Lambert-Smith, the optimal move could be to find him a new home.
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