Zion Johnson and his potential transition to center will be one of the main storylines to follow as Chargers kick off minicamp on Tuesday.
The Chargers kick off their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday before resuming OTAs on June 16.
Here are four players I’ll be keeping an eye on over the next three days.
OG Zion Johnson
This is a potential summer of change for Johnson who has been swapping in and out at center with 2024 starter Bradley Bozeman during OTAs. When Johnson is in at center, Bozeman has been at left guard.
We have not seen enough to truly know which way the coaching staff is leaning as far as which player will start where, but the team’s mandatory minicamp will hopefully show us more as the team further ramps up their offseason program.
Johnson was viewed as a potential center transition coming out of Boston College in 2022 so we at least know there are evident traits that point towards why he could succeed there. The bar isn’t terrible high from Bozeman’s play at the pivot a year ago, but Johnson wasn’t too hot at left guard last season either. Swapping the two doesn’t sound super ideal, but if that switch ends up making a huge difference, I’m sure we’ll all forget how underwhelming they recently were with haste.
DT Teair Tart
Tart was retained this offseason to be the new leader of the Chargers interior defensive line after both Poona Ford and Morgan Fox left in free agency. After a resurgent year with the Bolts while in a rotational role, Tart may end up recording a career high in snaps played in a single season in 2025. If that’s the case, a career-best season will be the expectation.
The veteran will be joined by rookie Jamaree Caldwell, Naquan Jones, Da’Shawn Hand, and Otito Ogbonnia as the top interior defenders. None of these players have ever been “the guy” in the NFL for a team, so Tart will have to find his role as the number one while also attempting to elevate the play of the guys lined up next to him.
TE Oronde Gadsden II
The Chargers were smart to sign Tyler Conklin prior to the draft just in case they were not able to grab one of the better prospects in a strong tight end class. Gadsden helps round out the room’s skillset by being a seam stretcher with plus-athleticism. Knowing Roman, he will rotate his tight ends routinely to best fit the play-call which means Gadsden could be in line for more snaps than you’d expect when there’s two starting-caliber players above him on the depth chart.
In minicamp, I’m hoping to see the rookie standout with some splash plays showing off his abilities that coerced the Chargers to trade up for him in the fifth round.
LB Junior Colson
After being selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and being a Michigan man to boot, I think everyone expected Colson to hit the ground running in the NFL under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter who coached him in Ann Arbor. Unfortunately injuries took their toll and it never quite seemed like Colson could find his footing. With a full offseason to get adjusted and rehabilitate his ailments, I believe the orginal expectations are back on for the second-year linebacker.
It remains to be seen if Colson will end up winning a starting job in year two, but