https://theathletic.com/4744368/2023/08/02/chargers-training-camp-asante-samuel/

By Daniel Popper
August 2, 2023

COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers held their sixth practice
of training camp Wednesday at Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex. This was
an unpadded practice after the team was in pads for two straight days on
Monday and Tuesday.

Here are my notes, observations and takeaways:

Defense wins the day

Through the first five practices of camp, there was a steady
back-and-forth between Brandon Staley’s defense and Kellen Moore’s
offense. Neither starting unit had decisively dominated a practice. It
felt like any time one unit made a play, the opposing unit answered with
a play of its own — oftentimes in the same period.

That changed Wednesday. The defense had its best practice of camp so far
and won all three of the live 11-on-11 periods: a move-the-ball period,
a red zone period and a two-minute drill.

In the move-the-ball period, Justin Herbert and the offense started in
their own half. They gained one first down when Herbert hit a wide-open
Austin Ekeler in the flat off play action, and Ekeler had room to run up
the sideline. But that was the only time the offense moved the chains.

After a Keenan Allen screen and an incompletion, the offense faced a
third down. There was movement on the right side of the line, and the
offense was flagged for a false start, setting up a third-and-long. On
the ensuing play, Herbert took the snap, and defensive lineman Morgan
Fox came free off the right edge on a twist from the interior. The play
was blown dead for a sack, ending the drive.

The offense then actually lost yardage in the live red zone period. The
unit started with a first down at the plus-20. Herbert handed off to
Ekeler, and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. filled the hole to stop Ekeler
after a 2-yard gain. Murray had three run stops in Wednesday’s practice.
On the next snap, linebacker Eric Kendricks came free on a rush, forcing
Herbert to throw it away. On third down, the Chargers were called for
another false start, moving them back to the 23-yard line. On the final
play, Herbert attempted to hit Joshua Palmer on a corner route in the
end zone. It was a good throw, but Palmer ran out of room, and the ball
glanced off his hands for an incompletion.

The practice ended with the two-minute drill. The situation: 1:37
remaining, one timeout for the offense, trailing by four points,
starting at the minus-39-yard line.

The offense got off to a fast start. Palmer shook Michael Davis on a
slant from the outside, and Herbert hit him stride, moving the unit over
midfield. After practice, Staley called this route from Palmer
“unbelievable.” On the next play, Herbert connected with rookie Quentin
Johnston on a comeback route. Johnston beat Asante Samuel Jr. on the play.

That set the offense up at the plus-30. After an incompletion, the clock
ticked under a minute. Herbert then hit Palmer again, this time on an
out route, for a fresh set of downs. Davis was in coverage again and was
in good position. But Palmer made a specular leaping catch, securing the
ball through Davis’ contest and getting both feet in bounds while
falling to the ground.

A Herbert scramble then moved the offense inside the 10 with 30 seconds
remaining. Samuel then stole the show in the deep red zone. On
first-and-goal, Samuel had a diving pass breakup, jumping a Johnston
slant route. On second down, Murray once again filled the hole on an
Ekeler run, limiting the rush to a 1-yard gain. On third down, Herbert
tried to hit Johnston again on a slant. Samuel broke up this pass. And
on fourth down, Samuel was in coverage on Johnston for a third play.
Johnston ran a comeback route. Samuel broke it up to win the two-minute
drill.

The offense did push-ups after the loss.

“Every time we’ve gone out for practice, both sides have competed well,”
Staley said after practice. “Who wins the day has been kind of back and
forth, but you’re seeing the playmaking and you’re seeing the execution.”

News and notes

• Receiver Mike Williams and left tackle Rashawn Slater watched from the
sideline during 11-on-11 periods. Williams spoke at the podium after
practice and said “everything is solid” when asked about his health. The
Chargers have an off day Thursday and return to practice Friday. We will
be monitoring both players to see if they practice Friday. Zack Bailey
played left tackle in place of Slater.

• Right tackle Trey Pipkins III sat out his fourth straight practice.
Pipkins first sustained his injury during individual drills Saturday.
Staley had no update on Pipkins after practice. Foster Sarell has been
playing right tackle in place of Pipkins.

• Kicker Cameron Dicker took all the field goal reps Wednesday. He has
now been the only kicker to attempt field goals for the last three field
goal periods. Dustin Hopkins, who is competing with Dicker for the job,
has not kicked field goals since Day 2 last week. Dicker took all the
field goal attempts on Day 3, Day 4 and now Day 6. On Wednesday. Dicker
made all eight of his field goals. The distances: 52 yards, 48, 45, 42,
40, 36, 33 and 29.

• The fiercest position battle right now is between Samuel and Ja’Sir
Taylor for the Star — or slot corner — position. Taylor was taking a
majority of the reps at that spot early in camp, but the reps have
evened out as the Chargers have entered the second week of practices. In
Wednesday’s seven-on-seven period, Samuel came out in the slot with the
starting defense, with Davis and J.C. Jackson on the outside. In
11-on-11, Taylor was the first player of the two at Star, with Davis and
Jackson on the outside again. Samuel had some ups and downs through the
opening week of practice, but through the last three practices, the
third-year cornerback has been one of the defense’s most consistent
playmakers. Samuel and Taylor have played at Star and on the outside
with the starting defense.

Staley on Samuel: “Going into this training camp, we’ve been able to see
the versatility that we know that he has. Because of our depth and
quality, we feel like we can put him in (the slot) more. He’s really
improved inside because it’s a position that’s difficult to master,
especially the way we play. We put a lot on that position. It’s not an
easy position to play for us. It’s a feature position in our defense.
He’s playing, from a technique standpoint, a lot better because he’s in
there a lot more. I think you’ve seen, throughout these practices, him
making plays outside and inside. He has to cover the tough guys in both
places. He’s also done a good job in run support. He just needs to keep
improving.”

• Kendricks had an excellent play in coverage during the opening
11-on-11 period. He did not fall for Herbert’s play-action fake and
broke up a pass intended for tight end Tre’ McKitty.