Wide receiver Ladd McConkey made a remarkable impact in his first season with the Los Angeles Chargers, concluding the year with 82 catches, 1,149 yards, and seven touchdowns. His standout performance in 2024 has sparked significant enthusiasm for the team’s offensive prospects moving forward, with offensive coordinator Greg Roman praising McConkey’s exceptional football intelligence and dependability.
Greg Roman Highlights McConkey’s Uncommon Maturity on the Field
Greg Roman expressed admiration for McConkey’s readiness, noting that the rookie’s abilities surpassed typical expectations for a first-year player. Roman emphasized that McConkey’s “football IQ” allows him to execute complex plays that usually take several years to master.
“Ladd was such a — not a surprise — but he was such a weapon,”
Roman said.
“I mean, just so dependable. We were able to do things with Ladd in Year 1 that you generally don’t do with a guy until Year 3 or 4. His football IQ, a lot of different things that give him options to get open and stuff like that, graduate-level stuff, as I like to call it. We’re really looking forward to growing in that department, too, because our receiving corps right now, compared to this time last year, it’s night and day.”
—Greg Roman, Chargers Offensive Coordinator
Plans to Utilize McConkey’s Versatility in the Offensive Scheme
Roman discussed the Chargers’ strategy to maximize McConkey’s talent by deploying him in various offensive roles. The young receiver’s adaptability enables the team to keep defenses guessing. Roman pointed out,
“We’re gonna move him around. The guy’s got some serious talent and a serious will to get it done. Even in the playoff game, look at his production in the playoff game. He’s a guy that we’re just gonna continue to grow with. But when they double Ladd, you’ve got to play the percentages. The ball needs to go somewhere else. … So, that’s gonna open up opportunities for everybody else, and we’ve got to take advantage of those.”
—Greg Roman, Chargers Offensive Coordinator
New Additions Boost Chargers’ Receiving Corps Depth and Talent
The Chargers reinforced their receiving unit in the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting wide receivers Tre Harris in the second round and KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth round. Roman expressed high regard for the influx of talent joining the team, noting improvement in discipline and overall performance from last year’s squad.
“They’re a completely different unit now from a discipline standpoint, being on point play in and down in, down out. And I think we’ve added a lot of talent,”
he said.
“Really excited about our two draft picks. I think those guys are affording themselves well. Ladd’s gonna get better and better. Q (Quentin Johnston) is having a great spring so far, so I see him taking another step this year. And then Jalen Reagor, J.J. (Jaylen Johnson), Dez (Fitzpatrick) and obviously Mike, all these guys are gonna factor in. Love how that group’s playing right now and excited about them. The rookies, we’re just gonna keep pushing them, pushing them, pushing them to get up to par with the vets.”
—Greg Roman, Chargers Offensive Coordinator
Chiefs Strengthen Defensive Line with Promising New Talent
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs enhanced their defensive front by selecting Omarr Norman Lott in the second round and Ashton Gillotte in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen spoke highly of the rookies, applauding their passion and versatility displayed during offseason workouts.
“Well, the two are really good. I mean, when you study the draft and our scouting staff, led by our general manager, Brett Veach, they do a great job, and they were guys that we identified and had opportunities to really get around and bring them in for a visit, Zoom with them,”
Cullen said.
“They both love football, and they’re both football junkies, and they’re really good players.”
—Joe Cullen, Chiefs Defensive Line Coach
Detailed Profiles Reveal Strengths of Norman Lott and Gillotte
Cullen highlighted the physical traits and accomplishments of both players, underscoring their ability to operate in multiple positions along the defensive line. He noted Norman Lott’s NCAA-leading pass rush win ratio among interior tackles and Gillotte’s adaptability between inside and edge roles.
“Well, they have great motors; they’re powerful, explosive, and sudden. And both of them at their school, where they’re represented, great in their role. When you look at Omarr (Norman-Lott), when you broke down his snaps this past year, he led the NCAA and pass rush win ratio by interior tackles. And then Ashton (Gillotte) played all over the place. He played end and inside. ‘4i’ was powerful. He was explosive when he went back to his junior year. Before his sophomore year, he had 11 and a half sacks. He was playing more on the edge. This year, they moved them inside a little bit. It’s a ‘4i’ kind of like Felix (Anudike-Uzomah) did when he was at K-State. So both those guys are going to bring great energy to the room, and they’re doing that now.”
—Joe Cullen, Chiefs Defensive Line Coach
Raiders’ Don’t’e Thornton Shows Potential With Unique Skill Set
On the other side of the league, Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly praised fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton as an ideal outside receiver with remarkable physical traits. Kelly described Thornton as a tall, fast athlete with an impressive catch radius.
“He’s just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3. There’s not a lot of humans on this planet [who] do that,”
Kelly said.
“I think if you had a draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that’s got length, someone that’s got a huge catch radius, but also has speed.”
—Chip Kelly, Raiders Offensive Coordinator
Work in Progress: Coach Emphasizes Thornton’s Development Needs
While acknowledging Thornton’s potential, Raiders wide receivers coach Chris Beatty emphasized the need for further refinement before the rookie can contribute consistently on offense. Beatty pointed out the importance of improving route running and understanding the game scheme.
“There are a lot of things he wants to work on, as far as polishing his route running releases,”
Beatty said.
“For a taller guy, we’ve got to work on understanding the whole scheme, so everything slows down for him. He’s done a great job so far, but he’s got a long way to go to get where he’s going to be able to be a contributor right away.”
—Chris Beatty, Raiders Wide Receivers Coach
Anticipating the Chargers’ Offensive Growth in 2025
Ladd McConkey’s breakout rookie season sets an energetic and optimistic tone for the Chargers as they prepare for the upcoming 2025 campaign. With McConkey’s proven intelligence and versatility, complemented by a strengthened roster of both seasoned players and promising rookies, the Chargers aim to elevate their passing game and overall offensive productivity. The coaching staff’s strong emphasis on player development and tactical flexibility suggests the team is poised for a significant offensive surge next season.