Chargers players to watch in training camp

The Los Angeles Chargers still have an obvious hole to sort out along the offensive line, and training camp hasn’t done much to settle it yet. The starting left guard job remains up for grabs, with five players rotating through the competition and no clear frontrunner emerging.

Trey Pipkins III, Kayode Awosika, rookie Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning and Branson Taylor are all getting chances to show their stuff, and the Chargers are apparently still waiting for someone to separate himself from the group.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing this early in camp, but it is something worth watching. The left guard spot isn’t glamorous, and it won’t generate many headlines once the season begins unless something goes wrong. Still, getting the right five players working together up front will make a difference, particularly for an offense that’s trying to find its rhythm.

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The more encouraging development has come from Omarion Hampton. Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator, has been particularly high on the second-year running back. McDaniel said Hampton has shown “as much, if not the most, growth of any player” on the roster.

Hampton already showed promise during his rookie season, but the Chargers seem to think there’s another level available. Having McDaniel overseeing the offense could also put Hampton in position to take advantage of his versatility.

The Chargers don’t need to force him the ball on every possession, but if Hampton continues to develop the way McDaniel suggests, it’s easy to see his role expanding. That could be one of the more important developments for Los Angeles this season.

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The offensive line competition is still unresolved, while Hampton appears to be moving in the opposite direction, with his role becoming clearer by the day. That makes this training camp fun to watch.