Chargers' biggest riser from first week of training camp is already abundantly clear

Under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, the Los Angeles Chargers are undertaking an offensive overhaul.

They started by replenishing their personnel, letting the entirety of the interior offensive line depart this offseason before bringing in Tyler Biadasz, Cole Strange, David Njoku, Charlie Kolar, Keaton Mitchell, and Alec Ingold in free agency. McDaniel clearly has a vision he wants to execute, and the Chargers were willing to allocate their financial resources to make it happen.

Those pieces will form the foundation of what McDaniel wants to accomplish in Los Angeles this season. But with a new offensive structure comes fresh opportunity for players across the roster— especially the young pieces attempting to make a name for themselves in camp.

So far, the Chargers' fastest riser has clearly been rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson. The buzz around him has been non-stop this week, and McDaniel reaffirmed just how impressive Thompson has been in his press availability on Friday.

If Thompson can continue to take his new role by the horns, there's no reason to believe he can't carve out a space as a real weapon in the Los Angeles offense this season.

Brenen Thompson is taking Chargers training camp by storm

From the time he was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it was pretty widely assumed that Thompson had the potential to be one of McDaniel's darlings. McDaniel campaigned for his selection at that point in the Draft, and Thompson's blazing 40 yard dash time made him an intriguing flyer to take at the start of Day 3.

But Thompson's abilities extend beyond just his pure speed, and that's what made him so tantalizing. Although he profiles primarily as a slot receiver at the NFL level, he played 86.6% of his snaps out wide in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. Across 13 games with Mississippi State, he posted an SEC-leading 1,054 receiving yards, tacking on six touchdowns on 57 receptions.

Despite his limited height, he has an electrifying pass-catching skill set and the ability to make plays downfield on a consistent basis.

That's shined through in training camp so far. Multiple Chargers players have spoken on how impressive Thompson is simply from a perspective of speed, and he made an excellent catch on a deep crossing route when he was taking reps in full-team drills with Justin Herbert.

But the top of the Chargers' receiving room is already cemented. Ladd McConkey will be the primary option out of the slot, and both Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris will get extensive run as complementary pass-catching options.

For Thompson, therefore, his ability to carve out a role in the receiving corps comes down to how quickly he acclimates to the playbook and the nuances of McDaniel's offense. As long as he continues to impress the coaching staff in that regard, he'll be a name to watch when the season begins.

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