Chargers WR Quentin Johnston's struggles continued in Buffalo. On 16 targets this season, Johnston has just six catches for 64 yards. He has the lowest yards per route run figure of his career at 0.78. The TCU product had another high profile drop in Buffalo on a 3rd down.
In 2025, Johnston did improve by most relevant metrics like yards, touchdowns, and drop percentage. He was floated as a trade target in the offseason by Jeremy Fowler. In that same article I had written, I mentioned $18 million feeling like a lot for what Johnston had produced to this point in the NFL. While he wasn't a bad WR2 last season, he still had yet to put together a 1000 yard campaign. Jerry Jeudy was the last WR to have their fifth-year option exercised without a 1000 yard campaign. But even he had 972 yards in year three compared to Quentin Johnston's 735.
Picking up the fifth-year option on Quentin Johnston was a clear mistake by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Johnston was seen after the game with his head down. It was all too reminiscent of 2023 or his bad stretch in 2024. While Johnston was far from a perfect wide receiver last season, it felt like the drop problem from a mental aspect was at least somewhat behind him. It's reared it's ugly head even worse so far this season.
Johnston's $18 million dollar fifth-year option is fully guaranteed for next season. The Chargers can cut him and would take $18 million on as a dead cap hit. After these first three games, good luck trading him and getting another team to take on that price tag.
Is it too early to declare Johnston's season a bust? Well, he still has time. But we have seen Johnston in these mental funks previously and how long it takes him to climb out of them. After putting up zero yards and three drops vs. the Ravens in 2024 Week 12, Johnston did not have 50+ yards in a game until Week 18. He was also charted with two more drops from Week 13-17 that year.
You don't want to take credit away from Johnston's improvement last season. But after the first three games this year, there's a crucial question. Was Johnston's 2025 an outlier from a drops and contested catch perspective relative to his first two seasons? Johnston is currently charted with two drops so far this season and a zero percent contested catch rate. In 2025, he was charted with four drops for the entire season and a 47.8 contested catch rate.
Time will tell whether picking up Johnston's fifth-year option sets the Chargers back. But so far, it's looking like a glaring mistake from GM Joe Hortiz this offseason.
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