Brenen Thompson is certainly not the biggest concern of the Los Angeles Chargers offense at this point in the season.
Through two games, the passing attack has looked discombobulated and unorganized. While there have been a small number of clean drives in which Justin Herbert and the offense as a whole have looked impressively effective, that's been vastly outnumbered by myriad mistakes and miscues. Botched snaps, fumbles, and dropped passes have been the hallmark of Mike McDaniel's time with the Chargers so far.
A win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 starts on the defensive side of the ball. Buffalo has had the hottest offense in the league to this point in the season, and they've torn apart both the Texans and the Lions secondary in back-to-back weeks.
But if the Chargers are going to have any chance of keeping this game close, they're also going to need to get their pass catchers going. With Ladd McConkey likely still operating on a limited workload, that means they're going to need to squeeze some production out of their complementary playmakers.
Brenen Thompson needs to get another shot to prove himself as one of those pieces.
Brenen Thompson still has a chance to be a major weapon for this Chargers offense—especially with Ladd McConkey limited
I listed Thompson as a winner of the Week 2 matchup, but that was for one simple reason. He actually saw targets, and we saw a glimpse of how McDaniel may look to incorporate him in the offense over the course of the season.
But the actual production wasn't there. Thompson caught just one of his three targets for 13 yards, having one pass broken up by a diving Oronde Gadsden and another that was simply dropped on a crossing route. Both would've been pivotal first downs for Los Angeles.
That leaves just a lone real mistake for Thompson in his second NFL appearance. But in a game where the Chargers offense as a whole failed to get going, it's the type of mistake that can be magnified into something bigger than it truly is.
Even if McConkey were fully available for Week 3, Los Angeles can't depend only on him as a true outlet for Herbert. Both Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris have struggled to gain separation in the open field, limiting the offense's opportunities at explosive plays and forcing Herbert to settle largely for underneath passes. Through two games Johnston has amassed just three receptions for 24 yards. Harris had one explosive play in Week 2, but he's only totaled four receptions for 73 yards through these two matchups.
Part of these struggles can be attributed to the miscues of the offense as a whole. But as the Chargers enter their most brutal stretch of the season, one thing is clear.
They need to identify who the playmakers for this offense are, and McDaniel needs to scheme opportunities for them as often as he can. Thompson still has a chance to take on that mantle, at least partially.
He has the pure, downfield speed to keep any secondary honest, but his skill set isn't just limited to a fast set of legs. He has excellent downfield catch abilities, having led the SEC in receiving yards with in 2025 with Mississippi State.
This passing game will work best when McDaniel is able to leverage the Chargers' deep threats to make space for McConkey and the other receivers in the short and intermediate parts of the field. Thompson saw zero targets (and just 10 total snaps) in Week 1 as McDaniel attempted to put Harris and Johnston in that role.
Even with his drop in Week 2, the Chargers simply can't afford to fully sideline Thompson again. They need to unlock some explosive-play potential wherever they can in their offense, and Thompson, at the very least, is a candidate to help fill that need as Harris and Johnston continue to struggle.
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