The Los Angeles Chargers' receiving corps is already mostly set in stone for 2026.
Mike McDaniel has remained consistent in his belief that he can elevate everyone in Chargers' current arsenal. As such, both Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston should get more opportunities to establish themselves as alpha receivers. Tre' Harris, for the most part, has been seen as one of Los Angeles' top three receivers this offseason after an impressive rookie campaign. KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Brenen Thompson, while on the edge of the roster bubble, should also be relative locks come August.
But the Chargers also still have a number of receivers that will be fighting to carve out rules in training camp. Beyond those five enumerated above, there are seven receivers still remaining on the roster— Derius Davis, Dalevon Campbell, JaQuae Jackson, Luke Grimm, Mante' Morrow, Sincere Brown, and Devonte Ross.
If the Chargers are going to carry a receiver beyond their five primary ones, it will likely be Davis. The fourth-year receiver played an important role over the past three campaigns as both a kick and punt returner.
But if anyone else from that group has a chance to stick, it's JaQuae Jackson. Jackson possesses the intermediate route-running abilities and has the special-teams experience to potentially displace someone like Davis, assuming the roster shakes out in his favor.
JaQuae Jackson will be looking to pull of the impossible in Chargers training camp
Jackson, who was signed by the New England Patriots as a UDFA in 2024 and came to Los Angeles after he was waived last offseason, spent most of his college career at the DII level, establishing himself as a dynamic receiver with straight-line speed and strong hands. But to this point, he hasn't had a real chance to show that in an NFL setting.
To be clear, there's no guarantee he gets a shot to do that with the Chargers this season. While Davis's declining production (Los Angeles finished near the bottom of the league in yards per kick and punt reutrns last season) makes him a clear cut candidate if he doesn't look improved in late July, that special-teams role will likely go to Brenen Thompson or Keaton Mitchell.
But there's enough uncertainty here to see at least a sliver of an opening for Jackson to make his mark.
Importantly, both Jackson and fellow receiver Devonte Ross were included among the players that took kick return reps during mini-camp. Jackson didn't have much special-teams experience in college, especially in his limited role in his lone DI season, but he's practiced consistently with the special-teams unit since his arrival in Los Angeles.
He'll have his work cut out for him to even maintain a spot as a practice-squad stash given the depth of the Chargers' current wide receiver corps. But if he's able to impress in camp and continue to work his way into special-teams reps, it seems as though that spot for a fifth wide receiver could be wide open.
Jackson has about as strong a chance as any of the other depth receivers beyond Davis can lay claim to, assuming he can show he belongs as a speedy pass-catcher in McDaniel's scheme.
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