The Los Angeles Chargers have an under-the-radar problem to deal with this offseason. It is time to decide on Quentin Johnston's fifth-year option, and the team must decide whether it is willing to commit another year to his development.
Although Johnston has shown promise as a downfield and contested-catch threat, his propensity for drops and his inconsistent production have left much to be desired. With Ladd McConkey still in the fold and Keenan Allen likely to return, there is also the question of how many targets Johnston could receive over the next two seasons.
All of this is magnified by the hefty number for his fifth-year option, which sits just under $16 million.
It wouldn't kick in until the 2027 season, but guaranteeing that number could affect how Los Angeles approaches distributing their cap space this offseason. Committing that amount to someone as inconsistent as Johnston would be less than ideal.
But perhaps the Green Bay Packers, in their extension of Christian Watson for the 2026 season, have provided a blueprint to avoid this.
Chargers could give Quentin Johnston another shot without the fifth-year option
It must be acknowledged that the circumstances between then end of Watson's and Johnston's rookie contracts are very different. Watson has struggled to stay on the field through his short NFL career. But when he's been available he's been undeniably productive.
Even in his rookie season, in which he played 14 games, he totaled 41 receptions for 611 yards and seven touchdowns. Were he to hit unrestricted free agency, he could certainly command a high price. But Watson's one-year, $13.25 million extension was meant to give both parties some breathing room as Watson recovered from a torn ACL during the 2025 season.
Because they were unable to truly evaluate him, Green Bay bought themselves extra time to decide on his future value. Johnston has not dealt with the same injury struggles. But he does present some of the same difficulties that Watson did.
Johnston seemingly broke out at the start of 2025, putting up 337 yards and four touchdowns in his first four games of the season, only to disappear again when things got tough for the Chargers offense. He then burst back onto the scene over the final two regular season matchups.
He hasn't shown enough consistency to be worth $16 million, even for one season. But if Los Angeles can decline his fifth-year option and bring him back on, say, a $10 million deal, they could use another season to evaluate him without having to worry about an immediate plunge into unrestricted free agency.
The advantages are there for Johnston as well. Not only would he have extra money secured, but he would have an extra season to prove himself if he wanted to test the market.
If another team were to swoop in with a hefty offer for Johnston's fifth season and beyond, Los Angeles would be out of luck. But if they were able to pull it off, this path would be far preferable to taking Johnston's fifth-year option into 2027.