The LA Chargers have officially kicked off the team's first training camp of the Jim Harbaugh era and it has been exactly what fans expected. Harbaugh has been all business as this looks like a completely different team that is ready to make a statement in his first season as head coach.
Harbaugh is a proven winner and he is going to get the most out of a Chargers team that won only five games last season. Whether it be talking up 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston or changing how the team practices, Harbaugh is continuing to shift the culture little by little.
The veteran head coach also is not afraid to try things out and reinvent the wheel where he can. Harbaugh is doing just that with 2023 draft pick Jordan McFadden, who is reportedly getting snaps at full back and tight end during training camp (h/t Bolts from the Blue).
Did Greg Roman and Jim harbaugh find a new Patrick Ricard in 2023 5th round draft pick Jordan McFadden?
— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) July 25, 2024
Ricard: 6'3 311lbs
McFadden: 6'2 303lbs
Listen to @mattmoneysmith and @LorenzoNeal talk about how McFadden has been used early in training camp. pic.twitter.com/gzoGAiQNBM
Jim Harbaugh may turn Jordan McFadden into a Swiss Army Knife for the Chargers
McFadden was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and while he did not play much in his rookie season, he still seems like one of the better picks from that draft class. The Chargers got an absolute steal in McFadden, who was a productive college offensive lineman who came from a notable program in Clemson.
Harbaugh has already mentioned McFadden's name and the potential for him to be versatile before. Earlier in the offseason, Harbaugh mentioned McFadden's name as an option to add depth at the center position even though he has never played center.
Now it is clear that McFadden's versatility may expand past playing center. The Chargers are getting creative with McFadden, who could see himself on the receiving end of a touchdown catch near the goal line or as a blocker in heavy sets for short-yardage runs.
This does not mean that McFadden is going to be constantly trotting out there as the team's fullback and tight end. This highlights him as the trick-play candidate for offensive coordinator Greg Roman. If there is an offensive lineman who catches a touchdown pass this season, it will likely be McFadden.
Roman has utilized this creativity in the past with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. That is not going to stop on the Chargers as Roman looks to elevate the team from being in the middle of the pack in red-zone touchdown percentage.