Day 1 of Chargers rookie minicamp in El Segundo is in the books.
Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh met with reporters before practice. Rookie defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell and outside linebacker Kyle Kennard spoke to reporters after the three-hour session.
Here are five takeaways from their press conferences at The Bolt:
1. Making some changes
Another rookie minicamp kicked off for Harbaugh as a head coach — only this time, there was a change in the way he did things.
"What you're going to see out there today, it will probably be different than any rookie minicamp that I know of or have ever heard of," Harbaugh said.
As rookie minicamp kicked off in El Segundo on Friday, Harbaugh talked about the changes he made to this year's edition, opting for more drill-centered practices that could help the team evaluate rather than the more traditional full-team drills.
This meant fewer head-to-head drills and more sessions where individual players could have a better opportunity to stand out.
"We're going to out there, it will be plays on air, there won't be any 11-on-11," Harbaugh said. "When it comes time to evaluate the players head-to-head, all those that may be on the bubble, we're going to give them a fair opportunity to show that they should be a Chargers.
"How we're going to do that is we're going to go through drills," he added. "We're going through do that through training drills, picking two that our guys are going to have to know, plus we can evaluate."
Harbaugh added that some drills included time with Chargers Executive Director of Player Performance Ben Herbert, some were on special teams and some were by position, where they would be able to evaluate them against one another.
It was the first time Harbaugh switched up as a head coach, and something he hopes really helps to evaluate the talent over the weekend.
But why the change?
Harbaugh explained that it was something that will give them a way to see the full capabilities of a player and let their talent shine.
"The simple thought process there is that we're not really with the team doing 11-on-11 for another couple of weeks, so let's identify the talent," Harbaugh said. "Let's identify if the guy has the talent and is good enough to be here, then take them to the 11-on-11 in a couple of weeks rather than do it backwards.
"If they're good at 11-on-11 right now, we likely would not get that diamond in the rough, that gem because you wouldn't see the talent as much," Harbaugh said. "You might see who was able to learn the system better in the first [day]."
Rather than evaluating them by how the players performed on full team drills, this will allow them to fully show what a player can do on a more level field.
"A 90-minute meeting to go over offense and defense, then go out on the field and then we're judging who learned the system better, but we're not seeing the capabilities, what they have talent-wise," Harbaugh said.
"Just a thought," Harbaugh continued. "Guilty as charged for the one who thought about it. Let's identify the talent, let's get the best 90, then we'll move forward from there."
He later added: "Put a lot of thought into it. Just because it's always been done a certain way, doesn't make that the best way."
While it is something new they put in place for the weekend of practices, the end goal remains the same — to identify the best players for the Chargers.
"I look at it as it's a day and weekend of evaluation," Harbaugh said. "Really just mining for gold, diamonds, gems. Like those rare gems, they don't just pop out of the ground into your pocket, you got to dig. You got to go in there and find them, and that's what I want to do today.
"Top of the list as a coach, let the players know that they can make it known by their talent and their effort, scream to us through that, that they want to be a Charger, and we'll go find them," Harbaugh added. "That's the idea, we should come out of this weekend with a 91-man roster and we'll roll. Top of the list, mining for gold."
2. A new start
It was a long time coming for the rookies when they hit the field on Friday.
After the extensive pre-draft process and other duties to fulfill, Day 1 of rookie minicamp was both a culmination of it all and also a start for the newest members of the Chargers.
"It's been a long journey, I would just say I'm blessed," Caldwell said. "I don't really make it too big, I look at it as at the end of the day, it's football. Just trying to fit in with the plays, the new language you're speaking."
Kennard added: "Surreal. You go throughout before getting here like the draft, Combine, all that other stuff and you know your kind of coming. But when you actually put the stuff on, get out there with the guys, get out there and get instructional time, there's nothing like it."
The Chargers rookie class, as well as the undrafted free agents and tryout players, participated in their first practice in El Segundo, taking the field for a number of drills over the multiple hour practice session.
It's going to be a work in progress over the weekend and beyond, but Caldwell said the preparations started before they got to the building this week.
"It was a lot of prep," Caldwell said. "We had some Zoom meetings with the defensive coaches that caught me up before. I feel like they did a good job letting me know how everything was ran. They helped me with some installs before, I feel like everything went well."
There will be a lot for the rookies to get adjusted to the NFL, including getting up to speed with the terminology, which Kennard said is something he worked through on Friday and is a work in progress.
"That's one of [the biggest] things," Kennard said. "Football is football, a lot of places use the same technique, but the terminology is different.
"Today I even caught myself saying some of the terminology from South Carolina, I had to quickly correct myself," Kennard added. "But it's been cool the different things we had to learn."
The weekend is a big first impression for everyone, as Caldwell, Kennard and the rest of the rookies all hope to show the coaches what they can do over these next couple of days.
"I feel like just being a good communicator within my teammates, being a fast learner, somebody that could pick it up really fast," Caldwell said. "Somebody that's just ready to work."
Kennard added: "I want to show them I'm dependable. The X's and O's stuff will come as I'm here throughout my rookie season, but for them to know that I'll be in the right place, do my job and communicate and be dependable to the rest of my teammates, that's probably what I'm looking to show the most."
3. Welcome to the NFL
It didn't take long to hit Caldwell and Kennard that they were in the NFL.
From the moment they walked into The Bolt, both were impressed, as they've now had a couple of days to really take it all in.
"I can't complain, it's beautiful," Caldwell said.
Kennard added: "It's a beautiful facility."
Not to mention they got the opportunity to see their lockers, a moment that really stuck with them.
"It was pretty crazy seeing my locker up there," Kennard said. "Not everybody gets this opportunity so going to an NFL locker room and seeing my name, it just makes me want to work even harder."
And as if it wasn't a realization enough, the pair of players also had a moment they called 'surreal' when making the rounds at The Bolt.
The two ran into veteran Khalil Mack while in the locker room and had a chance to introduce themselves to their new teammate.
Getting the chance to meet Mack, a future Hall of Famer, was something that hit Caldwell hard.
"It's kind of surreal," Caldwell said. "You play with him on the game, watch football throughout and how he was doing it. Just coming up in JuCo and [his longevity]. It was pretty crazy."
Caldwell later added: "It was a pinch-me moment. It really woke me up seeing him come through the locker room."
It was similar for Kennard, who said Mack reached out to him following the draft as now members of the same position group.
"One of the greatest to do it," Kennard said. "I talked to him before I got here, texted him a couple times back and forth. When I got here, I saw him in the locker room, we embraced.
"It was cool just being in the same room as a legend," Kennard added.
4. An update on the interior OL
Harbaugh provided an update Friday on the competition on the interior of the offensive line — an area of focus as the offseason rolls along.
With the team being able to do some drills on the field in Phase Two of the Offseason Program, Harbaugh said they have been able to get a rotation going at the center position.
Of course, both Harbaugh and General Manager Joe Hortiz said during the offseason that Zion Johnson, who has started at guard with the Bolts, would have a chance to compete for the starting center job alongside last year's starter Bradley Bozeman and free-agent addition Andre James.
Johnson has been able to rotate in that spot so far, and it's something the head coach says the team will do as of now.
"That's the way we're doing it right now," Harbaugh said. "Bradley Bozeman, starting center, Zion starting guard then the next day we flip it to Zion starting center, Brad Bozeman is starting guard. That's the way it's been going.
"We'll see how long that goes until," Harbaugh added. "Long ways from having to set a starting lineup."
As for how Johnson looks at a new position, Harbaugh had some praise for what the fourth-year player has been able to show.
He also added that whether it's at guard or center, Johnson will be one of the best five once the season gets going.
"Those snaps are popping up," Harbaugh said. "When it comes to technique, he's at the top. Him, Rashawn, now Joe Alt is with those two at the top. When it comes to athleticism with Zion, he's probably the most athletic lineman. As a run blocker, probably our best, probably our smartest."
Harbaugh later added: "The versatility to be able to play guard or center, he's going to be starting at one of those two positions. It just adds versatility to have him be a center as well. We'll get our best five eventually, but I know he's going to be one of them."
Overall, Harbaugh feels as if though the team has gotten stronger along the offensive trenches, and it will be something they will look to build on as the offseason continues.
"Just a lot of good things there with the line," Harbaugh said. "Trey Pipkins, he's doing a really great job. Jamaree Salyer looks more svelte and he's looking good. We'll add to the mix this weekend.
"Overall feeling really positive, we got better," Harbaugh added. "We're a better team right now and we'll come out of this weekend and see if we can build and get even better."
5. The difference a year makes
The Chargers are in a much different spot as a team at this time of the year compared to last with Phase Two of the offseason program kicking off last Monday.
As opposed to going through installs with a completely new group like 2024 in Harbaugh's first year, the team has a baseline this year that has made this phase of the offseason much smoother.
Harbaugh said the team has felt a lot more comfortable in the system now, even with new players in the mix, as they have been able to hit the ground running so far as a group.
"Just love the way guys are moving around," Harbaugh said. "It looks really good. We picked up too, in a lot of ways, where we left off compared to last year when we were first starting and we were installing some systems.
"Defensively, it's like we just played the Texans," Harbaugh added. "That's where we are system-wise. Now we're there and building. Same with the offense."
Having a full year of familiarity under the belt has been a major boost for the Bolts as they continue to build towards Year 2 under Harbaugh.
"It's not back to ground zero," Harbaugh said. "We're building and adding in all phases."
