The Chargers mixed things up Wednesday as they didn't practice in full pads. However, Jim Harbaugh's squad went a two-plus hours in helmets and shells in their longest practice of camp thus far.
The Bolts will practice again Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Here is the Chargers Camp Report from Wednesday's non-padded practice:
1. Finley, Hankins snag INTs
A handful of young defensive backs stood out Wednesday.
Second-year safety AJ Finley, who has mixed in with the first-team defense in certain looks, made a pair of solid plays in a 7-on-7 drill early in practice.
First, he stuck with tight end Zach Heins on a corner route and leapt up to grab an interception off of Justin Herbert. A few plays later, Easton Stick was looking for Jaelen Gill when Finley notched a pass breakup.
The 7-on-7 drill featured safeties and linebackers up against running backs, tight ends and slot receivers.
"AJ is guy that guys have confidence in," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said Wednesday after practice. "He's a guy who has made some plays in practice, communicates really well. He has a comfort out there."
A pair of other youngsters turned heads later in practice.
With Quentin Johnston open on a deep shot, undrafted rookie Thomas Harper swooped in to bat the ball deny the explosive gain.
Later in a team drill, cornerback Matt Hankins managed an interception on third-and-2 when Casey Bauman was also looking for a deep ball.
2. Herbert shows off his wheels
Herbert showcased his athleticism Wednesday in the red zone during a 2-minute drill.
With 20 seconds left and the ball at the 20-yard line, Herbert took off up the right sideline and headed for the end zone.
While Herbert tucked the ball inside the pylon and celebrated a possible touchdown, Harbaugh ruled him down at the 2-yard line.
Herbert, of course, will never get touched in practice and it's worth noting that both Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack had collapsed the pocket a bit before his scramble.
Either way, it was another reminder that Herbert's legs could bring an added dimension to the Bolts offense this season.
Another notable offense play came when Brenden Rice tracked down a beautiful ball from Stick for an over-the-shoulder reception.
Undrafted rookie Jaylen Johnson provided a highlight in 1-on-1 drills between wide receivers and defensive backs when he used a quick release off the line for a long touchdown down the right sideline to draw a loud reaction from the crowd.
Derius Davis also showed off his quickness in the 1-on-1s by using a double move to get wide open in the drill.
3. Plenty of ST work
With Wednesday's session not in full pads, the Bolts spent multiple periods focused on special teams.
That emphasis started early when JK Scott boomed punts from his own end zone down to returners Davis and Ladd McConkey. Scott and the punting unit then moved up the field before they were eventually at midfield as Scott worked on pinning the opponent deep in their own territory.
Punt return was the focus later on as defenders worked on their blocks near line of scrimmage and gunners worked on securing the returner inside a 10-yard zone.
The Bolts ended practice with kickoff return drills, which have an enhanced emphasis due to the altered kickoff rules for this season. A wrinkle of note: Denzel Perryman didn't actually kick the ball but worked at kicker in the drill.
