Week 2 of Chargers Training Camp is in the books.
The Bolts are off Saturday but will get back to it Sunday with an 11 a.m. joint practice against the Rams.
Here are five takeaways from the second week of Chargers Training Camp:
1. The defense is flying around
The Chargers put on the pads this week, which meant an uptick in physicality in the trenches.
The defense made a strong first impression, especially in 9-on-7 periods which featured emphasis on running the ball.
Tuli Tuipulotu and Chris Rumph II had tackles for loss Thursday in the drill as the overall unit caught Harbaugh's eye.
"Our defense was really impressive today, the kind of run wall that you want to see," Harbaugh said of the drill. "That's super encouraging. You just like to see it. Like I said the other day, you'd much rather see that early in camp than you would the offense gashing. We're progressing well.
"You got to have a run wall, we aspire to have a run wall, we strive for that. Offensively, chip away, here we go," Harbaugh added. "[When] we get back and look at the tape, get an opportunity to do that. They're going to make us better, which was predicted and coming to fruition and bodes well for us."
The Bolts went back to a 9-on-7 drill Friday and the run defense looked the part again.
We haven't even touched on the secondary yet, which ended practice Wednesday (Matt Hankins) and Thursday (Tarheeb Still) with an interception. Linebacker Troy Dye had a pick Friday to make it three straight days with an interception on the final play of team practice.
Cornerbacks Asante Samuel, Jr. and Kristian Fulton have also repeatedly flashed in camp.
Through two weeks of practice, it's clear that Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter and his staff have the unit headed in the right direction.
Granted, the past two days haven't come against Justin Herbert (more on that below). But the unit is buzzing and will get a good test Sunday against Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense.
2. Stick's show for now
The Chargers announced Thursday that Herbert was diagnosed with an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot following Wednesday's practice.
Doctors have recommended approximately two weeks in a boot — followed by a graduated return to play protocol — with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the regular season.
"Full steam ahead," Harbaugh said when asked about Herbert missing time. "The preparation, the work continues.
"He's not on the field in practice but [the] meeting room... he's still in a training environment that chemistry, that rapport that you build with those position players, his teammates, that continues," Harbaugh added.
Based on the recommended timeline above, Herbert could possibly return to practice in mid-August.
Until then, Easton Stick is in charge of the first-team offense — something that isn't new to him considering he started the final four games of the 2023 season with Herbert out with a finger injury.
Stick looked the part Thursday, tossing a pair of touchdowns in a red-zone, 7-on-7 drill. His best throw came on a lofted pass to Joshua Palmer in the corner of the end zone.
Stick later fired a pass over the middle to tight end Zach Heins to move the chains on third-and-9 in a full-team drill.
"He was the same that he was the day before. He attacks everything he does," Harbaugh said Thursday about Stick. "The way he goes about his business is always top notch."
The quarterback had a bit of a down day Friday with a few interceptions but credit the Bolts defense, which seems to be rolling no matter who is on the field right now.
3. Rice among rookie standouts
The Bolts 2024 draft class is now entrenched in life in the NFL.
Joe Alt has held his own against the likes of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack while showing position versatility by playing at both tackle spots.
Second-rounder Ladd McConkey was one of Herbert's favorite targets when the two were on the field together.
But if you're looking for a late-round rookie who has done well, seventh-round wide receiver Brenden Rice put in a solid week of work in Week 2.
Rice, who has mixed in with multiple offensive units thus far in camp, has shown a knack for hauling in the deep ball as seen above.
His next test will come against the Rams on Sunday before another long week of practice and the preseason opener against Seattle, but Rice is certainly making a strong impression on coaches and teammates.
4. Safeties making a splash
The battle for the third safety spot was a big focus this past week as the pads came on.
With Alohi Gilman out early in the week due to the recent birth of his daughter, there was an opportunity for snaps during various team drills.
This is where AJ Finley, JT Woods and Tony Jefferson in particular were able to make an impact, as the three each had their moments of disruption on the back line of the Bolts defense.
Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter complimented the trio of safeties, adding that he was happy where they were at during this part of training camp.
"It's an open competition," Minter said. "All those guys bring different things to the table. Once again, for each situation try to have the best of the group on the field."
Gilman knows a bit of what it's like to be trying to find his way onto the field, as he worked his way up the depth chart in a similar way.
He was happy about where the competition stood at the moment as the ultimate result of this will not only improve whoever gets the spot, but the entire group as a whole.
"It's going great. Everyone is getting better," Gilman said. "It's cool to see, I was in that position as well. Those reps are limited and you have to take advantage of every opportunity. I think those guys are doing a good job."
Gilman later added: It's a good competition right now and I'm just excited to be a part of it and just help everyone along the way because the better the competition, the better we are as a unit. At the end of the day, we want to be as strong as possible because this season is long and it takes everybody to compete at a high level."
With joint practices and preseason games coming up, there will be more opportunities to see which safety could create some separation in the competition.
"You have to be a guy that's able to step in, I was in those positions, to help us win games," Gilman said. "Because I have that perspective, I know how it feels.
"I'm constantly trying to build that and instill that into them to be able to prepare for those moments because it could be anyone," Gilman added. "You have to be ready, it can change your career. It has for me."
5. Dicker off to strong start
Cameron Dicker has picked up right where he left off.
The Bolts kicker is off to a historic start in his young career by making 52 of 55 field goals (94.5 percent).
Dicker has been nearly as good through the first two weeks of camp as he has kicked in team drills in three of the nine practices.
He opened with an 11-for-11 performance in July 27, including a long of 52 yards. He came back on Tuesday and made all nine of his field goal tries.
And while he did miss two kicks Friday (going six for eight overall), he nailed a 55-yarder moments after missing from the same distance to showcase his trademark resiliency and even-keeled mindset.
Overall, Dicker has made 26 of 28 field goals in camp. It appears he will once again be a key factor on the scoreboard again in 2024.
