Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston didn’t quite live up to the expectations that came with being a first-round pick last year, but he’s off to a better start this year.
Johnston only managed 38 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games as a rookie, but he has already picked up eight catches for 89 yards and two scores this year. Five of those catches and both touchdowns came in Sunday’s win over the Panthers, which earned Johnston a game ball and a chance to make the case for patience being a virtue.
“They expect everybody to be right on right now,” Johnston said, via the team’s website. “The reality of it is it takes some people some time, I was one of those guys. I just took everything that happened to me last year, learned from it and just keep pushing forward.”
Quarterback Justin Herbert said that Johnston’s work this offseason and summer created belief in his abilities around the team and that it “was only a matter of time before we saw it on the big stage.” Given the makeup of the Chargers receiver group, there are going to be plenty of other opportunities for Johnston to show what he can do and more days like last Sunday will make it easier to forget the hard times of his rookie season.
