4. Competition along the D-line

Nobody truly gets a good evaluation of the trenches during spring practices, mostly because those groups need pads to truly show their skills.

But Minter was forthright this spring when he said the Chargers went with a committee approach along the defensive line this offseason.

“We traded maybe one or two guys for two or three guys,” Minter said.

Teair Tart is back from a season ago, as are Otito Ogbnnia, Scott Matlock and Justin Eboigbe, the latter of which looks like he bulked up.

But Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones are fresh faces, as is third-round pick Jamaree Caldwell.

There’s playing time to be earned in camp and Minter can’t wait to watch the competition unfold.

“There’s more total, capable guys now than we had at this time last year and let it shake out. That’s kind of how I feel about the D-Line,” Minter said

5. Harbaugh loves the rookie class

The Chargers struck gold with their 2024 rookie class, a group that included immediate contributors in Alt, McConkey, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.

Others such as Junior Colson, Eboigbe and Kimani Vidal could make a bigger impact in Year 2.

But the Bolts 2025 rookie class has already made an impression on Harbaugh and others as multiple coaches have said the entire class has been coachable while displaying impressive work ethics.

Harris recently summed up the mindset of the entire rookie class.

“At times, I’m just wandering around the building like, ‘What else can I do for the day?'” Harris said. “I usually end up finding something, whether it’s watching film, getting extra treatment or just going out on the field and doing extra.”

He later added: “I’m usually always catching that late bus to go back to the hotel.”

Gadsden has made headlines for his splash plays on the field, but he’s also turned heads for his 5:30 a.m. arrival time at The Bolt.

“When I talk about the rookies and how you have to kick them out of the building, he’s like the poster guy for that,” Harbaugh said of Gadsden.

The fifth-round tight end said he usually heads to the practice field to run through plays by himself so that he’s ready for practice later that day.

“I’ll have the plays, just go through them,” Gadsden said. “If it’s a play that has two tight end personnel, then I’ll go through both and if it’s just one, I’ll just do that one and then move onto the next play and then just go on.”

In order to make the playoffs again in 2025, the Bolts will undoubtedly need some help from their first-year players.

So far, so good for that group early in their NFL careers.