EL SEGUNDO — Who is Nikko Reed, and what is he doing challenging for a spot on the Chargers’ 53-man roster as a depth player in their secondary?
For starters, Reed is someone who has made plays day after day during training camp and, for good measure, intercepted a pass during the Chargers’ 34-7 victory Thursday over the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, and returned it 60 yards to the 6.
Reed is also an undrafted rookie from the University of Oregon, with all the chip-on-the-shoulder vibes that come with it. The first step to making the team was getting noticed in the first place and signing a contract as a free agent during the offseason. The next step is to keep getting noticed on the field and in meetings and everywhere else that matters.
So far, so good.
The competition at cornerback is wide open. Or as wide open as any position can be during a training camp in which the competition for jobs is limited because of the large number of well-established veterans who nailed down their roles long ago. Reed is well-positioned to challenge for a role.
The question is whether he can do enough to move up the depth chart and overtake several players ahead of him, including Tarheeb Still, Benjamin St-Juste and Ja’Sir Taylor, among others. Nothing has been settled with three weeks of camp and with three exhibition games remaining.
Reed insisted Sunday that he set no goals for himself heading into his first training camp in the NFL. He said he preferred to take it day-by-day, lest he fail to live up to any lofty expectations he might have laid down for himself. He said he preferred it that way because he could focus on the here and now.
“Just be where your feet are and give the most effort,” he said.
Living in the moment has served him well over the course of 13 days in camp.
“It’s a good step for him, you know?” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said of Reed’s play in the exhibition victory over the Lions. “I think he went into the game trusting himself and kind of what he had done in practice. It’s the first preseason game. It’s great to make those plays and show you can do it. Now, to really take that next step, it’s ‘Can you be that repetitive player?’”
Minter said he wasn’t surprised by anything Reed accomplished against Detroit.
“He played the way I thought he would play,” Minter said.
Tony Jefferson, a veteran safety who was also an undrafted free agent who made the Arizona Cardinals’ roster as a rookie from the University of Oklahoma in 2013, said he was rooting for his younger teammate. Jefferson traveled the path Reed is traveling more than a decade ago.
“I was so happy for Nikko,” Jefferson said. “He’s been flashing ever since he got here. When you get to do it in a game that’s like bringing practice to the game. That’s huge. It builds up your confidence, honestly. In this league, it’s all about the next game. That’s just how this league works.
“You get your praise for that game. You get that 24-hour rule (to celebrate a victory or a standout performance) or sometimes 48 hours and then it’s on to the next one. I’m happy for Nikko, an undrafted guy. I was undrafted, too. I know how it is. You have to make plays in order to stick.”
EXTRA POINTS
Running back Najee Harris continued his walking routine for a second consecutive game. There is no timetable for his return to practice after his eye was injured during a fireworks accident July 4. … Wide receiver Ladd McConkey and right guard Mekhi Becton were sidelined for the second straight day because of what offensive coordinator Greg Roman said were “extremely minor” injuries. … Zion Johnson swapped spots with Bradley Bozeman, shifting from left guard to center as their rotation continued with no resolution in sight.