LOS ANGELES — Taylor Heinicke visibly tensed the moment the ball left his fingers. He knew it was long.
A whistle blew — late. The play was already in motion. His intended receiver ran the route as drawn, the ball sailing just past his fingertips. The corner trailing him had bailed, anticipating something the receiver hadn’t.
Chargers veteran Donte Jackson vacated man coverage and drifted into space. He plucked the ball from the air with ease. The whistle echoed as the interception landed. The play had already happened.
It’s what Jackson brings to this rebuilding secondary:
Experience and Playmaking.
“(Jackson) will see the play like, ‘Okay, this is what they’re trying to do,’” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “He’s seen it plenty of times. He’s got 19 career interceptions. He gets his hands on the ball. He’s been really productive.”
Neither of the Chargers’ 2024 Week 1 starting corners — Asante Samuel Jr. and Kristian Fulton — remains on the roster. The unit ranked No. 1 in scoring defense (17.7 points per game) and top-10 in passing yards allowed (206.9), but it’s in transition.
Jackson, who signed from Pittsburgh, is expected to fill one of the outside corner spots. His experience brings foresight and a library of knowledge afforded to him from his years in the league.
He’s already pouring that into a younger core. Tarheeb Still, Ja’Sir Taylor, and Cam Hart are all expected to rotate at outside corner.
Combined, they have five seasons played. Jackson alone has eight.
“He has something new every day, it’s crazy,” Still said. “He’s played a lot of football, so he’s got a lot of knowledge to give. Some of the stuff he’s told us has already shown up. He’s a great teacher.”
Still isn’t the only one listening.
Or asking.
The whole group has shown curiosity — a hunger born from a desire to improve.
“When you’re dealing with guys who just love ball and love to compete, you kind of fall into that (leadership) role,” Jackson said. “Some guys don’t want to learn or ask questions. But these guys make it easy. They come in every day asking something.”
It’s a deep group of potential contributors by design.
It’s the Harbaugh way.
Minter, who coached under Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan before joining him in Los Angeles, also spent time with Jim’s brother John in Baltimore. He’s well-versed in the Harbaugh school of thought in rotational corners.
“John Harbaugh used to say, ‘You can never have enough corners,’” Minter said. “There are a lot of fast, explosive movements that they have to go through, and we hope that they can hold up. You always want as many guys as you can have in that room.
One player who likely won’t rotate: Derwin James.
The three-time All-Pro and team captain has transitioned from a First Team All-Pro safety (2018) early in his career to a two-time Second Team All-Pro (2022, 2024) game-wrecker at nickel.
His role won’t change. Neither will his influence.
Revered as one of the premier players in the league, James remains not just the face of the secondary or the defense as a whole, but as the integral stitch of powder blue fabric of the entire Chargers organization.
And the brain of the operation.
“I think (James’) brain is a football,” Jackson said. “If you opened his head, it’s probably a football in there. He’s literally the standard. He’s literally Chargers football.”
On the back end, veterans Tony Jefferson and returning starter Alohi Gilman have led the safety group, with James making brief cameos in the deep third.
Behind them, rookie sixth-round pick RJ Mickens (Clemson) and second-year pro Kendall Williamson are battling for a spot in the rotation. Both will get a shot to prove themselves in the Hall of Fame Game against the Lions in Canton, just seven days away.
EXTRA POINTS
Rookie running back Raheim Sanders, veteran corner Benjamin St-Juste, and rookie outside linebacker Kylan Guidry trained in non-contact drills on the side.
Nyheim Hines, in his first practice with the Chargers in El Segundo after signing Monday and training in San Diego the previous two days, broke a long touchdown run in 11-on-11, as did Jaret Patterson.
Second-year linebacker Tre’Mon Morris-Brash recorded a safety, stuffing Hassan Haskins in the end zone during “back-to-goal” situational drills.
Left tackle Rashawn Slater sat out his fifth consecutive practice with what Coach Jim Harbaugh described as a “minor” injury. Slater is in the final year of his rookie deal, and extension talks are ongoing.