The Los Angeles Chargers’ highly anticipated debut at the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions got off to an electric start, but not for starting center Zion Johnson. A former first-round pick, Johnson was tasked with manning the center spot for the opening drive. But it didn’t take long for things to unravel.
Struggles at Center
GettyIt wasn’t a pretty start at center for Zion Johnson.
On back-to-back plays, Johnson botched snaps to quarterback Trey Lance. Misfires on the exchanges, a fundamental aspect of playing center, are the kind of errors that can be chalked up to his inexperience at the position, but for a team trying to stabilize its offensive line, it’s a troubling first impression.
Worse yet, the issues didn’t end after the first few snaps. Johnson was beaten at the point of attack on multiple occasions, allowing Lions’ interior defenders to generate pressure and disrupt the flow of the offense. It was clear that Johnson still has a ways to go before mastering the mental and physical demands of the center position at the NFL level. Especially considering the Lions’ starters weren’t playing.
Johnson, to his credit, has not shied away from the growing pains. He has openly talked about the difficulty of making the transition from guard to center, emphasizing how important it’s been to lean on veteran teammates like center Bradley Bozeman.
“Boze has played a lot of football at the center position and he’s played some guard too. I get to talk to him, ask him certain things about playing center and he’s open in that way.” That collaborative spirit has been critical in what has now become a crucial competition for the starting job.
A Crowded Center Competition Between Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, and Andre James
For head coach Jim Harbaugh, the competition at center is huge for the team. But there’s a third candidate. Former Las Vegas Raiders starting center Andre James is also in the mix, with offensive coordinator Greg Roman praising James’ command, physicality, and instincts at the line, despite being less experienced in the Chargers’ offensive system.
“He’s elevated himself into the mix as well,” Roman said. “His presence, his physicality— does some good instinctual things too.”
James’ insertion also adds another layer of complexity to what was already a complicated battle. But Thursday’s performance may tilt that balance away from Johnson, at least for now.
Still, Johnson has been optimistic about the support system around him. “We also have Coach, who played a lot of great football for our team. Coach [Mike] Devlin was a center, and I still have people I could rely on that played for our organization that were great centers like [former Chargers center] Corey [Linsley] who was always willing to help. I just feel blessed that I have all these resources in our room.”
With three players now vying for one role, Johnson’s path to becoming the Chargers’ long-term center has hit a significant obstacle. It may just be an over exaggeration, but with Johnson heading into the final year of his rookie deal, he needs to have a huge season to prove he deserves a second contract with the team. Still, there’s plenty of time for Johnson to improve, but if center isn’t the solution, then what is?
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