EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers opened their three-day mandatory minicamp Tuesday at The Bolt, the team’s practice facility.They are scheduled to practice again Wednesday and Thursday. That will conclude the offseason program, and the Chargers will break for the summer before returning for the start of training camp in late July.Coach Jim Harbaugh held his first news conference in three weeks. We also heard from receiver Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey for the first time this offseason. The Chargers held a shorter practice, with limited team drills. But there was still plenty to gather on and off the field.Here are my takeaways:1. Four players were not on the field for Tuesday’s practice: linebacker Troy Dye and offensive linemen Trey Pipkins III, Alex Harkey and Isaiah World. Pipkins and Harkey are nursing injuries. World is still working his way back from winter knee surgery. Dye was excused from practice for a personal matter.Otherwise, the Chargers were in full attendance for the first mandatory practice of the offseason. That included edge rusher Bud Dupree, a notable veteran who had been absent for the organized team activity days that were open to media.2. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been taking days off from throwing this spring. For the final two OTAs open to media — on June 2 and June 8 — Herbert did not throw. On Tuesday, Herbert did some light throwing during individual drills while working on play-action footwork. When the offense started running deeper routes without any defenders, Herbert did not throw. Backups Trey Lance and D.J. Uiagalelei took all those reps.Herbert did not participate in the seven-on-seven period, which was the only team period for the day. Lance and Uiagalelei took all those reps, as well.Harbaugh last talked to local media on May 27, before the Chargers started their first OTA. Since then, we have seen Herbert take days off from throwing. Tuesday was Harbaugh’s first time commenting on Herbert’s days off.Harbaugh said the motivation is twofold: maintenance for Herbert’s arm and extra time to focus on footwork. Herbert is learning new footwork to get the ball out more quickly and throw with more anticipation in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s scheme.Harbaugh said that in years past, Herbert threw “hundreds” of passes during a single spring practice. “We have tried it a different way this year,” he added, “and I think it’s smarter.”McDaniel has surely been part of this strategic shift. Oftentimes, McDaniel will be staring at Herbert’s feet during a rep and will watch those feet for several seconds before even turning to assess where the throw traveled. The footwork is the priority right now.Additionally, Herbert is 28 now and entering his seventh season. He was hit more than any quarterback in the league last year. If anyone deserves a slow build-up, it is Herbert.“We got a plan,” Harbaugh said. “We got a nice progression where he’s ramping up to training camp and the first game of the season and the entire season.”Herbert is such a perfectionist. After training camp days early in his career, Herbert would continue to throw after practice ended. If there was a throw he did not think was perfect during the practice, he would repeat that throw over and over after practice until it felt perfect to him. Dozens upon dozens of extra throws on an otherwise empty field.Herbert is dialing back his workload this year. I think that is a sign of maturity. I also think that is a sign of the trust he already has in McDaniel.3. McConkey participated in individual drills during Tuesday’s practice. That was a step forward for the receiver, who had been working off to the side with trainers during all three OTAs open to media in May and June. McConkey revealed Tuesday that he has been dealing with a strained hamstring he suffered early in May.“We’re in May and June,” McConkey said. “There’s no reason to rush it back and really push it and then have another setback and then it bleeds into training camp. Met with the doctors, no real concern. It’s just like, let’s get this thing healthy, let’s get it strong, and then the plan is when we roll into training camp, I’m 100 percent ready to go, and I have full faith in that.”Wide receiver Quentin Johnston said the Chargers’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option in late April allows him “to go out there freely and play football.” (Brooke Sutton / Getty Images)4. The Chargers picked up Johnston’s fifth-year option in late April. Johnston was already under contract through 2026 on his rookie deal. With the option, he is now under contract through 2027. He is due to make $18 million in 2027, according to Over The Cap, a huge pay bump for the former No. 21 overall pick. Johnson is making less than $3 million in base salary in 2026.Johnston said the team picking up his option “adds a lot” of validation to the progress he has made so far in his career.“With that validation comes a little relief to myself, kind of a weight that in previous years I was having over my shoulders of how I was playing and then what was going to come after that if I don’t change,” Johnston said. “Now I feel free. I’m just taking my time learning this playbook, and I’m just going to go out there freely and play football.”After a bumpy rookie year, Johnston has caught eight touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. Only four receivers have more touchdowns than Johnston’s 16 since the start of 2024, according to TruMedia: Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Davante Adams and Tee Higgins.Back in September 2024, I spoke with Johnston about his tumultuous rookie season. He explained his feelings thusly: “I don’t want to say self-doubt, but kind of just disappointment in myself.” Johnston had some untimely drops that year. He was raw and needed to develop significantly to be able to impact the game in the NFL.On Tuesday, Johnston was asked about his importance to the team.“At the point I’m at now, I don’t doubt it for a second,” Johnston said.5. Two plays stood out to me from the short seven-on-seven team period Tuesday. The Chargers only had 16 reps. Lance was quarterback for eight, and Uiagalelei was quarterback for eight.On defense, rookie safety Genesis Smith picked off Lance near the left sideline. Smith’s range, eyes and ball skills were on display on this play. Smith, a fourth-round pick in April, will be challenging Tony Jefferson and RJ Mickens for playing time during training camp. There will be pretty heated competition for the second safety spot next to Elijah Molden when star DB Derwin James Jr. plays at nickel.On offense, we got to see the elite speed of rookie receiver Brenen Thompson. Thompson, also a fourth-round pick, came flying wide open on a post route down the field. The ball was drastically underthrown by Lance.This play should be a sign to the Chargers quarterbacks: When Thompson is running open deep, throw it as far as you can. Thompson ran a 4.26 40 at the combine. That aligns with his play speed. It will be pretty much impossible to overthrow him when he is taking the top off defenses.6. Harbaugh confirmed that Kayode Awosika, Trevor Penning and rookie Jake Slaughter are all in the mix for the starting left guard spot. The other four starting jobs are pretty set, it seems: Rashawn Slater at left tackle, Tyler Biadasz at center, Cole Strange at right guard and Joe Alt at right tackle. Harbaugh said left guard is “the one that sticks out” among the starting group.The Chargers did not hold any 11-on-11 drills Tuesday, so there were no rotations to note in any live reps. Awosika was the first player at left guard when the offense walked through plays without any defense on the field. Slaughter entered the lineup second at left guard. That has been the rotation throughout the spring. Slaughter was a college center who is making a position change to left guard. Harbaugh said that transition has been “pretty darn smooth.”“The separation (for) starter, we’ll see more of that when the pads come on and the preseason games come on,” Harbaugh said.