Chargers Week 6 Rookie Report: Zion Johnson has rough outing against Broncos front line

Here’s where the Chargers rookies stand after a week five victory over the Browns.

The team’s two rookie offensive lineman recorded very different performances on Monday night. One struggled with penalties while the other was rock-steady all night long.

In a surprising change of pace, a pair of rookie cornerbacks without any snaps on defense this season were the authors of the game’s biggest and most-impactful play.

Let’s go ahead and check out how the Chargers’ seven rookies fared in week seven.

OG Zion Johnson

Johnson has his worst game as a pro on Monday night against a very ferocious interior of the Broncos. He was called for three holding penalties, all of which hampered drives before they could begin. His 27.9 pass blocking grade was by far the worst on the team which was caused by allowing four total pressures on the night (second most on the team), including a sack.

The Broncos have always been feisty in the middle and Johnson’s first taste of that position group definitely could have gone better. He’ll look to bounce back in week seven.

Stock direction: Down

S JT Woods

Woods was inactive once again. Barring an injury to one of the team’s top three safeties, this is likely the path Woods will be on for the foreseeable future.

Stock direction: Same

RB Isaiah Spiller

Spiller was inactive for this game but Joshua Kelley sustained an injury early on that kept him out for the remainder of the contest. If that injury lingers, we could see Spiller active this upcoming week against the Seahawks. But until that scenario fleshes out, he’ll remain inactive going forward.

Stock direction: Same

DL Otito Ogbonnia

Ogbonnia was active this week after a pair of contests where Christian Covington was activated over him. He played 16 total snaps, recording one tackle and one quarterback hurry. He didn’t grade super well in run defense (55.9) but he did manage decent grades in tackling (66.8) and pass rush (66.6).

Stock direction: Same

OL Jamaree Salyer

Salyer was one of the highest-graded players for the Chargers offense against the Broncos at 69.6. He posted team-best grades in pass protection (79.0) and run blocking (62.4) on a day where the other four starting lineman struggled in at least one area or another.

After a down game in pass protection against Myles Garrett and the Browns, this was a good performance against a stingy Broncos front seven that has contributed to being the league’s top pass defense heading into week six.

Stock direction: Up

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor made the play of the game when he shoved a Broncos player in punt returner Montrell Washington to force a fumble that the Chargers recovered deep inside Denver territory. That set up the game-winning field goal by Dustin Hopkins which likely wouldn’t have happened without Taylor’s heads-up play.

Stock direction: Up

CB Deane Leonard

Leonard recovered the fumble forced by Taylor to help set up the game-winning field goal. Derwin James told the media he was telling both Taylor and Leonard that they would make an impactful play on Monday night and that came to fruition in a big way.

Stock direction: Up

FB Zander Horvath

Horvath was the highest-graded player on special teams with a 72.1. He played 19 total snaps on offense where he recorded the second-highest run blocking grade on the team at 62.1.

Stock direction: Up