Chargers’ Brandon Staley talks decision to release WR Tyron Johnson

Among the biggest surprises with the Chargers’ initial 53-man roster was the absence of wide receiver Tyron Johnson.

After emerging as one of top pass-catching options last season, it was expected that Johnson was going to take another step. However, it won’t be in the blue and gold.

Upon seeing the report, fans quickly grew puzzled and wondered why Johnson wasn’t going to be back.

Following Tuesday’s practice, head coach Brandon Staley explained the decision to release Johnson, citing that it was a numbers issue and not having a place on special teams for him.

“It was a tough one, a really tough one,” Staley said. “T-Billy has done a lot for this team in the past and he did some good things for us in camp. That was one of the tougher conversations that I had today.

I think that we have a really deep receiver room. There’s a lot of competition. I think that it’s just one of things where it’s more numbers, not so much how we feel about him as a player, because I have a lot of respect for his game.

Just where we’re at from a numbers standpoint, and then the kicking game, being a big aspect of those back-end receiver roles. Just felt like going in this direction would be the right direction for us right now.”

Given that special teams upside is crucial, they elected to keep K.J. Hill as the fifth receiver. Hill made the team solely as the punt returner, with the ability to return kicks, too.

Johnson is a practice squad candidate, but if the Chargers decide to move on from him altogether, a handful of teams will likely be inquiring to bring in the speedy wideout who averaged 19.9 yards per reception in 2020.