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Chargers Test Pipkins at Guard Amid Position Shuffle

8/1/2026

42 10 Full Breakdown

Summary

Pipkins Takes Snaps

Trey Pipkins III took left-guard snaps on Day 3 of the Chargers’ 2026 camp.
Coach Mike McDaniel said the staff will not evaluate the line in non-padded drills.
The left-guard competition features Kayode Awosika, Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning and Pipkins.
Jake Slaughter, a second-round 2026 pick, will move from center to guard despite no college guard experience.
Pipkins, on a two-year $10 million deal, is slated to begin padded play by mid-August.

Summary

Thompson Seals Victory

Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, practiced in a sweatshirt during a heat advisory and launched a faster offense to protect quarterback Justin Herbert, who took hits and sacks last season.
Brenen Thompson, who ran a 4.26-second 40-yard dash, caught a 42-yard pass with seconds left to set up the field goal in the Chargers’ 29-27 win over the Dolphins.
McDaniel praised Thompson’s grasp of huddle assignments after the play.

History

Historical Context

The Patriots’ 2007 campaign, guided by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, became the NFL’s first 16-0 regular season, scoring a record 589 points and 75 touchdowns. That tempo-driven success inspired later teams, and in 2026 offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is applying a similar fast-pace scheme with quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Pipkins Takes Snaps

Trey Pipkins III took left-guard snaps on Day 3 of the Chargers’ 2026 camp.
Coach Mike McDaniel said the staff will not evaluate the line in non-padded drills.
The left-guard competition features Kayode Awosika, Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning and Pipkins.
Jake Slaughter, a second-round 2026 pick, will move from center to guard despite no college guard experience.
Pipkins, on a two-year $10 million deal, is slated to begin padded play by mid-August.

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