Chargers training camp: What I’ll be watching when the pads come on

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers are now through five training camp practices. They will practice in pads for the first time Tuesday when the team heads south for two days at the University of San Diego.

Contact is limited when players are not in pads. Tuesday will serve as an important next step in the evaluation process, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines.

Here are four things I’ll be watching when the pads come on Tuesday.

1. The left guard battle

Over the first five practices of camp, the Chargers were attempting to give all the contenders exposure at left guard during team drills. For now, they have settled on five players who are in the mix for the starting spot: Kayode Awosika, Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning, Trey Pipkins III and Branson Taylor.

Awosika and Slaughter split first team reps in the opening practice. Awosika and Penning split reps in the second practice. Pipkins got all the reps in the third practice. Taylor got all the reps in the fourth practice. On Monday, the Chargers returned to the beginning of the rotation, with Awosika and Slaughter with the first team. Awosika received the first two reps before Slaughter rotated in for the next two.

Who will be at left guard for these initial padded 11-on-11 reps? How do those players perform both in pass protection and the run game? The Chargers will also likely hold some one-on-one pass protection drills, offensive line versus defensive line. This is always a good barometer as far as who is up for the challenge in pass protection and who needs additional work.

This competition begins in earnest Tuesday.

2. How far along is Akheem Mesidor?

Chargers rookie edge rusher Akheem Mesidor has looked lively in team drills without pads on. Padded practices are a different level of competition. Tuli Tuipulotu has not participated in team drills through the first five practices while he remains in contract negotiations. That has cleared the way for plenty of first-team reps for Mesidor thus far. He should continue to see those reps if Tuipulotu sits out team drills again Tuesday.

I’ll be watching Mesidor closely in one-on-ones. He said Monday that he is “very excited” to match up with both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, two of the best tackles in the league. I also want to see how Mesidor’s violence matches up at this level in padded run drills.

3. Next test for Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt

Slater and Alt are both returning from significant season-ending injuries. Both have looked healthy so far in camp. How will they hold up and perform in these more physical and competitive situations?

Alt has not missed an 11-on-11 snap so far with the first-team offense. I have very little concern about where Alt is at. Slater, meanwhile, has rotated out at times in the later part of practices. Slater is coming off a torn patellar tendon he suffered in training camp last season. He is moving incredibly well. How he looks in pads will be a telling benchmark in his recovery.

4. Mike McDaniel’s run game vs. Chris O’Leary’s run defense

We have gotten a taste of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s run game through the spring and summer. The Chargers have been attacking more laterally on outside zone schemes and jet sweep actions. Without more contact, though, it’s impossible to fully gauge where the run game stands — and, by extension, where defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary’s run defense stands.

That changes Tuesday. McDaniel will be testing O’Leary’s defense with his deep bag of misdirection concepts. The Chargers will not be tackling to the ground, of course. But we’ll get a more defined look at the run blocking and the defensive block destruction with the pads on.

News and notes

• Rookie cornerback Avery Smith continues to stack days. On Monday, he broke up a Justin Herbert pass intended for receiver Brenen Thompson over the middle during seven-on-seven. Later in the period, he intercepted third-string quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. The coverage on the first play was more impressive, clamping down on Thompson on an in-breaking route. On the interception, Uiagalelei threw a pass intended for tight end Evan Svoboda. In the middle of the route, Svoboda collided with a defender and fell over. Smith was in the right place at the right time and picked off the throw.

• Chargers quarterbacks were aggressive attacking downfield in Monday’s practice. Some throws were successful. Some were not.

On the opening play of 11-on-11, Herbert found receiver Quentin Johnston wide open down the right sideline on a go route. Johnston got behind defensive back Derwin James Jr. In the next period, Herbert floated a moonshot down the right sideline to Thompson. Rookie cornerback Rodney Shelley was in tight coverage and knocked the ball away for a pass breakup.

During seven-on-seven, Uiagalelei attempted a deep ball to Thompson. Shelley, again, was in good coverage and forced the incompletion.

In 11-on-11, backup quarterback Trey Lance threw a deep ball down the left sideline to KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Cornerback Deane Leonard was in solid position. Lambert-Smith made an excellent adjustment as the ball was in the air to come down with the explosive gain.

Later in 11-on-11, Lance threw a jump ball to Johnston down the left sideline. Cornerback Cam Hart smothered Johnston the whole way and won that battle with a PBU.

Finally, Uiagalelei threw a go ball to rookie receiver Devonte Ross down the left sideline. Ross adjusted to an underthrown ball and made the catch.

It was a pretty even battle in the deep part of the field between receivers and DBs.

• Linebacker Daiyan Henley had a pass breakup in seven-on-seven, jumping in front of a flat route from running back Omarion Hampton.

• Rookie edge rusher Nadame Tucker batted down an Uiagalelei pass in 11-on-11. There was a low snap from rookie center Jacob Spomer on this play that disrupted the timing.

• Rookie safety Devin Grant had a diving PBU during a red zone period to close practice. He ran with Svoboda across the field and knocked the Uiagalelei pass away. The offense tried to manipulate the flow of the defense with a play-action boot. Grant was not fooled and showed solid recovery speed.

• Tight end Charlie Kolar and receiver Tre’ Harris both caught touchdowns from Herbert during the red zone period.

• Rookie tight end Jerand Bradley caught a touchdown from Uiagalelei in the red zone period.

• Veteran cornerback Donte Jackson broke up a Lance pass intended for Lambert-Smith over the middle during the red zone period.

• Two Chargers did not practice Monday: tackle Laekin Vakalahi and receiver Mante’ Morrow.