The Los Angeles Chargers needed wide receiver help entering the offseason and chose to address that issue in free agency and the draft.
The first move the team made was to reunite with Mike Williams, once a first-round pick of the team. In the draft, the team used a second-round pick on Tre Harris out of Ole Miss before choosing Penn State's KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth round. Later, the team would bring back Keenan Allen.
Williams retired before the preseason kicked off, and Harris, while big things are expected, has been quiet this summer. The name that has generated the most buzz is that of Lambert-Smith.
From pretty much the first practice of training camp, Lambert-Smith has shown himself to be a playmaker. In the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, he caught two passes for 43 yards, including this touchdown catch.
Trey Lance finds KeAndre Lambert-Smith for the TD!@ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
— NFL (@NFL) August 1, 2025
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/ypV9fC3Ds7
Lambert-Smith has looked nothing like a fifth-round pick, and Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has taken notice.
"The Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2025 offseason needing to improve their receiver depth. During the draft, they used a second-round pick on Mississippi receiver Tre Harris before coming back and drafting Auburn's Keandre Lambert-Smith in Round 5.
Many fans (and fantasy enthusiasts) are expecting big things from Harris as a rookie. However, his draft mate has generated plenty of in-house buzz during training camp.
Lambert-Smith certainly has the physical tools to make an early impact. With a 6'1", 190-pound frame and 4.37-second speed, he can generate mismatches as a perimeter target. He flashed that ability against the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game, catching two passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.
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Don't be shocked if Lambert-Smith pushes Harris, Quentin Johnston and the recently re-signed Keenan Allen for playing time next to Ladd McConkey this season", wrote Knox.
When Lambert-Smith was drafted, it was assumed by most that he would just be a slot receiver for the Chargers on the back end of the roster. He has flashed tremendous ability this summer on the outside and could be featured regularly this coming season.
This pick is looking like a tremendous value for a team that really needed to hit on the wide receiver position.
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