Josh Palmer’s 2024 offseason could be succinctly summarized with one meme.
Just replace Will Smith’s character -- standing in an empty Bel Air mansion in the final scene of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air -- with the Chargers wide receiver. At least, that’s how it seems on the surface after the departures of both Keenan Allen (to Chicago) and Mike Williams (to New York).
"It was definitely different for me and I can only speak for myself,” Palmer said of taking the field this offseason without Allen or Williams joining him, via the team’s official site. “Definitely different when you're used to having your two best friends out there and now they are not. But they're nothing but a phone call away and I'm ready to move forward."
Palmer isn’t all alone, though -- he’s just one of the older, more experienced members of Los Angeles’ revamped receiving corps. The fact that sentence is true about a 24-year-old tells you everything about the position group entering this season.
Things looked dire at receiver prior to the 2024 draft. Without Allen and Williams, all the Chargers had left was Palmer, underwhelming 2023 rookie Quentin Johnston and the well-traveled 27-year-old D.J. Chark, who has one 1,000-yard season to his name in six seasons spent in Jacksonville, Detroit and Carolina.
They needed more options and reacted accordingly, selecting Georgia standout (and 2024 All-Combine Team selection) Ladd McConkey before spending a Day 3 pick on a legacy: USC’s Brenden Rice, son of the legendary Jerry Rice.
Those two picks won’t just solve everything, but they’re better than the alternative. They might also need some guidance from Palmer, who has three more NFL seasons worth of experience than the new kids.
The good news: The Chargers have runway to work out the kinks and let the youngsters grow. With Jim Harbaugh now in charge, everyone is “still learning each other,” including those in the receivers room, according to Palmer. The pressure isn’t on to deliver right away -- at least, not as intensely as in previous seasons.
Consider this past month freshman orientation. Syllabus week arrives with the start of camp. First exam: Week 1.
By then, Palmer might be missing his upperclassmen pals of old.
"I was a little sad because they were my good friends and I looked up to Keenan and Mike,” he said. “From a football standpoint, it's a business."
Time for the new veteran to make some new friends.