Kris Rhim
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After he shook Vikings security Joshua Metellus for an 8-yard landing within the first quarter of the Chargers' 37-10 win Thursday night time, rookie tight finish Oronde Gadsden II celebrated by yelling in Metellus' face, which prompted an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
For a workforce that had racked up penalties in latest weeks, it could appear this could be some extent of frustration for teammates and coaches. However on this night time, that did not appear to matter.
This was L.A.'s latest star letting the soccer world know he had arrived.
“He is simply tremendous gifted,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned. “The factor that strikes me probably the most is he performs like he is been taking part in within the NFL for 2, three, 4 years. He looks as if a four-year, five-year participant to me.”
Gadsden completed with 5 catches for 77 yards and a landing, persevering with his emergence because the Chargers' newest burgeoning star. Final week, with the Chargers honoring Corridor of Fame tight finish Antonio Gates at halftime, Gadsden had top-of-the-line video games by a rookie tight finish in NFL historical past, ending with seven catches for 164 yards and a landing. It was the fourth-most yards ever by a rookie tight finish and probably the most by a Charger since Gates in 2009.
After Thursday night time's efficiency, Gadsden is the primary rookie tight finish since Mike Ditka in 1961 to put up 240 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in a two-game span.
“As quickly as he received right here in camp, we knew he was going to be fairly good,” quarterback Justin Herbert mentioned. “He made a ton of performs, picked up the offense actually shortly and simply discovered a approach to get open, and that is what he did tonight. And we're undoubtedly going to get him the ball as a lot as we are able to as a result of good issues occur when he will get it.”
In recent times, the Chargers have struggled to search out constant manufacturing at tight finish. They discovered a dependable blocking tight finish final season in Will Dissly however did not have a pass-catching risk.
The Chargers drafted Gadsden — a 6-foot-5, 250-pound large receiver turned tight finish whose father, Oronde Gadsden, performed six years for the Miami Dolphins — out of Syracuse within the fifth spherical, hoping he may very well be a difference-maker. In coaching camp, Gadsden confirmed flashes of what he has completed thus far this season however was inactive for the primary two video games — some extent that coaches observed pissed off him, which they appreciated.
“I'm going again to this man's method, what he is product of, how he approaches each single day,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman mentioned. “Simply attempting to get higher, extremely aggressive, extremely detailed, desires to spherical out his recreation as a lot as attainable.”
Gadsden mentioned he grew up dreaming about performances like those he put collectively the previous two weeks. Though his emergence was a bit delayed, Gadsden is on tempo to change into a constant impression participant on this offense.
“It would not matter,” Gadsden mentioned. “You simply received to do probably the most with the chance that you simply get.”
