Chargers' kicker battle hits the field on second day of camp

The top of the depth chart is pretty much set for the Chargers. Aside from some potential shuffling at defensive back and a joust between Joshua Palmer and rookie Quentin Johnston for the No. 3 receiver gig, L.A. doesn't have a whole lot to worry about at the top of the roster.

One starting job that is very much up for grabs is the kicker job.

During Thursday's training-camp session, last year's starter to break camp, Dustin Hopkins, participated in the only field goal period between the first two days of camp. The session was not live, meaning the offense was on the field without a defense.

According to The Athletic's Daniel Popper, Hopkins attempted field goals from 26 yards, 28 yards, 31 yards, 33 yards, 36 yards, 40 yards, 44 yards, and 47 yards, missing from 36 and 44.

Hopkins injured his quad in last season's Week 4 win over the Texans. He returned for Week 6's win over the Broncos, going 4-of-4 but injuring his hamstring in the process. Hopkins did not return for the rest of the season.

The Chargers signed Cameron Dicker, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Texas, to their active roster last November. Making his debut in L.A.'s Week 9 win against the Falcons, Dicker hit a game-winning, 37-yard field goal as time expired—earning Dicker the AFC's Special Teams Player of the Week Award. He had previously won the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week Award for the Eagles in Week 5.

Dicker would remain L.A.'s starting kicker for the rest of the season, boasting the highest field goal percentage in the NFL but only attempting 22 field goals. The lone miss was from 52 yards out, the only 50-plus yard field goal attempted by Dicker in his eleven appearances for L.A. last season.

Hopkins, entering his ninth year in the league, went 9-of-10 in five games for L.A. last season and did not attempt a single 50-plus-yard field goal.

Hopkins' leg strength is not in question here; he's made 17-of-35 attempts from 50-plus yards in his career. The lack of 50-plus yard attempts from Hopkins and Dicker last season can be chalked up to head coach Brandon Staley's proclivity for going for it on fourth down from that part of the field.

Dicker displayed his leg strength in college, hitting four field goals of 50-plus yards in his final season at Texas, including a 57-yarder.

Staley only trotting out Hopkins at practice on Thursday is significant as it indicates where the team's thinking is at as far as Hopkins vs. Dicker goes. Both have the leg, but Hopkins has the experience.

But Staley and Co. will have to proceed with caution, as there are enough kicker-needy teams in the league that would scoop up Dicker in a heartbeat should the Chargers try to sneak him onto their practice squad at the end of the preseason—a move they'll regret should Hopkins' 2022 injury issues turn into the rule and not the exception.