Being inactive is no easy task. Greg Roman, the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, said he’s seen his players “flatline” mentally when they know they’re not suiting up.
Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II, however, is not one of those guys. Roman recognized that when Gadsden did not play the first two weeks.
“When you get a young guy that’s sitting there, champing at the bit, waiting for his time — that’s kind of what I saw the last three weeks from him,” Roman said of Gadsden, who had five catches for 46 yards in his debut last week against the Broncos. “He’ll be ready when his time comes, because he’s one of those guys. You can tell he wants the action.”
The only other fifth-round draft pick tight end with five catches in his NFL debut? George Kittle.
“By golly gosh,” coach Jim Harbaugh blurted out when talking about Gadsden’s multiple contested catches.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert echoed Harbaugh’s sentiments. He said Gadsden has picked up the playbook quickly, cementing himself as a player the star quarterback can trust through three games.
“Getting targeted by a quarterback of that caliber — a quarterback that’s all about trust and wants to throw to guys that he trusts — it feels great,” Gadsden said, who will see increased reps with Will Dissly (knee) out for Sunday’s game against the Giants.
Harbaugh said that he could see the type of player Gadsden was by the look in his eyes when he was told he’d play in Week 3 — a hint at what could come next.
“I just had a feeling,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve seen this movie a few times — there’s more good to come.”