Floyd Cashes in on Opportunity

Vincent Jackson may be missing from Chargers training camp, but if Malcom Floyd keeps this up, the Pro Bowl wideout may not be missed.

Floyd, 28, looked poised Sunday night to follow up last season's career year with another, dazzling in practice with an acrobatic catch that, for at least one day, made the Chargers look hardly thin with their top receiver holding out for a new contract.

Running down a downfield pass from quarterback Philip Rivers, Floyd was sandwiched mid-air between cornerback Quentin Jammer and safety Darnell Stuckey. The jump ball turned into a tug-of-war match between Jammer and Floyd, which was finally won by the 6-foot-5 receiver after twice tipping the ball to himself for the reception.

Afterward, Rivers shrugged his shoulders in the press conference when describing the play.

“Malcolm got lucky again, as we say in the locker room,” Rivers said with a smile. “He's so humble about it saying he got lucky, but he seems to get lucky like that about every day. Unbelievable. Unbelievable, talented play on the ball.”

As the No. 2 wide receiver to Jackson last season, Floyd posted career highs with 45 receptions and 776 yards. In the final nine weeks, he totaled 640 yards, including a career-high 140 in the regular season finale.

Floyd will be the team's top wide receiver for at least the early going of this season with Legedu Naanee and Buster Davis working on the opposite end.

“When (the ball's) up in the air, he thinks it's his,” Rivers said. “The play is never dead until it's on the ground or either in his hands. As a quarterback, it certainly gives you the confidence to keep throwing to him when you see him in those positions.”

Jackson will miss at least three games serving a league suspension for violating the personal conduct policy. He pleaded guilty in February to his second driving under the influence conviction. His holdout could last until after Week 10 of the season.

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