The Chargers have wrapped up their preseason, which included an extra game in Canton against the Lions to celebrate Antonio Gates’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The next step for Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh is to trim the roster from 90 to 53, plus the 16-man practice squad (17 if you include an international player).
Here’s our final look at how the initial roster will shake out.
Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Trey Lance
Out: Taylor Heinicke, DJ Uiagalelei
Lance has made significant strides this offseason and seems pretty firmly ahead of Heinicke in the backup quarterback battle. The Chargers will likely try to trade Heinicke, but his poor preseason may force LA to release him without recouping any value.
Running Back (3): Omarion Hampton, Hassan Haskins, Raheim Sanders
Out: Najee Harris (NFI), Kimani Vidal (IR), Jaret Patterson, Nyheim Miller-Hines
While Hortiz said on Saturday’s broadcast that Harris still remains on track to return as early as Week 1, the free agency addition still has yet to return to anything resembling football activity. It’s hard to imagine that Harris won’t be placed on the Non-Football Injury list, which would knock him out of the first four games to recover from his eye injury.
Vidal did not practice for the entire last week of training camp and could be placed on short-term injured reserve due to a recent NFL rule change that allows teams to designate two players for short-term IR on cutdown day. Regardless, Sanders has moved ahead of Vidal on the depth chart with a strong preseason after missing the Hall of Fame game. Haskins is a core special teamer and did not dress for the last two preseason games without nursing an injury. Hampton is expected to be a major part of the offense as the Chargers’ first-round pick this season.
Fullback (1): Scott Matlock
Matlock did not dress for Saturday’s game against the 49ers, all but cementing his already-safe spot on the roster. He’ll primarily play offense while chipping in on defense occasionally, as he did last season.
Wide Receiver (6): Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen, Tre’ Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Derius Davis
Out: Jalen Reagor, Brenden Rice, Jaylen Johnson, JaQuae Jackson, Dalevon Campbell, Luke Grimm
This room was set once the Chargers reunited with Allen. McConkey and Johnston were the two starters in 2-WR sets when LA played the starters in their preseason game against the Rams. Allen was the first man off the bench and swapped slot and outside duties with McConkey. Harris and Lambert-Smith both had strong preseasons – Harris has primarily worked at McConkey’s Z spot, while Lambert-Smith replaced Johnston when he was injured against the Rams. Davis will handle kick return duties and get a few designed touches offensively.
Tight End (4): Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin, Oronde Gadsden II, Tucker Fisk
Out: Stevo Klotz, Thomas Yassmin
Ultimately, Fisk’s role in Greg Roman’s offense is too important for him to not have a spot on the 53 despite some number crunches at other spots. He’s looked like arguably LA’s best blocking tight end and has a designed package from last season the Chargers would like to utilize. Dissly and Conklin will be the co-starters to open the season, but the rookie Gadsden has had a strong first training camp and should contribute as a receiving tight end.
Offensive Line (8): Joe Alt, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Mekhi Becton, Trey Pipkins III, Jamaree Salyer, Andre James, Branson Taylor
Out: David Sharpe, Karsen Barnhart, Corey Stewart, Ryan Nelson, Nash Jones, Josh Kaltenberger
There are only seven linemen on the Chargers that feel worthy of a roster spot after Rashawn Slater’s season-ending patellar tendon tear, but relying on the waiver wire to fill two roster spots is a dangerous game, especially because Taylor is subject to waivers as a rookie. Instead, he makes the roster as a developmental depth piece over Sharpe, who is not subject to waivers and could be signed to the practice squad immediately.
Alt will slide to left tackle and Pipkins will step in at right tackle, where he started in 2023. Johnson and Bozeman have settled at their spots from last season after a brief swap. Becton is back at practice after a weekslong absence and will start on the right side. Salyer and James are reasonable depth options – James will be the backup center, and Salyer is the backup everything else. Expect a waiver claim to find a more proven swing tackle or guard to lessen the load on Salyer.
Defensive Line (5): Teair Tart, Da’Shawn Hand, Otito Ogbonnia, Jamaree Caldwell, Justin Eboigbe
Out: Naquan Jones, TeRah Edwards, Christopher Hinton, Nesta Jade Silvera
This is the deepest group on the roster, and it would not be a surprise if the Chargers kept six and found a spot for Jones on the team. But with Matlock’s defensive flexibility, going effectively seven deep on the interior is a tough sell with so many other tough cuts in shallower position groups.
Tart will start the season at nose tackle, with Ogbonnia at his 3-technique spot from last season and Hand at 5-technique. Caldwell had a great preseason and will spell Tart and Ogbonnia, while Eboigbe has added some bulk and improved as a run defender. He’ll rotate with Hand and occasionally kick down to 3-technique.
Edge Rusher (5): Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, Kyle Kennard, Caleb Murphy
Out: Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, Garmon Randolph, Kylan Guidry
Murphy has made himself undeniable this preseason, shining on both defense and special teams to steal a roster spot out of thin air. Kennard had a rocky rookie training camp, but returned from injury on Saturday and thus is not likely to be stashed on injured reserve. Expect him to be the gameday inactive from this group while Murphy suits up for special teams. Mack and Tuipulotu form a strong starting duo that will be supplemented by Dupree, who played well last season and was extended this offseason.
Linebacker (5): Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Troy Dye, Del’Shawn Phillips
Out: Marlowe Wax, Kana’i Mauga, Emany Johnson
Henley and Perryman are your starters here, as Colson has yet to take the next step as a pro. Colson could also start the season on IR with an injury that knocked him out for the last day of camp and is of unknown severity. Perryman was LA’s best run defender last season, however, and his veteran presence on the field should keep the defense on schedule. Dye has grown into a serviceable linebacker and will be on the first team of most special teams units. Phillips recently came off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, but was nonetheless mentioned as a key special teams piece by coordinator Ryan Ficken. He’ll be on the roster.
Cornerback (5): Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, Benjamin St-Juste, Ja’Sir Taylor, Nikko Reed
Out: Deane Leonard, Trikweze Bridges, Eric Rogers, Myles Purchase, Harrison Hand, Nehemiah Shelton
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter thinks the Chargers have four starting-caliber cornerbacks: Jackson, Still, Hart, and St-Juste. Jackson and Still seem the most likely to take the field in base packages in Week 1 as Hart gets back up to speed after missing time with injury during camp. In nickel, Still will kick inside while Hart takes his place on the outside. St-Juste is the next man up on the outside. Taylor is the team’s best punt gunner and will make the roster for his special teams value. Reed has popped in every preseason game he’s been available for and feels too risky to expose to waivers.
Safety (5): Derwin James Jr., Alohi Gilman, Elijah Molden, Tony Jefferson, RJ Mickens
Out: Kendall Williamson, Jaylen Jones
The Chargers will put three safeties on the field frequently, so carrying only four in that room would effectively leave them with one backup option. James will primarily play in the slot, where he was named a Second Team All-Pro last season, while Gilman and Molden man the deep safety spots. Jefferson has been a high performer in the preseason and has been more involved on special teams. He’s not subject to waivers and could be cut and signed back, but he has a clearly defined role on the squad as it is. Mickens has flashed defensively and is an exciting developmental piece.
Specialists (3): Cameron Dicker, JK Scott, Josh Harris
No competition or surprises here. Scott has showed off his leg strength this preseason. Dicker and Harris are All-Pro candidate-level players.
Practice Squad (17): DJ Uiagalelei, Nyheim Miller-Hines, Jalen Reagor, Dalevon Campbell, Brenden Rice, Thomas Yassmin (IPP), David Sharpe, Corey Stewart, Nash Jones, Naquan Jones, Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, Garmon Randolph, Marlowe Wax, Emany Johnson, Myles Purchase, Eric Rogers, Kendall Williamson
With Heinicke gone, the Chargers will likely keep Uiagalelei on the practice squad as the emergency quarterback. The Florida State product looked reasonable in extended action against the 49ers on Saturday and has developed some nice chemistry with Campbell.
Miller-Hines has some juice left after missing the last two seasons with a knee injury from a jetski accident. He’s been the Chargers’ best non-Davis punt returner and could provide some depth there if necessary.
It looked like Reagor might be the team’s WR6 for a while, but an injury and the Allen signing push him off the roster. He’s the backup kick returner behind Davis and Haskins, however, so he’ll likely stick around. Campbell made a few highlight plays in training camp and worked with the first-team offense at times due to injury. Rice has been quiet, but the Chargers could look to continue to develop him.
The Australian Yassmin does not count against the 16-man practice squad limit as LA’s designated international player.
On the offensive line, it seems likely that the Chargers keep the veteran Sharpe and let him continue working back into game shape, potentially with the aim of bringing him to the active roster midseason to serve as the swing tackle. Stewart and Nash Jones are the two rookie UDFAs who have shown the most potential on the line – Stewart as a tackle and Jones as a guard.
Since Naquan Jones isn’t subject to waivers, the Chargers could sign him back to the practice squad without exposing him to the claiming system. Jones has had a strong preseason at times, but has the least clearly defined role on the defense of the interior group.
Does Morris-Brash make it through waivers for a second straight year? The UDFA from UCF has quietly been just as productive as Murphy defensively this preseason, but Murphy is a better special teamer. Randolph is a traitsy developmental project who has flashed at times as well.
I really wanted to find a spot for Wax, especially after such a good performance on Saturday against the 49ers. If Colson starts the season on IR, the UDFA from Syracuse could sneak into the room, but that spot could just as easily go to Naquan Jones or Nikko Reed. If the Chargers can pass Wax through waivers, he’s an intriguing developmental player who has been productive all preseason.
Johnson has hung around this Chargers team for the last year or two, switching from safety to linebacker this offseason. LA would probably want to continue monitoring that project.
The hope is that Rogers‘ injury is minor enough that he can return to the practice squad after a stellar preseason game against the Saints. Purchase has played well late in preseason action and seems likely to stick around if the Chargers don’t need the practice squad spot for Nikko Reed instead. Williamson played late in the season for LA due to injuries and is a solid depth piece that could once again factor in if one of LA’s safety options goes down.
#Projecting #Chargers #final #roster #practice #squad