The Chargers are less than 24 hours away from announcing their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 regular season, meaning a handful of players will be cut, even some who had strong performances this summer.
Here are the toughest cuts from our latest 53-man projection:
WR Brenden Rice
It will be interesting to see how General Manager Joe Hortiz and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh approach the wide receiver position. It’s hard to see the Chargers keeping seven wideouts, and I think Simi Fehoko’s production will earn him the sixth spot. Rice flashed as a route runner, with most of his plays coming in training camp. Unfortunately, due to the lackluster play at quarterback, he wasn’t able to replicate that in the preseason.
TE Donald Parham
The tight end position is vital in Greg Roman’s offense, but something he wants from his players at the position is the ability to block. That was one of Pathan’s weaknesses coming into the summer and he didn’t show any signs of improvement in that department. As much as he and Justin Herbert built a solid rapport in the passing game the past four seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him not make the cut due to his lack of blocking skills and struggles to stay healthy consistently.
S Tony Jefferson
After being quiet for most of the summer, Jefferson had the best preseason game against the Cowboys, posting double-digit tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. The 10-year veteran made a strong case to make the roster from that performance alone, as he showed that he’s still capable of making plays on the back end. However, I think JT Woods showed enough growth and his versatility to play outside cornerback lands him a spot on the roster.