Tag: Brenden Rice

Chargers inactives: See who’s in and who’s out for Week 1 vs. Raiders

The Chargers ruled out six players.

The Chargers are about 90 minutes away from opening up the 2024 regular season against the Raiders.

Here is a look at their inactive players today:

QB Taylor Heinicke
CB Tarheeb Still
RB Kimani Vidal
OL Jordan McFadden
WR Brenden Rice
DL Justin Eboigbe

Heinicke is the emergency third quarterback.

5 thoughts on the Chargers’ initial 53-man roster

Here are five quick thoughts on the decisions the Chargers made to get to their initial roster for the 2024 season.

The Chargers announced their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.

This roster is subject to change as waiver wire claims are made on Wednesday and other players are moved around.

Here’s what we learned from Los Angeles’ initial 53-man roster:

Easton Stick is the backup…at least for now

After showing promise in the final few games of the 2023 season while Justin Herbert was on the injured reserve, Stick took a massive step back this summer. While Herbert was out of practice for a few weeks with the plantar fascia injury in his right foot, Stick struggled to engineer a productive offense in training camp, which then carried over to the preseason. If Herbert were to go down in the season, the Chargers would be in trouble with Stick under center based on his showing. That’s why I expect Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh to be active in calling teams looking to make a trade or sign an available one.

Seven wide receivers

I thought that Hortiz and Harbaugh would only keep six wideouts. However, they made the right decision by rewarding Brenden Rice and Simi Fehoko for their hard work this summer. Rice had an outstanding camp but was limited in preseason play due to the inefficient quarterback play. He showed not only route-running prowess but also high effort as a blocker. It was hard to keep Fehoko off the roster after a productive preseason. He finished with seven catches on nine targets for 170 yards. On top of that, Fehoko shined on special teams.

Donald Parham’s time is over

As much of a reliable target for Herbert over the past four seasons, Parham did not make the cut because he struggled to stay healthy consistently and still left much to be desired as a blocker, something Greg Roman wants from his tight ends. Stone Smartt made the roster after showing growth in the blocking department while managing to be an asset in the passing game. The Chargers would still benefit from another player in this position room, particularly a plus blocker.

Does not have the EDGE

I thought the Chargers would keep five edge rushers, with that spot going to Tre’Mon Morris-Brash. However, they elected to roster four players at the position. Morris-Brash showed proficiency as a pass rusher and capped off a sensational summer with a pick-six against the Cowboys. He should be a practice squad player. Chris Rumph II was making his case to earn a spot on the roster before suffering a foot injury against the Seahawks. He won’t play this year as he was placed on season-ending reserve.

11 defensive backs

I was under the assumption that the Chargers would only keep ten defensive backs, but they ultimately decided to start with 11. Rather than choosing between Tony Jefferson and JT Woods, the team kept both. Jefferson had a quiet summer until the final preseason game, where he played out of his mind, posting 14 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble. He brings another veteran presence and experience to a fairly young defensive back room. Woods’ ability to play safety and cornerback and his signs of improvement, especially as a tackler, earned him a spot.

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ initial 53-man roster

A look at how social media reacted to the Chargers’ initial 53-man roster.

The Chargers constructed their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.

Let’s take a look at how social media reacted to it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chargers’ initial 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season

The Chargers have finalized the full 53-man roster to start the 2024 season. Take a look at each player on the active roster.

The Chargers announced their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season, which kicks off against the Raiders next Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Los Angeles can still make additional roster moves via waiver claims and free-agent signings in the coming days. They’ll also begin constructing a 16-man practice squad.

Offense

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Kimani Vidal

Wide receiver (7): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko, Brenden Rice

Tight end (3): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

Defense

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

Interior defensive line (6): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Scott Matlock, Otito Ogbonnia, Justin Eboigbe

Linebacker (4): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Troy Dye

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart

Safety (5): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, JT Woods, Tony Jefferson

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

3 hardest cuts from our final Chargers 53-man roster projection

Here are the toughest cuts from our latest 53-man projection.

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.

Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason win over Cowboys

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 26-19 win over the Cowboys.

The Chargers picked up a win to close out the preseason, defeating the Cowboys by the score of 26-19.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ victory.

It was over when…

Robert Kennedy intercepted Trey Lance in the end zone as time expired.

3 stars of the game

  1. S Tony Jefferson: Jefferson had a pretty quiet summer. But his performance on Saturday raised the eyebrows of the coaching staff to garner serious consideration of making the 53-man roster. The 10-year veteran led the team in tackles (14) and added two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble.
  2. WR Simi Fehoko: It’s going to be difficult to keep Fehoko off the roster. He showed out every day over the past month and capped it off with a 78-yard touchdown, beating Andrew Booth down the right sideline to haul Easton Stick’s deep pass.
  3. EDGE Tre’Mon Morris-Brash: Morris-Brash is another summer standout who capped off with an impressive showing. He picked off Lance and took it back to the end zone. His Pick 6 extended the Chargers’ lead late in the fourth quarter to put a stamp on the game.

Quick hits

  • Easton Stick played the whole game to try to prove to the coaching staff that he is a serviceable backup. And Stick’s performance left a lot to be desired. Aside from his pass to Fehoko for the 78-yard touchdown, Stick’s accuracy issues were still evident. Aside from that deep throw, he went 11 of 28 with 109 yards and an interception.
  • In the running back battle, Jaret Patterson continued to impress, rushing for 27 yards on six carries (4.5 YPC). Elijah Dotson posted 23 yards on four rushes. Isaiah Spiller was inefficient.
  • I mentioned how Fehoko further made his case to make the roster. The same can’t be said about rookie Brenden Rice, who finished the game with just 11 yards on one catch. Rice was targeted seven times. Stick and Rice could not get on the same page for the third straight week despite Rice consistently getting open.
  • The other seventh-round pick, Cornelius Johnson, finally made his presence felt after being fairly quiet this summer. Johnson had three catches for 34 yards.
  • Derius Davis’ speed is going to be a problem for opposing defenses this season. Davis scored the first touchdown on the Chargers’ first offensive play, scampering 70 yards on an end-around.
  • Jesse Minter’s defense finished with six turnovers, five being interceptions.
  • The unit held the Cowboys to 1-of-4 in the red zone.
  • JT Woods’ tackling in the open has improved tremendously. That was one of his issues since coming out of college.

What’s next?

The Chargers will have until 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday to reduce their roster to 53 players before they open the regular season against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Chargers 53-man roster projection: Who’s in, out ahead of final preseason game

Here’s how we see the Chargers’ roster shaping up ahead of the final preseason game.

The Chargers’ second preseason game against the Rams shed more light on some players and position battles.

Here’s an attempt at predicting the 53-man roster ahead of Los Angeles’ preseason finale against the Cowboys:

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, QB via trade or sign

I have a hard time believing that the Chargers’ backup quarterback is currently on the roster. Despite performing well as a starter in the final few games of last season when Herbert landed on injured reserve with a finger injury, Easton Stick has struggled all summer. Luis Perez has flashed, but I don’t think he’s ready for the backup role. I see Los Angeles adding someone like Tyler Huntley, Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Taylor Heinicke.

Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Kimani Vidal

Nothing changes with the first three running backs from my last projection. Patterson has received most of the reps as the third back throughout the summer. I had Isaiah Spiller over Vidal after the first week of preseason, but that changed after Vidal led the team in rushing against the Rams. There’s no denying that Vidal is a talented player who could contribute in his rookie season.

Wide receiver (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko

No changes to the first five wide receivers listed. But in this projection, I am giving the nod to Fehoko over Brenden Rice. Not only has Fehoko excelled on offense, as a pass-catcher and a blocker, but he’s also flourished on special teams.

Tight end (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., Tucker Fisk

Parham has been back on the field after missing some time with an injury early in the summer and has shown what he brings to the table as a receiver. I have Fisk over Stone Smartt and the undrafted free agents Luke Benson and Zach Heins because he showed some real juice as a blocker against the Rams last weekend.

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

No changes.

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

In my last projection, Chris Rumph II made the roster as the fifth edge rusher. However, he suffered a foot injury in the preseason opener against and has been out since. I think he could end up on the injured reserve to start the season. Tre’Mon Morris-Brash has made his case to make the roster. But ultimately, I think he ends up being a practice squad candidate.

Defensive line (6): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock

I had the Chargers rostering five defensive tackles before. But that changed when they signed Tart, who already flashed his playmaking skills this past weekend.

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

No changes.

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still

No changes.

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, Thomas Harper

The fourth safety spot between Harper and JT Woods will be a tough decision for the coaching staff. You can make the case for both players. While Woods has shown improvement and is getting reps at outside cornerback, where I believe he is better suited, Harper has made plenty of plays on defense and special teams to warrant a spot.

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

No changes.

Chargers WR Brenden Rice making presence felt at training camp

The son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is looking to secure a roster spot.

There is competition for the back end of the Chargers’ wide receiver room, and one player who is making a strong push for a spot is rookie Brenden Rice.

Rice, the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, has made several big catches throughout training camp, with his latest coming on Wednesday. Easton Stick delivered a nice pass and Rice reeled it in with an over-the-shoulder grab.

If Rice continues to make plays like this the rest of the summer, he might not only make the roster but could also be a nice complementary piece in Year 1.

Rice is a big receiver with strong hands and a good sense of route running. He is also willing to block in space.

Rice tallied 84 career catches for 1,402 yards and 16 touchdowns while at USC. He began his college career at Colorado.

4 standout performers for Chargers through 4 days of training camp

Training camp has only been underway for a few days, but these Chargers are standing out in the early going.

The Chargers are four days into their training camp program in El Segundo, CA. It’s important to remember that when discussing player stock with plenty of time left in the offseason, plus three preseason games.

That being said, there are some standouts for Los Angeles in the early going.

Here are four of them:

WR Ladd McConkey

Excitement is high for McConkey, the team’s second-round pick. They drafted him to boost a wide receiver group that lacks top-end talent. And so far, he has flashed since coming aboard this summer. 

McConkey made an impressive grab in the red zone on Day 4. But what has stood out the most is his superb route running in the slot, showing the ability to beat both coverages and consistently make himself open.

“He’s been off to a really good start,” Jim Harbaugh said on McConkey. “Really, really excellent route runner. We knew that, and he’s been really good, really dialed in, right from the beginning.”

I’ve been saying this since he was drafted, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see McConkey lead the team in targets and receptions this season.

WR Quentin Johnston

After a rough rookie campaign, Johnston knows how important it is to try to turn things around and carve a role for himself. While it’s still in the early stages, Johnston has looked like he’s improved in areas he struggled at.

One of his issues was creating separation, and Johnston has looked a lot sharper in his breaks to make himself an open target. Drops were also an issue, but Johnston has caught nearly everything thrown his way and has made the tough plays look routine.

WR Brenden Rice

Another wideout who has made a few splash plays is Rice, the seventh-rounder out of USC and son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Rice has a legitimate shot to not only make the roster but contribute as a rookie with his ability to win in the intermediate and deep parts of the field. He has shown that, nabbing a few catches on go routes, including a 35-yard touchdown from Easton Stick in 11-on-11.

TE Stone Smartt

The Chargers have their top two tight ends in Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst, but a few players, including Smartt, are battling for the back end of the depth chart. 

Last season, Smartt came on as a pass-catcher, hauling 11 passes for 155 (14.1 yards per reception) and a touchdown. On Day 3, he had a big day in that department. Smartt had six catches in team periods, including a red zone touchdown, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Projecting the Chargers’ wide receiver depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Next, I project what the wide receiver room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Josh Palmer

Palmer, the 2021 third-round pick, has 143 career catches for 1,703 yards and nine touchdowns. He stepped up when Keenan Allen and Mike Williams dealt with injuries in 2022, tallying 72 receptions for 769 yards and three scores across 16 games. Last season, he had a career-high 58.1 yards per game but was sidelined six games by a knee injury. Palmer routinely creates separation for himself and makes big grabs down the field, something that he will need to continue this season as the offense looks to balance the pass and what is supposed to be a dominant run game. This is the final year of Palmer’s rookie deal, so it’s vital that he stays healthy and produces enough to get an extension next offseason.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey was the Chargers’ second-round pick in this year’s draft. Despite being a rookie, I think he will quickly work his way to becoming Justin Herbert’s top target. McConkey is arguably the best separator in the group. Like Keenan Allen, who was Herbert’s safety blanket, he got the ball a lot because he consistently made himself open. The chemistry has already begun being built as the two constantly linked up during OTAs this summer.

Quentin Johnston

After being selected in the first round in last year’s draft, Johnston struggled in his rookie season. Johnston finished with 38 catches on 67 targets for 431 yards and two touchdowns. His issues stemmed from struggling to create separation and catching the football, something he dealt with during his college career at TCU. Despite an uninspiring Year 1 from Johnston, he and others, including general manager Joe Hortiz, believe he is due for a breakout season.

D.J. Chark

Chark was a post-draft signing. He was signed because he offers elite speed to serve as a vertical threat, allowing Herbert to use his bazooka-like arm to push the football down the field to him. The 27-year-old has appeared in 69 career games and has 212 receptions for 3,069 yards and 23 touchdowns. His best season came in 2019 with the Jaguars, when he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Derius Davis

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, Davis finished his sensational rookie season as a special teams ace with 24 returned punts for 385 total yards, second-most in the NFL. Davis’ punt return average of 16.0 ranked first in the league, and he was one of eight players to return a punt for a touchdown, which came in Week 9 against the Jets on Monday Night Football. Davis will still have to fight for a roster spot, but I believe his services for special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken will keep him in Los Angeles.

Brenden Rice

Now this is where it gets interesting. A few players will be fighting for what I think will be the last spot at this position (because I don’t think they roster seven). In what will likely be a tight battle between seventh-round picks Rice and Cornelius Johnson, I give the nod to the former USC product. No, this does not have to do with the fact that he is the son of a retired Hall of Famer, but he is more complete receiver than Johnson. Rice is a big receiver with strong hands and has a good sense of route running to be a complementary piece along the boundary. Furthermore, he is a willing as a blocker in space. It’s tough keeping Johnson off this projection, but I think they will be able to stash him on the practice squad.