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Chargers 53-man roster projection: Who’s in, out after preseason opener

Here’s how we see the Chargers’ roster shaking out after the first preseason game against the Seahawks.

The Chargers played their first preseason game this past Saturday, giving players on the bubble an opportunity to impress Jim Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff.

Who improved their odds of making the team? Here’s how we see the roster shaking out ahead of this week:

Quarterbacks (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Herbert’s injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot has raised some concerns. It will be two weeks in the walking boot on Aug. 15. He is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Raiders, but his status by then remains to be seen. Stick’s play against the Seahawks wasn’t inspiring, and it hasn’t this entire summer. But the Chargers don’t have a better option on the roster. Luis Perez, who has only been on the roster for a week, could push him for the job if he continues to show promise.

Running backs (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Isaiah Spiller

Kimani Vidal not being included may come as a surprise. Vidal did not play this past weekend, likely due to the fact that he’s been dealing with an injury that kept him sidelined during the joint practice with the Rams. Patterson received the bulk of the carries on Saturday, and he got reps with the first-team offense in camp. Spiller gets the nod because of his special teams skills.

Wide receivers (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Brenden Rice

This has been my projection for this positional room since before the start of camp, and I feel confident this is how it will play out. Rice played the second-most snaps on Saturday.

Tight ends (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt, Luke Benson

I’ve had Donald Parham listed in my projections, but considering how much he’s been injured, it’s hard to see him making the roster. When all is said and done, I could see the team rolling with three tight ends, but I have Benson earning a spot. He’s made some plays this summer and would supply the offense with a reliable lead blocker.

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

No changes from my last projection with the exception of the battle between Alex Leatherwood and Sarell. I recently had Leatherwood, but he struggled, allowing six pressures on 20 pass-blocking snaps. Sarell played well at both tackle spots and right guard.

Edge rusher (5): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, Chris Rumph II

Initially, I had the Chargers only keeping four edge rushers. But Rumph has stood out this summer, both as a pass rusher and run defender. In addition to the depth he would provide, Rumph is a core special teamer. Watch out for Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, who had a solid showing against Seattle.

Defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock

Chris Hinton has flashed this summer enough to warrant a spot, which is why they could elect to roster six defensive tackles. But for now, I have them sticking with five.

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, JT Woods

Tony Jefferson was in my previous projections, but he’s been playing with the third-team defense in camp. Finley has played his way into the third safety spot. Woods showed signs of development this past weekend against the Seahawks.

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

No changes.

Chargers 53-man roster projection after first week of training camp

With the first week of practice behind us, here is our latest projection of the Chargers’ 53-man roster.

The Chargers have another month before they trim their roster down to 53 players for the start of the regular season.

Until then, they still have three preseason games and four more weeks of training camp to prove to the coaching staff they’re worthy of a spot.

With the first week of practice behind us, I’m giving my latest projection of the 53-man roster. Keep in mind, that it’s difficult to make an accurate assessment because the pads weren’t on in Week 1.

For now, here’s who I see making the squad next month.

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

No changes from my initial projection. I see the Chargers keeping two quarterbacks, with Max Duggan being a practice squad candidate.

Running back (5): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Jaret Patterson, Ben Mason (FB)

No changes. Edwards and Dobbins have an injury history, which means that the Chargers will likely roster four running backs. I’m giving the nod to Patterson over Isaiah Spiller after getting reps with the first-team offense last Thursday. Patterson spent most of last year on the team’s practice squad.

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

This is a position that could end up having seven players. But for now, I’m still assuming that only six are rostered. I had Rice in my initial projection and I am still sticking with him after flashing in the first week.

Tight end (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., Stone Smartt

Training camp hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Parham, who has been sidelined with an injury. I initially had Zach Heins, the undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State, getting the final spot. But because of Parham’s injury concerns, Smartt gets it because of his receiving prowess.

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

No changes. It’ll be easier to make evaluations when the pads come on.

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

No changes.

Interior defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Chris Hinton

I had Hinton in my initial projection and that doesn’t change, as he got some looks with the first-team defense last week.

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, Tony Jefferson, AJ Finley

I had undrafted free agent Akeem Dent making the roster in my initial projection, but Finley gets the spot over him because he got some run as the third safety alongside Derwin James and Alohi Gilman last week. Plus, he was a core special teamer last season.

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

Chargers 53-man roster projection before training camp

Predicting how the Chargers roster will shape up prior to the start of training camp.

The Chargers begin training camp next week, July 24, to prepare for the start of the 2024 season under Jim Harbaugh’s new regime.

There, roster spots will be won and lost at The Bolt in El Segundo, CA.

That said, here is my very early prediction for the team’s Week 1 roster.

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Misses the cut: Max Duggan, Casey Bauman

Running back (5): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Isaiah Spiller, Ben Mason (FB)

Misses the cut: Elijah Dotson, Jaret Patterson

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

Misses the cut: Cornelius Johnson, Simi Fehoko, Jaelen Gill, Leon Johnson, Jaylen Johnson, Praise Olatoke

Tight end (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., Zach Heins

Misses the cut: Stone Smartt, Luke Benson

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

Misses the cut: Foster Sarell, Karsen Barnhart, Brent Liang, Willis Patrick, Tyler McLellan, Bucky Williams

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

Misses the cut: Chris Rumph II, Ty Shelby, Andrew Farmer,

Interior defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Chris Hinton

Misses the cut: CJ Okoye, Jerrod Clark

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

Misses the cut: Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Shane Lee

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

Misses the cut: Chris Wilcox, Matt Hankins

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, Tony Jefferson, Akeem Dent

Misses the cut: AJ Finley, JT Woods

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

5 Chargers players who need to improve in 2024

The Chargers have some players who struggled during the 2023 season.

The Chargers are looking to turn things around under Jim Harbaugh after finishing as one of the worst teams last season.

They have the talent to make it happen, but it’s a collaborative effort and some players need to improve from the previous season to bring success.

Here are five players who need to make some strides in 2024.

WR Quentin Johnston

The Chargers drafted Johnston in the first round last year, thinking they would get an instant playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. That did not materialize, however. Johnston struggled to create consistent separation and dropped passes. The wide receiver group is not strong after the departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, so Los Angeles will be banking on an improved Johnston to get the most out of that positional group.

G Zion Johnson

Another former first-round pick, Johnson has yet to live up to his billing. This was even after he transitioned from right guard to left guard, his natural position. Despite being next to tackle Rashawn Slater, he struggled to create a surge in the run game and had his hiccups in pass protection. Johnson has the tools to be a dominant guard, but it’s a matter of whether it can come to fruition with the new coaching.

CB Kristian Fulton

The Chargers signed Fulton to a cheap deal this offseason. Currently, he is the front-runner to start on the outside opposite Asante Samuel Jr. However, they need Fulton to come on strong in that role after struggles on the field and with injuries during his time with the Titans. If he can stay healthy, Fulton has shown the ability to be a good coverage corner.

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

As of now, Taylor is the starting nickel corner. But that’s purely based on having the most experience at the position. His spot is not guaranteed, however, as Taylor will be competing with fifth-round pick Tarheeb Still for the job. After flashing as a rookie in 2022, Taylor’s play declined slightly, eventually leading to him losing his starting job midway through last season. In particular, Taylor must improve as a run defender.

DT Poona Ford

Ford is another player the Chargers signed at a discount with the intent of contributing right away. Ford took a step back in 2023 while with the Bills. He only played eight games and was a healthy scratch for 11 games due to his struggles. Once one of the best run-defending interior defenders during his time with the Seahawks, Ford must return to his old ways while continuing to flash as a pass rusher to help contribute to a thin defensive tackle room.

PFF: Why Chargers WR Quentin Johnston is under pressure to perform in Year 2

PFF ranked the top 10 players under the most pressure to succeed during the 2024 season, and Quentin Johnston made the list.

Like any first-rounder, they’re expected to play to their draft billing in their rookie season. However, that wasn’t the case for wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who struggled for the Chargers in Year 1.

Entering his sophomore campaign, Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson believes that Johnston is under pressure to perform.

Johnston displayed a very limited skill set, and the team seemed completely unable to carve him out even a limited role within the offense that played to his strengths. Overall, he averaged just 0.88 yards per route run, ranking 22nd among rookie receivers.

As a player with a draft profile that wasn’t to everybody’s tastes, Johnston enters his second season under real pressure to show that he can be effective in the NFL, even if it’s in a certain role or on a less complete route tree.

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 at TCU.

Despite Johnston’s uninspiring Year 1, he and others, including general manager Joe Hortiz, believe he is due for a breakout season.

Given that the wide receiver room is not as strong after losing Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, they will be counting on Johnston to step up.

Chargers defensive depth chart projection ahead of training camp

Our very early prediction for who will make the Chargers’ 53-man roster on the defensive side of the ball

The Chargers begin training camp in a couple of weeks to prepare for the start of the 2024 season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

There, roster spots will be won and lost at The Bolt, the team’s brand-new training facility in El Segundo, CA.

That said, here is my very early prediction for who will make the 53-man roster on the defensive side of the ball.

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

Misses the cut: Chris Rumph II, Ty Shelby, Andrew Farmer,

Interior defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Chris Hinton

Misses the cut: CJ Okoye, Jerrod Clark

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

Misses the cut: Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Shane Lee

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

Misses the cut: Chris Wilcox, Matt Hankins

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, Tony Jefferson, Akeem Dent

Misses the cut: AJ Finley, JT Woods

Projecting the Chargers’ safety depth chart in 2024

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

With training camp nearing, I finish breaking down the depth chart for each Chargers position with the safety group.

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Derwin James

James finished the 2023 season with 125 tackles, seven passes defensed, two sacks and one interception across 16 games. He made his most appearances since his 2018 rookie campaign, but he wasn’t quite the same playmaker as he had in seasons prior when he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods. Despite the down year, James is still a dynamic player who can cover, play the run and blitz. Rather than moving him all over the field, Jesse Minter plans to put him in positions where he can best utilize his skills to get him back on track.

Alohi Gilman

The Chargers brought back Gilman this offseason after proving his worth in his first season as a full-time starter. He amassed career-high numbers in tackles (73), interceptions (2), and forced fumbles (3). With Gilman sticking around, he will play a key role alongside James.

Tony Jefferson

After retiring following the 2022 season, Jefferson returned to the NFL. After trying out at mandatory minicamp, he landed a contract with the Chargers. Jefferson has a decade of experience in the league, playing for four different teams. For his career, Jefferson has 492 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 24 passes defended in 113 games (67 starts). He has the versatility to play in the box, as a deep safety and in the slot.

Akeem Dent

Dent is the only undrafted free agent I have making the 53-man roster. Dent is an experienced player, appearing in 54 games (40 starts) for the Florida State Seminoles. He is versatile, as he has seen playing time at cornerback, safety and nickel. His athleticism, explosiveness, and physicality would also serve well on special teams. Across four seasons in college, Dent totaled 187 tackles, 16 passes defended, five tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Projecting the Chargers’ cornerback depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers cornerback 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.

Interior defensive line

Linebacker

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

Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel is coming off his best season in coverage, finishing with a 75.6 overall grade in that department. He posted a career-high 13 passes defended and has nabbed two interceptions in each of his three seasons. Samuel will play a vital role in Jesse Minter’s defense, as they will be counting on him as the No. 1 corner. He must continue to shine in coverage while showing improvements in run defense.

Kristian Fulton

The Chargers signed Fulton to a prove-it deal after he battled injuries during his four-year tenure with the Titans. He has showcased the coverage skills to stick with starting wide receivers, but due to the injuries, the sample size isn’t large. He is the front runner to start at outside corner opposite Samuel, but Fulton must stay on the field to hold down that spot.

Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor is coming off his first full season as a starter after his rookie campaign was primarily spent on special teams, with some starts towards the end of 2022, including a masterful performance against the Dolphins that year. His sophomore season was a mixed bag of results. While he was solid in coverage for the most part, Taylor struggled as an open-field tackler. Entering Year 3, Taylor has the opportunity to really break out under Minter. He will have to fend off rookie Tarheeb Still for the starting slot corner spot.

Deane Leonard

Primarily a core special teamer, Leonard was called on to start in three games last season. He showed some good things, forcing three incompletions. An ankle injury prevented him from finishing out the year. Heading into his third season, Leonard will make money on special teams, but he could also push for meaningful playing time.

Tarheeb Still

Still was selected in the fifth round out of Maryland. He finished his final collegiate season with five picks, tied for the fifth-most in the FBS. Still has already raised eyebrows, as he was a summer standout at minicamp. He can play outside or inside but will likely play in the slot and compete with Taylor for the starting job.

Cam Hart

After drafting Tarheeb Still, Los Angeles dipped at the position by adding Hart, who was a great value pick. He fell because of limited ball production and some shoulder injury concerns. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, Hart is a big corner with good speed to carry receivers downfield and plus zone coverage skills to read, react and make plays on underneath routes. He has the traits to push for playing time early on.

Projecting the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers linebacker 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.

Interior defensive line

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

Denzel Perryman

The Chargers needed a veteran presence in the linebacker room, so they signed Perryman. Perryman donned the powder blue and gold for the first six seasons of his career before playing with the Panthers, Raiders, and Texans. He has dealt with injuries throughout his NFL career, but when he is on the field, he provides the defense with a physical and hard-hitting presence when coming downhill.

Junior Colson

Jim Harbaugh got his guy in the third round of the draft. Colson was one of the leaders of Michigan’s defense last season. Now, given his talent and familiarity with Jesse Minter’s defense, he is expected to be the starting Mike linebacker. Colson is a rangy and explosive linebacker whose coverage skills are high-quality NFL traits. He has the speed to stay in phase with tight ends and running backs and is also effective in the run game.

Daiyan Henley

Henley was selected in the third round of last year’s draft. During his rookie campaign, Henley was primarily a special teamer. Heading into Year 2, he should push for playing time, as he offers reliability in coverage, something that Perryman isn’t equipped to do. The team likely envisions Henley starting alongside Colson.

Nick Niemann

While serving as a core special teamer, Niemann had the opportunity to start three games last season when former Chargers Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray were injured. He finished the year with 40 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a fumble recovery. Niemann will make his money on special teams this season and can start in a pinch.

Troy Dye

Dye, a fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, spent the past four seasons with the Vikings. Dye reunites with Ryan Ficken, who was Minnesota’s assistant special teams coach (2020) and special teams coordinator (2021). With the Chargers, Dye will provide a special teams ace and depth at linebacker following the departures of Amen Ogbongbemiga and Tanner Muse.

Projecting the Chargers’ interior defensive line depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle 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.

Next, I project what the interior defensive line room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Morgan Fox

Fox joined the Chargers ahead of the 2022 season, where he had a career year. He recorded 40 pressures, 6.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. For his efforts, Fox was re-signed last offseason. He continued to be an impactful interior pass rusher, finishing with 37 pressures and five sacks. Fox is in the final year of his contract.

Poona Ford

The Chargers lacked veterans in the positional room aside from Fox, so they went out and signed Ford on a cheap deal. Like Fox, Ford will be able to come on as a pass rusher from the middle of the defensive line. He can play on early downs. While he hasn’t been as a good defending the run the past couple of seasons, he has shown the ability to put on strong in this department in his early playing days with the Seahawks.

Justin Eboigbe

After signing Ford, the Chargers still needed more reinforcements up front so they selected Eboigbe in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Eboige is an interior defender who is tough and well-built with the strength to anchor at the point of attack and eat up double teams. While his strong suit is in run defense, he showed the explosiveness and technicality to get after the quarterback last season.

Otito Ogbonnia

After being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Ogbonnia made a name for himself in his rookie season. While he may not have stood out on the stat sheet, with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss in seven games, Ogbonnia was a reliable run defender by penetrating the backfield to cause havoc and occupying double teams. Unfortunately, a ruptured left patellar tendon during Week 7 cut his season short. Ogbonnia worked his way back and appeared in eight games last season, totaling 21 tackles and two QB hits.

Christopher Hinton

I expect the Chargers to roster five interior defenders, which means this will be a battle between a handful of players, including Hinton, Scott Matlock and Jerrod Clark. Hinton, the former five-star recruit, gets the nod because of his familiarity with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Hinton has shown flashes of being a nice rotational piece.