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With one final chance to prove themselves, the majority of the roster will be playing as if there’s no tomorrow.
The Chargers head to San Francisco for their lone preseason outside the confines of SoFi Stadium. With one final chance to prove themselves, most of the roster will be playing as if there’s no tomorrow.
With that in mind, here are a few matchups to watch against the 49ers.
The Chargers need to clean some things up in the preseason finale against the 49ers.
The Chargers faced the Saints on Sunday and finished the game with their first pr-season loss, 22-17.
Here are some areas where Los Angeles can improve for the preseason finale this Friday against the 49ers:
Easton Stick struggled heavily in Sunday night’s game, throwing inaccurate passes and interceptions all night. Stick also took sacks and folded under pressure as the game went on. The Chargers left Stick in the driver’s seat for the whole game instead of swapping him out for Max Duggan. This was most likely a test to see just how well the game could go if they played a single backup – and it didn’t go well. Stick threw for 233 yards, zero touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Only 21 of 41 attempts were complete, meaning Stick was only able to throw a completed pass 51% of the time. After this performance, it will be worth watching to see if Duggan will play the next game. If not, Stick will have to step it up, remain calm under pressure, and replicate a performance like in the preseason opener against the Rams.
The offensive line crumbled around Stick all night, which didn’t help him navigate his shortcomings this game. Offensive tackles Foster Sorell and Austen Pleasants were the main culprits. When it comes to backup tackles on the Chargers, neither player is looking like a good option. Los Angeles will have to keep experimenting with offensive line depth in the next game if they give whoever is under center a chance at success.
The receiving targets struggled with drops all night, two of which came from last week’s star running back Elijah Dotson. Both drops were on the same drive and caused a massive loss of momentum on offense. This eventually led to Stick forcing a bad pass for an interception, which sealed the loss for the Bolts that night.
Tight end Donald Parham also dealt with drops, allowing Stone Smartt to make a great case for staying on the roster. Parham has had an uneven training camp and preseason, so he will have to step it up next game, or he will be in the hot seat come regular season.
Here’s what you should keep an eye on when the game kicks off on Sunday.
Despite the first-ever tropical storm warning in Southern California, the Chargers and Saints will face off on Sunday for the second game of the preseason.
With two days of joint practices behind them, these two teams know each other a bit better than the usual preseason opponents. Here’s what you should keep an eye on when the game kicks off.
The Chargers’ first preseason game was a win, but which players won (and lost) individually against the Rams in LA?
The Chargers’ first preseason game went a little differently than expected in many ways, but the powder blues of LA came out victorious in their annual exhibition against the Rams.
Here are the studs and duds from the first preseason game.
The Chargers Wire crew listed the players that they’re most excited to watch on Saturday as Los Angeles’ roster evaluation continues.
The Chargers have been hard at work at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA, the past few weeks fighting for roster spots, and now it’s time to transition to live-game action, where they will open up their three-game preseason slate against the Rams.
The crew at Chargers Wire listed the players that they’re most excited to watch on Saturday as Los Angeles’ roster evaluation continues.
Every year, there are players that come seemingly out of nowhere to solidify their place on an NFL roster during training camp.
Every year, there are players that come seemingly out of nowhere to solidify their place on an NFL roster during training camp. Whether it’s copious amounts of offseason work, an opportunity that wasn’t there before, or a simple change of scenery, plenty of careers have been launched from strong camp performances.
These Chargers could be the next in that lineage.
Here are the offensive players to watch for at Chargers training camp.
After a few months of retooling the roster, the Chargers are set to begin training camp, which kicks off next Wednesday, July 26, at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.
During that time, starting spots and roster spots, in general, will be earned. That said, we’re listing a player to watch for at each position, starting with the offense.
Here’s who showed up and who disappointed in the Chargers’ win over the Dolphins.
Point, Justin Herbert.
The Chargers quarterback thoroughly outdueled his 2020 draftmate Tua Tagovailoa on the way to a 23-14 victory for the Bolts, which catapulted them into the 7th AFC playoff spot and kept their hopes of winning the AFC West alive. Herbert was phenomenal, as always, but here’s who else helped him out and who got bailed out by his play.
Stud: Justin Herbert
What more is there to say about this guy? After a week of dissection, re-dissection, and arguments, both good faith and bad, Herbert trotted out there and shredded the Dolphins’ defense to the tune of 367 yards and a touchdown on 39 of 51 passing. Meanwhile, Tua went 10 of 28 for just 145 yards and a touchdown. While he’ll never say it, something about this game seemed to fire Herbert up more than usual. We saw more emotion from him as he delivered his throws Sunday, a fired-up demeanor instead of his usual robotic matriculation down the field. Herbert’s pocket management was on full display on Sunday as well, as he constantly moved the pocket himself or avoided a free rusher before making a throw. It was one of the best games of his career, and the fact that it came in such an important spot for the team’s playoff chances bodes well for his theoretical clutch gene.
Dud: Offensive line
We just talked about Herbert moving the pocket and avoiding free rushers, and most of the reason he had to do that was that the offensive line couldn’t hang with Miami all night long. Christian Wilkins dominated along the interior, essentially shutting down any inside run game by the first half. Jaelan Phillips was similarly dominant, rushing off the right side, constantly crushing the pocket and forcing Herbert to escape to make a play. I get the unit has been banged up, and Foster Sarell is a practice squad guy the team called up because they had no other choice. But at some point, the guys on the field have to execute, and they couldn’t on Sunday. It’s a miracle Herbert was only sacked four times.
Stud: Brandon Staley
Staley has been criticized by just about everyone around the team, me included, at various points this season. The defense, which he was hired to fix, couldn’t stop anyone. The fourth-down decisions had grown more and more cowardly. The team wasn’t responding when things got difficult. But on Sunday, Staley showed glimpses of why the Chargers thought he was their best option when he was hired in 2020. The defensive game plan was a gem, holding Tagovailoa to the aforementioned 35.7% completion percentage as the Chargers played more press man than they have all season. The run defense still allowed 4.8 yards per carry, but there were more run stops at the line than in previous games. The fourth down decisions were measured but aggressive in some spots, namely going for it twice in goal-to-go situations. Staley seemed to regain his mojo in this one, and if that momentum continues, it’s a great sign for the Chargers down the stretch.
Dud: Joe Lombardi
While Staley regained his mojo on Sunday, Lombardi continued to show he has no juice left as this team’s offensive coordinator. Screens and Stick were once again the staples of the offensive diet, and that worked to open the game because Miami came out with pressure-heavy Cover 0 looks against a battered offensive line. Getting the ball out quickly helped the Chargers generate offense, for once. But it was when those opening scripts concluded, and Miami began to change things up that the offense stalled. Lombardi kept calling that quick game, even as it was made evident that Chargers receivers were getting open down the field. Herbert threw short of the sticks in nearly every third down or goal-to-go situation, putting the Chargers in positions where their slow receivers had to outrun defenders to even have a chance at a first down or scoring opportunity. Lombardi on Sunday proved he is who he is, even with a fully healthy complement of offensive stars: if you need three yards, he’ll get you one and expect you to chip in for the other two. If you need six, he’ll split the check three and three. It’s time to move on.
Stud: Michael Davis
Davis’ rise these last few weeks has been one of the best stories surrounding this Chargers team. The corner was seemingly on the outside looking in when JC Jackson was brought in, but since Jackson’s patella injury, Davis has taken over as the best defensive back on the entire team. Something about the matchup with Tyreek Hill has always brought out the best in Davis, and Sunday was no exception. With free reign to be physical at the line, Davis gave Hill fits in man coverage, losing only the 60-yard touchdown on which Davis tripped over Hill’s feet. If you go back and watch that play, it looks like blanket coverage with Davis in position to make a play on the ball before he falls down. It was the culmination of a few weeks of positive play for Davis, who’s gone from an offseason cut candidate to a potential key piece of the secondary moving forward.
Dud: Red zone offense
Part of this has to do with Lombardi, which we’ve already talked about, but the red zone offense on Sunday left a lot to be desired. Their first red zone drive is the best way to convey this: with first and goal from the 5, LA ran Austin Ekeler for no gain. This is already a red flag to me because Joshua Kelley has proven he should be the short-yardage back due to his bigger frame. On second down, Herbert throws it into the flat for Ekeler, who loses a yard. The Chargers do not throw the ball into the actual end zone. On third down, this pattern continues, with Herbert finding Keenan Allen for 4 yards to get them to the 2. Then, on fourth down, the Chargers send DeAndre Carter into motion to get him into space, but Herbert’s throw doesn’t lead him far enough upfield, and Carter stumbles before being tackled short of the goal line. On this drive, and many of the ensuing ones, the Chargers did not allow Kelley to grind out tough yards, which he’s shown more ability to do than anyone else on this roster. They also did not throw the ball into the end zone, instead running bubble and flat routes to get their receivers YAC opportunities. It’s poor design, and a 33% red zone efficiency will not cut it most nights.
Stud: Alohi Gilman
Another great story emerged in the Chargers secondary, with Gilman filling in for Derwin James admirably despite playing rather poorly this season leading up to tonight. We had seen missed tackles, blown assignments, slow rotations, pretty much any and everything you don’t want from a safety. All of this came as third-rounder JT Woods languished on the bench, and many wanted to see the rookie supplant Gilman in the lineup. On Sunday, the Notre Dame product came to play. Miami went right after him to open the game, and he responded with a beautiful pass breakup intended for Tyreek Hill that spurred an opening three and out. He was the one that forced the fumble that resulted in the Hill rugby scrum touchdown, and while that ended up being a net negative, the awareness to punch the ball out should not go uncredited. Gilman got quieter as the game continued, primarily because the Dolphins worked the sidelines a bit more as the game progressed, but sometimes as a back-end defender, silence is the best thing you can ask for.
Dud: Turnover luck
Speaking of the Hill rugby scrum touchdown, it was the hallmark of an incredibly unlucky game in the turnover department on Sunday. Gilman’s forced fumble on that play likely should have been a turnover or at the very least, a Miami recovery in the pile. Kenneth Murray had an interception go through his hands on a Tagovailoa pass in the first quarter. Davis looked like he’d be in position for a potential interception if he hadn’t fallen down on the Tyreek Hill touchdown. The Chargers did get lucky on the offensive side of the ball, namely when Justin Herbert recovered a fumbled snap that bounced away from him. Still, overall it felt as though LA had more opportunities to take the ball away than Miami and couldn’t convert. Ultimately, it didn’t matter for the outcome of Sunday’s game, but turnovers are generally a very momentum-based stat. If LA’s defense had been able to convert some of those opportunities, it may have given them the confidence to believe they could do so again next week and the week after that, and so on.
Here’s our best guess at which 16 players will be back as members of the Chargers practice squad heading into the regular season.
With the 53-man roster set, the Chargers’ next task will be to build their practice squad. The squad has steadily increased in size in recent years, with up to 16 players allowed on the 2022 version. Up to four of those players can have less than two seasons of NFL experience, and up to six of them can be NFL veterans of any experience level. The rest must be players who have less than nine games of active roster experience in their career.
Let’s take a stab at a possible group Los Angeles could bring in for their squad:
RB Leddie Brown
While Brown didn’t receive many reps in the preseason, I do believe he made a bigger impression on the coaching staff than Kevin Marks Jr. did. Brown ran for 1,000 yards multiple times during his career at West Virginia, but his issue has always been speed. He’s a potential developmental option behind the four running backs on the 53 thanks to his pass-catching ability.
RB Tyler Goodson
Goodson was left off Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster, and while it’s likely that the Packers keep him on their practice squad, running backs coach Derrick Foster is familiar with the rookie. Foster was the running backs coach at Iowa from 2018-20. In the last year of that tenure, Goodson was named first-team All-Big Ten at running back, Iowa’s first such honoree since 2008. If he slips through waivers and isn’t immediately signed to Green Bay’s practice squad, Foster could campaign for him to make the move to Los Angeles.
WR Michael Bandy
Bandy’s preseason performance was phenomenal, but his size would always limit him to the slot, where the Chargers have a lot of flexibility with the receivers on the 53. If the 2020 UDFA gets through waivers, he should be the first player LA calls when building the practice squad. Bandy is an NFL route runner, full stop. The only reason he’s not on a roster is his lack of inside/outside versatility.
WR Trevon Bradford
Bradford seems the likeliest of the next tier of wide receivers to stay on the squad, as he had plenty of moments in practice. He also had a nice stop-and-start move in the second preseason game against the Cowboys. The rookie undrafted free agent has some traits to work with and I think he’s worth being kept him around.
WR Joe Reed
There’s still something to unlock with Reed, who flashed the ability to play on the outside this preseason before getting injured and missing the last preseason game. Before the preseason, it seemed like Reed was purely a slot and kick return guy. But perhaps his flashes will encourage the Chargers to keep him around for a healthy season in 2022 to see if he can push for a roster spot next offseason.
TE Hunter Kampmoyer
While Kampmoyer may not have done enough to make the 53, I’m sure LA will try to keep him around for his special teams value. Kampmoyer worked with the first team kickoff unit throughout training camp, a role that will now mostly be taken by Tre’ McKitty. The former undrafted free agent is a likely candidate to use up his three call-ups to provide some extra help on special teams, especially if the team gets off to a slow start.
TE Jace Sternberger
Another former Packer, Sternberger was cut by the Steelers on Monday as they trimmed their roster down to 53 as well. Tight ends coach Kevin Koger worked as an offensive quality control coach in Green Bay for Sternberger’s first two seasons, presenting another potential opportunity for LA’s position coaches to petition for a player they’re familiar with. Sternberger is another special teams value addition who could also fill the fourth tight end spot on the active roster if the Chargers feel they need one.
OT Foster Sarell
As of right now, it seems like Sarell will be brought back to the practice squad instead of Zack Bailey, who seems like a waiver claim candidate elsewhere around the league. Sarell split the second team left tackle duties with Bailey this preseason, and I thought Sarell was the better player. Bailey does have side versatility as someone that can play the left and right sides, whereas Sarell is locked in on the left side. But he’s worth putting more developmental time into as a potential backup.
G Ryan Hunter
Whether Hunter comes back or not at this point seems like a coin flip. In my opinion, the 27-year-old played well enough to earn a roster spot somewhere but ultimately lost his spot to Brenden Jaimes. If he’s amiable to returning, he’d be an excellent depth piece from the practice squad with call-up potential if either Jaimes, Will Clapp, or Jamaree Salyer go down with injuries.
DL Andrew Brown
Brown made a few plays for the Chargers this preseason, but he was always on the outside looking in with a locked and loaded top 5 and a tight competition between Breiden Fehoko and Christian Covington for IDL6. He could be a waiver claim candidate or move on to greener pastures if given the opportunity, but if he decides to return, he’d be a valuable addition a la Fehoko last season.
EDGE Jamal Davis II
I thought Davis did nearly enough to make the initial roster, but his lack of refinement as a pass rusher is likely what kept him off the 53. He’s a great run defender on the edge, and the Chargers did invest in him a little bit by signing him out of the CFL. I think he’ll be back to work on his pass rush arsenal and push for a roster spot in 2023.
EDGE Carlo Kemp
It’s hard to nail down what combination of Davis, Kemp, and Emeke Egbule will end up on the practice squad, but ultimately I think LA will keep Kemp as well. Although he wasn’t a standout in practice, Kemp flashed some real tools during the preseason. A former undrafted free agent who spent the spring in the USFL, Kemp’s football journey has already been arduous. Keeping him around and giving him some stability could unlock something.
CB Isaiah Dunn
The Jets acquired Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed this offseason, which ultimately pushed Dunn off the roster this week. The UDFA out of Oregon State got the largest contract for an undrafted cornerback in 2021 and played in 12 games as a rookie. Like Goodson, Dunn’s preseason team will almost certainly want him back. But if Dunn wants a change of scenery, moving from New York to Los Angeles could be the answer.
CB Kemon Hall
Hall has steadily improved this offseason and closed out the preseason with a few strong performances, but the depth of the Chargers roster dictated his release on Tuesday. He’d be another valuable special teams addition to the practice squad after spending 2021 on the active roster. As a corner that knows the scheme, keeping him around at least early on while JC Jackson recovers from ankle surgery as emergency depth seems like a good idea.
S Raheem Layne
Layne should be an easy practice squad addition if he’s willing to return. He had an excellent training camp, and while the preseason games weren’t at that same level, he still looked like a competent depth piece. The rookie UDFA was one of the most pleasant surprises of the offseason, but he may feel as though his effort has gone underappreciated by the Chargers. If they can convince him to return, I’d expect him to have a role when he does get called up for his three games this season.
S Mark Webb Jr.
Probably the most surprising cut of the offseason for the Chargers, Webb missed this roster primarily because of his inability to stay on the field. A knee injury ended his season prematurely last year, with a calf issue holding him out of action this preseason. Webb is still injured, and leaving him off the 53 feels like the Chargers trying to sneak him through to the practice squad to rehab in-house without spending a roster spot. It’s no secret that LA is high on Webb’s potential. If he can stay healthy, I expect him to be one of the first permanent call-ups if other players get injured.
Other Names to Consider
RB Darrynton Evans
RB Kevin Harris
RB Justin Jackson
OT AJ Arcuri
OT Tyler Vrabel
G Michael Schofield
DT Tyler Shelvin
EDGE Emeke Egbule
LB Cole Christiansen
S Will Parks
The Chargers signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts. All 11 spent all or part of the season on the practice squad.
With the 2021 season over, the Chargers have signed 11 players to future contracts.
Los Angeles signed Michael Bandy, Andre Brown, Cole Christiansen, Ben DeLuca, Emeke Egbule, Maurice Ffrench, Ryan Hunter, Hunter Kampmoyer, Forrest Merrill, Jason Moore, Foster Sarell to future deals.
All 11 players spent time on either the team’s practice squad or active roster in 2021.
The players will be added to the 90-man active roster when the 2022 offseason officially begins.
