The Chargers are opening the season at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 13th, with kickoff set for 1:25 p.m., and the team has already been busy fine-tuning the edges of its roster for Week 1.
One of the latest moves brought cornerback Isas Waxter back to the practice squad after a short departure to create space for cornerback Kaiir Elam last week. To make room this time, the Chargers let wide receiver Gary Jennings go from the practice squad.
Wide receiver Theo Wease Jr., who was added to the practice squad last week, appears to have pushed Jennings out of the mix. Wease already has familiarity with the Chargers’ offense after spending last season with the Miami Dolphins under Mike McDaniel.
The Chargers also signed tight end Patrick Herbert to the practice squad last week. The younger brother of quarterback Justin Herbert, Patrick Herbert is known for his blocking and is expected to be the next man up behind starting tight end Charlie Kolar if needed.
Sam Farmer of the LA Times also recently highlighted the Herbert family through the perspective of Mitch Herbert, the eldest brother. Mitch, a former wide receiver at Montana State, is now in his second year as an orthopedic resident at UCLA and has been working closely with the Chargers’ team doctors.
Farmer’s reporting also revealed that Justin and Mitch share an apartment. Justin Herbert, who signed a five-year $262.5 million extension three years ago, is living with his older brother, though that arrangement is set to change now that he is engaged and Patrick is on the Chargers’ practice squad. Justin plans to move out and hand his room over to Patrick.
The story paints a picture of how grounded the Herbert family remains, even with Justin’s rise and the attention that comes with it.
This week also brings a painful reminder from Chargers history. Fans who followed the team during the Philip Rivers era may remember outside linebacker Steve Foley, who started all but three games across the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Foley lined up opposite Shawne Merriman and had signed a three-year extension with the Chargers before the 2005 season. But in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 3rd, he was shot three times by an off-duty rookie police officer from the Coronado Police Department after the officer followed Foley to his home in Poway.
The shooting ended Foley’s NFL career and led to litigation, with the case against the officer eventually settled out of court.
With Foley out for the 2006 season, Shaun Phillips stepped into a larger role and delivered a breakout year. He finished that season with a career-high 11.5 sacks.
In Other News...
Chargers Depth Chart Sends A Surprising Message About Oronde Gadsden II
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For a player whose receiving chops already looked promising, the message is less about what Gadsden can do with the ball than what he has yet to prove away from it. His blocking issues and a relatively quiet offseason reportedly weighed into the decision, and now the question for the Chargers is whether this is a temporary shake-up or the first sign that his role is shrinking just as the season is getting underway. [Read more 🡒]
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For Chargers fans keeping an eye on the AFC West, it is the sort of flashpoint that matters less for the box score than for the tone it sets around a rival. The Broncos are still sorting through camp intensity and the emotions that come with it, while Kansas City is dealing with its own preseason uncertainty after Andy Reid updated the Week 1 status of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Simmons, Kahlil Benson, Rashee Rice, Chamarri Conner and Alohi Gilman, leaving several key availabilities unresolved as the opener approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Get An Early Week 1 Message Oddsmakers Rarely Send
The NFLs opening week usually brings a full slate of cautious optimism, but this years board has a different feel, with several matchups priced tightly and only a handful carrying a spread of a touchdown or more. The league will kick off with two standalone primetime games, including its first-ever trip to Australia for the Rams and 49ers, while the Bengals and Buccaneers stand out with the weeks highest projected total.
For the Chargers, the early read from oddsmakers is already notable. Arizona is sitting as a 9.5-point underdog in the matchup, a sign that Los Angeles is being treated like one of the leagues more lopsided favorites in Week 1. Evan Abrams pointed out the bigger historical wrinkle too, noting the Chargers are the first double-digit Week 1 favorite since 2019, a rare kind of status for an opener that usually keeps everyone guessing. [Read more 🡒]