The Chargers are coming out of their bye week lighter in one respect and, at least for now, a little less loaded in the backfield conversation. Greg Desrosiers Jr., the preseason runner who turned heads with 166 yards on 23 carries across three games, has been claimed, taking him off Los Angeles’ practice squad.
That development mattered because Desrosiers Jr. had been the kind of stash teams hope can buy them some insurance later in the season. The plan was simple: keep him around in case one of the Chargers’ top three backs - Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell or Kimani Vidal - got hurt.
Instead, the New York Giants scooped him up after making room by cutting former Chargers back Najee Harris and placing role player Tyrone Tracy on injured reserve. Desrosiers Jr. now joins the roster for the other Harbaugh brother, Jim.
For the Chargers, the move creates an opening on the practice squad, and that spot has already gone to Tejhaun Palmer. The former Arizona Cardinals sixth-round pick had worked out for the team a few weeks ago and, by this point, had apparently edged out former star JuJu Smith-Schuster for the job.
All of this lands at a time when Los Angeles is already surrounded by trade chatter. With the deadline approaching, veterans like Khalil Mack and Donte Jackson have been mentioned as possible trade candidates, especially if the Chargers decide to sell, even though they’ve told the media otherwise.
Vidal has also entered that conversation. Steven Haglund reported that he has heard Vidal is an option for the Chargers to move on from, with teams already calling to ask about him.
“The two Chargers players getting the most trade buzz around the league per my sources are EDGE Khalil Mack and RB Kimani Vidal. Have been able to confirm that the Bears and 49ers have both made serious inquiries about Mack. One of the AFC contenders has expressed interest as...”
Vidal has been one of the Chargers’ more productive backs this season, and the 25-year-old’s path to that spot was a strong one. In 2025, he began on the practice squad and finished as the team’s leading rusher with 643 yards.
That’s part of why the trade talk has made sense. Moving Vidal could bring back draft capital, and the logic there is obvious if the Chargers are thinking about building toward 2027 and beyond.
But losing Desrosiers Jr. already changes the calculus a bit. Dropping two running backs in a short window is a lot to absorb, especially for a bottom-of-the-league offense.
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For now, that leaves the Chargers in the familiar spot of being discussed as much for what they might do as for what they actually plan to do. Around the league, teams such as Kansas City and the Jets are also being watched for possible deadline movement, and those ripple effects can matter in a hurry if a market starts to form for veterans or young players with upside. Whether Los Angeles ever steps into that market is still the bigger question, and it is the kind of one fans will keep debating until the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Nightmare Season Just Took Another Brutal Turn on Defense
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Jim Harbaugh said the situation is serious enough that the Chargers may have to adjust at safety, adding another layer of concern to a roster already juggling injuries at other spots. Ladd McConkey and Brennen Thompson are among the players working through their own issues, while Tre Harris is expected back from a hamstring injury, but the broader picture is hard to ignore: Los Angeles keeps getting hit by another blow just as it tries to stabilize. [Read more 🡒]