The Chargers are closing in on the end of their second week of 2026 training camp, and Saturday’s session gave a few players a real chance to move the needle. It was the third practice for Los Angeles, and the battles for jobs and roles are starting to tighten. That made the day especially important for a handful of players trying to force their way into bigger spots.
Jake Slaughter was the biggest name to watch. The Chargers took him in the second round of the 2026 draft, but plenty of people around the league saw him as a center-only prospect.
Los Angeles had other ideas, announcing him as a guard and putting him on a tougher developmental track from the jump. He’s been dealing with the expected adjustment to NFL speed and power inside, plus the extra space that comes with moving from center to guard.
The team has kept saying he’s in the mix for the starting left guard job, but lately it looked like he had slipped behind in that competition.
Saturday changed that, at least for now. Slaughter had only been getting first-team work after rotating in behind Kayode Awosika twice earlier in camp.
This time, he opened practice with the first team at left guard for the first time, and it was also his first padded practice overall. With the competition starting to narrow over the next week and a half or so, this was his chance to make a statement.
By report, he answered it well in both team periods and one-on-one work.
Justin Herbert also looked like a quarterback settling deeper into a new system. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has asked him to tweak his footwork and lean into more anticipatory throws, with the idea of creating more yards after the catch.
Herbert has spent most of his career relying on his arm strength to drive the ball into tight windows once receivers come open. This offseason is about adding rhythm and more answers to the offense.
On Saturday, he showed growing comfort with that timing element, a day after veteran analyst Dan Orlovsky said Herbert was close to being in the MVP conversation late in the season.
Scott Matlock got a strange look in practice. Drafted by the Chargers in the sixth round in 2023 as a defensive tackle out of Boise State, he shifted into a utility role after Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman arrived in 2024 and has spent the last two seasons mostly on offense as a fullback.
On Saturday, the Chargers gave him a crack at tackle. Whether that was a true position trial or a look at him as a possible sixth offensive lineman wasn’t clear.
What is clear is that Matlock is in the final year of his rookie deal, and another switch could make it harder for him to stick on the 53-man roster. If he doesn’t make the team, the practice squad remains a possible landing spot because of the versatility he brings.
The speed element in McDaniel’s offense is showing up in the Chargers’ playmakers too. Brenen Thompson, Derius Davis and Keaton Mitchell all hit big plays downfield, with deep touchdowns or deep completions showing exactly why they fit this style. Mitchell, in particular, stood out as a tough matchup for a linebacker.
Up front, the Chargers’ interior defensive line kept building on a strong start. Teair Tart, Justin Eboigbe and Jamaree Caldwell were already hot early in camp, and once the pads came on, they turned it up another notch.
That rotation could end up being one of the team’s strengths. There’s also the idea that it could become even more dangerous if the Chargers swing big and land Vita Vea in a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And then there was Alohi Gilman, now wearing Chiefs colors after a busy year that saw him drafted by the Chargers in 2020, spend five and a half seasons in Los Angeles, and then get traded to the Baltimore Ravens in the Odafe Oweh deal. He signed with Kansas City this offseason, and Chiefs camp has already turned chippy. Gilman helped spark a brawl with new top Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker, who finished the exchange by using a form tackle to put Gilman on the ground.
In Other News...
Chargers Left Guard Battle Could Be Bigger Than Fans Realize
The Chargers first unofficial depth chart of the season offered an early look at one of the quieter but important competitions on the roster, and left guard is very much up for grabs. Kayode Awosika, Branson Taylor and Jake Slaughter all surfaced as possible starters at the spot, a reminder that the line is still sorting itself out as camp moves toward the preseason.
Jim Harbaugh said Awosika has been the most consistent option there so far, but the job is far from decided. The coming preseason games will give the staff a better chance to separate the candidates, and for a team trying to settle its protection up front, this is one of those battles that could end up mattering more than it first looked. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chargers Pick Is Suddenly Back In The Spotlight
The Giants were forced to reshuffle their roster after injuries hit a few key spots, and one of the more familiar names to Chargers fans surfaced in the process. New York waived cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse and added a cluster of short-term depth pieces, including safety J.T. Woods, cornerbacks D.J. James and David Long, and offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes as it tries to steady both the interior offensive line and the defensive back room before the preseason.
For the Chargers, Jaimes is the name worth noting because the former pick is suddenly back in the spotlight after landing in a new camp situation. None of the newcomers are being brought in with Week 1 starting jobs in mind, but these late roster moves can still matter for players trying to carve out a role, and Jaimes now gets another chance to show he can provide insurance on the offensive line. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Fans Should Be Excited About This Rookie Deep Threat
Brenen Thompson has already given Chargers fans a reason to keep an eye on the preseason. The rookie receiver brought a track-level burst with him after stops at Texas and Oklahoma, then turned in a breakout season at Mississippi State with more than 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns before arriving in Los Angeles. Since then, he has kept flashing in team drills, drawing praise from coaches and teammates while looking like a natural fit for a passing game that can use another vertical threat.
The most encouraging part for the Chargers is that Thompson is not just running past defenders in isolated moments, he is also earning steady looks from Justin Herbert. For a young receiver, that kind of quarterback trust matters, especially in a camp where every rep can shape the depth chart. If Thompson keeps stacking those opportunities, the Chargers may have found a rookie who can stretch the field and make the offense a lot harder to defend. [Read more 🡒]