The Chargers are heading into camp with a reshaped roster and a long list of decisions still waiting to be made. With Jim Harbaugh’s vision guiding the group again, the next few weeks will be about more than reps and preseason snaps. Practices, exhibition games, a little travel to San Diego, and joint work will all help sort out a roster that still has some real competition spots.
One of the clearest places to watch is linebacker. The Chargers’ decision to bring back Denzel Perryman says plenty about how they view the position, and he should again be in line for most of the snaps while Daiyan Henley remains a key building block.
Del'Shawn Phillips looks like another safe bet because of what he brings on special teams, and Troy Dye is the kind of backup most teams would be happy to have. Marlowe Wax, an undrafted free agent, also has a path to stick and help when needed.
That adds up quickly, and if the Chargers only keep five at the spot, Junior Colson could be the one squeezed out. The 2024 third-round pick still has upside and the Harbaugh-Michigan tie working in his favor, but a cut or trade is at least on the table if someone else pushes up the depth chart.
Running back is another spot worth tracking, especially with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel now in the mix. Omarion Hampton is the obvious lead back and has the kind of ceiling that could put him among the NFL’s best at the position.
Keaton Mitchell arrived in free agency as an explosive option, though his injury history hangs over him. Kimani Vidal showed enough last season to look like a useful piece, but whether he fits what McDaniel wants is another question.
Behind that group are Jaret Patterson and Amar Johnson, who can help on special teams and in rotation, while college free agent Gregory Desrosiers adds another layer of uncertainty. Of the names in that room, Vidal might be the most surprising player to move on from, but he could also carry enough trade value to make that a realistic possibility.
The easiest cut to see coming is Bud Dupree. At 33 and in the final year of his contract, he looks like the veteran who gets pushed out.
The Chargers already dealt with thin depth last season when Khalil Mack was hurt and they traded for Odafe Oweh. Oweh is gone now, and the team used a draft pick on an older rookie in Akheem Mesidor with the hope he can help right away.
Tuli Tuipulotu is also in position for a bigger role and could be in line for a market-resetting extension in the coming weeks as he works in the rotation with Mack. There’s still a case for the Chargers to move on from Kyle Kennard instead of sacrificing veteran depth like Dupree, and undrafted free agent Nadame Tucker, with his connection to coordinator Chris O’Leary, gives the picture another wrinkle.
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Chargers Still Have One Huge Justin Herbert Problem To Solve
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For a team built around Herbert, that leaves an important offseason question hanging over the depth chart. Los Angeles has options to keep improving the group through free agency, the draft, or other roster moves, and the front office seems intent on keeping those doors open until it finds the right fit. [Read more 🡒]