The Chargers are barely a week into camp, and already the 53-man picture is getting messy in all the right places.
Once the pads came on, the real battles started to show themselves. A few of them are exactly where you’d expect - the offensive line, where nothing comes easy - and a few are cropping up on a defense that’s adjusting to a new coordinator.
At quarterback, the expectation is that Los Angeles will try to keep DJ Uiagalelei in some form while carrying two. There’s also at least a case for going with four if the team wants to hold onto Jaret Patterson or Amar Johnson, but Kimani Vidal’s showing last year as a three-down backup still gives him a strong grip on the room.
The tight end group still looks like Oronde Gadsden’s to lose. Even so, David Njoku’s chances of a resurgence under Mike McDaniel’s play-calling are hard to ignore.
One receiver who may be running out of room is Keandre Lambert-Smith. The Chargers have a handful of college free agents in the mix, including Devonte Ross, Luke Grimm and Sincere Brown, and that group makes the back end of the receiver room a real fight.
The offensive line is where camp has taken the most unexpected turn. Rookie Jake Slaughter hasn’t locked down the left guard spot, and the Chargers have been rotating Kayode Owosika, Trey Pipkins, Branson Taylor and Trevor Penning through the job. It’s a crowded race, but the fact that all of those names are getting real work there says plenty about their versatility - and about their chances of making the roster.
Up front on defense, Dalvin Tomlinson was the headline addition, but Teair Tart’s return matters just as much after the Chargers paid early and paid well to keep him around.
Another name making noise is undrafted rookie Nadame Tucker. He came in with buzz because of his connection to new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, and that link is already showing up in camp. That, along with whatever hope remains for Kyle Kennard, could end up pushing Bud Dupree off the final roster.
At linebacker, the shape of the group is pretty straightforward with Denzel Perryman back again. Junior Colson being moved out, at this point, feels expected.
In the secondary, Derwin James is a simple call on the depth chart. Corner is where things get interesting, with a Rodney Shelley-type college free agent having a chance to challenge the recent breakout cases of Nikko Reed and Eric Rogers. That’s the kind of competition teams usually want at a premium spot.
Safety looks fairly settled too, though rookie Genesis Smith brings enough athleticism and playmaking juice to make a real case for snaps over veteran Tony Jefferson.
In Other News...
Justin Herbert Just Got The Kind Of Chargers Hype Fans Crave
Justin Herbert is heading into the season with the kind of optimism Chargers fans have been waiting for. Dan Orlovsky said on The Pat McAfee Show that he expects Los Angeles to field one of the NFLs top offenses, and it is easy to see why the buzz is building. The Chargers have tried to clean up the issues that held the unit back before, getting healthier up front while also adding reinforcements and bringing in tight end David Njoku in free agency.
The coaching change could matter just as much, with Mike McDaniel taking over as offensive coordinator and giving Herbert a fresh structure to work in. Even with the defensive coordinator gone for a head coaching job, the Chargers still bring back much of that side of the ball, which should help keep them competitive while the offense tries to take a real step forward. For a fan base that has heard plenty of promise before, this is at least the kind of outside validation that makes the offseason feel a little different. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Rookies Are Already Putting Early Pressure On The Depth Chart
The Chargers are wrapping up their second full week of training camp, and the rookie class is already making some noise in a way that matters for a roster still taking shape. Akheem Mesidor has drawn attention for his work ethic and how prepared he looks, while Brenen Thompson and Travis Burke have also helped themselves with encouraging showings and the kind of practice habits coaches notice even before the pads fully tell the story.
Not every newcomer is at the same stage yet. Slaughter and Genesis Smith still have more proving to do, and the next stretch of camp should offer a better read once the contact ramps up and preseason games begin to sort out who is ready for real responsibility. For a Chargers team trying to sharpen its depth chart, the early returns are useful, but the more revealing tests are still ahead. [Read more 🡒]