The Chargers came out of Thursday night’s flat showing against the San Francisco 49ers with a clearer picture of where the roster still needs help, and the answer, at least in one view, isn’t center.
With training camp winding down, Los Angeles is moving into the last stretch of practice before its final preseason game on August 27th against the Los Angeles Rams. Then comes roster cutdown day on August 30th by 3p Pacific Time, and general manager Joe Hortiz has a history of using that window to make a move before the market tightens up.
That’s why two spots stand out as possible trade targets: cornerback and defensive tackle.
The cornerback room looked thinner against San Francisco with Tarheeb Still and Donte Jackson both out. Deane Leonard got a chance to do more than his usual special teams work, and while he didn’t have a bad night, the Chargers could still use another body there. Rookie Avery Smith all but locked up a roster spot against the 49ers, but if injuries hit later in the season, asking Leonard or Smith to line up against a first-team offense would be a tough spot.
That’s where a low-cost, low-risk addition could make sense. Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale has a track record of getting more out of his guys, and the idea would be to bring in a corner who fits the system and let Clinkscale work with him.
One name that fits the mold is Giants cornerback Deionte Banks, the former first-round pick who has not lived up to that draft billing. A fresh start could help him, and the Chargers have a connection point with New York through the Harbaugh family.
The two brothers have shared coaches and recommended players to each other before, making this the kind of move that at least feels realistic.
The other area is the defensive line. Los Angeles has a solid top group at defensive tackle with Teair Tart, Jamaree Caldwell and Dalvin Tomlinson, plus Justin Eboigbe as a disruptive presence up front.
But the depth behind them is thin, with fifth-round pick Nick Barrett and former undrafted free agent TeRah Edwards currently next in line. If one injury hits, that room can get stretched fast.
That’s why a veteran like Solomon Thomas could make sense if Tennessee views him as available. The Chargers have worked with the Titans before, and Thomas may be on the roster bubble in Nashville after Khalen Saunders arrived this offseason. He’d bring proven depth to a position where Los Angeles could use another dependable option.
Hortiz has already shown he’s willing to act quickly when he sees a weakness, and with roster decisions narrowing, the front office will be working closely with pro personnel to sort through possible targets. The next week will be the last real chance for bubble players to make their case before cutdown day hits.
In Other News...
Chargers Leave Ugly Loss With Two Bigger Problems Than The Score
The Chargers preseason loss to the 49ers was messy enough on the scoreboard, but the bigger concern came from everything around it. Penalties, missed assignments and an offense that never found much rhythm made it a rough night for a team still trying to set its tone under Jim Harbaugh, and the coach did not hide from the fact that the details were not good enough.
Tyler Biadaszs left ACL injury only adds to the unease, because the center spot now has to be reworked on the fly. Rookie Jake Slaughter is expected to slide into the starting job, while Harbaugh also has an unsettled backup quarterback battle still hanging over the roster, leaving the Chargers with more to sort out than a lopsided preseason score. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Roster Battle Took A Harsh Turn In Preseason Loss
The preseason trip against the 49ers was less about the final score than the Chargers ongoing roster audit, and several players made cases for themselves in live action. Junior Colson stood out on defense with an interception and multiple tackles, Devin Grant also came away with a pick, and Gregory Desrosiers led the running backs in rushing yards, all of it the kind of production that can matter when coaches start narrowing down jobs.
Not every audition went smoothly, though, and Devonte Ross had a rough moment when a muffed punt undercut his chance to build momentum. In a game designed to sort out the back end of the roster, those kinds of mistakes can linger just as long as the highlights, which is why the Chargers will likely spend as much time studying the errors as the takeaways from a night that brought clarity to some spots and more pressure to others. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Leave Chargers Game With A Bigger Concern Than The Score
A preseason game can fade quickly once the result is in the books, and Sundays matchup in Los Angeles felt like one of those nights for the 49ers. They left with a win over the Chargers, but the bigger concern was the list of players who were banged up along the way, including offensive lineman Austen Pleasants, cornerback Renardo Green and linebacker Nick Martin, all of whom exited with injuries.
Kyle Shanahan said Pleasants knee injury is not an ACL tear, while Green and Martin are still waiting on more imaging after hamstring issues. Left guard Robert Jones is also dealing with an unspecified injury that could affect his availability for the next game, giving San Francisco plenty to monitor even as the preseason calendar keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]