The Chargers’ preseason finale against the Rams is the kind of game that can tilt a roster. It’s the last real audition, the final snap where a player can turn a strong summer into a job or at least make the front office think twice before handing out cutdown-day bad news.
That’s the stage Austin Ekeler once used to his advantage in 2017, when he put together a huge performance against the 49ers and forced his way onto the roster. Now it’s a different group of hopefuls trying to create that same kind of noise.
Jacob Spomer has already put himself in a strong spot. The undrafted free agent has been given a real chance this preseason, and through two games he is the highest PFF graded center in the NFL, period. Another good showing against the Rams would make the case even louder that he belongs in the backup center conversation, with a veteran center on the practice squad looking like the only extra move the team should need.
Amar Johnson is another name worth tracking after his big game against the Texans. His style lines up most closely with Keaton Mitchell’s, and Mitchell is currently sidelined with what offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel described as a setback. If Johnson backs up his last outing with another strong one, the Chargers could be pushed toward keeping four running backs on the initial 53-man roster.
Andre Carter II has also made himself part of the conversation. He arrived late to training camp and has produced ever since. Carter was once viewed as a potential high draft pick after becoming one of the most productive edge rushers in the country at Army, but a rough pre-draft process sent him to undrafted status.
Service-academy players often run into trouble in the combine setting and testing, largely because their schedules are packed and they do not get the same months of training that other prospects can devote to the process. Carter has since logged several years in the NFL and looks like a player who has grown into his frame. With Kyle Kennard sidelined and Nadame Tucker competing for the same job, Carter has a real chance to push for a fifth edge rusher spot and maybe help on special teams too.
Junior Colson is fighting through a different kind of battle. His first years in the NFL have been marked by bad luck, but he is finally showing signs of health and progress. This feels like the part of the story where the locker room speech gets loud, because this is his last shot, at least with the Chargers.
Another strong preseason game could be enough for Colson to force his way onto the roster and become part of the Chargers’ linebacker room of the future. Even if cutdown day goes against him, the source of the optimism is obvious: he is too talented not to be on an NFL roster. After two frustrating seasons, Thursday night is his chance to show he is not finished.
TeRah Edwards has already made a case for himself since signing with the Chargers as an unrafted free agent after the 2025 draft. He played well in the preseason, highlighted by an interception, and earned a spot on the practice squad. Still, his play has been disruptive enough that there’s a path to more.
The Chargers have five defensive tackles who look locked into the 53-man roster, but they have carried six on the initial roster in each of the past two seasons. The numbers are getting tighter because the depth chart is crowded everywhere, yet Edwards can still make things interesting if he turns in an undeniable performance against the Rams.
Greg Desrosiers Jr. is another undrafted back who has given the Chargers something to watch. He led the team in rushing among the running backs against the 49ers and has shown burst and juice as a runner. He’s also stood out on special teams, recording a tackle in each preseason game.
Desrosiers remains a long shot with several veterans ahead of him, but his special teams work could help him land on the practice squad, especially if the Chargers want to keep a runner who can also contribute in that phase.
In Other News...
Chargers Special Teams Breakdown Put JK Scott Under The Spotlight
The Chargers had one of those preseason moments on special teams that can linger long after the snap, when a coverage lapse turned into an 83-yard punt return touchdown against the 49ers. Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken dug into the play afterward and made clear the problem was not a single bad bounce or one isolated miss, but a unit-wide failure to do the job on the coverage side.
JK Scott still found himself in the middle of the discussion, since Ficken said the punter should have helped finish the play and was disappointed he did not make the tackle. Even so, the emphasis was on how the coverage lost contain and opened the door for the return, a reminder that the Chargers third phase is still sorting out its details before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Have One Last Chance To Build Momentum Against The Rams
The final preseason tuneup against the Rams gives the Chargers one more shot to carry some momentum into the real thing, even if most of the familiar names are likely to be off the field quickly. Both teams have already shown their hand this month, with Los Angeles on the other side of the city winning its first two preseason games while the Chargers have split theirs, and the matchup also serves as a reminder that the clubs will see plenty more of each other when the regular season arrives on Nov. 1, 2026.
There is still enough intrigue to make this one worth watching, especially with the Rams getting strong early returns from first-round pick Ty Simpson in exhibition play. For the Chargers, though, the bigger question is how much they can glean from a game in which both coaching staffs have signaled a light workload for starters, leaving the spotlight on depth players trying to make one last impression before the preseason closes. [Read more 🡒]
Harbaugh Sets Clear Limit For Chargers Starters Vs Rams
With the preseason winding down, Jim Harbaugh has given the Chargers a pretty clear window for how long the first-team group will be on the field against the Rams. The finale is still serving a real purpose, though, because it gives Los Angeles one last chance to sort out the depth chart while getting live work for key offensive and defensive starters, including the offensive line and the top defensive unit.
Special teams will be part of the evaluation too, with J.K. Scott and Cameron Dicker both expected to see action as they try to clean up after earlier struggles. For a roster still trying to settle on roles heading into the regular season, even a short outing can matter, especially when the coaching staff wants one more look at how the pieces fit under game conditions. [Read more 🡒]