The Chargers went into roster cutdown day with an unusual-looking special teams setup and came out with an even stranger one: no punter on the initial 53-man roster.
Los Angeles released veteran JK Scott on Sunday while trimming to the league-mandated roster limit, leaving kicker Cameron Dicker and long snapper Josh Harris as the only specialists listed. The move opened a hole at punter and holder heading into the waiver period, but that gap appears to be part of the plan rather than a final decision.
Tom Pelissero of The Ringer and Netflix Sports reported early Monday that the move is temporary, writing that Scott “is expected to return to the roster this week, per source”
The Chargers released punter J.K. Scott, but it's temporary: He is expected to return to the roster this week, per source.
- Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2026
Los Angeles has not confirmed that intention. NBC Sports reported Sunday night that Scott could come back after more roster shuffling, while the team’s own roster breakdown left the door open to a different outcome, saying the Chargers “could now be potentially searching for a new punter and holder ahead of Week 1,” per Chargers.com.
Scott’s release was listed as a release, not a waiver, on the transaction report. That matters because he is an eight-year veteran. A vested veteran who is released becomes a free agent and does not need to clear waivers, which gives the Chargers a chance to open a spot later in the week and bring him back without another team claiming him first.
That kind of short-term maneuver fits the timing of this cutdown cycle. This year’s deadline landed Sunday, Aug. 30, after the league moved it up to 6 p.m.
ET before the 49ers and Rams travel to Australia for Week 1, as CBS Sports explained. Teams looking for a little extra flexibility often use a veteran specialist to create that opening for 24 to 48 hours.
The Orange County Register described Scott’s release in exactly those terms: a move for flexibility, with a likely return once the next round of transactions is done.
The Chargers also used that roster space to make a pair of other moves. They traded defensive tackle TeRah Edwards to Carolina for a 2028 sixth-round pick, a deal the Panthers announced after Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported it.
They also sent cornerback Avery Smith to Seattle for a 2027 sixth-rounder, according to Pelissero and later team reporting. Those trades did not solve the punter situation, but they did help explain why the front office wanted as much room as possible before Monday’s waiver work.
Scott’s standing took a hit during August, even though his résumé is strong. He has handled punting duties for the Chargers since 2022 and signed a two-year extension in March 2025. In the 2025 regular season, he posted a 41.43-yard net average on 60 punts and earned an 88.1 PFF punting grade, which ranked fourth among qualified punters, according to Pro Football Focus.
Still, the preseason gave the Chargers plenty to think about. On Aug. 20 at SoFi Stadium, San Francisco beat Los Angeles 41-17.
Late in the second quarter, Scott sent a 52-yard punt to the 49ers’ 17, where Jacob Cowing fielded it, turned the left edge and raced 83 yards for a touchdown, per the Associated Press recap on ESPN. The coverage broke down badly, and Scott was the last line.
He drifted out of the play instead of stepping into a tackle attempt.
Jim Harbaugh was asked afterward whether Scott had been told not to try to make the stop. He made clear that wasn’t the case.
“He’s got to have a plan when he’s in that position to make a tackle,” Harbaugh said. “Something we need to work on, coach up.”
Kris Rhim relayed the same answer:
Jim Harbaugh on if JK Scott was instructed not to make a tackle attempt here:
“No, he's got to have a plan when he's in that position to make a tackle. Something we need to work on, coach up. pic.twitter.com/E6zoKgbiSF
- Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) August 21, 2026
The preseason finale against the Rams didn’t settle things down either. USA TODAY reported that Scott averaged 33.7 yards on three punts in that game and also had a 20-yard shank that flipped field position.
So the Chargers now sit in a holding pattern. Dicker still needs a holder, Harris still needs a punter, and if Scott returns as expected, the operation stays intact for the Sept. 13 opener against Arizona. If he doesn’t, Los Angeles will need another leg and a quick crash course on the hold before Week 1.
For now, the cut looks less like a farewell than a roster maneuver with a built-in return. Until the Chargers make the next move official, Scott’s status remains exactly where the reporting leaves it: temporarily off the roster, with a comeback expected.
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