The Chargers are still in the market for help, and with final cuts and the practice squad mostly wrapped up, there are still a few names floating around that could make sense for them.
That’s not exactly a surprise. Los Angeles still hasn’t really answered its biggest question surrounding Justin Herbert, and the roster has some shaky spots on the final 53.
Some of that comes from injury, and some of it comes from simply going light at a few positions. Either way, there’s room to keep shopping.
One place to start is up front on offense. Kevin Zeitler is one of the veteran options still available, and the argument over whether he fits Mike McDaniel’s blocking scheme or whether age - he’s 36 - makes him too risky is easy to understand.
Still, the appeal is obvious. Depth matters, and with Tyler Biadasz out for the year and Jake Slaughter moving to center, adding a proven veteran who can play and help younger linemen along would not be a bad move.
The Chargers’ offensive line injuries last season are hard to forget, anyway.
There’s also the defensive side to think about. The Chargers were already linked to Mazi Smith, and the Jim Harbaugh-Michigan connection would have given them more depth on the interior before Smith reportedly signed with the Jets’ practice squad.
Up front, the Chargers carried only five defensive linemen on the initial 53 as they move into Chris O’Leary’s defense. That’s workable, but a body like DaQuan Jones - who spent last season with the Buffalo Bills - would give them another true space-eater to consider.
Then there’s the pass rush. Kyle Van Noy is 35, but that doesn’t make the idea of more edge depth any less appealing.
Los Angeles kept just four pass-rushers on the initial 53, and Bud Dupree looks like he’s hanging on by a thread. If another opening pops up, a fifth rotational piece for emergencies would make plenty of sense.
And if the Chargers want to go all the way into veteran-reunion territory, Bobby Wagner is sitting there too. Denzel Perryman just landed on injured reserve, Wagner is 36, and a move was always coming before the season.
He’s still productive, he’s a future Hall of Famer, and he won’t cost a fortune. The Chargers like the linebackers they have, but if Wagner’s camp reached out this week, it would be hard to ignore.
In Other News...
Chargers Add Justin Herbert Twist With Tight End Depth Suddenly In Play
Patrick Herbert is back in Southern California and back in the same building as his brother. The Chargers signed the tight end to their practice squad after he cleared waivers following his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving the team another developmental option at a position where depth can change quickly over the course of a season.
For Patrick Herbert, the move also brings a familiar quarterback into the picture, with Justin Herbert already established as the Chargers' starter. He arrived in the league as an undrafted player in 2025 after his college career at Oregon, and this latest stop gives him a chance to keep his NFL path alive while adding another layer of family intrigue to the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Add Tight End Depth With A Story Fans Will Love
Patrick Herbert is back in the building with a chance to carve out a role in Los Angeles, as the Chargers added the tight end to their practice squad and reunited him with his brother, quarterback Justin Herbert. The move, first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, gives the team another body at a position where depth always matters and gives Herbert a familiar place to keep working.
Herbert reportedly had other practice squad opportunities, but chose the Chargers path instead, a decision that keeps the family storyline tied to a football reason as much as a personal one. For Los Angeles, it is a low-risk addition with some upside, since he can continue developing inside the organization while the team keeps an eye on the tight end room. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Rookie Suddenly Has A Real Shot At Bigger Defensive Role
The Chargers roster churn didnt stop once the leagues 53-man deadline passed, and the moves left a clearer path for some younger defenders to matter sooner than expected. After trading two players, putting two others on injured reserve and bringing punter JK Scott back after releasing him, Los Angeles also had to absorb the loss of veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman, who was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss at least four games.
That opens the door for Marlowe Wax, a rookie who has quietly built momentum with strong preseason work and now looks positioned for a bigger defensive role. For a team trying to stay steady through the early part of the season, Waxs chance comes at a time when the Chargers need depth to turn into something more than just a placeholder, and his next few weeks could go a long way toward shaping how the linebacker rotation looks once Perryman is eligible to return. [Read more 🡒]