The Los Angeles Chargers concluded their preseason Saturday with a 26-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Jim Harbaugh and general Joe Hortiz now have until 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday to trim their roster from 91 players to 53.
Some tough decisions await. Both Simi Fehoko and Brenden Rice have put together strong cases to make the 53-man as a sixth receiver. Who do the Chargers keep? Has running back Jaret Patterson shown the coaching staff enough to crack the roster as a fourth running back? Who makes it as a ninth offensive lineman? How many interior defensive linemen do the Chargers keep? Will edge rusher Tre’Mon Morris-Brash be the only undrafted free agent to make the final roster?
I have my answers. We will see if they align with Harbaugh and Hortiz’s decisions.
This is my final 53-man roster projection.
Quarterbacks (2)
Justin Herbert, Easton Stick
Who’s out: Luis Perez
I think Stick will make the initial 53-man roster as Herbert’s backup. But I fully expect Harbaugh and Hortiz to have their eyes on quarterback cuts around the league Tuesday. And I would not be surprised if they make a move at backup quarterback to upgrade at the position. Stick struggled in training camp practices while filling in for Herbert, who sat out close to three weeks with an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot. Stick also underwhelmed in the preseason games. In particular, his accuracy has wavered. Stick completed just 12 of his 29 pass attempts against the Cowboys. He finished the preseason with a completion percentage of 45.5 percent in three games.
Herbert alleviated some of the concerns surrounding the Chargers’ backup quarterback situation this week. He returned to team drills and was stellar as a passer. Herbert looked like his normal self, even making some pinpoint throws on the run. If Herbert is healthy, the backup quarterback will never see the field. At the same time, Harbaugh and Hortiz have already proven they will be continuously seeking upgrades up and down the depth chart. Harbaugh said it himself in a promotional video released by the team: “We predict those who produce will stay.” Stick has not produced consistently enough.
sincerely, coach harbaugh pic.twitter.com/IXmJP3k3Fw
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 24, 2024
Running backs (4)
Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Jaret Patterson
Who’s out: Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson
Patterson has been a steady riser through the spring and summer, and I think he has done enough to make the 53-man roster. He led all Chargers running backs in scrimmage yards and scrimmage yards per touch through the first two preseason games. He added 27 rushing yards on six carries in Dallas. Patterson would also provide the Chargers’ running back room with special teams flexibility as a returner and on coverage units. Vidal has emerged since returning from an injury that kept him out of the first preseason game. He rushed for 49 yards on 11 carries in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams. Vidal did not play against the Cowboys. I see Edwards and Dobbins as co-featured backs to begin the regular season, with Vidal as RB3.
Receivers (6)
Joshua Palmer, Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko
Who’s out: Brenden Rice, Cornelius Johnson, Jaylen Johnson, Jaelen Gill, Isaiah Wooden
To me, this group presented the toughest decision on the roster. Fehoko and Rice have both played well enough to make the 53-man. Rice is already an established route-runner, and he can attack anywhere on the field — short, intermediate and deep. Fehoko has consistently made plays at receiver, and he also brings special teams coverage ability, as evidenced by the tackle he made in kickoff coverage against the Rams. This just comes down to numbers, and I have a hard time seeing Harbaugh and Hortiz keeping seven receivers. In the end, Fehoko’s production has become undeniable. He finishes the preseason with seven catches on nine targets for 170 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown Saturday in Dallas.
sticko mode
📺 | CBS LA + ESTRELLA + NFLN pic.twitter.com/t7m3wjLOg9
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 24, 2024
Tight ends (3)
Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt
Who’s out: Donald Parham Jr., Zach Heins, Luke Benson, Tucker Fisk, Isaac Rex
Parham had a really good week of practice after Herbert returned. He showcased what he can be as a red zone target in Wednesday’s practice. He has an obvious rapport with Herbert, built over four seasons playing with the Chargers’ franchise quarterback. But Parham’s blocking is still a weakness, and in Greg Roman’s offense, tight ends must be able to block. Smartt, to his credit, has really improved in that area this year. Parham has not taken the same steps. I think the Chargers roll with three tight ends to start and keep an eye out for any blocking pieces they can add to the group. I thought Tucker Fisk had a good showing in the preseason game against the Rams as a blocker, but he missed this week of practice and the preseason finale with an apparent injury.
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Offensive line (9)
Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins III, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell
Who’s out: Alex Leatherwood, Brent Laing, Tyler McLellan, Willis Patrick, Bucky Williams, Karsen Barnhart
The battle for the ninth offensive line spot came down to Sarell against Leatherwood. Sarell has played much better in both practice and the preseason games. Sarell has also shown some positive signs while playing guard, and that flexibility matters. Leatherwood has played almost exclusively tackle. He has struggled as a pass protector and a run blocker. I think Sarell is a better and more versatile player.
Defensive line (6)
Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Justin Eboigbe, Teair Tart
Who’s out: Christopher Hinton, Jerrod Clark, CJ Okoye (International Pathway)
I had five interior defensive linemen on the 53-man roster for most of camp. But I nudged that number up to six. The Chargers signed Tart on Aug. 15. He played against the Rams two days later and flashed a couple of times in run defense. Tart has the skill set to be a disruptive player on the interior. He brings some needed stoutness and size to the room. Ogbonnia has shown he is capable of handling double teams on the interior, but he is not particularly consistent in that phase. Matlock too often loses ground against double-teams. The Chargers will get an extra spot on their practice squad for Okoye as a part of the International Pathway Program.
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Edge rushers (5)
Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, Tre’Mon Morris-Brash
Who’s out: Ty Shelby, Andrew Farmer II, Chris Collins, Savion Jackson
IR: Chris Rumph II
A procedural note here: Clubs approved a new bylaw at the league meetings in March that changed the preseason injured reserve rules. In past seasons, if a player was placed on IR before final cuts, he had to miss the entire season. And so players who had injuries that were not season-ending would be kept on the initial 53-man. They would then be placed on IR after final cuts. The new rules allow teams to place a maximum of two players on IR on the business day of final roster cuts with the designation to return. This means teams no longer have to stash injured players on the 53-man before placing them on IR. I think the Chargers will use this new rule on Rumph, who is dealing with a significant foot injury. Morris-Brash then makes the team as the fifth edge rusher. He has some juice as a pass rusher. He has used his favorite move, an inside spin, successfully both in practice and in the preseason games. And he had a pick-six in the fourth quarter Saturday, showing some awareness and ball skills in coverage.
GO DEEPER
Chargers training camp, Day 17: Tre’Mon Morris-Brash seizing opportunity
Linebackers (5)
Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye, Junior Colson
Who’s out: Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Shane Lee, Frank Ginda, Shaq Quarterman
This group of five has not really wavered through camp. Dye has been one of the best performers in camp, and I think he can be a factor defensively if called upon. Colson has been back in practice for the past two weeks after working his way back from an appendectomy. The rookie third-round pick has flashed, though he will enter the season as a depth piece behind starters Perryman and Henley.
Safety (4)
Derwin James Jr., Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, JT Woods
Who’s out: Tony Jefferson, Akeem Dent, Thomas Harper, Jalyn Phillips
I am listing Woods as a safety for this exercise, but he has been playing outside cornerback for the past two weeks, in practice and against the Rams. I think Woods has looked pretty intriguing at cornerback. His athletic traits are really elevated at that position. Woods providing depth at both safety and cornerback increases his value. Finley has emerged as the third safety. Jefferson was the Chargers’ player of the game against the Cowboys. He had two picks, a forced fumble and a sack. Jefferson is entering his 10th season. As such, he is not subject to waivers if he is released. I expect him to sign to the Chargers’ practice squad.
GO DEEPER
Chargers training camp, Day 20: JT Woods getting extended audition at cornerback
Cornerback (6)
Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart
Who’s out: Matt Hankins, Zamari Walton, Robert Kennedy
Hankins has played well in training camp. He has played outside cornerback and safety, which increases his value, like with Woods. But I think Woods makes the roster over Hankins, who had an interception in the fourth quarter Saturday. They are effectively in a race for the 10th defensive back spot. Samuel and Fulton are the starters on the outside. Taylor is the starter at nickel. Leonard and Hart are depth on the outside. Still is primary depth at nickel, but he has also seen time outside.
Specialists (3)
P JK Scott, LS Josh Harris, PK Cameron Dicker
The specialist group has been set in stone. Dicker has looked particularly good, hitting field goals from 58 and 55 yards in the first two preseason games.
(Top photo of Simi Fehoko: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
