With the conclusion of the preseason, the Chargers’ roster decisions have been made, trimming down to the final 53 players. Here’s a breakdown of the official depth chart, the practice squad, and the players who were cut.
Final 53-Man Roster and Official Depth Chart
Quarterback (QB):
Justin Herbert (Franchise QB), Max Duggan (QB2)
Duggan secured the backup role after a strong preseason performance, edging out Sam Darnold and solidifying his place behind Herbert. This is a strong position group that can lead the offense in any scenario.
Running Back (HB):
Le’Veon Moss, Hassan Haskins, Damien Martinez, Kimani Vidal
Moss impressed with his explosiveness, while Haskins’ power running and Martinez’s versatility earned them spots in the rotation. Vidal’s ability to break tackles gave him the edge for a depth role. It’s expected that every RB will get carries each game and the Chargers will feed the hot hand and keep fresh legs.
3rd Down Running Back (3DRB):
Damien Martinez, Kimani Vidal, Rivaldo Fairweather
Martinez will be the primary 3rd-down back due to his receiving skills, with Vidal and Fairweather available for situational roles. He isn’t as fast as other Chargers’ backs, but has the surest hands.
Power Back (PWHB):
Damien Martinez, Hassan Haskins, Le’Veon Moss
Martinez and Haskins will split the load in short-yardage situations, while Moss adds a dynamic element when stretching the field with bigger personnel.
Fullback (FB):
Rivaldo Fairweather, Maliq Carr, Will Dissly
Fairweather’s versatility as a blocker and occasional runner earned him the starting fullback spot, with Carr and Dissly providing depth in case of injury.
Wide Receiver (WR):
WR 1: Quentin Johnston, Brenden Rice, Derius Davis
WR 2: Ladd McConkey, Cornelius Johnson, Derius Davis SLWR: Ladd McConkey, Brenden Rice, Maliq Carr
Johnston is the clear WR1, while Ladd McConkey and Brenden Rice look to contribute and build on their rookie seasons. Cornelius Johnson had an impressive preseason and should see snaps and targets each game, although limited. Maliq Carr is able to step into the slot if needed.
Tight End (TE):
Tyler Warren, Maliq Carr, Will Dissly
Warren solidified his spot as the starting tight end with an impressive preseason, while Carr looks to contribute often as a blocker and second tight end with Dissly rounding out the group as a key blocker with receiving potential.
Offensive Line:
Left Tackle (LT): Rashawn Slater, Brady Christensen, Mason Brooks
Left Guard (LG): Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, Kelvin Beachum
Center (C): Ricky Stromberg, Bradley Bozeman, Jamaree Salyer
Right Guard (RG): Tyler Steen, Jamaree Salyer, Bradley Bozeman
Right Tackle (RT): Joe Alt, Brady Christensen, Mason Brooks
Slater anchors the line at left tackle, while Alt, at a massive 6’9, is one of the most impressive tackles and will start on the right side. The depth across the line provides versatility, with Salyer and Bozeman able to play multiple positions behind the starting interior of Johnson, Stromberg, and Steen. Beachum and Brooks are available if need be as well.
Defense:
Defensive Line:
Left End (LE): Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Cameron Thomas
Defensive Tackle (DT): Kenneth Grant, Jowonn Briggs, Calais Campbell
Defensive Tackle (DT): Bear Alexander, Justin Eboigbe, Calais Campbell
Right End (RE): Chase Young, K’Lavon Chaisson, Josaiah Stewart
Bosa and Young headline the pass rush, while rookies Kenneth Grant and Bear Alexander anchor the interior. Tuli Tuipulotu and K’Lavon Chaisson are expected to rotate in on a weekly basis and Cameron Thomas and Josaiah Stewart may even see snaps. Jowonn Briggs and Justin Eboigbe are talented and will also surely see weekly snaps. Veteran Calais Campbell provides leadership and rotational depth at tackle.
Linebackers:
Left Outside Linebacker (LOLB): Ernest Jones, Nick Niemann, Trey Moore
Middle Linebacker (MLB): Junior Colson, Nick Niemann, Trey Moore, Francisco Mauigoa
Right Outside Linebacker (ROLB): Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Francisco Mauigoa
Sub Linebacker (SUBLB): Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Ernest Jones
Colson is the heart and soul of this defense, with Daiyan Henley and Ernest Jones providing leadership on the outside. Nick Niemann will be the guy to jump in anywhere due to injury, while Mauigoa and Moore learn and offer depth, hopefully seeing action in rotational and special teams roles.
Cornerbacks:
CB1: Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still, Aaron Robinson
CB2: Andrew Booth Jr, Asante Samuel Jr, Aaron Robinson
Slot Cornerback (SLCB): Asante Samuel Jr, Tarheeb Still, Kristian Fulton
The Chargers boast a talented and deep cornerback room, led by Hart and Booth on the outside. Asante Samuel Jr. shifts inside as the starting slot corner, with Still providing valuable depth inside or outside. Aaron Robinson and Kristian Fulton are also available and will be active in punt coverage.
Safeties:
Free Safety (FS): Alohi Gilman, Kristian Fulton, Rudy Ford
Strong Safety (SS): Derwin James Jr, Rudy Ford, Kristian Fulton
With Derwin James as the leader of the secondary, the Chargers have a solid group of safeties. Gilman will man the free safety spot, with Ford and Fulton offering versatility and depth for coverage situations (Fulton) and run stop situations (Ford).
Special Teams:
Kicker (K): Cameron Dicker
Punter (P): Bryan Anger
Kick Returner (KR): Derius Davis, Rudy Ford, Brenden Rice
Punt Returner (PR): Derius Davis, Ladd McConkey
Bryan Anger joins Cameron Dicker in an above average special teams room whileDerius Davis takes on primary return duties, after showcasing his speed and elusiveness in the last couple years. Ford will be Davis’ lead blocker on kickoffs and Rice will do that if Ford is inactive. McConkey will serve as a backup punt returner in case of an injury to Davis.
Practice Squad (12 Players)
HB: Kyle Monangai, Terion Stewart
Monongai just missed the final roster, but his steady preseason performance lands him on the practice squad. Stewart adds depth as an insurance option.
WR: Jalil Farooq, Will Sheppard
Farooq and Sheppard provide developmental depth at wide receiver. Both were scouted by the Chargers ahead of the draft, although they ultimately gave preseason spots to veterans like Randall Cobb, Jalen Reagor, and Ashton Dulin
OL: Jordan McFadden, Miles Frazier
McFadden and Frazier offer depth on the offensive line. Both have potential to step into backup roles if injuries occur during the season.
DT: Scott Matlock, Jaquelin Roy
Matlock and Roy provide depth at defensive tackle. With both showing promise, they’ll continue to develop on the practice squad.
LB: Kalen DeLoach
DeLoach is a versatile linebacker who can contribute on special teams and in sub packages if called up. His size is the main thing holding him back.
DB: Prophet Brown, Hunter Wohler, Dante Trader Jr.
Brown, Wohler, and Trader are young defensive backs who impressed during training camp. They offer depth and development for the secondary who includes a 27 year old Alohi Gilman, a 29 year old Derwin James Jr, and a 30 year old Rudy Ford.
Players Cut and Not Retained on the Practice Squad
CB: Ja’Sir Taylor
DB: Jimmie Ward
DT: Otito Ogbonnia
DT: Danny Shelton
TE: Geoff Swaim
TE: Tyler Kroft
QB: Sam Darnold
HB: Ameer Abdullah
WR: Jalen Reagor
WR: Ashton Dulin
WR: Randall Cobb* (On IR, but will be released when healthy)
LB: Tariq Carpenter
LB: Damien Wilson
EDGE: David Mayo
Notable names among the cuts include veteran safety Jimmie Ward, quarterback Sam Darnold, and wide receivers Jalen Reagor and Ashton Dulin, who both had good preseasons. Darnold lost the QB2 battle to Max Duggan, while the emergence of younger talent pushed Abdullah, Cobb, Swaim, and Kroft off the roster. Ward’s release was somewhat surprising, but Los Angeles decided to find a more Derwin-like backup in Rudy Ford who was also much more athletic than Ward.
With a deep and balanced roster, the Chargers head into the regular season with high expectations. The final 53 features a mix of veteran leadership and exciting young talent across both sides of the ball, while the practice squad offers plenty of potential for midseason call-ups. The upcoming season promises to be a competitive one, with plenty of depth to navigate through any challenges that arise.
