Bolts From The Blue
NFL teams are required to cut their rosters down to 53 players by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. As of typing this, the Chargers have yet to announce any cuts amongst their team.
Before they get going, here’s my final roster prediction of the summer.
Let’s dive in.
Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Trey Lance
From the Hall of Fame Game through the team’s fourth and final preseason game, Lance outplayed veteran Taylor Heinicke
Running Back (5): Omarion Hampton, Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal, Raheim Sanders, Scott Matlock (FB)
I am nowhere close to trusting anyone on Najee Harris’ timeline regarding his return to the field as every ounce of news since his eye injury occurred has been a bit stretched. I believe he starts on the NFI list and will miss the first four games of the season.
If that’s the case, I have both Vidal and Sanders making the roster behind Hampton and Haskins. Haskins’ special teams contributions and strong, consistent running this preseason has me believing he’s hitting the ground running as the team’s RB3 to begin the regular season.
Wide Receiver (6): Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston, Tre’ Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Derius Davis
Again, this is the most locked-in group on the roster. I don’t think Johnston’s concussion he sustained against the Rams will cause him to miss time at the start of the regular season and there truly wasn’t any one receiver behind these six that really showed enough to push for a roster spot.
Tight End (3): Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin, Oronde Gadsden II
This group is also staying the same from my last roster prediction. I don’t expect Fisk to be claimed on waivers and the Chargers need the space elsewhere on the roster to keep some of their young talent that flashed this preseason.
Offensive Line (9): Joe Alt, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Mekhi Becton, Trey Pipkins, Jamaree Salyer, Andre James, Branson Taylor, David Sharpe
Before the preseason, I would have told you that the interior defensive line was the worst position group on the roster. Somehow, someway, the offensive line has more questions now than I ever would have expected. The loss of Rashawn Slater cannot be understated. It has forced the Chargers to sign a new tackle to compete for the swing (David Sharpe) and even after doing so, Jamaree Salyer is still the next man in because of Sharpe’s rough play through the latter half of the preseason.
2025 sixth-round pick Branson Taylor has also not transitioned well to guard and is now working back at tackle to help with depth on the outside. Right now, this is who I have making the team. However, like many others around the team believe, I don’t think this is who ends up being the active roster players come Week One. I foresee the Chargers scooping up someone else that gets cut from another team in hopes of further solidifying this group.
Interior Defensive Line (5): Teair Tart, Da’Shawn Hand, Otito Ogbonnia, Naquan...
