It is now past 1 p.m. PST on August 27th, meaning that final roster cuts have been made. What started this offseason as a 90-man roster has been narrowed down to 53 league-wide. While some players might not stick to some teams, it doesn’t mean they can’t with another. While the hype around the Chargers has been picking up some steam in the past couple of weeks, below are some players who could propel the Chargers this upcoming season.
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Image: Charlotte Observer
Terrace Marshall Jr., WR
Recently waived by the Carolina Panthers, the hype around Marshall was high coming out of LSU. On the same team as Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, many thought Marshall would be the next-best wideout from Baton Rouge. Unfortunately for Marshall, things haven’t quite worked that way as injuries and subpar team play have hampered his development.
Still, only a few years removed from college, Marshall is an exciting combination of size and athleticism. Should he come to the Chargers, Marshall could easily become the team’s WR3 with the potential of moving up to be their WR2 or WR1 by the season’s end. While the Chargers are looking to be a run-heavy team this year, the opportunity for Marshall is intriguing given that he’s never had a QB like Herbert.
Image: Sporting News
Caleb Farley, DB
Coming to the NFL from Virginia Tech as a first-round pick, Farley hasn’t been able to stay healthy which is probably the biggest reason why the Titans decided to release him. However, as a former WR turned DB, Farley had arguably the best ball skills in the draft. Combine this with his still young age, size, and length, and you could get an extremely viable asset on defense.
In Tennessee, Farley was pressed to become their cornerback of the future. However, at this point, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to try him at safety. Moving him to a high safety role could optimize his ball skills while also minimizing the impact on his body.
Image: Musket Fire
Bailey Zappe, QB
A prolific passer out of Western Kentucky University, Bailey Zappe appeared to be an excellent option behind Mac Jones as hopefully if one didn’t work out the other would. Nevertheless, neither player ended up panning out resulting in Jones being moved to Jacksonville and Zappe being cut. However, Zappe could still be a terrific option behind Herbert.
While Easton Stick provides familiarity in the locker room, this preseason was a great indicator of how high his ceiling is. Even though there still might be a learning curve with Zappe, who better to help unlock Zappe’s potential than Coach Harbaugh himself?
Image: Detroit Free Press
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR
A late-round pick by Cleveland in 2020, DPJ was reliable as part of their WR room. He may not have been the most dominant, but he was always consistent and could be leaned on when needed. It was because of this production that the Lions decided to trade a late-round pick to acquire the Michigan product en route to making a playoff run. While the trade appeared to make sense at the time, it would not come to complete fruition as the once heralded receiver was released by Detroit.
Still, Peoples-Jones’s best football could be ahead of him. As the same with Marshall, the problem for DPJ would be that the Chargers are expected to run the ball more than they are to pass this season. However, the chance for DPJ to rejoin his former college coach could be too great to pass up. This especially seems like it’s almost meant to be.
Image: Akron Beacon Journal
Siaki Ika, DL
If there’s a hole anywhere on the Bolt’s defense, it’s with their interior defensive line. While Poona Ford and Otito Ogbonnia are Jesse Minter’s gap cloggers as of right now, this isn’t necessarily a standout group. Adding Ika wouldn’t level this group up dramatically, but it would make it more formidable.
Poona’s an experienced veteran while Ogbonnia finally found significant playing time just last season. While Ika fits the same mold as both Poona and Ogbonnia physically, he’s significantly younger than Poona and is a tad lighter on his feet than Ogbonnia.
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Image: Turf Show Times
Ben Skowronek, WR
Ben Skowronek is not a sexy football player. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Rams before being recently cut by the Houston Texans. He isn’t a speedy wideout who instantly creates separation, nor is he a flashy player on the outside who makes insane catches. Still, he was extremely reliable for the Fighting Irish and was even that for a brief stint during one of Kupp’s injuries.
Although this addition might not bring the Charger’s WR unit to the next level, it would slightly raise the bar. In the end, with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Brenden Rice all being so young, adding another veteran wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Image: AP News
Desmond King, DB
A late-round draft pick for the Chargers out of Iowa, King immediately made an impact in the slot. Ja’Sir Taylor has been a solid player for the Bolts and has been getting better over the years. Still, the question remains on if he can handle the task throughout a full season in Jesse Minter’s scheme. If there’s any single position that’s of extreme importance in Minter’s system, it’s the nickel corner. Ask Mike Sainristil.
Ever since trading him to the Titans years ago, King has bounced around a bit but has been productive wherever he’s gone. He’s surely not the same player he was when the Chargers traded him, but his experience and versatility could prove to be invaluable for Jesse Minter’s defense.
Image: Bleacher Nation
Keith Randolph Jr., DL
Last college football season, Keith Randolph was overshadowed by his teammate Jer’Zhan Newton. Rightfully so, Newton went on to be a first-round pick this past draft. Meanwhile, Randolph was just released by the Bears. While bringing in a player like Randolph might seem like a puzzling move, just remember, that he’s a young kid who can play on multiple fronts. Exactly what Minter needs out of his defensive linemen.
At 6’5” 300lbs, Randolph has the size and, more importantly, the athleticism to succeed. If any coaches can unlock his potential as a defensive lineman, it’s going to be Coach Harbaugh and his staff.
Image: Sports Illustrated
D’Onta Foreman, RB
While it might feel like this list will never end, the reality is I could make it longer. Nevertheless, Foreman is the last player I will analyze for the Bolts. A former Longhorn, it took Foreman a while to get his shot. However, once he got it, he didn’t look back. Unfortunately for Foreman, he’s in the same position he’s always been in going into this season; on the outside looking in.
For the Chargers, he could come in and make an immediate impact. Foreman is a hard-nosed back who’s built for running in between the tackles. Throughout this article, I’ve mentioned the likelihood of the Chargers being a run-heavy team this year. While Gus Edwards is solid, JK Dobbins has an extensive injury history and Kimani Vidal is just a rookie. Jaret Patterson was a prolific back for the University of Buffalo but has yet to do anything in the NFL. Could he be something for the Bolts? Perhaps. But, it would be smarter to sign a veteran like Foreman.
Honorable Mentions
Carl Lawson, DL
Tim Patrick, WR
Shane Lemieux, IOL
Justyn Ross, WR
Julian Okwara, OLB
Verone McKinley, S
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