The Chargers have until 1 pm on Tuesday to finalize their 53-man roster. It’s a tougher-than-normal year to make cuts at the back end of LA’s roster, but Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh will have to determine which players they’re most willing to expose to the waiver wire before setting their practice squad later this week.
Before all that goes down, let’s hand out some superlatives from the Chargers’ preseason.
Offensive MVP: Trey Lance
MVP is increasingly a quarterback award, and while other Chargers have looked impressive this preseason, nobody has taken a bigger stride than Lance. Signed by LA after a stint in Dallas following his flame out in San Francisco, Lance displayed a much better understanding of NFL timing and accuracy while working with the Chargers’ backups. His performance has rendered Taylor Heinicke tradeable or cuttable after Heinicke struggled during the preseason.
Defensive MVP: Tony Jefferson
The way Jefferson has reformatted his body since coming out of retirement last offseason is impressive by itself. However, the veteran safety has also been a huge contributor on defense and special teams throughout the preseason, when most players of his age would typically be resting for the regular season. Jefferson has emerged as the team’s fourth-best safety if you still consider Derwin James Jr. a member of that room (James will primarily play nickel this season) and has made a strong case to start the year on the 53.
Best comeback: Caleb Murphy
Murphy has been hanging around on the practice squad for a little while in LA now, but going into the preseason, every Chargers media outlet had four edge rushers making the team: Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, and Kyle Kennard. Murphy responded by making himself undeniable, opening the preseason with a forced fumble on the opening kickoff of the Hall of Fame game. He’s been plenty productive on defense as well, and looks like he’s not only made the roster, but will be a gameday active ahead of Kennard.
Positive surprise: Keenan Allen’s return
The Chargers already had their feel-good return on the roster entering training camp, but when Mike Williams retired only a few days into camp, it looked like LA would go into the season with Jalen Reagor as the most senior member of the receiver room. Allen’s role seemed a bit redundant with Ladd McConkey’s, but the Chargers briefly showed against the Rams that they’ll have the two switch between the outside and the slot and put both on the field at the same time. Allen still had 744 yards for the Bears last season and can be a viable contributor while also donning the only NFL uniform he should ever be in.
Most impressive: Jamaree Caldwell
Rookie defensive tackles typically take a bit of time to adjust to the NFL, and the Chargers hedged against Caldwell’s development by signing Naquan Jones and Da’Shawn Hand in free agency before taking the former Oregon DT in the third round. Caldwell has looked ready for Week 1 all preseason, however, putting up a brick wall at the line of scrimmage. The last two Chargers drafts have struggled to get value out of the third round as rookies – Daiyan Henley did not start as a rookie and Junior Colson was injured for most of his first season – so getting some instant impact would be a welcome change.
Most valuable newcomer: KeAndre Lambert-Smith
When Williams retired, many assumed that second-rounder Tre’ Harris would be the one to replace his role as a sideline ball-winner in the Chargers’ offense. But LA has primarily worked Harris at Z behind McConkey, which has left fifth-rounder Lambert-Smith to be the Williams replacement at X behind Quentin Johnston. The former Auburn receiver has been on the receiving end of plenty of sideline catches from both Justin Herbert and Trey Lance and looks like he very well could push for playing time as a rookie.
Biggest disappointment: Ja’Sir Taylor
Taylor’s roster spot is likely safe as the team’s best punt gunner, but that fact may come as a disappointment to many Chargers fans by itself. The former sixth-round pick continues to struggle on defense and likely would have been pushed by Deane Leonard, who is a quality punt gunner and better defensively, had Leonard not missed stretches of training camp due to injury.
Biggest rookie surprise: Nikko Reed and Marlowe Wax
It’s impossible to pick only one of the Chargers’ two standout defensive UDFAs for this award. Reed played 3 of the 4 preseason games, recording a long interception against the Lions and consistently looking sticky in coverage while producing some modest value on special teams. Wax’s strong preseason culminated in a supremely impressive night against the 49ers on Saturday, including a three-play stretch where the Syracuse alum had a run stop, pass breakup, and sack.
Neither Reed nor Wax were highly regarded as undrafted free agents, but their play has made some spots on the back end of the roster into a heated conversation. Can the Chargers sneak one – or both – through waivers and onto the practice squad?
Biggest rookie disappointment: Kyle Kennard
Again, all credit to Murphy, who went out and took a spot that nobody thought would be available. But Kennard also didn’t make it too hard for the veteran, as the fourth-round pick missed some time with injury and was largely anonymous in practice and during the preseason when healthy. Not every draft pick can impact the field right away, but for a player named SEC Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, Kennard seems a bit further away from seeing a gameday activation than the Chargers probably want.
53-man puzzle: Backup running back
A lot is going on in this room. Let’s start with the two locks: first-round pick Omarion Hampton, who will be a major part of the offensive game plan, and Hassan Haskins, a core special teamer who looked improved as a runner during limited preseason action. Beyond those two, the next domino to fall is Najee Harris: many people have projected the free agent signing to start the season on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list while he continues to recover from an eye injury. But Hortiz told the broadcast during Saturday’s preseason finale that the Chargers remain optimistic that Harris could return as early as Week 1, in which case he’d be an active member of the 53-man roster starting Tuesday.
That affects the calculus for Sanders and 2024 sixth-round pick Kimani Vidal, who are in a close competition of their own for what would be the RB4 spot if everybody were healthy. Sanders has been the more productive runner this preseason, but Vidal has consistently been a part of the first-team punt unit in practice and may make the roster for special teams value. Vidal is also dealing with an injury of his own that could land him on short-term IR depending on severity.
If Harris is active, the Chargers likely have to carry 4 running backs on the initial 53 to hedge against his availability in Week 1. That’s only one spot for Sanders or Vidal. But if they’re really confident Harris will be ready to go, they could go light and try to sneak Vidal and Sanders to the practice squad. If Harris starts on NFI, that number is likely 3 – but again, that’s only one spot for Sanders or Vidal behind Hampton and Haskins.
Reason for hope: Omarion Hampton
Look at this run.
Omarion Hampton pic.twitter.com/mEU5OCX1dn
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 17, 2025
Certainly seems like the Chargers got a good one.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Handing out 11 awards from Chargers training camp, preseason