The Chargers announced their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.
Keep in mind that this roster is subject to change as waiver wire claims are made on Wednesday and other players are moved around.
Here’s what we learned from Los Angeles’ initial 53-man roster:
Two undrafted free agents
Hard work pays off. Running back Elijah Dotson and safety AJ Finley exemplified that this summer, as they were the undrafted free agents who made the cut. Dotson, the former Northern Colorado product, raised eyebrows with his two-touchdown performance against the Rams and in the preseason finale against the 49ers. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore uses multiple backs in his scheme, so keeping four made sense. Finley, the former Ole Miss product, had an interception in training camp and flashed on special teams. He earned the spot over Mark Webb, who showed glimpses but struggled to stay healthy.
Five wide receivers
When it was announced that Jalen Guyton was being placed on the reserve/PUP list, it led to the belief that the Chargers would have someone to fill that void, like Keelan Doss, who stood out. Instead, they elected to roll with five wideouts, the same number of receivers a season ago. Guyton can return to practice after two games and start playing after four games. Doss should make Los Angeles’ practice squad if he clears waivers.
Best offensive lineman of the preseason let go of
There wasn’t another Chargers offensive lineman throughout the summer as consistent and dominant as Zack Bailey. Despite his efforts, Bailey was waived. Bailey was cut in favor of Brenden Jaimes as the ninth offensive lineman. Jaimes played more center than guard this summer, and Los Angeles already has Will Clapp as the backup center to Corey Linsley, whereas Bailey showed a lot more at tackle and guard. At the end of the day, Jaimes has been around for a few years and still provides interior versatility and played tackle in college. Bailey should be on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Stone Smartt brings intrigue, but the tight end room leaves a lot to be desired
Smartt made the roster, rightfully so. He was the best tight end during camp and preseason, winning in the passing game, showing promise as a blocker and providing value on special teams. However, the positional room behind Gerald Everett still seems like an unfinished product. Donald Parham didn’t get a lot of reps, but he did have some dropped passes. Tre’ McKitty, on the other hand, was underwhelming. McKitty did not improve as a blocker, which is the reason why he was drafted in 2021. It’s hard not to think the position group could benefit immensely from a free-agent signing because they’re in trouble if Everett goes down with an injury.
Interior defensive line decision
I saw five interior defenders as locks to make the roster: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Scott Matlock and Nick Williams. One spot remained open, with four players vying for it. Ultimately, Christopher Hinton earned it, while David Moa, C.J. Okoye and undrafted free agent Jerrod Clark were on the outside looking in. Hinton played well late in the 2022 season and had a strong summer. However, Clark raised eyebrows in the preseason as a run defender and came on as a pass rusher down the stretch. Given Clark is more of a true nose tackle like Otito Ogbonnia, who will start the season on the reserve/PUP list, I thought he would earn the spot. Now the Chargers can only keep their fingers crossed that Clark clears waivers so he can sign to the practice squad.
