Chargers post-NFL Draft depth chart: Where does the rookie class fit on this roster?

New York Times

28-04-2025

The vast majority of the Los Angeles Chargers' 2025 roster build is complete.
They added nine players in the draft, and they agreed to terms with 18 undrafted free agents Saturday evening. General manager Joe Hortiz proved last season in his first year with the organization that he will take a 365-day, continuous approach to the roster. So the job is never truly finished. But the group of Chargers that arrives for training camp in late July will look very close to what we have below.
This is an updated look at the depth after the draft.
One bit of housekeeping before we dive in: The Chargers will have to make one corresponding cut to sign all 18 of their undrafted free agents. Those 18 players, when signed, would put the roster at 91 players, not including tight end Jordan Petaia, who has a roster exemption as an International Pathway Player. The roster maximum is 90 players. So a procedural move should be coming sometime this week to create the necessary room for the UDFAs.
Rookies are in italics. We will dive deeper into the undrafted free-agent class later this week.
#Chargers have agreed to terms with 18 undrafted free agents pic.twitter.com/JlWyc5tDHD
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) April 27, 2025
Starter: Justin Herbert
Depth: Taylor Heinicke, Trey Lance, DJ Uiagalelei
The Chargers traded for Heinicke in late August as an upgrade over incumbent backup Easton Stick. They re-signed Heinicke in March on a one-year deal with a base value of $2.5 million, according to Over the Cap. Then they signed Lance, the San Francisco 49ers' No. 3 pick in 2021, in early April to a one-year deal worth a base value of $2.045 million, according to Over the Cap. Hortiz said before the draft that Lance will 'come in and compete and make our roster better as a whole.'
Advertisement
Assistant GM Chad Alexander added: 'A really talented young player at a premium position who we were all extremely fond of in the draft process when he was coming out.'
Lance and Heinicke will battle it out for the backup job in training camp. Herbert has battled numerous injuries in his career, from fractured rib cartilage to a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder to broken fingers on both hands to a plantar fascia issue to a high ankle sprain. The Chargers are looking for the best contingency plan behind Herbert, and as Jim Harbaugh always says, competitors are welcome.
Starters: Najee Harris, Omarion Hampton
Depth: Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal, Jaret Patterson, Raheim Sanders
I am listing Harris and Hampton as co-starters because this will assuredly be a two-pronged attack. Hampton has the chance to become one of the elite backs in the league playing in offensive coordinator Greg Roman's scheme. Hampton has power. He has speed. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He is a good pass protector. He has three-down potential. The Chargers have talked often about having a very physical identity on offense. Opposing defenses are going to have to show up on Sundays ready for violence when trying to stop Harris and Hampton. Haskins is the leader in the clubhouse for the third running back spot on the 53-man because of his versatility on special teams. He played the third-most special-teams snaps of any Charger last season. Vidal will have to perform in camp to make this a tight competition.
Starter: Scott Matlock
Matlock did not start working on offense until very late in training camp last season. He ended up carving out a sizable role, playing more snaps on offense (362) than defense (132) for the season. Despite limited experience as an offensive player, Matlock showed some really encouraging signs as a lead blocker. He was effective in I-formation power looks when he could get downhill at the snap. He struggled at times to identify and fit up defenders when he was on the move. But there was plenty to build on. My guess is that Matlock will be in something close to a full-time offensive role this season — especially considering how much depth the Chargers added to the defensive line over free agency and the draft.
Advertisement
Starters: Ladd McConkey, Mike Williams, Tre Harris
Depth: Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Jalen Reagor, Dez Fitzpatrick, Jaylen Johnson, Brenden Rice, Luke Grimm
I really like the way this room fits together with the differing skill sets the Chargers added this offseason. McConkey set multiple rookie records in 2024 as a game-changing slot receiver. The Chargers have options to play on the outside around McConkey — options that can attack vertically in different ways and stretch defenses to create more operating room in the middle of the field. Harris and Williams are down-the-field contested-catch weapons. Defenses will have to account for Lambert-Smith's speed every time he is on the field. Initially, I think the receivers would set up as McConkey in the slot, Williams at X and Harris at Z. If the Chargers want more speed on the field, they can play Harris at X and Lambert-Smith at Z. Johnston, a first-round pick under the previous regime, is going to have to earn his roster spot in camp.
Starter: Will Dissly
Depth: Tyler Conklin, Oronde Gadsden II, Tucker Fisk, McCallan Castles, Jordan Petaia, Stevo Klotz
Gadsden is a phenomenal athlete with the frame, speed and ball skills to attack vertically down the seam. That was a missing element for the Chargers at tight end, and this feels like a really complete room. Dissly is one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. I liked what I saw from Fisk as a blocker last season. Conklin has caught at least 50 passes in each of his last four seasons. He is a reliable possession target in short and intermediate areas. Gadsden is the downfield weapon.
Starters: LT Rashawn Slater, LG Bradley Bozeman, C Zion Johnson, RG Mekhi Becton, RT Joe Alt
Depth: Trey Pipkins III, Andre James, Jamaree Salyer, Branson Taylor, Karsen Barnhart, Bucky Williams, Tyler McLellan, Josh Kaltenberger, Corey Stewart, Savion Washington, Nash Jones
If the Chargers played a game tomorrow, it might be Bozeman at center and Johnson at left guard. But I am trying to project what the starting group will be come Week 1, and the Chargers are going to give Johnson the opportunity to make a full-time transition to center. Bozeman and James are the contingency plans if that does not work out. Those two are also going to be competing at left guard if the Johnson experiment works out. Pipkins, Salyer, Taylor and Barnhart are also in the mix for the left guard competition. I think we are going to be seeing a bunch of different combinations at center and left guard through training camp, and the best five will play. Could the Chargers add another competitive piece to the left guard battle in post-draft free agency?
Advertisement
Starters: Teair Tart, Otito Ogbonnia, Da'Shawn Hand
Depth: Jamaree Caldwell, Justin Eboigbe, Naquan Jones, Matlock, Christopher Hinton, TeRah Edwards, Josh Fuga
Caldwell has the skills to become a natural replacement for Poona Ford, who left in free agency. Caldwell is big, powerful, quick on his feet and sudden in his short-area movements. He has pass rush upside and can also be stout against double-teams in the run game, two things Ford did for the Chargers last season. For now, I have the more established pros in the starting trio. But Caldwell will have a chance to play starter-level snaps for the Chargers in 2025. Eboigbe was a fourth-round pick in 2024, but he only played 26 defensive snaps as a rookie. Can he make a jump in Year 2?
Starters: Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu
Depth: Bud Dupree, Kyle Kennard, Tre'Mon Morris-Brash, Caleb Murphy, Chris Collins, Kylan Guidry, Garmon Randolph
With Kennard, the Chargers added some needed speed to their edge room, and they got younger at the position. Mack signed a one-year deal. Dupree is in the final year of his deal. The Chargers have an exit plan if they move into 2026 without those two veterans on the roster. Kennard has great length and was very productive against elite competition in the SEC. He will have to carve out a role on special teams while serving as a rotational rusher as a rookie.
Starters: Daiyan Henley, Junior Colson
Depth: Troy Dye, Denzel Perryman, Del'Shawn Phillips, Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Marlowe Wax
Colson's rookie season was derailed a bit by injuries. He missed part of training camp after undergoing an appendectomy. He missed time during the season after landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury. The flashes I saw in training camp once he got on the field were incredibly impressive. I think Colson will take a big jump in Year 2, and the Chargers will have a young, talented and ascending starting duo of Henley and Colson. Remember, Henley went through a similar process as a rookie. He injured his hamstring in the preseason and was limited to mostly a special-teams role that season. He exploded as one of the best linebackers in the league in Year 2. I see Colson taking a similar path in 2025.
Advertisement
Starters: Derwin James Jr., Alohi Gilman, Elijah Molden
Depth: Tony Jefferson, R.J. Mickens, Kendall Williamson, Emany Johnson, Jaylen Jones
James, Gilman and Molden are all starters in my book because of how often James plays in the slot as a nickel defender. According to TruMedia, James played 43.1 percent of his snaps in the slot from Week 9 on last season. Moving James closer to the line of scrimmage played a huge part in his resurgent 2024 season in coordinator Jesse Minter's defense. For James to be that chess piece, the Chargers need quality safeties behind him on the depth chart. They have a quality, instinctive duo in Gilman and Molden. The Chargers re-signed Molden to a three-year deal in part because he frees up James' versatility. Mickens will have to battle it out with Jefferson for the fourth safety spot on the 53-man.
Starters: Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still, Donte Jackson
Depth: Ja'Sir Taylor, Benjamin St-Juste, Deane Leonard, Trikweze Bridges, Jordan Oladokun, Myles Purchase, Nikko Reed, Eric Rogers
The competition in this room is really intriguing. I think Jackson, whom the Chargers signed to a two-year deal in free agency, will be a nice fit for Minter's zone-heavy scheme. Still can play inside and outside. Hart emerged as an impactful, long, physical presence on the outside last season, though he did battle some injuries. Taylor is depth in the slot. Leonard has shown flashes on the outside throughout his career, including during the preseason last year. Bridges has size and speed. St-Juste is a big corner on the outside, as well. His issue with the Washington Commanders was penalties. Perhaps he can eradicate some of that with better technique. The Chargers have a great defensive backs coach in Steve Clinkscale.
Starters: K Cameron Dicker, P JK Scott, LS Josh Harris
Advertisement
The Chargers re-signed Scott as their punter, so this room stays intact for 2025. Dicker has been one of the best kickers in the league over the past three seasons. Scott had a down year in 2024, so I will be monitoring how he bounces back.
Starter: Davis
Depth: McConkey, Reagor, Grimm
Davis is the primary punt and kick returner. McConkey returned punts last year when Davis was injured. Reagor has experience as a kick and punt returner. Grimm, an undrafted free agent out of Kansas, returned punts and kicks in college.
(Top photo of Jim Harbaugh and Omarion Hampton: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)