Chargers Finalize 53-Man Roster
The Chargers took care of most of their headline moves before the deadline today. They used today to take care of the remaining moves necessary to get down to the 53-man roster limit. Here are the team’s moves from today:
Waived:
- LB Brevin Allen
- OT Zack Bailey
- S Tyler Baker-Williams
- C Johari Branch
- WR Terrell Bynum
- DL Jerrod Clark
- WR Keelan Doss
- LB Nathan East
- TE Michael Ezeike
- LB Andrew Farmer
- CB Matt Hankins
- WR John Hightower
- RB Tyler Hoosman
- CB Michael Jacquet
- LB Mikel Jones
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- OT Matt Kaskey
- LB Carlo Kemp
- DL Terrance Lang
- LB Blake Lynch
- DL David Moa
- CB Tiawan Mullen
- DL C.J. Okoye
- OL Austen Pleasants
- RB Aaron Shampklin
- LB Ty Shelby
- WR Darrius Shepherd
- CB Amechi Uzodinma
- C Isaac Weaver
- DB Mark Webb
- WR Pokey Wilson
- WR Milton Wright
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- WR Jalen Guyton
- DL Otito Ogbonnia
Seventh-round rookie quarterback Max Duggan failed to make the roster behind starter Justin Herbert and backup Easton Stick. At running back, though, undrafted rookie running back Elijah Dotson impressed enough in the preseason to make the active roster in the regular season.
The team will carry a simple, five-man receiving corps into the season with Guyton on the physically unable to perform list. Returning wideouts Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer will be joined by former TCU draft picks Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis.
Cameron Dicker winning the kicking battle led to the trading of Dustin Hopkins and the waiving of Cade York. After making 19 of his 20 kick attempts for the Chargers in his rookie year and converting all 22 of his extra point attempts, Dicker will remain the team’s placekicker moving forward.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/22
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: RB Corey Clement
- Waived: CB Robert Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: LB Kamal Martin
- Waived (injury settlement): CB Devin Jones
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Carson Taylor
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: C Ben Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: WR Derrick Dillon
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: DT Austin Faoliu
- Waived (injury designation): TE Ian Bunting, FB Ryan Nall, WR Ty Fryfogle, CB Kyron Brown
Denver Broncos
- Waived (injury designation): OL Ben Braden
Detroit Lions
- Released: TE Garrett Griffin
- Waived: TE Nolan Givan, C Ryan McCollum
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): TE Nate Becker
- Waived: LB Randy Ramsey, C Cole Schneider, CB Donte Vaughn
Houston Texans
- Waived: LS Harrison Elliott, RB B.J. Emmons
- Released: WR Chad Beebe
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from PUP list: WR Mike Strachan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived (injury designation): K Elliott Fry
- Waived: RB Matt Colburn, QB Jake Luton, WR Ryan McDaniel, DE Wyatt Ray
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived (injury designation): DT Forrest Merrill, OC Isaac Weaver
- Waived: WR Maurice Ffrench, QB Brandon Peters, S Skyler Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: NT Niles Scott
- Placed on IR: CB Trill Williams (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Niko Lalos, DT Jaleel Johnson
- Placed on IR: OT Ethan Greenidge
- Waived (injury settlement): DB Bryce Thompson
- Waived (injury designation): DB Jordan Brown, S Isaiah Pryor
- Waived: DE T.J. Carter, S Jack Koerner, DE Scott Patchan, K John Parker Romo, WR Easop Winston
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills): CB Olaijah Griffin
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Keshunn Abram
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB James Vaughters
- Waived (injury designation): LB Tuzar Skipper
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DT Tomasi Laulile, WR KeeSean Johnson, RB Josh Hokit
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from active/PUP list: OT Liam Ryan
- Placed on IR: WR Cody Thompson
- Waived: CB Josh Valentine-Turner, DT Antonio Valentino, OL Eric Wilson, WR Deontez Alexander
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Patrick Laird
- Placed on IR: RB Kenjon Barner
- Waived: TE Ben Beise
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/PUP list: OT Cornelius Lucas
Chargers Sign 14 UDFAs
The Chargers’ 14-man undrafted free agent crop rounds out this year’s class of priority free agents. Here are the UDFAs vying to catch on with Los Angeles’ AFC team:
- Trevon Bradford, WR (Oregon State)
- Leddie Brown, RB (West Virginia)
- Erik Krommenhoek, TE (USC)
- Raheem Layne, S (Indiana)
- Tyreek Maddox-Williams, LB (Rutgers)
- Kevin Marks Jr., RB (Buffalo)
- James McCourt, K (Illinois)
- Brandon Peters, QB (Illinois)
- Brandon Sebastian, CB (Boston College)
- Ty Shelby, OLB (Louisiana-Monroe)
- Stone Smartt, TE (Old Dominion)
- Skyler Thomas, S (Liberty)
- Andrew Trainer, T (William & Mary)
- Isaac Weaver, C (Old Dominion)
Brown finished his Mountaineers career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, totaling 22 rushing touchdowns in that span, while Marks was a four-year regular at Buffalo. Despite playing alongside Jaret Patterson during his first three seasons, Marks amassed a 1,000-yard rushing slate as a sophomore in 2019 and finished with 33 touchdowns with the Mid-American Conference program. These two will join the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler-led backfield, which includes backups Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree and fourth-round rookie Isaiah Spiller.
Peters, who spent six years at Illinois, struggled with accuracy (54% career completion rate) at the Big Ten program and missed time due to injury as a senior. His most productive season came in 2019, when he threw 18 touchdown passes. The Fighting Illini’s kicker from 2019-21, McCourt enjoyed his best year as a senior, when he made 18 of 23 field goals. McCourt’s eight 50-plus-yard makes are the most in program history. He joins a Bolts team that has experienced kicker trouble in recent years but one that added longtime Washington specialist Dustin Hopkins last season.
Smartt joined Old Dominion as a transfer quarterback in 2019 and started for the Commodores that year. He struggled as a passer, but after the pandemic nixed Old Dominion’s 2020 season, Smartt moved to wide receiver. He caught just 17 passes in 2021, but the Bolts will try him at tight end alongside Krommenhoek, who caught just 15 passes last season. The Chargers did not re-sign Jared Cook but added Gerald Everett in free agency; he joins Donald Parham as the team’s top tight ends.