The Chargers head to San Francisco for their lone preseason outside the confines of SoFi Stadium. With one final chance to prove themselves, most of the roster will be playing as if there’s no tomorrow.
With that in mind, here are a few matchups to watch against the 49ers.
OT Foster Sarell vs. EDGE Clelin Ferrell
Sarell had the best game of his young NFL career against this 49ers team a season ago, holding relatively steady against Nick Bosa. Bosa won’t take the field on Friday – not only is he a player worthy of sitting out the preseason, but he’s also yet to report to camp while waiting for a new contract.
Still, there’s a surprisingly competent rusher for Sarell to match up with in San Francisco, with Ferrell looking like the player the Raiders thought he’d be when they picked him fourth overall in 2019. Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has become well-known as the NFL’s foremost rehabilitator of defensive linemen, with Ferrell the latest to break through under his tutelage.
Sarrell has had an up-and-down preseason but rebounded a bit last week against the Saints. Another strong performance against Ferrell and the 49ers would inspire confidence in his worth as a swing tackle.
WRs John Hightower and Keelan Doss vs. CBs Ambry Thomas and Samuel Womack III
Thomas, San Francisco’s third-round pick in 2021, and Womack, their fifth-rounder a season ago, will likely take a large portion of the snaps for the 49ers at corner. Both players are quality depth pieces and should provide a nice challenge to the Chargers receivers.
Hightower and Doss will be the two to watch the most intently. With Jalen Guyton still on the PUP list and only returning to the rehab field at practice this week, it seems he’ll begin the season on the reserve list. That leaves Hightower and Doss as the two candidates for the sixth and final receiver spot on the 53-man roster.
Hightower has been the better big-play threat so far this preseason, but an injury has slowed a runaway train’s worth of momentum. While not as flashy, Doss has been the more consistent player and drew ample targets from Easton Stick against the Saints.
S Mark Webb Jr. vs. TEs Brayden Willis and Cameron Latu
The reasons to watch this matchup are twofold. On the one hand, Webb needs a strong performance to force the Chargers to consider him for the 53-man roster. A temporary spot might be open as a fifth safety if Alohi Gilman isn’t ready for Week 1. Webb has fallen behind Raheem Layne in the fourth safety competition and did not play last week due to injury, a refrain that’s become all too familiar with the former seventh-rounder.
On the other hand, if San Francisco’s two rookie tight ends look good on Friday, it may eventually be to Los Angeles’ advantage. The 49ers have one of the deepest tight end rooms in the league, with any one of Ross Dwelley, Charlie Woerner, or Troy Fumagalli on the chopping block if Willis and Latu are both ready to contribute. That could come via trade or waiver claim, and all three would provide better blocking capability than the Chargers currently have.
EDGEs Carlo Kemp and Andrew Farmer vs. OT Jaylon Moore
There’s no path to the active roster for either Kemp or Farmer, but both have looked good enough in the preseason to be worth keeping. Those two have separated from Ty Shelby and Brevin Allen as the likeliest to stick around on the practice squad.
With Moore, who’s seen action in 24 regular season games across two seasons with the 49ers, likely to take the bulk of the snaps at left tackle, Kemp and Farmer will have a legit NFLer to test their mettle against. If they perform the way they have so far this preseason, Los Angeles should feel fantastic about their depth at pass rusher down the depth chart.
TE Stone Smartt vs. LB Jalen Graham
Graham is a player I advocated for the Chargers to draft as a hybrid linebacker/safety type to back up Derwin James in his money-backer role potentially. Instead, he was scooped up by San Francisco, who have developed some of the best linebackers in the league out of players who looked eerily similar to Graham coming out of college.
Smartt had perhaps the best preseason game by a Chargers tight end last week against the Saints, providing an athletic security blanket up the seam while sealing off a touchdown run in the red zone. With Tre’ McKitty and Donald Parham Jr. yet to make a strong impression, the former Old Dominion quarterback can climb the depth chart if he can continue his strong performance.
