The Chargers’ 34-17 win over the Rams in Week 1 of the preseason had several standout performances from bubble breakouts trying to make the roster.
There’s still a long way to go for the players toward the end of the roster in this preseason process, but the Rams game could serve as a springboard for some of them.
RB Elijah Dotson
Talk about a way to introduce yourself to the league. Elijah Dotson lit up SoFi Stadium with two 35+ yard touchdown runs. In total, he had six carries for 92 yards with those two scores. Dotson averaged 15.3 yards per rush attempt and recorded the highest Chargers’ PFF offensive grade of the week.
On Monday, the Chargers waived running back Larry Rountree. That move effectively puts Dotson at RB4 on the roster in line for at least a practice squad spot, if not rostered outright.
Dotson flashed burst that the Chargers haven’t seen for a while at the position and he has the requisite skills to contribute on special teams. The Northern Colorado product was without a doubt the biggest bubble winner from Saturday’s game.
DL CJ Okoye
Okoye had never played an organized football game before Saturday and still found a way to record a sack in the fourth quarter. As Brandon Staley and other Chargers have remarked, the story is incredible.
Okoye’s situation is a little different due to participating in the International Player Pathway Program. The Bolts are likely going to be able to place him on the practice squad without it counting against the 16-man limit. Unless Okoye makes the roster outright, he’s likely going to be able to continue to develop in Los Angeles without counting against the teams’ practice squad numbers.
With how much the team has embraced his story, it does feel like Okoye will remain a 2023 fixture to continue developing his skills throughout the season.
EDGE Andrew Farmer
Farmer was a formidable force in Saturday’s game in more than just the pass-rushing aspect. His pursuit sack on quarterback Stetson Bennett showed off his speed for sure. But Farmer had three total pressures and two run stops to go with that sack.
Chargers EDGE Andrew Farmer should be a priority for the practice squad.
Farmer had 3 pressures and a sack, but he also showed his stoutness vs. the run.
Farmer was the leader in tackles for loss among Division II players last season. Finished with 44 TFLS in 21-22. pic.twitter.com/X4NcHzeLRn
— Gavino Borquez (@GavinoBorquez) August 13, 2023
With the Chargers likely having four edge rushers locked in between Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Chris Rump on the roster, there’s not much of a chance of Farmer cracking the initial 53. However, he’s certainly a prospect for a practice squad stash-and-develop spot with the hustle shown on Saturday.
CB Cam Brown
Brown made his presence felt on defense with two pass breakups, three tackles, and a run stop in the backfield. Rams quarterbacks had just a 56.9 passer rating throwing against him. He was the second-highest graded Charger on the defensive side of the ball via PFF. Brown also had ten special teams snaps in contributing to the kicking game.
Again, it’s tough to see a spot on the final 53 for Brown, considering the depth at cornerback. But Brown should be in consideration for a practice squad special teams role. He’ll likely be competing with Kemon Hall in that capacity after his performance Saturday.
EDGE Carlo Kemp
The brown was PFF’s second-highest-graded Charger on the defensive side of the ball. Third place with a grade of 87.4 was former USFL signing Carlo Kemp. This is Kemp’s second preseason with the Bolts after playing with the Pittsburgh Maulers.
On Saturday, Kemp led Los Angeles’ defense with five pressures. He had two QB hits and three hurries. As mentioned with Farmer earlier, Kemp’s motor and speed-to-power elements of his game were evident.
In his postgame presser, Staley credited the entire EDGE room, including Kemp. If he keeps it up, he’s another pass rusher name to watch for the practice squad.
WR Keelan Doss
Wide receiver John Hightower missed Saturday’s game after he exited Wednesday’s practice with an injury. That allowed several pass catchers to step up in his absence. Technically, Doss was listed ahead of Hightower in the Chargers’ unofficial depth chart release. He had three receptions for 39 yards. That figure was enough to lead the team in receiving.
Doss’ progress in practice and preseason games going forward will have to be monitored. If he can be a consistent presence in the receiving game, he could carve out a role on the practice squad. However, Hightower’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious. He and wide receiver Josh Palmer did return to practice on Monday. We’ll have to see what his target value is against New Orleans on Sunday.
