The Chargers have been hard at work at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA, the past few weeks fighting for roster spots, and now it’s time to transition to live-game action, where they will open up their three-game preseason slate against the Rams.
The crew at Chargers Wire listed the players that they’re most excited to watch on Saturday as Los Angeles’ roster evaluation continues.
Gavino: EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu
If you know me, you love that I love pass rushers. I was happy with the selection of Tuipulotu, who was one of the nation’s top pass rushers last season. He has done a phenomenal job of carrying his talents to the pro level, making plenty of noise in training camp, and it will be exciting to watch him get live reps to showcase his skillset. Look for Tuipulotu to be active with his upfield explosion, heavy and determined hands and rush instincts to avoid blockers to get into the backfield. Also, watch for how Tuipulotu defends the run. He is good at chasing ball carriers from the backside, but how is he when it comes to setting the edge?
Alex K: CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel has been faced with a challenge each of the last two seasons. Last year, it was a battle with Michael Davis for the second cornerback spot, which the Florida State alum won before ceding snaps to both Davis and rookie Ja’Sir Taylor. This season, it’s an all-out war with Taylor for the starting slot job.
The Chargers’ second-round pick from 2021 has responded with arguably the best camp of any DB, with four interceptions and more than a dozen passes defensed. Coverage has never been the question with Samuel, however. It’s in run defense where he needs to improve in order to prove he belongs on the field with the starters full-time. The preseason, and how much action he gets in it, will be a good indication of how far he’s come in that regard.
Alex I: OT Foster Sarell
It has to be swing tackle Foster Sarell for me. The main storyline: how much has he improved after an offseason of training with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather? With Jamaree Salyer in the starting lineup, kicking him out to tackle in the event of an injury becomes a more difficult proposition. If something does happen to Trey Pipkins or Rashawn Slater, Sarell will be the guy.
He may not be facing Nick Bosa or Jaelan Phillips in these preseason games, but I’m looking for signs of technical improvement with form and balance in his reps. Sarell gave up 18 pressures on just over 180 pass-blocking snaps last year.
Juliette: LB Daiyan Henley
A personal favorite 2023 draft pick of mine was Henley. The Chargers desperately needed a new body at linebacker with the promise of a bright future to elevate the defensive squad and Henley was the perfect choice for the team. I am most excited to see him play in the pre-season and will be watching closely for his ability to read the offense and get right in the middle of the action. Henley’s unique background as an offensive player before he switched to linebacker in college makes him a dual threat on the roster – his athleticism and explosive instincts paired with his vision is a force to be reckoned with and should prove to cause problems for opposing offenses. As it stands, Kenneth Murray will line up opposite Eric Kendricks, but with Henley at his heels, this pre-season will certainly be an additional deciding factor for the staff as to who will get more reps as the regular season goes on.
