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5 Chargers players on the roster bubble who must impress vs. 49ers
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- 5 Chargers players on the roster bubble who must impress vs. 49ers
The 53-man roster deadline is rapidly approaching on August 30, making the Chargers ' Week 2 preseason home game against the 49ers a critical evaluation point. With head coach Jim Harbaugh intending to play the first-stringers for only one series, the bulk of the snaps will belong to players fighting for their professional lives.
These five bubble players must put together a solid performance to improve their chances of securing a spot on the final roster:
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QB Trey Lance
Lance is trapped in a highly unexpected, high-stakes battle for the primary backup quarterback role behind Justin Herbert . This comes after he struggled with costly vision errors and late-game decisions in his last outing against the Texans . With DJ Uiagalelei pressing him closely, Lance must look sharp, decisive, and efficient against his former team to ensure he is worth keeping around.
EDGE Nadame Tucker
While he was mostly quiet in the preseason opener against the Texans, Tucker did manage to log a quarterback hit. With Kyle Kennard injured in the joint practice with the 49ers, Tucker has a direct opportunity to step forward and claim the fifth edge spot.
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OL Jacob Spomer
Spomer, the undrafted rookie out of Fresno State, has rapidly risen to relevance as a potential backup center. The landscape shifted after starter Tyler Biadasz suffered a severe knee injury during the joint practice. While Jake Slaughter runs with the first team, Spomer must anchor the second-team unit to prove to Jim Harbaugh that he is a safe depth piece.
CB Nikko Reed
Reed made the roster as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon last year, but there's no guarantee that he will make the cut for the second consecutive season. With ascending cornerbacks like Avery Smith and Rodney Shelley making major pushes, Reed is firmly on the chopping block. He needs a solid night to force the front office into keeping him over the others.
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LB Junior Colson
In the preseason opener against the Texans, Colson showed flashes of the impact potential that made him a 2024 third-round pick, racking up five tackles while playing 22 defensive snaps. He must build on his performance, play fast in space, and prove he provides more value than the surging depth pieces, like Marlowe Wax , pushing him toward the roster bubble.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 5 Chargers players on the roster bubble who must impress vs. 49ers
