The Los Angeles Chargers wrapped up their preseason Thursday night against the Rams. The Chargers and Rams were among a handful of teams who have an extra day to debate the 53-man roster before roster cutdowns are due by 3p on Sunday.
Entering the game, there were few roster spots left available but the Chargers gave roster bubble players extra snaps to build their resume and make their case. The final four quarters of preseason is the last chance for many undrafted free agents to snatch a roster spot. The Chargers have a long history of finding undrafted players and specifically, undrafted running back gems.
The most well-known and successful of the undrafted running backs was undersized Austin Ekeler out of Western Colorado back in 2017. Ekeler stormed through training camp and made his pitch against the San Francisco 49ers in the preseason finale. Ekeler had an undeniable performance that eventually swung the Chargers opinion to keep him on the 53-man roster.
Ekeler's performance in camp and against the 49ers was highlighted by his broken tackles and 108 yards from scrimmage that game, but his foundation was built on special teams, as many roster bubble players have to earn their way. Thursday against the Rams, undrafted running back Gregory Desrosiers Jr. out of Memphis, where he was teammates with Chargers rookie tackle Travis Burke, put his best foot forward and had a monstrous performance.
Desrosiers was the star of Thursday night. He has made several splash plays on special teams throughout the preseason as well. Was Thursday night an undeniable Austin Ekeler-type performance? Obviously, the situations between 2017 and 2026 are different and the rosters are constructed dramatically different. Let's compare Ekeler's preseason against Desrosiers as well as their preseason finales.
Austin Ekeler's 2017 preseason stats compared to Greg Desrosiers Jr's 2026 preseason | Thomas Martinez
Austin Ekeler had a very good performance back in 2017 but Greg Desrosiers absolutely put on an incredible performance. Ekeler had the better receiving totals overall and it is what he has been known for throughout his career. Desrosiers had the better overall performance with more rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage across both the finale and his final preseason game.
It will be tough for Desrosiers to make this version of the Chargers. There are several running backs ahead of him and the depth across the entire roster makes every additional roster spot extremely tight. Desrosiers did put his best foot forward and showcased his versatility and skills on special teams. If there is not a spot for him on the 53-man roster, he should absolutely be brought back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Chargers UDFA Running Back Stole the Finale: Greg Desrosiers vs. 2017 Austin Ekeler .
