5 Los Angeles Chargers Players Who Still Need To Prove Themselves In Training Camp 

After losing wide receiver Mike Williams to retirement, the position group seemed fairly wide open with rookies like Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith on track to take more of a leap in year one than expected.

In an area that needs healthy, young talent, Rice hasn’t been able to rise to the top yet. He was gaining attention in organized team activities, but besides having a reception on Day 5 of camp, he had a drop on Day 6, and doesn’t seem to be holding up against the defense in drills.

He also didn’t practice for a few days. As he’s working back from a shoulder injury that put him on injured reserve at the end of last season, and he didn’t see a lot of playing time before that, this training camp is critical if he wants to carve out a place on the 53-man roster.

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Benjamin St-Juste, Cornerback

St-Juste has some steep competition ahead of him between fellow offseason additions like Donte Jackson, not to mention the rookies like Nikko Reed, and returning veterans like Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still, Ja’Sir Taylor, and Deane Leonard.

Most of the training camp reports have him sitting out on multiple days, and well, you can’t exactly make an impression that way.

However, on Tuesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh put St-Juste in the “veteran traditional starter” category of other players like quarterback Justin Herbert, who are not playing in Thursday’s game, so perhaps he’s already safe and on the roster? Time will tell. 

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Kimani Vidal, Running Back

As Najee Harris is working his way back from injury,  the running back position group seems a tad more open than it was, and players like Vidal should have a chance to make more of an impression.

On Day 4 of camp, before the pads came on, Daniel Popper of The Athletic relayed that “Vidal also had an explosive reception from Herbert on a third down in 11-on-11. The defense brought a blitz. Herbert found Vidal wide open in the flat, and Vidal surged down the sideline for 20 yards before he was tagged off.”

And on Day 7, Popper observed Vidal helping to block on a play for rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II. He also had a touchdown in the red zone on Day 10.

Vidal has not been consistently standing out, and with a running back room that has gotten even more crowded with the addition of Nyheim Hines, he has to do more.

Popper noted that Vidal wasn’t great in pass protection last year, so perhaps showing more of that blocking ability will help to distinguish him as camp progresses.

Tony Jefferson, Safety 

Jefferson was one of the players I was excited about coming into training camp, especially given how he showed up in last year’s camp and down the stretch of the 2024 season. But Jefferson has gotten off to a bit of a slower start. And while sitting out a couple of practices, others are getting opportunities.

Eric Smith of Chargers.com said on Day 7, “With James and Tony Jefferson not practicing and Elijah Molden still working his way back, the spot next to Alohi Gilman was filled by both Kendall Williamson and rookie RJ Mickens in practice.”

Mickens has already been impressive and should be on pace to do well in the preseason game on Thursday. Perhaps Harbaugh and company have seen enough of Jefferson to keep him on the depth chart, or he’s going to have to fight to gain a spot. 

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Tucker Fisk, Tight End

Now, Harbaugh was very high on Fisk during his press conference on the first day. “I like him as a blocker. I mean, he is a tremendous blocker. You know, dare I say one of the top, you know, top five, maybe top at that position in the NFL. And looking for him, you know, now in year two, even make a higher jump. So, he’s got the ability and he’s got the license to be even better this year.”

And the Chargers certainly need all the help they can get at the position.

Fisk, though, may have to fight for the third spot with how well Gadsden has been playing throughout the offseason and camp. He needs to make some waves in these preseason games as well to make sure he’s on the depth chart.