Los Angeles Chargers player rankings: Honorable mentions

The Los Angeles Chargers boast one of the most talented rosters in the NFL; let’s rank them! Here are the honorable mentions…

The Los Angeles Chargers were named the NFL’s most complete team by NFL.com columnist Adam Schein, who believes the team is both loaded with starting talent and very capable depth. It’s hard to blame him; after all, the team had seven of its players elected to the Pro-Bowl last year, and three made First-Team All-Pro. It’s a roster full of talent, but who is the best?

A few things to note before the rankings begin:

1. No rookies will end up on this list
2. No new free agents will end up on this list
3. It is not necessarily who the most important player is, or who has the most impact, though both are taken into account. Otherwise, No. 1 would always be Rivers (maybe he is anyway?)

20 players from the Los Angeles Chargers were ranked, in an order that will surely be met with nothing but applause and admiration. Those players will be named one at a time in the coming weeks; today, however, is about the honorable mentions. The roster is incredibly talented, and some of these mentioned players could start on other teams. They just missed the cut, though. Who are they? Here are the honorable mentions, in no particular order.

Justin Jackson

The exciting seventh round draft selection started the season off to a slow start, with injuries forcing him to not make a game appearance until Week 6. However, in limited action, Jackson was brilliant; in a four-game stretch where Melvin Gordon was forced to miss time, the running back rushed for five yards per carry, including back-to-back games with impressive 8.1 and 7.9 averages. Jackson will famously be remembered for scoring the go-ahead touchdown in Pittsburgh, giving the Chargers a (temporary) lead for the first time in the game.

Damion Square

Blink, and you’ll miss it: Damion Square is entering his sixth season with the Chargers now. He’s been around the team much longer than fans would guess, and he’s steadily grown as a defensive lineman every year since. In 2018, Square was asked to play both defensive end and defensive tackle, helping fill a void left by an injured Joey Bosa. In 16 games played, Square notched 31 combined tackles and three sacks, both career highs.

Michael Schofield

Some credit has to be given to Schofield, who not only switched from right tackle to right guard (the former is where he played most of his 2017 snaps), but also beat out injured/not ready returning guard Forrest Lamp. He played well enough to earn a starting job and graded out as “Average” under PFF’s system, with a 61.5 grade ranking him as the 42nd-best guard in the NFL. It’s nothing to jump for joy over, but he played well enough to get an honorable mention.

Next time, the 20th-ranked player will be named. Who will it be? Better yet, who makes the cut on your list? Sound off in the comment section and let your voice be heard.