After a month of practice and a pair of preseason games, the time has finally come. After their matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, the Los Angeles Chargers will need to begin making real decisions on their 53-man roster.
Many players have their places set in stone as we approach this final night of action. But there are others, including newly-minted starting center Jake Slaughter, who are facing major pressure even if they're not currently on the roster bubble.
Thankfully, we'll get extensive glimpses at both the starters and the backups against the Rams, and that will give the coaching staff one final sample to work with when they make their decisions over the coming days. A strong performance in this final preseason game can make a player's bid for the 53-man roster, but a weak performance can leave a sour taste in the mouths of the fanbase and the coaching staff heading into a pivotal weekend.
In that spirit, here are the four players with the most on the line heading into the Chargers' final preseason matchup.
4 players who still have something to prove against the Rams
1. Jake Slaughter, C
Slaughter is obviously going to make the roster, and he's secured a starting spot with the season-ending ACL injury to Tyler Biadasz. But there's a major degree of risk anytime a rookie is inserted into the starting lineup, especially along the offensive line.
Slaughter has looked solid during his reps at center during the preseason, but the line as a whole looked less than inspiring in their outing against the San Francisco 49ers. Jim Harbaugh has said that the starters will play somewhere between six and nine snaps against the Rams, giving Slaughter the opportunity to acquit himself more fully before the season kicks off.
Ultimately, it won't lead to any sort of change in his status no matter how he performs. But even one or two solid reps on Thursday will go a long way toward casting an optimistic shadow over the offensive line heading into the season.
2. Junior Colson, LB
Colson made waves last week with his marvelous pick-six against the 49ers, reading the offense perfectly and using his athleticism to jump Adrian Martinez's passing lane. But his path to the roster still isn't entirely clear.
With Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman, and Troy Dye cemented as the Chargers' primary trio of inside linebackers, it likely comes down to either Colson or Marlowe Wax for the fourth roster spot in that room. Wax has consistently endeared himself to the coaching staff with his intensity and effort. It's how he made the roster last season as a UDFA, and he's carried that energy over into 2026.
Colson is healthy now, and he needs to prove he still has upside as an athletic, coverage-focused linebacker. The matchup against the Rams could represent his final opportunity to do so.
3. Logan Taylor, OT
The injury to Biadasz did more than spur a shake-up among the starting linemen— it also potentially opened up another roster spot for any number of players on the bubble to claim. Taylor is certainly one of those.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft in conjunction with Alex Harkey, Taylor has taken back-up reps at tackle throughout the preseason, and he's put up a solid body of work at the position. He's allowed just two pressures across 67 pass-blocking snaps in Los Angeles' first two preseason games, per Pro Football Focus.
But pieces like Jacob Spomer and Branson Taylor (if he plays) will also be competing for those final one or two roster spots along the offensive line, and the sixth-round selection will need another strong showing if he wants to come away on top.
4. Bud Dupree, OLB
It seems as though Dupree's path to the roster may already be clear-cut. Chris O'Leary raved about him this week in his press availability, and his primary competition, second-year pass rusher Kyle Kennard, hasn't practiced in over a week.
Dupree posted two pressures against San Francisco, and he's obviously impressed the coaching staff with his intensity and veteran presence along the defensive line. The matchup against the Rams, therefore, represents a chance for him to solidify that impression with another strong outing.
Depending on how the coaching staff views Nadame Tucker and the long-term upside on Kennard, it could be his final chance to defend his spot.
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