Chargers football is officially back (kind of) on Thursday with the team's first preseason game of the year against the Houston Texans. While the stakes have never been lower and the players on the field won't all be familiar, it's still nice to see the Chargers back in action with the real season around the corner.
Preseason games still carry some weight, even if the outcome doesn't matter. Dozens of players on the roster are battling for various objectives. Some are looking to start, some are looking to play a role, and some are simply looking to make the roster.
One preseason game won't answer every burning roster question that fans have ahead of the season. It will, however, give fans more context than regurgitated training camp practices ever could. With the quest of knowledge in mind, let's dive into the players who are the most important to keep a keen eye on against the Texans.
4 most important Chargers to watch in preseason opener:
OL Jake Slaughter
The battle for the starting left guard spot is one of the most important on the team, so anyone who slots into the position during the game will be key to watch. Of them all, second-round Jake Slaughter is by far the most important.
The Chargers spent serious draft capital on Slaughter, a standout college center who has to learn left guard on the fly as a professional. Slaughter has never played left guard in his football career before, and there is no true way to know how he is progressing without seeing him take real NFL reps.
With all due respect to the other candidates in the race, the best version of the Chargers' offensive line is one where Slaughter proves he is a starting-caliber NFL left guard. 2025 sixth-round pick Branson Taylor and Kayode Awosika, with his 10 career starts, don't elicit much confidence as starters in 2026.
In a perfect world, every left guard option has a great showing and makes the decision even harder for Jim Harbaugh. In reality, the Bolts just need Slaughter to prove he is a starter.
EDGE Nadame Tucker
Nadame Tucker has quickly made himself a name to watch during the preseason for the Bolts. Signed as one of the most exciting undrafted free agents in this year's class, Tucker has turned heads during training camp and now has the chance to prove his worth against NFL competition.
Tucker was one of the most productive edge rushers in college football last season but was overlooked because of where he played: Western Michigan. Where he played ultimately landed him his spot with the Chargers as he followed new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary to the Bolts.
Tucker isn't going to be a starting edge rusher for the Chargers. He isn't even going to be the third edge rusher after the team drafted Akheem Mesidor in the first round. But he has a real chance of making the 53-man roster and playing a real role with the Bolts in 2026. For that to happen, Tucker needs to fire out of a cannon to kick off the preseason.
WR Brenen Thompson
Brenen Thompson isn't fighting for a spot on the Chargers' 53-man roster, that's already guaranteed. Heck, he might not even be competing for his role in Mike McDaniel's offense as he is the only passing weapon that brings game-breaking speed. What's most important for Chargers fans to learn is just how ready Thompson is to be a legitimate weapon in the NFL.
Thompson's spot on the Chargers may be secure but his usage rate isn't. The Chargers won't trot him out just because of his speed. McDaniel needs to see how the rookie wideout will perform in his offense, especially with what he can bring to the table other than his athleticism.
The one caveat in evaluating Thompson on Thursday is the quarterback play. Los Angeles doesn't have the best backup quarterback situation in the world, so Thompson could naturally be capped by those throwing him the football.
This is a case where the final stats don't matter. The eye test does. Hopefully, Thompson gives us all something to talk about with a strong preseason debut.
LB Junior Colson
Junior Colson's NFL career has not gone as planned since his selection in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former National Champion at the University of Michigan has battled a list of injuries already in his career, ranging from a season-ending shoulder injury to appendicitis.
Now, Colson finds himself on the roster bubble, needing to prove himself ahead of his third season. Colson naturally has a leg up thanks to his ties to Harbaugh, but he won't just be given a role with how stacked the linebacker position is.
Daiyan Henley has elevated his game, Denzel Perryman was brought back as insurance and Marlowe Wax is emerging as a name to watch during training camp. Both Troy Dye and Del'Shawn Phillips are very valuable special-teams weapons. There is a lot of talent in that linebacker room, turning the urgency up to 11.
With a relatively quiet year in training camp thus far, Colson really has to make noise and turn some heads during the team's three preseason games. If not, he very well could be lost in the shuffle.
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