The LA Chargers learned a lot about the roster in the team's loss to the LA Rams on Saturday. That, in turn, made the third preseason game of the year a win for the Bolts.
Justin Herbert played the first preseason game of his career as he played alongside most of the Chargers' starters in the contest. While the starting unit only played two drives, it was nice to see what the Chargers will look like at full strength, even if it was in a small dose.
There was more to learn from the players behind the starting lineup, though. Some of those players rose to the occasion to rise up the depth chart, while others went the complete opposite direction.
Winners and losers from Chargers' preseason loss to Rams:
Winners: KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Tre' Harris
We are combining the two rookie wideouts here as they are the biggest story of the game.
After a slow start to the preseason, second-round pick Tre' Harris turned in his most complete effort with six catches for 85 yards and a near-touchdown. While most of his production came while Justin Herbert was off the field, it was still notable to see just how well Harris did.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been the talk of the preseason and made headlines yet again. He only hauled in two catches but they were both exceptional and picked up a combined 66 yards. KLS may not have the highest output in the WR room this season, but he will likely create haul in the most big plays.
Loser: Benjamin St-Juste
Benjamin St-Juste was put in a blender by a seventh-round rookie in single coverage to give the Rams their first touchdown of the game. Unfortunately, this effort is more of the same for St-Juste.
St-Juste was one of the worst corners in the league statistically with the Washington Commanders and that has bled over into his tenure with the Chargers. The more St-Juste struggles in coverage, the less fans will want him to make the 53-man roster, let alone see any tangible playing time.
Winner: Trey Lance
If it wasn't clear going into Saturday's game, it's clear now. Trey Lance is the obvious QB2 for the Chargers as he had a much better feel for the offense as a whole than Taylor Heinicke had in the first half.
Lance came in earlier than expected when Heinicke suffered an injury and the difference was immediate. The Chargers' offense went from a slog to something that had explosiveness with Lance's ability to use his legs.
Heinicke, in turn, should be one of the losers from this game. However, there's not much else to write about his performance other than it was a boring display of game management.
Loser: Ja'Sir Taylor
WinnerFans may not want to see Benjamin St-Juste make the 53-man roster, but they definitely won't see Ja'Sir Taylor make the 53-man roster. It's hard to imagine Taylor making the cut given the career he has had to this point and the efforts he continues to turn in.
For what felt like the 1,000th time in his career, Taylor was torched in coverage and let up a 38-yard passing touchdown to Mario Williams. There is such a thing as a bad play or a bad rep, but at some point, you are who you are in the NFL.
As far as Taylor is concerned, he is a toolsy young player who never quite panned out like the Chargers thought he would when he was drafted. It's probably time to move on.
Winner: Luke Grimm
Luke Grimm caught just one pass in the game for six yards but that is not what makes him a winner. Instead, it's the 66-yard punt return touchdown he took to the house that sends an unmistakable message to the coaching staff and front office.
Grimm is never going to make the 53-man roster, that goes without saying. The wide receiver room is too deep. However, by showcasing his special teams ability, Grimm is making a case to secure a practice squad spot and be the first player up if anything happens to Derius Davis.
Loser: The running backs
All of them. And it's not really their fault.
The running game has been disappointing thus far, which has been slightly concerning for a Jim Harbaugh-coached team that is supposed to pound the rock. However, the running backs aren't struggling because of their own doing, they are struggling because of who is blocking in front of them.
Outside of two drives on Saturday, the Chargers have thrown out the backup offensive line that consists of UDFAs and practice-squad players. As a result, the running game has been squashed before its even had a chance to get off the ground.
Unless the Chargers play the starting offensive line longer in the final preseason game of the year, fans won't know exactly what the running game looks like until Week 1.
Winner: R.J. Mickens
Sometimes you just know a player is going to be a good pro and that has been the case all along with R.J. Mickens. It was obvious early on that the Chargers landed a special player in Mickens in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and he has been proving those expectations right ever since.
Mickens turned in another excellent game in coverage where he could have had multiple interceptions if he didn't have the hands of a defensive back. Mickens just plays the game the right way, and it shows up every time he is on the field.
Unfortunately, safety is loaded for the Chargers and while he will make the 53-man roster, he may not actually play as much as he deserves on defense. At the very least, Mickens will likely be a great special-teams player in his rookie season.