Entering training camp and the preseason, it seemed almost certain that the Los Angeles Chargers would not have a place for Scott Matlock on their initial 53-man roster.
Not only was he largely ineffective at fullback last season, but the Chargers replaced him at that position by signing Alec Ingold in free agency—a particular favorite of Mike McDaniel. After already making the move from defensive tackle to fullback earlier in his career, a third positional switch for Matlock felt highly unlikely. And yet the Chargers announced over the offseason that Matlock would function in a sort of Y-tight end role, and that he would practice there over the duration of the offseason program and camp.
Still, his path to making the roster looked steep, and he was likely saved from any sort of release or movement to the practice squad by his placement on the IR with a foot injury. That bought Los Angeles at least four weeks to sort out where he could fit on this roster.
Now that his practice period has opened, that opportunity has clearly presented itself. With David Njoku on IR and Charlie Kolar still dealing with his arm injury, Matlock can slot right in behind Oronde Gadsden II and alongside Hayden Rucci as one of this team's blocking tight ends. To the frustration of much of the fanbase, it seems as though his Chargers lifeline has officially been extended—at least for now.
Scott Matlock has one more shot to prove himself as a capable piece of this offense
Jim Harbaugh's affinity for Matlock makes sense. He's a highly physical and dedicated player, and it says a lot about a young piece when they're willing to do whatever the coaching staff asks of them—including making two positional changes in just four years in the league. But the commitment to keeping him on this roster, at least when everyone was/is healthy, doesn't make much sense.
There's simply not room on an NFL roster for players who don't provide major value somewhere on the field. Sure, Matlock has some special teams experience, but he's not a qualified blocker or a true presence in the run game—at least based on what we saw from him during his time at fullback.
Perhaps the movements and responsibilities as an in-line tight end will be more conducive to his level of athleticism. There will be less blocking in the open field and driving into gaps to create space for the running backs, although the lateral movement and matchups he faces will certainly be challenging. He'll, at the very least, get a chance to prove himself in that regard.
As of now, the Chargers have one true blocking tight end in the fold in Rucci, who has experience in Mike McDaniel's scheme and was nabbed from the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad after the Kolar and Njoku injuries. Rucci has looked solid in the run game, but Patrick Herbert has looked relatively ineffective on limited snaps. If it proves to be a possibility, the coaching staff will almost certainly look to get Matlock some reps alongside Rucci as they try to account for Gadsden's lack of blocking abilities.
If Matlock is going to stick when some of these injured players return, though, he's going to need to show immediate upside at the position. It's important to note that Kolar did not go on the IR with his injury, so it's reasonable to expect a return in the near future. He's currently listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos
Even if Kolar is back, though, this roster is currently shallow enough that there's least a temporary opportunity, then, here for Matlock to prevent his removal from the 53-man roster. Whether he seizes it is another matter entirely.
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