A promising turnaround season under Jim Harbaugh ended in the worst way imaginable for the LA Chargers. The Chargers got the matchup they wanted in the NFL Playoffs against the Houston Texans and it didn't matter as Houston walloped the Bolts 32-12 in a game where Justin Herbert struggled.
The page now turns to the upcoming offseason and how the Chargers can build on the foundation the team laid in 2024. The 2024 season was always meant to be the first step in this rebuild, and to many, the Chargers exceeded expectations while doing so.
It doesn't make the playoff loss sting any less, but it is important to note that this will be a multi-year process under Harbaugh. The Chargers took a huge step in 2024 and the hope is the team takes an even bigger step in 2025.
Part of that big step is shedding players who no longer fit on the roster. Improving in the offseason isn't just about bringing in new talent, it is also about parting ways with talent that no longer fits on the roster.
For various reasons, there are several Chargers players who we can definitely say won't be returning to the Bolts in 2025.
Trey Pipkins definitely won't be on the Chargers in 2025
Trey Pipkins is unlike everyone else on this list as he is actually under contract for the 2025 season. That won't change his fate, though, as the Chargers need to move on from Pipkins and find a new starting right guard in 2025.
Pipkins was inactive on Saturday due to injury and Chargers fans may have actually missed him as Jamaree Salyer was awful. The Chargers can do far better than Pipkins, though, and can actually create some cap space by getting him off the books.
The Chargers can free up $6.75 million in cap space by cutting Pipkins before June 1, per Over The Cap. Los Angeles doesn't necessarily need the cap space, but the team also doesn't need to pay Pipkins $9.25 million to be a backup right guard, either.
Joshua Palmer definitely won't be on the Chargers in 2025
Like Pipkins, Palmer also didn't suit up for the Chargers on Saturday due to injury. The former third-round pick ended his 2024 season on a lackluster note, failing to be the breakout candidate that many thought he would be.
The Chargers need receiver help in 2025 but retaining Palmer is not the answer. Palmer didn't really earn a new contract with the Chargers in 2024 and it would be best if the team simply went in another direction.
Palmer will likely land on his feet somewhere with some kind of one-year prove-it deal but it should not be with the Chargers. The Chargers need to look for ways to improve the wide receiver room, not move laterally.
Kristian Fulton definitely won't be on the Chargers in 2025
Kristian Fulton's future in Los Angeles was 50-50 heading into Saturday. Fulton had some good moments for the Chargers during the season and appeared to do enough for the Bolts to consider re-signing him if the price was right.
However, Fulton turned in one of his worst games of the season, getting burned by Texans' wideout Nico Collins on several occasions. Fulton looked more like the Tennessee version of himself than the Los Angeles version, which is worrisome.
With two great rookie corners in Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still, and the ability to add more resources to the cornerback room, the Fulton-Chargers partnership may end up lasting only one year. And while he took his bumps, it was a good year overall.
Bradley Bozeman definitely won't be on the Chargers in 2025
The Chargers brought Bradley Bozeman in as a one-year stopgap at the center position and the results were mostly poor. While Bozeman was durable in his role as the starting center, he was one of the worst starting centers in the sport.
The Chargers' offensive line rebuild has to include both replacing Pipkins and replacing Bozeman. With more resources this offseason, the Chargers have to do more than just sign a flier at the center position and need to invest.
Asante Samuel Jr. definitely won't be on the Chargers in 2025
Asante Samuel Jr. has not been seen by Chargers fans for months and the entire saga around his absence has been compelling. Samuel was put on Injured Reserve on a Saturday before a game for an injury Jim Harbaugh said was suffered outside of practice.
Samuel would never return and the Chargers provided no updates. Harbaugh even went out of his way to say that he would only provide an update when the organization told him to. That never happened, and it is fair to think there is more than meets the eye.
Either way, Samuel's time with the Chargers is definitely over after how his fourth season transpired. Even without this complicated situation, Samuel's tackling woes would not have made him a priority re-sign for the Chargers.
These won't end up being the only players from the 2024 team who do not return in 2025. However, these five players are the most notable who we can safely say won't be back next season.