The LA Chargers cut the roster down to 53 players on Tuesday and have started to shape the practice squad since. For the most part, the Chargers avoided losing any big-name cuts to waiver claims as most of the exciting players from the preseason were brought back on the practice squad.
The Chargers initially announced that 12 players were signed to the practice squad and have made additional moves since. Dean Marlowe, who played under Brandon Staley in college, was signed to the practice squad to bring the number up to 13.
Zander Horvath, who was waived after the team claimed Tanner Muse, will more than likely be the 14th player signed to the Chargers practice squad. That leaves the team with two more slots to use and with those slots they could take some fun fliers.
It is worth mentioning that these are just fliers. There is no guarantee that these signings will amount to anything. But there are two players who are currently available to be signed that have fun potential for the Bolts to at least try and tap into.
2 players the Chargers should sign to the practice squad:
Gerrid Doaks, RB
The Chargers currently do not have a single running back signed to the practice squad. There is less of a need when there are four running backs on the depth chart but it would still be nice to have one additional option in case of emergency.
Long-time readers of Bolt Beat are going to recognize Gerrid Doaks as he was someone who this website loved back in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Chargers' seventh-round pick in that draft (Larry Rountree) didn't end up working out so perhaps the team could take a flier on another back.
Let's be clear, Doaks hasn't really done much in his NFL career thus far as he has bounced around from team to team and hasn't played a regular-season game. But that is because he hasn't been given the opportunity and there is potential there from his days at Cincinnati.
Doaks was a good pass blocker coming out of college and he has put together good performances in the preseason. In Week 3 of the 2022 preseason for the Texans (who waived him this season and didn't sign him to the practice squad), he carried the ball 11 times for 67 yards with 41 of those yards coming after contact. In Week 3 of the 2021 preseason for the Miami Dolphins, he rushed 56 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns.
Those are the only two games of his professional career where he got more than 10 carries and he played well in both. Doaks did miss the last two preseason games for Houston because of an undisclosed injury, which could be concerning, but if his health checks out he is worth the flier.
2. Dennis Kelly
The Chargers have two offensive linemen on the practice squad and now that the dust has settled, the team might be able to add a veteran to the fold.
Dennis Kelly was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles and it seemed possible that the Chargers could potentially put in a waiver claim for him. No team ultimately claimed Kelly, who is now looking at options on practice squads.
There is no such thing as having too much offensive line depth and simply getting a veteran who can add experience to this offensive line group would be a plus for the Bolts. If he does have to play, Kelly provides an alternative right tackle option if the team is not trusting Foster Sarell or Zack Bailey.