Chargers newcomers out to prove themselves amid whirlwind of kickoff week
Taylor Heinicke wanted to unwind and celebrate making the Atlanta Falcons’ initial 53-man roster last Wednesday. The veteran quarterback clicked on a Netflix documentary that featured the University of Michigan.
That’s how Heinicke met his new coach.
For the Chargers’ last-minute additions and last-second survivors of last week’s roster cut down, making a 53-man roster is only the chaotic start to a competitive season as the team prepares for Sunday’s opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Heinicke, defensive back Elijah Molden and running back Hassan Haskins crisscrossed the country multiple times last week while settling into life with the Chargers and tying up loose ends from their previous teams. Heinicke was watching Netflix’s newly released documentary on Connor Stalions and the sign-stealing controversy at Michigan when Falcons head coach Raheem Morris called to alert him about the trade to L.A. With family members split between Michigan and Ohio State allegiances, Heinicke, a neutral Atlanta native, couldn’t help but chuckle at the timing of the call.
Hampered by injuries, Joey Bosa is embarking on a prove-it season as he and Khalil Mack spearhead the Chargers’ defensive rebirth under Jim Harbaugh.
“Meeting Jim [Harbaugh], I think he exceeds every expectation,” Heinicke said Monday. “He’s really fun to be around and I’m excited to work with him.”
Molden, who came to the Chargers from the Tennessee Titans through a trade, moved with his wife and infant daughter. The couple is expecting their second child in December. Haskins, who was claimed off waivers last Wednesday after two seasons with the Titans, arrived in L.A. the same afternoon he got the call, but flew right back to Nashville the next day to pack up his belongings.
After missing all of last season while on injured reserve, the former fourth-round pick is eager to prove his standing in the league.
“Just show that I’m still one of the guys that can produce and help the team win,” said Haskins, who reunited with his coach, Harbaugh, who recruited him to Michigan. “Whatever they need me to do, run the ball, block, play special teams, anything the coaches need me to do, I’m gonna do it.”
The roster moves have not stopped even as game week preparations begin for Sunday’s opener at 1:05 p.m. at SoFi Stadium. On Monday, the Chargers added cornerback Shaun Wade and receiver Dez Fitzpatrick to the practice squad and released receiver Cornelius Johnson and outside linebacker Andrew Farmer II.
Receiver Simi Fehoko knows about the league’s tough business decisions. The 2022 Dallas Cowboys draft pick appeared in five games as a rookie, but was waived by the team before the 2023 season. After coming to L.A. last year from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad, Fehoko emerged as the Chargers’ preseason star. He led the team with 170 receiving yards on seven catches in three games. In addition to strong special teams play, he capped off the stellar performance with a 78-yard touchdown catch in the preseason finale against Dallas.
But Fehoko was hesitant to say he was confident as the roster took shape last week.
“There’s always that something in the back where you never know,” Fehoko said.
The fourth-year pro from Stanford could be confident in the positive impression he left on coaches, but rookie Brenden Rice was haunted by missed opportunities. Especially against the Cowboys, Rice felt quarterback Easton Stick was making the right throws, but the duo just wasn’t clicking. The rookie from USC had just one catch for 11 yards during the preseason.
The NFL is implementing new rules for this season, including the kickoff and tackling adjustments, meaning more laborious issues for the officiating crews.
Rice glanced around the practice facility as the minutes ticked away toward last Tuesday’s roster deadline. He was just hoping he wouldn’t get a visit from one of the team’s dreaded “reapers,” the staffers who call players into the office for fateful meetings. The no news he received was good news.
Rice is one of two rookies, along with Georgia second-round pick Ladd McConkey, in the seven-man receiver group. In need of offensive weapons for star quarterback Justin Herbert, the Chargers kept extra receivers on their active roster because the competition was too close to call.
“The cream’s always going to rise to the top,” Rice said. “A big thing that was emphasized was nobody separated themselves yet, so it’s just about coming to practice each day and working.”
Without stalwarts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who were both offseason salary cap casualties, the receiver group is one of the team’s biggest question marks. Free agent signing DJ Chark Jr. is the only receiver with a 1,000-yard season to his NFL resume, reaching the mark in 2019 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the Louisiana State alumnus expects the receivers to surprise critics with their toughness. They get it from their head coach.
“Yes, we heard a lot of outside noise about what we look like and this and that,” Rice said, “but we are a fundamental group of receivers that can catch the ball, block their [butts] off and run great routes. Once we continue to show that on tape, we’re going to let everybody know. We’ll keep the receipts.”
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