The Chargers’ final preseason projection left Terah Edwards on the outside of the 53-man roster, with Nick Barrett taking the last defensive line spot after Thursday night’s 20-18 loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium. It was a late shift, but one that mattered because the roster is now down to the final calls before cuts.
Edwards had made a stronger case earlier in the preseason. He stood out in the first two games, which had put him in the conversation for one of the last defensive line jobs. On Thursday, though, he was more pedestrian, while Barrett flashed enough to hold the edge. That small change was enough to move the projection.
The timing is what gives the decision weight. This was not a regular-season depth chart tweak. It was a 53-man projection built before NFL cuts, which means the question was less about who played best in a single snap and more about who had done enough across the full stretch to survive the squeeze. On that view, Barrett’s stronger finish carried more value than Edwards’ early burst.
The projected defensive line also included Teair Tart, Dalvin Tomlinson, Jamaree Caldwell, Justin Eboigbe and Barrett, leaving Edwards in a tougher lane once the final preseason game ended. That is where the friction sits: Edwards had already shown enough to look like a real contender, but the last chance to separate himself came on the same night the Chargers lost and Barrett won the late comparison.
If Edwards clears waivers, he should be one of the first players brought back to the practice squad. That makes the next step straightforward, even if it is not final. The roster spot appears to have gone to Barrett for now, and Edwards’ path back depends on whether no other team claims him first.
Kyle Kennard did not suit up for the second straight week, and Nadame Tucker and Andre Carter II had another chance to press for the EDGE5 job, but the final cut line at defensive line still came down to Barrett and Edwards. The projection does not close the door on Edwards. It simply puts him in the queue behind the 53-man math that favored Barrett at the end of preseason.
