Chargers choose Trey Lance on final roster, cut veteran Taylor Heinicke

NFL cut down day has come to an end, as teams had to trim their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Chargers made one move past the deadline, as they released veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who was their backup in 2024.

The #Chargers released veteran QB Taylor Heinicke.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 26, 2025

This comes after the Bolts released UDFA rookie DJ Uiagalelei. The Chargers now have two quarterbacks on the roster: Justin Herbert and Trey Lance. Lance is now the new backup to Herbert, as the Chargers signed him to a one-year deal this offseason to compete for the QB2 spot.

Heinicke threw for 95 yards this preseason and had second-team reps taken away in favor of Lance during practices. It seems that the writing was on the wall for a few weeks. Still, the Chargers will need another body in the quarterback room, as they can't go into the season with just two on the roster.

Heinicke will now be one of the many backup quarterbacks looking for a new home.

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