Charger Report

Chargers' DJ Uiagalelei, not Taylor Heinicke gets nod from Jim Harbaugh

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Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers were simply all the way done with the Taylor Heinicke experiment, it seems. 

Those Chargers let Heinicke go at final cuts, opting for Trey Lance behind Justin Herbert on the depth chart. 

Then when it came time for the Chargers to round up a practice squad, they used all 17 spots (including the bonus for an international pathway program player). 

Only one quarterback appeared on that list: DJ Uiagalelei.

RELATED: Los Angeles Chargers practice squad news, rumors tracker 2025: Full list of players

Uiagalelei, an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, went from spring rumblings about a possible position change to the third quarterback on the roster. Sure, he’s not on the active roster, but he’s the guy the Chargers will use as the emergency third permitted in NFL rules. 

It’s a shocking turn of events for Heinicke, a guy Harbaugh and the Chargers traded for just before the season one year ago while unhappy with that backup quarterback situation. 

RELATED: 4 biggest snubs of Los Angeles Chargers roster cuts

Given the circumstances, it’s safe to slam the door shut on any and all Lance trade speculation, too, barring a downright lopsided offer. 

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei
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Chris Roling
CHRIS ROLING

Chris Roling has covered the NFL since 2010 with stints at Bleacher Report, USA TODAY Sports Media Group and others. Raised a Bengals fan in the '90s, the Andy Dalton era was smooth sailing by comparison. He graduated from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and remains in Athens.

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