Explaining Several Confusing Roster Moves from the Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers dialed in their initial 53-man roster and have made several moves on the practice squad following roster cutdown day. Several of the roster moves created some confusion.

Let's dive into several of the moves and provide some clarity and what the moves mean for the Chargers.

Edge rusher Kyle Kennard is still on the Chargers

Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Kyle Kennard (54) on the sideline during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This may have been the most confusing of all of the moves the Chargers made simply because it does not come up very often. The Chargers, at roster cutdown day waived second-year edge rusher Kyle Kennard with an injury designation. Players who are waived/injured are still subjected to the regular waiver system where they can be claimed by another team.

The confusing aspect of this designation is that if a player goes unclaimed on waivers, they will revert back to their original team's injured reserve. Kyle Kennard was not claimed off of waivers and reverted back to the Chargers injured reserve list. If Kennard chooses to, when healthy, he and the Chargers can negotiate and injury settlement for his release and he will be free to sign with another team. If they do not negotiate a settlement, Kennard will spend the entire 2026 season on the Chargers injured reserve.

Scott Matlock Designated to return

Swiss army knife Scott Matlock was seen in a walking boot on the sidelines at the end of the Chargers preseason game against the 49ers. He may have been a longshot to make the final roster but if the Chargers had released him as they did Kyle Kennard with an injury designation, he would have reverted back to season-ending injured reserve and be done for the season unless an injury settlement was reached and he was released.

When a player reaches an injury settlement and is released, they are ineligible to re-sign with their original team for a longer time period as a means to prevent teams from abusing the injured reserve system. Matlock, was placed on IR with a designated to return label, the team is allowed to place two players before roster cutdowns. He and teammate Branson Taylor, who also received this designation, will be eligible to return off IR when they are healthy.

If Matlock was not going to make the final 53-man roster anyway, why bother with the designation? The Chargers likely have Matlock as their break glass in case of emergency option as a blocker. He may not have made the 53, but if they had injury waived him, they would not have been able to re-sign him to the practice squad either. The move is simply a means to keep options open.

Perryman to IR, JK Scott released and re-signed

Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers punter JK Scott (16) punts the ball during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chargers shockingly released punter JK Scott at roster cutdown day but immediately reports came out that the cut was expected to be temporary. The day after roster cutdowns, the team placed linebacker Denzel Perryman on injured reserve, opening a roster spot, and they re-signed Scott. Why were the maneuvers necessary?

The Chargers already used their two allotted slots on injured reserve before roster cutdowns for players designated to return. Essentially Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and the Chargers front office called in a favor from vested veteran JK Scott to manipulate the rules. By releasing Scott, they simply created an extra roster spot for the day allowing Perryman to stay on the roster and be added to injured reserve with a designation to return after roster cutdown day.

The NFL mandates that teams have eight slots per season on injured reserve that can be designated to return. Two of those can be used before roster cutdown day, which the Chargers did use. Players can hit injured reserve and return at maximum twice in one season but must miss four weeks on injured reserve. Teams receive two additional slots if they make the postseason.

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