Chargers QB Taylor Heinicke set to start Sunday vs. New Orleans Saints ...Middle East

Despite the injuries and uncertainty surrounding the availability of some key players, the Chargers have put their head start on the rest of the NFL to good use. They will play their second exhibition on Sunday after thumping the Detroit Lions by 34-7 in the Hall of Fame Game on July 31.

The Chargers lost Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending knee injury Thursday and they still don’t know whether running back Najee Harris will be sound enough to play in their season-opening game Sept. 5 after he suffered an eye injury in a July 4 fireworks mishap.

What they do know is they will get another good, long look at their talented backups, free agents and rookies when they play host to the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Here’s a closer look at six players to watch Sunday, three on offense and three on defense:

OFFENSE

Taylor Heinicke, QB

Coach Jim Harbaugh said Heinicke would play two possessions and then Trey Lance would get the bulk of the snaps with DJ Uiagalelei getting into the game, too. Lance played so well as a starter against the Lions, completing 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, that Harbaugh let him play the first three quarters. The original plan was for Lance to play only two quarters plus the first drive of the second half. It didn’t win Lance the backup’s job, but he did set down a marker. Heinicke was Justin Herbert’s backup last season, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll win it again.

Oronde Gadsden II, TE

The Chargers drafted Gadsden in the fifth round because they needed help at tight end, a position of importance if they hoped to give Herbert more targets in the passing game and also improve their blocking in the running game. They also signed veteran free agent Ty Conklin during the offseason and retained another veteran, Will Dissly. So, all the pressure isn’t on Gadsden’s broad shoulders. He is, nevertheless, an intriguing option in the Chargers’ offense, a converted tight end after starting his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Syracuse.

Kimani Vidal, RB

Running back Omarion Hampton, the Chargers’ first-round draft pick, played only six snaps against the Lions. So, Vidal got a chance to shine. He scored on a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth. No question, the Chargers owed much of their offensive production against Detroit to short fields set up by turnovers forced by their defense. But there were hints that their ground game could be much improved this coming season, thanks, in large part, to Vidal’s determined running. With Harris sidelined, he could be a valuable depth player.

DEFENSE

RJ Mickens, S

There don’t appear to be enough snaps to go around for a rookie safety, a sixth-round draft pick, to break into the lineup, with Derwin James Jr., Alohi Gilman and Elijah Molden expected to start and play in a heavy rotation when the regular season begins. Mickens continues to make plays that get him noticed during training camp, however. He played 40 of 52 snaps during the victory over the Lions, which was second-most of any Chargers defensive player. He also had an interception during a 7-on-7 drill, one of the highlights of Friday’s practice.

Caleb Murphy, OLB

Last season, Murphy was on the Chargers’ practice squad, but he has made an impression on the coaching staff during training camp and might earn a spot on the special teams unit. There could be an opening as outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu’s special teams work could be limited to the punt team as he moves into a full-time starter’s role after the departure of longtime pass rusher Joey Bosa. Murphy is one of several players expected to play a bigger role against the Saints and in upcoming exhibitions against the Rams and the 49ers.

Tarheeb Still, CB

The Chargers drafted Still and Cam Hart in the fifth round in the 2024 draft with the idea being that you can never have enough qualified cornerbacks on the roster. Injuries and lackluster play opened opportunities for Still and Hart and they were rookie starters by season’s end. Harbaugh said Still would play against the Saints, but he didn’t say how much. It figures to be a good chance for the coaching staff to get a look at Still in game action, always more revealing than during routine training camp 1-on-1 matchups with his Chargers teammates.

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