EL SEGUNDO — DJ Uiagalelei seemed confused at first, after the 20th and final practice of Chargers training camp ended, and with the third of three preseason games set for Thursday against the Rams. Was this really the final day of training camp, he wondered Tuesday?
“Today is the last day of camp?” asked Uiagalelei, vying to become quarterback Justin Herbert’s backup. “I guess it is. I didn’t think about that. I feel like every day it’s a blessing to be out here in camp, it’s a blessing to be here, to be an NFL quarterback, to be a part of the Chargers.
“Yeah, I had no clue today was the last day of fall camp.”
Forgive him, he’s been locked in a tight competition with Trey Lance, who won the battle last year in camp and who is expected to win it again. Lance and Uiagalelei will split time in the preseason finale against the Rams, after Herbert and the starters play between six and nine snaps.
The backup quarterback battle was one of several that were overshadowed by the fight for starting left guard, which in recent days appeared to be settled with Kayode Awosika as the likely heir to Zion Johnson’s spot after Johnson signed with the Cleveland Browns during the offseason.
Then again, Trey Pipkins III took the snaps with the line blocking for Herbert during practice Tuesday. Awosika and Pipkins rotated during practice on Monday, playing alongside rookie center Jake Slaughter, right guard Cole Strange and right tackle Joe Alt.
Pipkins also played left tackle, spelling Slater at times, on Monday. Slater suffered a flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee and sat out for eight consecutive practices. He sustained a season-ending left knee injury that required surgery last August during camp.
The competition for the cornerback and safety positions also was up in the air entering the final day of camp and the final preseason game. The defensive starters also were expected to play between six and nine snaps against the Rams, with the expectation of a couple of veterans.
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack, entering his 13th season in the NFL, and safety Derwin James Jr., starting his ninth, won’t suit up as head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary take one more look at a number of defensive players before cutdown day.
NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Sunday’s deadline. Neither the Chargers’ offense under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel nor the defense under O’Leary nor the special teams under Ryan Ficken were set, at least not for public consumption, anyway.
“It’s important,” Harbaugh said of the final days of camp and the final preseason game. “Important football has been and is being played throughout the offseason, training camp, these games. It’s important to everybody involved. You know, your football life is at stake.”
TACKLING, DUMMY
Punter JK Scott’s inaction didn’t go unnoticed on the 83-yard return for a touchdown by the San Francisco 49ers’ Jacob Cowing in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 41-17 loss last Thursday. Harbaugh and Ficken noticed that Scott didn’t attempt to tackle Cowing as he sprinted past.
Scott and kicker Cameron Dicker are the last line of defense when returners get past the initial wave of tacklers, and Scott failed the assignment against the 49ers in the minds of the coaching staff. Harbaugh took him to task publicly after the game and it was Ficken’s turn Tuesday.
“Oh, absolutely, we talked to him about it after the play, we talked to him about it after the game, we talked to him about it the next day,” Ficken said. “Obviously, you should be disappointed when it occurred. I don’t anticipate that happening again, but it has been addressed.”
On the plus side, Scott averaged 47.6 yards per punt on his eight punts during the game, with four landing inside the 49ers’ 20-yard line. His longest was 62 yards. It was his 52-yard punt that Cowing fielded at his own 17-yard line, ran to his left, sprinting past tacklers and, ultimately, Scott along the sideline en route to the end zone.
EXTRA POINTS
Linebacker Denzel Perryman and rookie wide receiver Brenan Thompson wore yellow no-contact jerseys as they were “working through something” injury related, in Harbaugh’s vernacular. …
Running back Keaton Mitchell, outside linebacker Kyle Kennard and offensive lineman Branson Taylor did not practice. …
Herbert addressed the team after the final practice of camp ended.