The Chargers put a bow on their 2025 preseason slate Saturday night with a 30-23 loss to the 49ers.
Here are five takeaways from the Bolts final preseason game.
1. Harbaugh looks ahead
That's a wrap on preseason play.
Up next? The 53-man roster cutdown deadline ... and a Week 1 date with the Chiefs in Brazil.
Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh addressed both topics Saturday night in the Bay Area.
"I feel good about our roster," Harbaugh said. "Now it's just 100 percent turn our attention to the opener and the season."
As for the preseason finale, there were highlight-reel plays and some miscues alike, which is to be expected when starters don't play and youngsters get a full crack at extended game action.
Harbaugh said postgame that while he appreciates the effort, he was a tad disappointed with four turnovers and 11 penalties.
"There was more bad than there was good for us, especially with the turnovers and the penalties, in all phases," Harbaugh said.
Browse through live action photos of the Bolts Preseason Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium!
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
QB Trey Lance (5)
DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36), OLB Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (57), CB Nikko Reed (46) and DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
QB Trey Lance (5)
WR Jalen Reagor (88)
QB Trey Lance (5)
QB Trey Lance (5) and G Nash Jones (62)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59)
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
CB Cam Hart (20)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53) and DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36)
WR Jalen Reagor (88)
G Mekhi Becton (73)
G Branson Taylor (71)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
QB Trey Lance (5)
QB Trey Lance (5)
QB Trey Lance (5)
OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
OLB Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (57)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Emany Johnson (38)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and TE Stevo Klotz (41)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
S RJ Mickens (27)
TE Stevo Klotz (41) and LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Kana'i Mauga (56) and LS Josh Harris (47)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59)
DB Trikweze Bridges (31)
DL Naquan Jones (96) and DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
QB Taylor Heinicke (4)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
QB Taylor Heinicke (4)
TE Stevo Klotz (41)
TE Stevo Klotz (41)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
QB Taylor Heinicke (4)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
S RJ Mickens (27)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59) and LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97), OLB Kylan Guidry (59) and DL Christopher Hinton (98)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50) and DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50) and DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60)
Jesse Minter, Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and LB Troy Dye (43)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
OLB Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (57)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (84) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
TE Stevo Klotz (41) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
G Branson Taylor (71) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB Trey Lance (5)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50) and OLB Garmon Randolph (97)
CB Nikko Reed (46) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
TE Stevo Klotz (41), LB Emany Johnson (38), LB Marlowe Wax (58) and DB Trikweze Bridges (31)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Jaylen Johnson (39)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31), QB DJ Uiagalelei (7), T Corey Stewart (65), WR Dalevon Campbell (38), G Karsen Barnhart (61), C Josh Kaltenberger (63) and G Nash Jones (62)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59)
S Jaylen Jones (35)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
S Jaylen Jones (35)
S Kendall Williamson (40) and S Jaylen Jones (35)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
LB Kana'i Mauga (56) and DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36)
LB Kana'i Mauga (56) and CB Myles Purchase (49)
LB Emany Johnson (38) and DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
LS Josh Harris (47)
RB Raheim Sanders (35), WR Luke Grimm (37), QB DJ Uiagalelei (7) and OT David Sharpe (72)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
LB Emany Johnson (38)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
CB Myles Purchase (49)
CB Myles Purchase (49)
DL TeRah Edwards (94)
G Zion Johnson (77)
OLB Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (57), DL Christopher Hinton (98) and DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7) and WR Luke Grimm (37)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
CB Nikko Reed (46) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
CB Nikko Reed (46)
CB Nikko Reed (46) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
RB Raheim Sanders (35)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59), DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60), LB Marlowe Wax (58), S Kendall Williamson (40) and LB Emany Johnson (38)
CB Myles Purchase (49), LB Marlowe Wax (58), S Kendall Williamson (40) and LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and LB Emany Johnson (38)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
OLB Kylan Guidry (59), CB Myles Purchase (49), LB Marlowe Wax (58), LB Emany Johnson (38) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60), LB Marlowe Wax (58), LB Emany Johnson (38) and CB Harrison Hand (37)
LB Marlowe Wax (58), LB Emany Johnson (38) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and CB Myles Purchase (49)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
S Kendall Williamson (40)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and S Kendall Williamson (40)
LB Marlowe Wax (58) and CB Myles Purchase (49)
LB Marlowe Wax (58), OLB Kylan Guidry (59) and LB Emany Johnson (38)
OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
TE Tucker Fisk (42)
DL TeRah Edwards (94)
LB Kana'i Mauga (56)
DL Nesta Jade Silvera (60) and DL TeRah Edwards (94)
OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
QB DJ Uiagalelei (7)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
WR Dalevon Campbell (38)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
RB Nyheim Miller-Hines (31)
WR Luke Grimm (37)
WR Luke Grimm (37)
C Josh Kaltenberger (63) and WR Luke Grimm (37)
2. Wax shines in finale
Marlowe Wax did it all on defense Saturday night.
The rookie undrafted free agent tallied 6.0 total tackles (5.0 solo) to go along with a strip sack, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
"Marlowe has had a tremendous preseason," Harbaugh said. "Excited about him, proud of him ... just keep rolling."
Wax added: "Definitely feel good."
Wax's big moment came in the second quarter when he tallied a strip sack that was recovered by Caleb Murphy at the 49ers 25-yard line.
That led to the Chargers first offensive touchdown of the game.
We'll now find out Tuesday if Wax has done enough to make the 53-man roster. But even if he doesn't, he was certainly among the more impressive players for the Chargers this summer.
"Just getting adjusted to the speed of the game," Wax said of his development. "Practice has been a big help for me, just going against guys like Justin Herbert. That was definitely a big help ... just day-by-day, game-by-game."
He later added: "I'm always just trying to control what I can control."
3. Gadsden finds the end zone
Oronde Gadsden is going to be on the 53-man roster, and his upside as a pass catcher is among the more intriguing storylines this season.
The fifth-round rookie tight end flashed that potential in the second quarter Saturday when he caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from DJ Uiagalelei for the Bolts first touchdown.
"He just trusted I would beat my guy as he rolled out and it was a successful play," Gadsden said.
Count Harbaugh as a fan of the play.
"I liked to see Oronde Gadsden get a touchdown. He's been playing good football all preseason," Harbaugh said.
Gadsden flashed as a pass catcher in offseason practices and during training camp.
Now comes the real test as he knows the intensity will ramp up between now and Week 1 in Brazil.
"I want to play every week that I can, as many plays and as many snaps as I can," Gadsden said. "It's great to be a rookie and get into these moments.
"Once you get to the regular season, it's on. There's no time to mess up and make the same mistakes you've made in the preseason," Gadsden added.
4. Reeds caps preseason on high note
Surprise, surprise ... Nikko Reed made some plays in the preseason finale.
Reed, also an undrafted free agent, was perhaps the star of the early portion of camp with multiple interceptions and pass breakups.
Reed, who had an interception in the Hall of Fame Game, had a pass breakup on the 49ers opening drive and also delivered a big hit on a tackle later in the half.
Reed also had a fumble recovery later in the game on a muffed 49ers punt.
"Nikko Reed, the mark that he's left on training camp, everybody has seen it right from the start," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said Wednesday.
5. A look at the QBs
Saturday night was a mixed bag for the Chargers quarterback group.
Trey Lance started, completing five of eight passes for 38 yards, but the offense punted on each of his three drives.
Taylor Heinicke then came in for two series, with the first ending in a punt before the quarterback led a field goal drive midway through the second quarter.
Uiagalelei was up next.
He shined early with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Oronde Gadsden, but had an up-and-down rest of the night.
Overall, Uiagalelei completed 16 of 31 passes for 170 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
He threw a pick 6 in the fourth quarter that broke a 16-16 tie, but rebounded to hit Luke Grimm on a 15-yard touchdown pass with a minute to play.
"DJ, I thought, did really well," Harbaugh said. "Completed his first six passes ... the interception is something that's just great to learn from."
He later added: "A lot of wonderful things, a lot of teachable moments."
