Take a look at the entire Bolts roster leading into 2018 Preseason.
1 WR Justice Liggins
2 P Shane Tripucka
3 QB Geno Smith
4 K Roberto Aguayo
5 WR Nelson Spruce
6 K Caleb Sturgis
7 QB Cardale Jones
8 P Drew Kaser
9 QB Nic Shimonek
10 WR Artavis Scott
11 WR Geremy Davis
12 WR Travis Benjamin
13 WR Keenan Allen
15 WR Andre Patton
16 WR Tyrell Williams
17 QB Philip Rivers
20 CB Desmond King
24 CB Trevor Williams
25 S Rayshawn Jenkins
26 CB Casey Hayward
28 RB Melvin Gordon III
29 CB Craig Mager
30 RB Austin Ekeler
31 S Adrian Phillips
32 RB Justin Jackson
33 S Derwin James
34 FB Derek Watt
35 DB Micah Hannemann
35 RB Russell Hansbrough
36 CB Brandon Facyson
37 S Jahleel Addae
38 CB B.J. Clay
38 RB Detrez Newsome
39 DB Tony Brown
40 FB Anthony Manzo-Lewis
41 CB Marcus Edmond
41 WR Je'Ron Hamm
42 RB Terrell Watson
42 CB Channing Stribling
43 CB Michael Davis
44 LB Kyzir White
45 S A.J. Hendy
46 DE Chris Landrum
47 LS Mike Windt
48 LB Nick Dzubnar
50 ILB Hayes Pullard
51 OLB Kyle Emanuel
52 LB Denzel Perryman
53 C Mike Pouncey
54 DE Melvin Ingram III
57 OLB Jatavis Brown
58 LB Uchenna Nwosu
59 LB D'Juan Hines
61 C-G Scott Quessenberry
62 OL Chris Durant
64 C-G Cole Toner
65 OL Zack Golditch
66 G Dan Feeney
67 G Brett Boyko
68 T Trent Scott
69 T Sam Tevi
70 DL Steven Richardson
71 NT Damion Square
72 T Joe Barksdale
73 C-G Spencer Pulley
74 G Erick Wren
75 G Michael Schofield III
76 T Russell Okung
77 G Forrest Lamp
78 DT Marcus Hardison
80 TE Sean Culkin
81 WR Mike Williams
82 TE Cole Hunt
83 TE Braedon Bowman
84 WR Dylan Cantrell
87 TE Ben Johnson
88 TE Virgil Green
89 WR J.J. Jones
90 DE Whitney Richardson
91 DL Justin Jones
92 NT Brandon Mebane
93 DE Darius Philon
94 DT Corey Liuget
95 DL Bijhon Jackson
96 LB Kyle Coleman
97 DE Patrick Afriyie
98 DE Isaac Rochell
99 DE Joey Bosa
It's a weekend when dreams are made and lost.
When all is said and done, 1,184 players around the league will get the news they dread as teams must trim their rosters down from 90 to 53 by Saturday at 1:00pm PT. For every player that realizes his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, it unfortunately must come at the expense of someone else's.
Thus, it's an emotional 24 hours that features the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
However, for the Chargers, the roster reduction has led to some of the best feel-good stories in the NFL in recent years.
Undrafted free agents face a difficult path to make the 53-man roster. However, the Bolts have the league's best history when it comes to unearthing hidden gems. In fact, at least one rookie free agent has made the 53-man roster for 21 straight seasons. Since General Manager Tom Telesco came aboard in 2013, difference makers such as Tyrell Williams, Austin Ekeler, Jahleel Addae and more have made the team as an undrafted free agent.
"It was a great feeling," Tyrell Williams said following his rookie year in 2015. "But just because you (are on the roster to start the year) doesn't mean you can relax. You still have to (earn your spot) throughout the year."
As Williams alluded, the 53-man roster is never set in stone. It's a fluid process, which means all is not over for those who are waived or released come Saturday. Those who want to remain on the active roster throughout the year must continue to produce and not rest on their laurels.
In addition, injuries are an unfortunate reality of the NFL, meaning hundreds of those who are without a team in 24 hours will land on a roster before the season is over.
It's also likely at least some will make their way back to the Bolts.
A year ago, eight players the team parted ways with when they cut the roster down from 90 to 53 ended up back on the Chargers' active roster at some point.
Then there's the practice squad, where 320 players will reside come Monday.
Teams can have up to 10 players on the practice squad, and can begin signing players to it on Sunday. The 10-man taxi squad has been a valuable tool for the Bolts over the years as the likes of Tyrell Williams, Trevor Williams, Isaac Rochell, Damion Square, Michael Davis and others spent portions of their career on it before being promoted to the active roster. Last year, 10 players who spent time on the Chargers' practice squad ended up eventually being promoted to the 53-man roster.
Players have fought tooth and nail to prove they deserve a spot on the 2018 Los Angeles Chargers, but now everything is out of their hands.
All that's left to do is wait to discover their fate.
