The Los Angeles Chargers will kick off the 2025 NFL preseason slate on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions.
The Chargers will, of course, witness Antonio Gates, one of the best tight ends in NFL history, join the hallowed halls on Saturday, which is part of the reason they were chosen to play in this game. The Chargers and Lions each get one more preseason game than the other 30 teams in the league and that could be very important for some players on the roster.
This is a game where you will see a lot of players on the fringe of making the roster, and those squarely on the bubble as starters will likely not even dress. With that in mind, these four players need to take the field and play like they belong on this roster, or at the very least, make the decision to move on from them much more difficult to make.
Chargers players who must step up in the Hall of Fame Game
Trey Lance, QB
This should go without saying. There were plenty of people who didn't even know Trey Lance was playing for the Chargers until it was announced he would get the start in this game. As the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the door is starting to close on Lance's NFL career and this could be his last chance to make a good impression.
READ: Would Keenan Allen even want to come back to Chargers?
He should get the entire first half in this one and then turn it over to undrafted free agent D.J. Uiagalelei and he needs to make something happen. For all of the hype that he had around him coming out of college, Lance has literally never shown any of it in the NFL. This is a big opportunity for him.
Kimani Vidal, RB
There are still plenty of Kimani Vidal believers out there, but are any of them on the coaching staff? The Chargers are going to pound the rock this season with Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris, but following the signing of Nyheim Hines, who hasn't played in a game since 2022, Vidal needs to make some plays in this game before he gets buried so far on the depth chart that he can't get out.
Brenden Rice, WR
His father may be the best wide receiver in the history of the NFL, but Brenden Rice's NFL star is fading fast. During a summer in which KeAndre Lambert-Smith is shining in training camp and undrafted free agents Luke Grimm and Dalevon Campbell have stood out, Rice has not been heard from much, unless it's something like this...
Yikes: Chargers rookie WR Brenden Rice has gone viral for looking AWFUL running a route at training camp.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 29, 2025
One fan even said that he is "trash."
😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/ihbtlIHQVS
Trikweze Bridges, CB
Over on the defensive side of the ball, Trikweze Bridges was an intriguing seventh-round pick but he has his work cut out for him to make the team. He is a much bigger corner than you'll usually see with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He needs to use some of that size and aggressiveness to turn some heads in this game and get into that 53-man roster discussion.
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