LA Sports Today

Los Angeles Sports News continuously updated

Underrated Chargers Who Raised Their Stock After The 2025 NFL HOF Game

by

The Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions kicked off the 2025 NFL preseason in the annual Hall-of-Fame Game. This game typically features athletes competing for roster spots and their livelihood; these extenuating circumstances create a highly competitive environment in which individuals give their all to pursue their dreams.

So, who are some guys who really took one step closer to completing what they dreamed of?

Underrated Chargers Who Raised Their Stock After The 2025 NFL HOF Game – Preseason Standouts

Caleb Murphy – He’s More Than A Special Teamer

Nov 10, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut (36) runs past Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Caleb Murphy (50) during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Caleb Murphy started his career as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans, doing everything he possibly could to crack that roster. That he eventually did, being active for a few games, shortly before they went another direction and cut Murphy. He then found himself signed by the Chargers on October 29, 2024.

He played three games with the Chargers, providing a few tackles on special teams and a 2025 preseason roster body. Well, come the 2025 Chargers preseason, and Murphy might just be here to stay on the Final 53. The 25-year-old EDGE rusher has played on the first team special teams unit the entire off-season, giving him a real inside shot to make the team based on that.

Then, in the 2025 NFL HOF Game, Murphy shows that he is a real special teams asset, beyond lining up somewhere in practice. He and Kendall Williamson forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, which set the tone for the game. His seven special teams snaps, coupled with his defensive play, of 2 pressures and 2 tackles, truly give something for Chargers fans to monitor in the near future when the final 53-man roster cuts begin to happen.

Karsen Barnhart – A 2026 Projection?

Karsen Barnhart is a former Michigan Wolverine who came over to the Chargers along with Jim Harbaugh, being one of the very few players Harbaugh actually decided to poach from his former collegiate program. This exclusivity should be noted, as Michigan was a very successful program filled with NFL talent.

Barnhart found himself on the practice squad in all of his rookie season after being close to the final 53. He worked on his craft, getting used to NFL-level competition. Moving forward to this Chargers preseason, Barnhart really showed out in the 2025 NFL HOF Game, grading out with a general offensive PFF grade of 67.5, an above-average run blocking grade of 62.3, and lastly, a preseason leading 83.8 pass blocking grade.

What is even more impressive about this performance from Barnhart is that he did this on the third most snaps of any offensive lineman, as he started with the first team offensive line and stayed in when the second team rolled out. He did this playing both left and right guard. Switching positions in the middle of an NFL game is nothing to scoff at, and really shows Barnhart’s strength as a future versatile depth option along the interior offensive line.

Tre’Mon Morris-Brash – A Chargers Preseason Star?

This third spot could have gone to a few different Chargers, but Tre’Mon Morris-Brash is such a fun watch every time he is out on the field. Last preseason, he was pleading his case quite loudly, just missing out on the Chargers’ final 53-man roster, but sticking around all season long on the practice squad, furthering his skills. Now going into year two with the Bolts, Morris-Brash is looking to continue his preseason success and once again argue his case to make this final 53-man roster.

And that he did, earning himself 4 pressures and a sack in the very first game of the season. This production matched his impressive 2024 preseason in its totality. If Morris-Brash can continue playing on special teams and make plays in that phase of the game, the Chargers truly might have a real competition for EDGE 4 & 5 between the aforementioned Murphy, Morris-Brash, and so-far-unimpressive fourth-round rookie, Kyle Kennard.

Main Image: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The post Underrated Chargers Who Raised Their Stock After The 2025 NFL HOF Game appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.