Chargers coach Brandon Staley adds two familiar players

COSTA MESA — The Chargers continued tinkering with their 53-man roster Wednesday by claiming 2 players disconnected waivers who are acquainted with Brandon Staley.

Defensive tackle Eric Banks, who was chopped by the Rams, and antiaircraft backmost Trey Marshall, who was waived by the Denver Broncos, were added to the Chargers’ roster.

The squad waived cornerback Brandon Facyson and antiaircraft tackle Forrest Merrill to unfastened spots connected the 53-man roster for Banks and Marshall.

Staley coached Banks with the Rams past play erstwhile helium was the antiaircraft coordinator and Banks was an undrafted rookie connected the Rams’ signifier squad.

“I felt similar we truly had 3 truly bully young prospects past twelvemonth with the Rams,” Staley said. “(Banks) surely was 1 of them. He’s the benignant of interior antiaircraft lineman that we truly value. He’s got size, length, diversion quality and conscionable a batch of upside arsenic a player.

“He truly proved himself past twelvemonth successful camp, and conscionable made a truly bully content connected each of us. Watching him successful the preseason this year, helium was outstanding.”

Staley and Chargers antiaircraft coordinator Renaldo Hill coached Marshall with the Broncos. Staley worked with the Broncos successful 2019 arsenic an extracurricular linebackers manager and Hill coached Marshall the past 2 seasons arsenic the antiaircraft backs manager for Denver.

Staley said they claimed Marshall for his versatility arsenic a antiaircraft backmost who tin play cornerback and information and for his skills connected peculiar teams. Marshall played successful 12 games for the Broncos past play and had 30 crippled appearances and 2 starts successful 3 seasons.

“I deliberation what we’re trying to bash is we’re going to effort and make the civilization of our antiaircraft backs room, wherever we person a batch of antiaircraft backs that tin bash a batch of antithetic things,” Staley said. “He’s an outstanding peculiar teams player, and helium fits the benignant of civilization that we privation to person successful that room.”

A time aft making the Chargers’ archetypal roster arsenic an undrafted rookie, Merrill was sent to waivers, but Staley said there’s involvement successful bringing him backmost to the signifier squad.

“Still has a agelong mode to go, but felt similar determination was a subordinate determination that we wanted to enactment with,” Staley said Tuesday astir having Merrill connected their archetypal 53-man roster.

Staley said it was a pugnacious determination to waive Facyson, but added that helium favored different antiaircraft backs due to the fact that they provided much connected peculiar teams. Staley is besides expecting cornerback Ryan Smith to instrumentality from the COVID-19 reserve database soon.

Facyson played successful 44 games for the Chargers the past 3 seasons and had 4 starts successful 2019.

HILL TO RETURN PUNTS

Wide receiver KJ Hill is successful the driver’s spot to instrumentality punts during the regular season.

“Right now, if we started a game, KJ Hill would beryllium returning punts for america for sure,” Staley said.

Staley said it’s inactive undecided connected who volition beryllium the footwear returner, but named Hill, information Nasir Adderley and moving backs Justin Jackson and Larry Rountree III arsenic candidates.

“We’re going to determine that wrong the adjacent 10 days earlier we spell play (the regular-season opener),” Staley said astir footwear returner.

PRACTICE SQUAD

The Chargers returned 12 players from their grooming campy roster to beryllium connected their signifier squad.

Wide receiver Michael Bandy, moving backmost Darius Bradwell, linebacker Cole Christiansen, antiaircraft backmost Ben DeLuca, borderline rusher Emeke Egbule, antiaircraft tackle Breiden Fehoko, antiaircraft lineman Joe Gaziano, violative defender Nate Gilliam, violative defender Ryan Hunter, choky extremity Hunter Kampmoyer and wide receivers Jason Moore and Joe Reed were signed to the signifier squad.

The Chargers person 4 spots disposable connected their signifier squad.

NOTES

Wide receiver Mike Williams, moving backmost Justin Jackson and fullback Gabe Nabers person participated successful idiosyncratic drills astatine practices this week. They missed clip during grooming campy due to the fact that of injuries. …

Right tackle Bryan Bulaga didn’t enactment successful idiosyncratic drills for the 2nd consecutive practice.

we've signed 12 to our signifier squad ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/lU9ZFDYpsT

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 1, 2021