With both the UFL and NFL in their offseason lulls, it's the perfect time to dive into some offseason content. As the UFL awaits the next wave of NFL signings for the 2026 player acquisition cycle, we're taking a look back at how each NFL team has utilized spring football as a developmental pipeline during the modern era of spring football since 2022. We continue the series with the Los Angeles Chargers, highlighting every spring league player the organization has signed over the past four years.
2022 Cycle:
The Chargers were one of the first teams to sign a USFL player in Carlo Kemp from the Pittsburgh Maulers. The team would also add Sage Surratt (Birmingham Stallions), and Cameron Hunt (Birmingham Stallions) as well. Hunt would be released at the conclusion of training camp and Surratt would receive an injury settlement however later in September of 2022, Carlo Kemp managed to spend the whole 2022 season on the Chargers practice squad, before his release at the conclusion of training camp in 2023. The Chargers did find a diamond in the rough with Taylor Bertolet (New Orleans Breakers), who would join the team in October. Bertolet would eventually make his NFL debut six years after beginning his NFL career, appearing in several games for LA. He would not be re-signed at the end of the season.
2023 Cycle:
In 2023, the team would sign three players from the USFL and one player from the XFL. Darrius Shepherd (St. Louis Battlehawks), Aaron Shampklin (Houston Gamblers), and Matt Kaskey (Birmingham Stallions), would all be signed and released at the conclusion of training camp. The Chargers did retain Matt Hankins (Birmingham Stallions) to their practice squad for parts of 2023 and 2024 who would eventually be released in September of 2024.
2024 Cycle:
Post Merger, the Chargers would sign three players during the 2024 signing cycle. QB Luis Perez (Arlington Renegades) and Frank Ginda (Michigan Panthers) would spend training camp with the team, before their release. The Chargers would bring in DB Nehemiah Shelton for two separate stints on their practice squad before his release in October of 2024.
2025 Cycle:
The 2025 signing cycle saw three players earn opportunities with the LA Chargers. Nehemiah Shelton (Memphis Showboats), and Ryan Nelson (Michigan Panthers), both spent training camp with the team however, were released at the conclusion. The team would sign Long Snapper Peter Bowden (Michigan Panthers) to their practice squad in November eventually signing him to a futures deal after the season. Bowden would be released in May during OTAs/Rookie Mini Camp.
The Chargers have signed thirteen players (fourteen contracts) over the last five seasons, however outside of several practice squad players, the team has only seen 2022 signee Taylor Bertolet as the only key contributor over the past several years. The Chargers have yet to sign any spring football players during the 2026 signing cycle and have no players with spring football ties on their roster currently. UFL to NFL signings will continue once the teams begin training camp, later in July.