With OTAs fully underway, most of the Los Angeles Chargers' roster is set. Justin Herbert will once again be under center. Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton will share most of the backfield duties. Ladd McConkey will be the team's WR1. There are spots up for grabs, though, and OTAs are a great opportunity for players to prove they belong. Stevo Klotz is doing just that, and he might make the Chargers' 53-man roster as a result.
What makes Klotz's emergence that much more impressive is that he was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent. Going from being an undrafted free agent to a member of a Week 1 roster would be wild, and yet, it feels entirely realistic, based on what Daniel Popper of The Athletic ($) had to say.
"Keep an eye out for undrafted rookie tight end Stevo Klotz. He caught five passes in Tuesday’s team drills. There might not be a spot for him on the 53-man roster, but he feels like a lock for the practice squad, with the potential to make an impact as an elevation player during the season. Klotz is a solid blocker, which should show up when the pads come on next month. And he should also be a factor in special teams. Klotz was working on his long-snapping in the early stages of Tuesday’s practice," Popper wrote.
Klotz's odds of making the Chargers' 53-man roster might not be in his favor, but Popper believes he's already a lock for the practice squad and that the Chargers might find room for him on their Week 1 squad.
Stevo Klotz could defy the odds by making Chargers' Week 1 roster
Klotz's path is far from clear, as the Chargers do have a decent amount of tight end depth. Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin are two proven veterans, Oronde Gadsden II was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Tucker Fisk appeared in nine games for the Chargers last season. Still, Klotz is making such an impression that he might force the issue.
What kind of role he'd play is a bit unclear. Popper highlighted Klotz's blocking as an area of strength, and that could prove to be valuable in what will likely be a run-heavy offense. The 23-year-old has even been working on his long-snapping and could be a factor in special teams.
It sounds as if the Chargers believe Klotz can help them in a variety of ways. He's impressed as a pass-catcher in OTAs, but is a good blocker, and has gotten long-snapping work in. Any sort of contribution the Chargers can get from an undrafted free agent would be an added bonus, and it sounds as if there's a good chance he'll be part of the equation for Los Angeles at some point in some capacity.