Barner carried the ball eight times for 28 yards in Thursday's preseason loss to the 49ers. He almost fumbled twice.
While Thursday marked the most work the 28-year-old has seen all preseason, it wasn't exactly a banner performance as Barner looks to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. With Melvin Gordon and Branden Oliver seemingly locking up their spots on the RB depth chart, and undrafted rookie Austin Ekeler continuing to make a name for himself (103 total yards Thursday), Barner's hope of making the active roster may fall on his abilities as a returner. The Chargers, like every other NFL team, will make a wide sweep of cuts by Saturday, meaning we'll find out soon whether the former Oregon star will stick around for the regular season.