3 Questions The Chargers Need Answered During Training Camp

Who’s Starting On The IDL?

Teair Tart Vs Otito Ogbonnia Vs Justin Eboigbe Vs Jamaree Caldwell Vs Da’Shawn Hand Vs Naquan Jones Vs Scott Matlock.

If the above line seems like I am just naming the entirety of the Chargers interior defensive line group and saying that all have a chance to start, you would be correct. Whether it’s age, injuries, or seeing how they perform in a Chargers uniform, this position room is the most unproven and unknown.

The players with the inside track to starting are likely Tart and Hand due to their veteran experience and NFL film. Chargers training camp will allow for younger players like Caldwell, Eboigbe, and Matlock all compete as well. It really just depends on who takes a leap in development and/or who fits more of what Jesse Minter wants in his defense.

The roster implication this can have is massive. What if Caldwell instantly comes in and impresses, allowing the Chargers to part ways with Ogbonnia? What if Matlock reaches his goals on defense and disallows him to play much offense, which would allow a pathway for other fullback options on the roster?

Safety 4: RJ Mickens or Tony Jefferson?

The last position group with some questions is how many Safeties the Chargers choose to keep after their training camp. The Chargers have an elite starting trio of Safeties consisting of Alohi Gilman, Derwin James, and Elijah Molden. All of their spots are safe, but what about Safety spot #4?

The Chargers brought in Tony Jefferson out of retirement to compete last training camp, and Jefferson played so well that he forced the Chargers to keep him in any capacity they could. Nearly the entire season, Jefferson was bounced up and down from the practice squad and active roster. This allowed him to contribute as needed while getting into real football shape.

Now going into year two of this Jefferson experiment, the Chargers also future-proofed their plans by drafting RJ Mickens in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft, a player whom some scouting experts had going much earlier. Now with competition in the building, do the Chargers keep five Safeties? Do they continue the Jefferson active roster/practice squad experiment? Or will they choose the victor of this training camp battle and keep it moving?

So many different options to go for the Chargers, but all we can do currently is wait and see how all of these athletes perform in the Chargers training camp periods, starting July 17th.