Chargers' potential NFL draft steal may perfectly replace one of their most important players who left in free agency

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Holt | Last updated May 20, 2025 3:28 PM ET

The NFL Draft is always an opportunity. For the Los Angeles Chargers, one of their most underrated selections actually potentially filled a massive need for their defensive unit, following free agency.

Veteran defensive tackle Poona Ford exited during an earlier wave of FA, leaving a massive hole on the interior of LA's defensive line. Ford joined the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the offseason, and Jim Harbaugh wasted no time trying to find a young replacement for him.

Jamaree Caldwell can replace Poona Ford

The Chargers selected Caldwell in round three of this year's draft. The Oregon Ducks product was one of the most intriguing nose tackle options in this year's class. He can plugs the middle and cause havoc as a quicker-than-expected lineman at his size.

I discussed Caldwell's potential and first-year role opportunity for Los Angeles with fellow A to Z Sports contributor Travis May.

Jamaree Caldwell is the closest direct replacement for Poona Ford that the Los Angeles Chargers could have added via the NFL Draft. Both players are shorter, thick interior defensive tackles who can eat up a ton of space by properly utilizing leverage at the point of attack.

At 6’2”, nearly 340 pounds Caldwell loves to get up underneath interior linemen and take complete control. He won’t add a bunch of pressure in pass rush too often, but his play strength and ability to influence guards and centers up front completely wrecks what offenses want to do in the trenches more often than not. The Chargers should be able to shift him between zero and 4i defensive line techniques to pick and choose where they want to blow up opposing offensive lines. -- Travis May

Chargers DT Jamaree Caldwell:
Career high 25 pressures in 2024
21 run stops
6.5 sacks at Houston in '23

Poona Ford replacement and Kenneth Grant consolation prize-like the pick. pic.twitter.com/tLh04koWOb
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) April 26, 2025

We all know that Harbaugh loves to dominate upfront. That is how he wants to win football games, and Caldwell can get on the field quickly with the loss of Ford during free agency. I'm really interested to see how he develops under the Chargers' staff.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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