When asked about depth chart battles up and down the roster, Brandon Staley preached the importance of competition.
Competition within position groups, yes, but more importantly competition between groups. Offensive line versus defensive line, wide receivers versus secondary, a constant battle to smooth out internal evaluations for the depth chart.
It starts at right tackle, where Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton are in the most important camp war on the roster. With likely four above average linemen slated to start, the Chargers will need a solid performance from their right tackle to keep Justin Herbert clean and open lanes for Austin Ekeler. When asked what will decide their duel, Staley said “consistency and performance” will be key, and added that LA has the benefit of getting accurate evaluations in practice. That’s because no matter what day it is, the tackle taking first team reps will be up against either Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack. Hold their own against those superstars, and the job is yours. Falter, and the top spot on the depth chart may slip from your grasp. Staley also touched on fit with the other four linemen on the squad and emphasized again that the team has confidence in both of them. No wandering eyes for late external additions here.
Many have crowned fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller as the team’s RB2 because of pre-draft pedigree and disappointing performances from Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree. But Staley said Wednesday that the fight for the spot behind Ekeler will be a “full competition.” That competition will not be just about the best rusher, Staley said, but will hinge on special teams value and “who can be the most complete running back.” Spiller played two special teams snaps throughout his entire career at Texas A&M, per PFF. If special teams is going to be a key aspect of the battle, Spiller may have more of a Herculean task ahead of him than previously thought.
On the defensive line, the Chargers suddenly have a crowded meeting room after adding four players from outside the organization this offseason. Those four (Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and fifth-round pick Otito Ogbonnia) are locks for the roster barring drastic changes. Another four – Christian Covington, Jerry Tillery, Breiden Fehoko, and Joe Gaziano – played significant snaps for LA last season. Still, Staley hinted that the team will have “five or six” active linemen on game days. That emphasizes players competing for specific roles, but Staley said that the battles will come down to who can “sustain consistency” once the pads come on next week. Again, the talent on the other side of the ball will help sort the mess, as the interior trio of Matt Feiler, Corey Linsley, and rookie Zion Johnson has the potential to be among the league’s best. The Chargers will be confident that any defender who can produce against them can also produce against their opponents.
In the secondary, LA possesses the immensely talented duo of JC Jackson and Derwin James, who did not practice Wednesday as the team continues to work on his contract extension. Beyond them, there are several players with starter-level traits and even more with the talent to add quality depth. That’s intentional in LA’s case, with Staley saying that he believes a team can never have too much depth on the back end. Beyond traditional corner and safety, there are depth chart squabbles to settle at the star and money positions (slot corner and dime backer, respectively), as well as special teams roles to dole out. Staley extolled the virtue of having such a talented room, saying that “when you bring quality DBs together, it’s going to bring out the best in those guys.” Consistent toughness, physicality, and discipline were mentioned as the key factors the coaching staff will watch out for as depth players battle for end -of-the-roster spots in the position group.