Chargers status at defensive tackle
Teair Tart, Otito Ogbonnia, Da’Shawn Hand, Naquan Jones, Scott Matlock, Justin Eboigbe, Christopher Hinton
The Bolts saw some turnover at the position this offseason as Poona Ford and Morgan Fox departed in free agency.
But the Chargers were still able to fortify the room with a handful of strong signings, bringing in the likes of Hand and Jones this spring while also bringing Tart back into the mix.
“They’ve done a good job of filling some quality reliable pieces in free agency,” Jeremiah said. “It’s obviously tough when you lose Poona [Ford], who played so well, but I think they did a nice job of getting some functional and reliable guys.”
Ogbonnia, Matlock, Eboigbe and Hinton all return from a season ago, and there’s a chance that group could see elevated playing time depending on how things shake out.
Jeremiah also noted that Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter is one of the best defensive coaches in the league, adding that Minter showed in Year 1 that he can get the front to play well, which then helps things run smooth in the secondary.
“I still think you need sturdy, strong, stout guys because he doesn’t want to play with heavy box numbers,” Jeremiah said. “Ideally, I think having a bunch of strong sturdy guys you can roll through there, keep guys fresh and that allows him to do everything else he wants to do from a number standpoint on the back half of the defense.”
