San Diego Chargers Pre-Camp Position Preview (Part 3 of 5)

(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Outlook

The move of Bingham thins the depth at nose tackle considerably, but it bolsters this group with some much-needed depth. Castillo's quickness and motor are significant weapons when he's healthy, but nagging injuries seem to have robbed him of his edge the past couple years. With Olshansky gone, Castillo has got to step up and prove that he can provide consistency.  

Cesaire has been an underrated performer for the Chargers for a number of years now.  He fits perfectly in his role, which can be compared to that of an NBA sixth-man: come off the bench and use fresh legs to give the team a spark. That pattern would likely suffer if he is forced to play a more intensive role.

That put the onus on Bingham and/or Martin to solidify the other starting spot. Olshansky was never spectacular, but he was consistently stout against the run and won't be easy to replace. Bingham has the experience to be considered the front runner, but the height-weight-speed combination of Martin suggests that he could eventually force his way in, and the high draft pick the team spent on him indicates they are looking for just such a scenario.

Overall

Injuries along the defensive line have clearly impacted the overall performance of this group, but injuries elsewhere in the defense have also caused problems. Just as the secondary suffers from a lack of pressure, so too does the defensive line suffer when the presence of a Shawne Merriman is not in the lineup. San Diego's defensive ends, and even Williams at times, are not only space-fillers meant to occupy blockers. Castillo and Cesaire in particular are quick enough to take advantage of mis-matches and blown assignments that Merriman can create.  

Health is always an issue, but, with regard to the defensive line, it may be the only issue. It doesn't take much to imagine a scenario in which Williams and Castillo are dinged up, Cesaire suffers from over-use, and Bingham and Martin simply don't materialize as NFL-quality starters. If some combination of those factors becomes reality, opposing teams will have an increased ability to game plan for the Chargers' edge rushers, making it easy to run AND throw, just as they did last year.

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