San Diego Chargers' Positional Battles Heading into '09 Training Camp

When the '09 Chargers step onto the field for this upcoming season's Training Camp, they will field arguably one of the most talented rosters in the entire National Football League, but one would be amiss to assume that a team with as much talent as the Chargers do, positional battles will not be occurring on both sides of the ball.

The Draft saw San Diego address both depth and need positions, primarily to bolster their pass rush that saw a major drop off in 2008 with the loss of Shawne Merriman to season ending injury after Week One, by taking Larry English, a projected hybrid OLB in the 3-4 from Northern Illinois, as well as the right side of the offensive line with the selection of guards Louis Vasquez and Tyronne Green to keep perhaps their most valuable asset in Philip Rivers upright. 

Heading into the upcoming Training Camp, there are three immediately visible positions in which the team could see a new starter from the 2008 squad.

While Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson are the clear-cut one and two receivers, the number three receiver on the other hand will likely be decided between Craig "Buster" Davis who the Chargers took in Round One only two seasons ago and Malcolm Floyd who had a solid year in 2008 notching 27 receptions for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in the wake of Davis' absence due to injury. 

For most receivers entering the league, the maturity process into a legitimate pro receiver can take up to three years as was the case for Jackson who was drafted in '05 but did not have a break out season until the latter part of the 2007 season. 

Needless to say the clock on Davis' career in the league is ticking and he will be entering 2009 knowing that failure to beat out Floyd for the number three spot could mean his departure from the team in the not so distant future.

Most experts had one of the glaring needs for the Chargers heading into the draft labeled at the Strong Safety position currently manned by Clinton Hart who is coming off a down year in 2008 which was marred by injury.

The Chargers took USC hard hitting safety Kevin Ellison in Round Six of the 2009 Draft and while it may be a bit of a stretch to think that Ellison will come in and compete for the starting SS position from day one; given Ellison's experience in Pete Carroll's pro-style defense at USC, many Charger fans should look for Ellison to possibly crack the starting lineup before season's end especially if Hart's neck continues to prove to be bothersome throughout the season.

The Chargers offseason saw relatively little activity in Free Agency both coming and going but one of the departures was 08 starting RG Mike Goff who left for division rival Kansas City.  The Chargers resigned 08 backup RG Kynan Forney a former starter in Atlanta as well as drafted Texas Tech Guard Louis Vasquez in round three. 

Vasquez is coming from a pass happy offense at TTU and AJ Smith recently went on record to compare Vasquez's football mentality to that of Pro Bowl LG Kris Dielman.

While Forney will have the inside track on the battle at RG due to his knowledge of Norv Turner's system, it would not surprise this writer that Vasquez's size and upside are too much for Turner to dismiss and will anoint the rookie as his opening day starter.