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

Rolling on with a review of the San Diego Chargers, position group by position group, this week we turn our attention to the Defensive Line.

Nose Tackle

Returning

• Jamal Williams, Ryon Bingham (?), Ian Scott

Additions

• Ngemdi Nwagbuo, Rashaad Jackson 

Questions

• How effective can Williams be after so much mileage, and for how long?
• Is Bingham truly the favorite to replace Olshansky at DE, and if so, doesn't that create real depth problems here?

Outlook

Personally, I think this is the hardest position in the NFL to draft for. The requirements for the position are incredibly restrictive: massive size, tremendous strength, especially in the lower body, quickness, and a nearly inhuman tolerance for pounding at the hands of 2-3 offensive lineman each play. Oh, and you're also among the easiest guys on the field to cheap shot...and for all this you'll almost never get your name called, especially if you are doing your job right.

Williams has quietly been one of the most consistent performers in the NFL for years. It is incomprehensible that he doesn't have twice as many Pro Bowl appearances as he does, but it seems the past few years as though he is getting a bit more of the respect he deserves.

While we should be happy for the big fella, we also have to acknowledge that 12 years in the NFL, especially at nose tackle, will take their toll. Williams still shows flashes of his ability to dominate, but they are not nearly as frequent as in past years, and I think we've seen the last of the games where he dominates an offense from the nose tackle position, a nearly impossible feat.

So, this position is badly in need of depth to keep Williams fresh and a future star to eventually replace him...and neither seem to be present at this point.

Ends

Returning

• Luis Castillo, Ryon Bingham, Jacques Cesaire, Andre Coleman, Keith Grennan

Additions

• Vaughan Martin

Questions

• Can Castillo stay on the field enough to be a consistent force?
• Just how much will Olshansky be missed?
• What do the Chargers have in Vaughan Martin?

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.