One of the biggest priorities for the Chargers last off-season was fixing up the interior defensive line \u2013 this was due to how poorly the previous unit was at run defense. This mission was successful, in a sense; the Chargers were much improved with stuffing runs up the middle \u2013 especially earlier in the season before starters got injured (Austin Johnson most notably). Outside runs were still an issue, but the defensive line was indeed improved. The outlook for them this year remains positive, and there is also plenty of competition at the position.<\/p>\n
Sebastian Joseph-Day was the primary star and anchor of this group last year; he was third on the team in tackles for a loss. He also missed very little time, only sitting on the sidelines for one game. Austin Johnson was brought in specifically for his ability in stopping the run, and he was effective at that \u2013 until he went down midway through the season with a knee injury. It is hopeful that he will be ready to return in Week 1, but it is not guaranteed.<\/p>\n
Morgan Fox was the unexpected breakout of the bunch last year. He was expected to mostly be a rotational piece and seemingly was mostly signed because of working with Brandon Staley before. But after Johnson went down and Jerry Tillery proved ineffective, Fox stepped up nicely and was actually second on the team in sacks (6.5). He was rewarded with a new two-year deal from the Chargers this off-season.<\/p>\n
Otito Ogbonnia was drafted in the fifth round by the Chargers last year and recorded 14 tackles but made little impact despite the available opportunities. Given that he\u2019s only in his second year, he\u2019s still got time to show what he is capable of, but he may have a bit of an uphill battle given the competition. Starting training camp on the PUP list<\/a> doesn\u2019t help matters.<\/p>\n