Chargers Bubble Watch: CB Craig Mager
By Travis Wakeman
After three mostly disappointing seasons in the NFL, has Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Craig Mager reached the end of his rope?
The Chargers thought they’d found a diamond in the rough. Despite most draft analysts having a draft grade on Mager somewhere in the fifth round, Tom Telesco decided to take him in the third round of the 2015 draft, using the No. 83 overall pick to obtain him.
Mager played at Texas State, so it’s understandable as to why he’d flow under the radar. But Telesco felt he saw something in the 5-foot-11 defensive back.
Unfortunately, Mager has not been able to prove him right to this point.
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He’s had three largely forgettable seasons in the league and has just 40 tackles and one interception to this point in his career. He entered camp on the roster bubble last summer and a hamstring injury forced the team’s hand. He was cut just prior to the start of the season and then brought back to the practice squad.
So how can Mager avoid the same fate this year, knowing that if he’s cut his time with the team is probably over? It certainly won’t be easy.
The biggest thing working against Mager is the fact that the secondary is even better this year than it was last year. The team gets back Jason Verrett, a former Pro Bowler and in addition to the guys already on the roster, undrafted rookies Brandon Facyson and Tony Brown have a decent chance to make the team.
That doesn’t leave much room for Mager, who just turned 26 years old. Short of him having the kind of training camp and preseason that would put him on the national news, he will once again see his name among those waived by the Chargers following the final preseason game.