As the regular season comes to a close, a slew of head coaching jobs have suddenly opened up.
There is no doubt that Los Angeles Chargers' defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, will get extensive consideration for any number of these positions this offseason. He has already received buzz for both the Tennessee Titans' and the Las Vegas Raiders' vacancies.
At the same time, he will always have the option to come back for one more season and compete for a Super Bowl with Los Angeles.
According to The Ringer's latest NFL Mock Draft, the Chargers could give him another reason to believe that is possible by drafting Oregon defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington with their first-round pick.
The Chargers address a position of need in The Ringer's latest mock draft
Los Angeles's ideal selection in the first round must be either an NFL-ready center or guard who can step into replace Bradley Bozeman or Mekhi Becton. As nice as it might be to address a flashier position, these are problems that must be solved before all else.
However, if the linemen that are available are developmental projects, the Chargers would be better off pursuing veterans or second-contract free agents. This would free them up to draft a player of Washington's caliber with their earliest selection.
On a solid Oregon run defense, Washington showed flashes of dominance in his Junior season, amassing 31 combined tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He's a sizable and aggressive run stopper who has shown an ability to rush the passer as well:
"The Ducks standout is a mountain of a man (listed at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds) with very quick feet and an explosive first step. He overwhelms blockers against the run and flashes the ability to shoot into the pocket as a pass rusher. "Danny Kelly- The Ringer
The Chargers defense has been among the league's premier units in the two years since Minter rose to the NFL level. However, if they have had one weakness, it has been the inconsistency of their run defense.
All three of Teair Tart, Otito Ogbonnia, and Da'Shawn Hand will be unrestricted free agents this offseason. One would imagine that Tart will be brought back, but the defensive line will need a serious investment this offseason if the Chargers wish to be dominant on that front. Washington could represent that level of investment.
If the Chargers are able to plug other holes this offseason, they should be able to equip Minter with one of the league's most formidable defenses were he to return. What could be more enticing if the hiring cycle does not play out entirely in his favor?