Chargers may quietly have a rising defensive star in Justin Eboigbe

If there's been any silver lining to the Los Angeles Chargers' 0-3 start to the season, it's that their defensive interior has been as staunch as ever.

Of course, they struggled to truly limit the Buffalo Bills' run game with Dalvin Tomlinson out in Week 3, ceding 154 yards on 24 carries to star running back James Cook. But given how effective and inevitable the Bills' ground attack has come to be, that's a forgivable error.

What's been more impressive is the consistency with which the Chargers' interior linemen have been able to create pressure, and when Tomlinson inevitably returns, this line has a chance to be one of the most formidable in the league. For a first-year coordinator in Chris O'Leary who's struggled to find his footing, that's a massive asset to have in his arsenal.

With the departure of Odafe Oweh, Da'Shawn Hand, and Otito Ogbonnia this offseason, the Chargers were going to need to rely on their defensive interior more than ever to help keep things sharp in the trenches. Each of their defensive linemen, plus their outside linebackers, have largely done their part to this point in the season.

But in that sense of collective success, we can't lose sight of what third-year defender Justin Eboigbe has accomplished through three games. While Teair Tart is certainly the real anchor of the room, Eboigbe is quietly developing into a potential cornerstone right before our eyes.

Justin Eboigbe's development is exactly what the Chargers need on their defensive interior

Of course, the edge rushers get most of the limelight when it comes to their ability to affect the passing game. Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Akheem Mesidor will always be the ones to make the flashy plays, and they get paid accordingly. But no defense is complete without consistent pressure on the interior as well.

When things aren't fully clicking on the outside, pressure from interior linemen can help put additional strain on opposing protection plans, opening up opportunities for a team's true stars off the edge. When things are clicking on the outside, interior pressure can tank an opposing team's passing attack before it even truly gets going.

So far this season, we've seen a relatively even split in snap share between Tart, Caldwell, and Eboigbe. Tart has seen 51% of the team's defensive snaps, and he's been impressively productive through those opportunities. Caldwell has seen 55%, and Eboigbe has seen 60%. Nick Barrett, who's a minor note here but has looked improved across his first three NFL appearances, has seen a 20% snap share through three games.

But none of these pieces have put up more pure pressure than Eboigbe, who has six pressures and two QB hits, to this point in the season. Although Tart is the true disruptor along this defensive line, Eboigbe came into camp displaying an athleticism and an intensity that wasn't truly there across his first pair of NFL campaigns. We've seen that translate into an immediately elevated snap share for the third-year defender, and he's taken full advantage of it.

Just look at how he breaks through the line of scrimmage and stretches around on this play to force a fumble from James Cook. That's pure, unadulterated strength and agility the Chargers can now utilize on a game-to-game basis alongside Tart and Caldwell.

Los Angeles need Tomlinson back as their nose tackle/major run stopper before this defensive line can be whole again. But in the meantime, be sure to keep an eye on Eboigbe as he continues to develop into a real cornerstone of the Chargers' front seven.

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