While much of the offseason hype for the Los Angeles Chargers has centered on the offensive side of the ball, new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary should also get his fair share of attention heading into training camp.
Not only is he expected to maintain the dominance the Chargers found under Jesse Minter— who departed this offseason to become head coach of the Baltimore Ravens— but he also has a number of hierarchies to sort out on his side of the ball. There will be a decision to make on the edge rusher depth behind the established trio of Tuli Tuipulotu, Khalil Mack, and Akheem Mesidor, and there will be a lingering competition for the second safety spot when Derwin James slides into his traditional nickel/dime role.
But under a new coordinator, there's always room for players to cement themselves as potential workhorse contributors with strong performances through training camp and the preseason. Defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell, who was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by Los Angeles, could be that piece this season.
Jamaree Caldwell needs to prove himself to Chris O'Leary— and he could be in line for a major season if he does
Last season, it was Teair Tart who established himself as a breakout contributor for the Chargers defense, ultimately earning a three-year, $30 million extension this offseason. Even with the overhaul of the defensive line Los Angeles undertook through free agency and the Draft, Tart should still be the dominant presence on the defensive front in 2026.
But O'Leary and defensive line coach Mike Elston have made it clear that they want to take a slightly different approach with that room in 2026, allowing players (especially Tart) to line up wider and put more pressure on the offensive line through those looks. A piece like nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson could benefit heavily from this as his alignment versatility opens up fresh opportunities for disruption at the line of scrimmage.
But Caldwell, who played 48% of the Chargers' defensive snaps across all 17 games last season, could be the biggest benefactor of this approach. Per Pro Football Focus, Caldwell was highly productive on Minter's defensive line, posting 13 pressures, one sack, and 15 stops from the interior. He has the athleticism and the power to be truly maximized by a more aggressive and creative pressure scheme.
With Da'Shawn Hand and Otito Ogbonnia out of the picture, Caldwell's path to a large snap share alongside Tart has suddenly become clearer. He'll need to fend off Justin Eboigbe— and to a lesser extent rookie Nick Barrett— in training camp in order to hang onto a clear-cut starting job.
But O'Leary seems to prefer the explosiveness of someone like Caldwell over the slow-burn, run-stopping power of pieces like Eboigbe and Barrett. If Caldwell can cement his place as a consistent early-down contributor in O'Leary's scheme during training camp, he could quickly solidify his standing as the Chargers' sneakiest breakout candidate of 2026.
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