Under Chris O'Leary, the Los Angeles Chargers defense is yet to find the sort of dominance or cohesion we became accustomed to under Jesse Minter.
Things certainly looked improved in Week 3. Although the unit ceded 154 yards on 24 carries to James Cook, that's a forgivable error against one of the league's perennial top rushing offenses. Instead, they were able to largely limit Buffalo through the air, and they were also able to consistently get pressure on Josh Allen and contain him to the pocket. The offense came up short, but it seemed like there were some real developments on the defensive side of the ball.
The problem is that their cornerback room, unlike its shape during Minter's tenure, remains frighteningly thin. The Chargers let Benjamin St-Juste walk to the Green Bay Packers this offseason, and they chose to give Rodney Shelley the nod to the 53-man roster as a UDFA.
With Donte Jackson entering concussion protocol during the Week 3 matchup (and returning to practice in a limited capacity yesterday), the Chargers may very well need to dip into their remaining depth at cornerback if they're going to stand any chance against the Seattle Seahawks' offense. Kaiir Elam, who's currently signed to Los Angeles' practice squad, isn't some major defensive weapon waiting in the wings.
But could it hurt to use him, especially if the Chargers are missing their top corner against a relatively lethal passing offense?
Kaiir Elam should get his shot as Chargers' depth issues continue in the cornerback room
If it was simply a matter of a potential absence for Jackson, the Chargers likely wouldn't even think about seriously dipping into their practice squad. But both Cam Hart and Shelley have struggled mightily this season.
Hart was targeted consistently against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2, failing to limit his opponents on in-breaking routes, and he was part of the breakdown in coverage that allowed the touchdown that put the game away for Las Vegas. He looked slightly improved in Week 3, but he still missed two tackles and wasn't the effective coverage corner we were used to seeing under Minter. Shelley, for his part, has done little to justify his place on the roster. He does not have a PBU on the season, and he's blown multiple coverage opportunities that have led either to big plays or to touchdowns.
Most notably, he allowed the deep pass to Keon Coleman that gave Buffalo the opportunity to tie the game at the end of the first half against the Chargers. We know how that ultimately turned out.
As mentioned above, Elam isn't the most inspiring option at outside corner. He struggled under Buffalo's zone-heavy scheme during his three seasons there, and injuries have kept him from ever truly acclimating to the NFL game. He doesn't have a sustained stretch of success at any point in his professional career.
But at the very least, he's a staunch tackler and an athletic, physical corner. Shelley doesn't seem to be a long-term option in the secondary. Deane Leonard has returned from injury, but Los Angeles doesn't seem comfortable using him in the regular course of the defense. Isas Waxter doesn't have a single NFL snap on his résumé.
If the Chargers don't have any other options they're willing to turn to, elevating Elam from the practice squad for this Week 4 matchup against Seattle may be their smartest move. After all, what do they have to lose by giving him a chance to work his way into the rotation, especially if Jackson is out?
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