3 players the Chargers should consider signing amid defensive line horror
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers' interior defensive line group has been seriously depleted over the last week-plus. Los Angeles already struggled immensely against the run and the interior depletion is only going to make things worse for the team.
It started with Austin Johnson, who suffered a knee injury in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons and will miss the rest of the season as a result. Then, in shocking news, the Chargers decided it was best for everyone involved to waive 2019 first-round pick Jerry Tillery.
It was already a question in how the team would make up the loss of snaps for both Johnson and Tillery. Those questions became more pointed during the team's Week 10 loss against the San Francisco 49ers. Both Christian Covington and Otito Ogbonnia were banged up in the game.
It might be time for the Chargers to look at who is available on the free-agent market and add some much-needed help to the interior defensive line room.
Update: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Otito Ogbonnia is expected to miss the rest of the 2022 season with a quad injury.
Here are 3 interior defensive linemen the Chargers should consider signing:
1. Ndamukong Suh
Undoubtedly the biggest name that is still on the market, Ndamukong Suh would also likely have the biggest impact if the LA Chargers were to sign him. Suh is not the same player that he once was and there is a reason why he is still a free agent after all.
That being said, he is still a veteran presence who put together a serviceable season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. He might not be the same player or be someone to play every down but as a rotational option he would definitely add some juice to the defensive line.
While the 2021 season was not that great, it was not that long ago that Suh was an above-average, impactful player. He was an important part of the defensive line in Tampa Bay's 2020 Super Bowl run and perhaps in a limited role the Chargers would be able to maximize what Suh still brings to the table.