2 Chargers whose roster chances grew (and 2 whose shrank) after Saints loss

Chance of making Chargers roster grew: Tiawan Mullen

This inclusion seemingly comes out of left field as Tiawan Mullen is not someone who has gotten a lot of press during training camp or the preseason thus far. And to be fair, Mullen did not have that good of a game in coverage for the Chargers. The undrafted cornerback definitely showed several areas where he needs to grow.

So how can his roster chances improve? It has to do with the third phase of the game as Mullen played really well on the special teams side of the ball. Mullen has the traits to be very successful in special teams and that is no secret to the Bolts.

Mullen is very athletic and is a great tackler despite his size. There is also potential there for him to be a solid man corner in the slot, which is something the Chargers can tap into down the line. For now, Mullen seems to make a lot of sense as a sixth cornerback who contributes on special teams.

Strengthening Mullen's case is how the safety position is shaking out. JT Woods played really well against the Saints and looks ready to take on a bigger role in 2023. With that in mind, the Chargers may opt to keep six cornerbacks instead of keeping five safeties, giving someone like Mark Webb Jr. the boot.

That opens the door for Mullen to make an impact on special teams and eventually blossom into a rotational cornerback for the Chargers.