Standout run-stuffer may finally gets a deserved spot on Chargers roster

The LA Chargers are in the process of cutting the roster down from 80 players all the way to 53 players before 1 p.m. PDT on Tuesday. There are a lot of talented players on the Chargers roster and naturally, some players are going to get left out.

One player that fans hoped would not get let out is interior defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko. Outside of being a fan favorite on social media, Fehoko has played really well in the chances that he has received with the Chargers.

The problem is that he has not gotten many chances as his career has mostly spanned on the practice squad. However, that seems to be changing this year with how the Chargers roster is shaking up. The Bolts have made key cuts at Fehoko's position, seemingly eliminating his competition from the mix.

Los Angeles has cut both Joe Gaziano and more importantly (for Fehoko's roster chances), Christian Covington. Covington was Fehoko's biggest competition for a roster spot and with him out of the picture, Fehoko's odds of making the roster just shot up exponentially.

Breiden Fehoko gives the Chargers another talented run-stuffer inside.

The LA Chargers really struggled against the run last season and fixing that problem has been an emphasis heading into the 2022 season. Los Angeles has brought in several talented run-stuffers and Fehoko is yet another example of a talented run-stuffer that can be rotated on the defensive line.

It is surprising that the team did not call on him more last season as he thrived against the run in the chances that he received. Fehoko played just 121 total snaps last season and had a run-stop rate of 16.1%. According to PFF, Fehoko had the best run-stop rate of any defensive lineman with at least 60 run defense snaps last season.

Yes, it is a small sample size but to be no. 1 in the entire NFL is not an accident. He likely won't be able to post that high of a run-stop rate in a bigger sample size but he can still be among the league's best. Heck, Sebastian Joseph-Day ranked second in the NFL in the same statistic, so the Chargers have some walls up front to stop the run.

This is a much-deserved roster spot that, quite frankly, has been much-deserved for quite some time now. Christian Covington was not having a positive impact on the team last season and with the numbers that Fehoko put up, it is a shame that he has not gotten more chances yet.

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That all could be changing in 2022.