Veteran Chargers addition deemed "make or break" offseason move

The Los Angeles Chargers may not have had the most bombastic offseason in the world, and there is still a ton of extra veterans that could be brought in if push comes to shove, but Tom Telesco should still be heralded for landing a player like former Minnesota Vikings LB Eric Kendricks.

While he may have been too expensive and/or old for Minnesota to continue rolling with him, the California native and UCLA alum seems like the perfect candidate to come right into this new-look defense and give them the experienced backbone they need to compete in a tough division.

Of course, there are reasons that Kendricks is no longer in Minnesota. On top of his age, he is coming off one of his more disappointing seasons in the pros. Kendricks' success is not guaranteed, yet so much of what this defense is expected to do hinges on it.

Bleacher Report listed Kendricks as a player that could "make or break" a Super Bowl contender this season. With LA coming in at a cool 28th place in terms of stopping the run, how well Kendricks is able to plug up that particular hole will likely have a huge impact on how the rest of the season goes.

Eric Kendricks could make or break LA Chargers defense.

Kendricks recorded at least 100 tackles in every season at the professional level with the exception of his rookie year. A rangy linebacker who was a vocal leader for Minnesota, Kendricks is a high-level starter on a team with some serious holes on the defensive side of the ball.

Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will get the lion's share of the snaps, though some Chargers fans may start losing their mind once again if Murray fails to take steps forward. Rookie Daiyan Henley has promise, but he should not be counted on for starting snaps in his debut season.

The nightmare scenario, in which Kendricks looks a step slower than he did with the Vikings, could feature LA once again ranking as one of the most middling defenses in the league. If he dominates in the running game, the Chargers will have a very valuable weapon in their toolbox.