The Los Angeles Chargers will hold their first practice of training camp ahead of the 2024 season on Wednesday morning. This summer, we have been previewing each positional group and how the depth chart could look when camp opens.
The defensive line is a spot where the Chargers could use any group of players up front and will likely mix in several players until Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter get what they want.
Still, predicting how this group looks right now is nothing more than guesswork.
Note: This will only include down defensive linemen. Edge rushers will be a separate group.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive line depth chart ahead of training camp
Starters
Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbinnia
All three of these names should be penciled in for right now, but none of them are a lock to be a starter.
Poona Ford, fresh off a one-year stint in Buffalo, signed with the Chargers this offseason. He's had a good career for a player who went undrafted in 2018 with 190 career tackles and 8.5 sacks.
Morgan Fox has worked his way into a steady role on this team and will be entering his third year with the Chargers. He might be the closest thing to a "sure thing" in this group.
Otito Ogbinnia is a shaky pick here for sure and could easily be dropped to the second tier, but the Chargers will see if the former fifth-round pick can build off of being used more on defense last season. He's still young and loaded with potential, is this the year we start to see it?
Second-Tier
Justin Eboigbe, Scott Matlock, Christopher Hinton
In many ways, this trio is more exciting than the one listed as starters. All three of these guys can crack the starting lineup with a strong camp.
Fourth-round pick Justin Eboigbe comes from one of the best programs in the country at Alabama and will look to become the formidable force up front that this defense needs.
Scott Matlock may be the one to watch. He had a quiet rookie season after being selected in the sixth round last year, but he is the kind of player who fits what Harbaugh likes to do so well.
Christopher Hinton is the definition of a bubble player on this roster, but some things are working in his favor, starting with the fact he played for Harbaugh at Michigan. Since then, he has gone undrafted and has already played for four teams, but he's been with the Chargers for the past two seasons and could start to show what he can do in 2024.
Others
Micheal Mason, C.J. Okoye, Jerrod Clark
All three of these guys are likely looking at making the practice squad as their best bet.
Micheal Mason is an undrafted free agent from Coastal Carolina. He had 67 tackles and seven sacks last season/
C.J. Okoye was allocated to the Chargers last year via the International Player Pathway Program. He spent the season on the practice squad but still faces a tough challenge to get into a regular-season game.
Jerrod Clark also played his college ball at Coastal Carolina and went undrafted last year. The Chargers signed him and placed him on the practice squad after he cleared waivers following being cut ahead of the start of the season. This summer, he will get to show how his development has gone.
