There’s a Quiet, Critical Shakeup Happening at Chargers Minicamp

The Chargers are undergoing a notable change at a key area.

Mike Elston | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There are many changes happening at Los Angeles Chargers OTAs and minicamp this offseason. 

Some are front and center as major storylines. Think, Mike McDaniel arriving as a breath of fresh air for a Justin Herbert offense. It’s a dramatic departure from head coach Jim Harbaugh’s usually conservative ways with the likes of Greg Roman. 

There is the big roster turnover at every spot on McDaniel's offense, too, as free agency and the draft were largely aimed at re-tooling things to fit the new scheme. We're talking even adding a new fullback that the coordinator wanted, folks

On the other side of the ball, Derwin James’ defense has an exciting new pass-rusher in first-rounder Akheem Mesidor and plenty of other storylines as that unit undergoes a change at coordinator, too. 

Some storylines and changes are major, yet haven’t received big attention, though.

Here’s a small highlight of one such example. 

Chargers minicamp features major overhaul 

Teair Tart | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Said change comes from Chargers defensive line coach Mike Elston. 

Elston, working under new coordinator Chris O’Leary, has decided that one of the key points of emphasis this offseason is a greater degree of flexibility across the front seven. 

Especially, he’s looking at names like the following: 

• Teair Tart
• Justin Eboigbe
• Jamaree Caldwell

According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, that means more wide sets for Tart to space things out, plus Eboigbe getting more versatile as a guy who can play in third-down packages. 

This is a small-sounding thing, but Tart is a breakout star who just got a contract extension and the Chargers believe that the other two can sort of join him in that bracket eventually. They said much when going out of their way to get Tart's new contract done early.

It’s an important thing to attempt this time of year before a critical season for the unit. Losing coordinator Jesse Minter hurt, but it’s good to hear that the attempt at continuity is also getting an assist from some smart evolutions for players and scheme. 

Elston? He certainly believes his unit has the tools to make it all work. 

"I like the amount of talent we have," Elston told Rhim. "Like I said, we've boosted it up with some young guys, guys that can do a lot of things, a lot of position flexibility and I love the way they work and the way they learn."

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