The Chargers have until September 11th to get their Week 1 depth chart sorted out before their matchup with the Raiders.
Here’s my projection for the defensive side:
| Starter | Backup | Third-string | Reserve | |
| Defensive tackle | Austin Johnson | Breiden Fehoko | ||
| Nose tackle | Sebastian Joseph-Day | Otito Ogbonnia | ||
| Defensive end | Morgan Fox | Jerry Tillery | ||
| Edge defender | Joey Bosa | Chris Rumph II | ||
| Inside linebacker | Kyle Van Noy | Troy Reeder | Nick Niemann | |
| Inside linebacker | Drue Tranquill | Kenneth Murray | Amen Ogbongbemiga | |
| Outside linebacker | Khalil Mack | |||
| Cornerback | Michael Davis | Deane Leonard | ||
| Safety | Derwin James | Alohi Gilman | ||
| Safety | Nasir Adderley | JT Woods | ||
| Cornerback | Asante Samuel Jr. | Kemon Hall | ||
| Nickel | Bryce Callahan | Ja’Sir Taylor |
Joseph-Day and Johnson are the starters on the interior and can play a variety of alignments. Both can line up as a nose tackle over the center or line up further from the ball, where the hope is to improve a porous run defense from a season ago.
Fehoko and Ogbonnia are also seen as players who can help in that department as rotational pieces.
Fox and Tillery will serve as interior pass rushers.
The Chargers only kept three edge defenders, but Bosa and Mack will be playing north of 85% of defensive snaps. But the team has some versatile players to make it work. Van Noy can rush off the edge at a high level, as he’s done in his career. Fox can also kick outside.
Van Noy and Tranquill will begin the season as the starters at inside linebacker. How Murray is eased back in after having ankle surgery will be something to look for. Reeder, Niemann and Ogbongbemiga will be special teams coverage players.
J.C. Jackson is the No. 1 corner, but he is not on the depth chart because I anticipate him not being ready for the season opener after undergoing ankle surgery. Davis and Samuel will start on the outside, with Callahan manning the slot. I have the team calling up Hall from the practice squad.
Woods is still a ways from being field-ready due to his lackluster tackling. Therefore, Gilman will be the second safety next to Adderley when James moves around in the slot, in the box at money.
