San Diego Signs 2

Two more free agents have joined the San Diego Chargers as of yesterday. One is a familiar face, the other new. FB Jacob Hester has returned to the San Diego Chargers even though the team signed Le'Ron McClain during free agency. Hester, who was a 3rd round selection, from LSU, of the Chargers in the 2008 NFL Draft, will see time on special teams and may be rotated in as a goal line back. It is nice to see Hester return to the Chargers.


The other signing was one that fans had been hearing about for awhile now. Tackle Mario Henderson officially joined the Chargers. Henderson, who was cut by the Raiders last year because he showed up to camp out of shape, will provide depth to the offensive line. He has experience at both left and right tackle. Henderson, a 4th round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, appeared in 44 games, of which 28 were starts, for the Raiders. Henderson played college football at Florida State University.

In other news, long snapper Mike Wendt and guard/tackle Brandyn Dombrowski signed their one year contract tenders. Wendt was an exclusive rights free agent while Dombrowski was a restricted free agent,

With the draft only a handful of days away, these signings free the Chargers up as to how they approach the draft. By having depth at certain positions, the team can focus on other areas of the team.

The Missing Pieces

With the first wave of free agency done with, the next focus for teams is the draft. Each year, there always seems to be a piece that a team needs, and the Chargers are no different. This year, the Chargers have needs at three areas that stand out.

1) Pass Rush: This is what people see as the biggest need for the team, and that argument can certainly be made. The team as a whole only had one player, Antwan Barnes, record more than 4 sacks. Barnes was responsible for 11 of the teams 32 sacks, which was good enough for 23rd in the league. That number has got to improve. Since San Diego runs a 3-4 scheme, that pressure has to come from the linebackers. With prospects like Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry available, San Diego may look long and hard at upgrading this position in the first round.

2) Offensive Line: With the resigning of Hardwick and Gaither, the offensive line situation improved greatly. Still, the team could still use help. The LG spot is still up for grabs. I know that A.J. Smith has talked about allowing Tyronne Green and Brandyn Dombrowski the chance to compete for the starting job, but I wouldn't rule out a rookie being drafted and thrown into the mix. As much as the team has endorsed Clary on the right side, the public perception is not the same. Bringing in a lineman who could play both guard and tackle would both provide key depth and a challenge for both positions.

3) Secondary: Chargers fans have long been looking for an answer at SS. We have seen a revolving door of players come through and try to fill the position. Bigby seems like another player who may fill in for a season or two (I hope he is as good as A.J. thinks he is). There has been talk of moving Jammer to safety at some point to close out his career, which I think would be a good move for all parties involved. Either way, the team could stand to add some depth and talent in this unit. With the exception of SS, the starters are all good. I expect the team to either draft a safety high or find a hybrid corner/safety player at some point in the draft.

With the draft right around the corner, we will soon find out the team's plan. Will this be the year that A.J. gets it right, or will we once again be scratching our heads?