Coming into the offseason, the Los Angeles Chargers were hopeful that they could build around breakout defensive lineman Poona Ford. But the other Los Angeles team wasted no time poaching him.
Almost immediately after the legal tampering period of free agency began on March 10, the Los Angeles Rams signed Poona Ford to a 3-year, $29.6 million deal. Ford finished last season with a PFF rating of 85.1, which was the fifth-highest in the league.
DeMarcus Walker Labeled ‘Significant Upgrade’ Over Current Interior Defenders
With the departure of Ford, PFF NFL Analyst Mason Cameron writes that the Chargers’ need to find a starting-caliber interior defender, and DeMarcus Walker could be a solid fit.
“Poona Ford’s exit in free agency was a massive blow to the Chargers’ defensive front,” writes Cameron. “Scott Matlock and Otito Ogbonnia have struggled massively during their time in Los Angeles, and while Da’Shawn Hand is a decent option to fill a starting role, looking for more help would be wise.”
“DeMarcus Walker could offer a solid fit at the 5-technique in Jesse Minter’s 3-4 scheme. Walker earned a 65.0 PFF overall grade with the Bears last season and represents a significant upgrade over what is currently on the roster.”
The Chargers finished in the middle of the pack in terms of run defense (117.5 yards per game, 14th in NFL) last year, but they got after the quarterback, finishing with 46 sacks, tied for sixth in the league.
With $29.1 million in cap space, Los Angeles will have no problem signing Walker. Plus, as Mason Cameron pointed out, Walker (64.7 PFF Grade, 85th out of 211 edge defenders) represents a “significant upgrade” over their current options: Scott Matlock (50.1 PFF Grade, 147th out of 219 interior defenders) and Otito Ogbonnia (40.0 PFF Grade, 195th out of 219 edge defenders).
Ford’s Departure Leaves Large Gap on Chargers’ Defensive Front
Following Ford’s departure, Los Angeles drafted Oregon defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell in the third round with pick No. 86. The Chargers had an opportunity to target several defensive linemen ranked in the top 20 at the position during the 2025 NFL Draft, according to NFL draft expert Steve Muench.
“Caldwell is an excellent run stuffer, but this is early for a defensive tackle who isn’t expected to help the Chargers’ pass rush, and I had several DTs ranked ahead of him,” writes Muench. Of the five defensive linemen drafted in the fourth round, Muench ranked four of them higher than Caldwell.
Pre-draft player rankings are far from an exact science, but Bleacher Report NFL Scout Matt Holder provided an in-depth scouting report on Caldwell, ranking him as a developmental prospect and likely fifth round pick.
“Jamaree Caldwell has the potential to make it in the NFL as a solid gap-filling nose tackle,” said Holder. “He has good size for the position with natural leverage and a thick lower half. He’s hard to move with one-on-one blocks and has the upper-body strength to gain control of the block and reset the line of scrimmage.”
“Overall, Caldwell has the potential to be a decent two-gapping nose tackle, but he needs to become more consistent against double-teams to be a starter in the NFL. He can play on a shade as well, but he’ll need to work with a good defensive line coach who can improve his pass-rush skills.”
Chargers Urged to Target ‘Significant Upgrade’ After Lineman’s Exit