Chargers 2021 Training Camp Position Battles: Who will play opposite CB Michael Davis?
The Chargers have two of their starting corners set, with those being Michael Davis and Chris Harris Jr.
Davis will play on the outside, as will Harris but just in base packages, which is what head coach Brandon Staley doesn’t play all that often in.
Instead, Los Angeles will be playing in sub-packages; nickel (five DBs) and dime (six DBs) for the majority of their defensive snaps.
When the unit goes into those packages, Harris will slide into the slot, which means they need to establish who will then line up opposite Davis.
At training camp, it will be a competition between rookie Asante Samuel Jr. and Brandon Facyson.
Drafted in the second-round, Samuel posted 97 tackles, 29 passes defensed and four interceptions over 31 games at Florida State.
His quickness, instincts and ball skills are NFL-ready and he should be able to step into a role right off the bat, but he has to still earn his playing time.
Pushing him for the spot is Facyson, who was in an unfavorable situation in Gus Bradley’s defense. At minicamp and OTAs, the majority of his snaps came with the first-team.
Facyson has excellent athleticism, size and length and experience in a variety of techniques and coverage, which are traits Staley covets.
While he hasn’t been able to put it all together on the field, the coaches believe they can help Facyson unlock his potential in this new system.
Normally, the experience outweighs the youth, but Samuel was taken in Round 2 for a reason. I believe he wins the job, and he will have an expanded role, too.
Like how Staley used Troy Hill with the Rams, Samuel will be in a similar situation, playing inside and outside.
With the newfound coaching coupled with his natural talent, Samuel can be a dynamic piece in this secondary.
