3 Chargers on Thin Ice Following the NFL Draft

Kristian Fulton, CB

The cornerback rotation in the Chargers is an absolute chaos and uncertainty. Asante Samuel Jr. is the only established corner on the roster and his starting role is the only guaranteed one.

As of now, Kristian Fulton is projected to start opposite of Samuel, with Ja'Sir Taylor having the inside track to be the slot corner. However, neither of these players has proven track records to be starting-caliber defenders in the NFL.

Fulton was signed by the Chargers this offseason after four underwhelming seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He had his moments, to be sure, in 2021 and 2022, but last season was a complete disaster, as he gave up a 114.1 passer rating and a 75.5% completion rate when targeted. As a result, he was graded as one of the worst cornerbacks in the league on Pro Football Focus.

The former second-round pick obviously has a chance to revive his career in Los Angeles and he may be a worthy flyer. But he could easily be outplayed by one of the two cornerbacks the Chargers drafted over the weekend.

The Chargers used their two fifth-rounders to select Tarheeb Still out of Maryland and Cam Hart out of Notre Dame. Still is considered the more NFL-ready but slot-only cornerback, while Hart is generally seen as the higher-upside option. If either of these young defenders blossom earlier than the Bolts hoped for, Fulton might find his role minimized.

The Los Angeles Chargers will begin the new season as clear underdogs (+340) behind the Chiefs in the AFC West. They will need their draft picks to pan out to have an outside shot of unseating Kansas City in the division.

More Chargers news and rumors:

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.