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Roster crunch: How many defensive linemen can make the team?

As training camp and the preseason marched forward, the consistent word from everyone in attendance was that the defensive line looked eye-poppingly dominant — especially when facing the second-string offense.

The Chargers game only further proved the hype was real. It featured constant pressure up front, resulting in four sacks, an intentional grounding call, and a safety, all to their credit.

From the beginning of the Shanahan/Lynch tenure —proven by the selection of Solomon Thomas as the regime’s first draft selection — we’ve seen that their shared philosophy puts the utmost importance on constructing a defense from the trenches out.