Donnie Edwards has attended his share of Chargers practices in his day.

The one Saturday brought nostalgia.

Stephen Cooper. Quentin Jammer. Zeke Moreno. Edwards, a Chula Vista native, likened the number of familiar faces to a reunion. Team alumni at training camp also included Greg Camarillo, Brandon Manumaleuna, Nick Hardwick and John Carney.

But who caught Edwards’ eye most was the big, bearded bruiser on the field, dressed in gray shorts and a team-issued gray Chargers shirt, a man Edwards remembers for his immovability and demeanor, both of which resembled a wall.


1 / 28 Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman runs a short pass pastern during workout at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 2 / 28 Chargers fans pack the bleachers during team workouts at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 3 / 28 Chargers Philip Rivers and Danny Woodhead during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 4 / 28 Chargers Deandre Reaves, Tyrell Williams and Torrence Allen during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 5 / 28 Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams gets ahead of cornerback Casey Hayward during workout at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 6 / 28 Chargers Antonio Gates during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 7 / 28 Chargers stretch out before the start of Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 8 / 28 Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin goes above cornerback Steve Williams during workout at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 9 / 28 Chargers Philip Rivers and the rest of the team stretch out before the start of Wednesday practice.. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 10 / 28 Chargers Deandre Reaves during passing drills at Wednesday practice.. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 11 / 28 Chargers fans pack the bleachers during team workouts at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 12 / 28 Chargers Dexter McCoil during pass drills at Wednesday practice held at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 13 / 28 Chargers Dexter McCoil stretched during Wednesday practice at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 14 / 28 Chargers Melvin Gordon takes a few short pass drills during Wednesday practice at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 15 / 28 Chargers punters Kasey Refern and Drew Kaser take turns running snap drills at Wednesday practice at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 16 / 28 Chargers Kellen Clemens gets his pass off while working out at Chargers Park on Wednesday afternoon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 17 / 28 Chargers Keenan Allen breaks free from Jason Verrett during practice at Chargers park on Wednesday afternoon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 18 / 28 San Diego Chargers signed wide receiver James Jones (center) Tuesday and on Wednesday afternoon was working out with the team. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 19 / 28 San Diego Chargers sign James Jones Tuesday and by the next day was working out with the team Wednesday afternoon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 20 / 28 Former All-Pro Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams is working as an coach intern during the 2016 training camp, helping to oversee the defensive line. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 21 / 28 Working with players on day-4 at Chargers Park, Jamal Williams an intern coach is working with the defense line. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 22 / 28 Working with players on day-4 at Chargers Park, Jamal Williams an intern coach is working with the defense line. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 23 / 28 Chargers Spencer Pulley points out defense line up just before the snap during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 24 / 28 Chargers Michael McQueen on the offense line during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 25 / 28 Chargers Tim Smirch takes a short pass during Wednesday practice at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 26 / 28 Chargers center Spencer Pulley just before the snap during Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 27 / 28 Chargers Richard Crawford on the sidelines during drills at Wednesday practice. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 28 / 28 Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams lines up at the scrimmage line during workout at Chargers Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda)

Jamal Williams is coaching.

Of all people.

A Charger from 1998 to 2009, Williams is back, lending his experience this training camp as a coach intern. Naturally, the former three-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl nose tackle is helping to oversee the defensive line this summer.


Williams loves football and lives in Southern California, so maybe his presence here shouldn’t be a total shock.

Still, Edwards never thought he’d see the day.

“Jamal was one of those guys who went out there, didn’t say much at all, didn’t talk, but just got it done,” Edwards said. “He is one of the last guys I would think of as a coach because he’s not a big talker. After he retired, all the sudden Jamal’s personality came out. He started talking to everybody. ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Who are you? You always walked around with a scowl on your face.’”

That hard exterior has softened some.


He seems to enjoys studiously watching the young defensive line work to come into its own. Of course, rookie first-round pick Joey Bosa is absent. But there is still plenty of talent here between the likes of Darius Philon, Ryan Carrethers and Tenny Palepoi. Philon is working at first-team left end during Bosa’s absence.

Physically, Williams is lighter from the days in which he pushed 350 pounds on the scale as a dominant run stopper. How much lighter he is, the 40-year-old declined to say.

“I could go throw on some pads and go out there, but I’ll leave it to the young guys to get the job done,” Williams said. “There’s a big difference between playing and coaching. Due to the fact that I played, I can see some of the things that players don’t see. …

“This is the Chargers organization that I played for, for 12 years. I take pride in it even though I haven’t been with the team for a while. I still keep an eye out and see what they can improve on.”


It is somehow fitting that Williams is here this training camp.

The Chargers signed veteran nose tackle Brandon Mebane in March. They hope Mebane can consume space and devour blockers in some of the same manner Williams did years ago, making life easier for inside linebackers Manti Te’o and Denzel Perryman behind him. The Chargers have seen flashes of impact play at nose tackle since Williams, be it Aubrayo Franklin and Antonio Garay, but no one has approached the player Williams was when at his best.

Edwards knows better than most.

“Playing linebacker, he was very important to my success,” said Edwards, a Charger from 2002 to 2006. “He’s able to take on those offensive linemen and allow me to do my job easier. ... When Jamal was having a good day, our whole defense had a good day because he’s the point of impact. Nose guard is the point of impact. Jamal was the key.


Many Chargers coaches were familiar with Williams prior to this internship.

He and defensive coordinator John Pagano have kept in contact over the years. Likewise, coach Mike McCoy was in Denver when Williams concluded his NFL career there in 2010, Williams’ lone season outside of San Diego.

“I tell everybody,” McCoy said. “Early in the morning, you walk into the building, whether it’s to go downstairs and get breakfast or just pulling in, he was one of the guys who was always there, bright and early. He was a true pro like I like to say, a guy who worked extremely hard.

“He knew how to take care of his body. He knew how to work. That’s something I want him to kind of carry over with the players here.”


Williams is at the point of impact again.