Charger Notebook : Saunders Likes What He Sees in Mike Charles

Charger Coach Al Saunders has been more generous in his praise of nose tackle Mike Charles than any player other than second-year wide receiver Jamie Holland.

The Chargers picked up Charles from Miami last year after the Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived the former No. 2 draft pick.

“He was let go for lack of motivation and productivity,” Saunders said. “But he’s been the antithesis of that here. He had an exceptional off-season and has developed into the strongest player on the team.”

Saunders also likes the way rookie linebacker Cedric Figaro, a sixth-rounder from Notre Dame, has been looking in practice.

A third would-be Charger left camp Friday without having to be told. Donald Noble, a tight end from California, decided to pursue other interests.

Noble lasted one more practice than linebacker Rusty Guilbeau and center Joe Goebel. Goebel and Guilbeau departed Thursday before the first practice.

Defensive coordinator Ron Lynn isn’t making excuses. But he is a realist.

“I think every week’s going to be a struggle,” he said. “Partially because of the schedule.” (The Chargers will open against the Raiders at Los Angeles and will play AFC champion Denver in two of the next four games.)

Lynn admits that the Chargers don’t have the best personnel in the league.

“I don’t know of anybody on this team who you can sit there and say, ‘This guy is unequivocally the best guy at his position in our league, and we know every time he goes out he’s going to be matched against a guy of lesser quality than what he is,’ ” Lynn said.

“We don’t have a guy like that, and until we do, I don’t think we’re going to legitimately dominate team without a hell of a struggle.”

Last year, cornerback Louis Brock was a major disappointment as a rookie. Brock, a second-round draft choice from USC and son of baseball great Lou Brock, played the first game of the season and spent most of the rest of the year on the injured reserve list with a lymph infection.

Lynn says Brock’s weight is back up to 174 pounds from 158. And Brock is hitting as well as any defensive back in camp so far.

“I’m anxious to see how he holds up over the course of two practices a day, carrying the pads,” Lynn said. “All the stuff (conditioning) he’s done in the off-season is over now. It’s time for him to make the next move. I still think Brock has a chance to play.”

Brock’s strength is still his speed. “I don’t know what the clock would say,” Lynn said, “but there aren’t going to be very many guys who are faster than him.”