There’s an implied saying that offenses get you to the playoffs, but defenses win championships. To a certain extent, I believe this to be true. However, the defense doesn’t always have to be dominant. Sometimes it just has to do enough. With Chargers head coach Brandon Staley being a defensive-minded coach and in complete control of the defense, there are high expectations for the group to do well. This is even more true now that he is going into his third year. Let’s see where the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense stands this year as we do a breakdown of each position.
If you haven’t already, you can check out my breakdown of the offense here.
Breakdown of Defensive Line
Chargers DT Morgan Fox (56) – Gavino Borquez/Chargers Wire
The Chargers had so many injuries to this position group last year that it’s hard to know who’s going to be playing in week one. I’ll start with two names I know will be ready come kick off. Morgan Fox was our best interior defender last year, racking up a career-high in sacks with 6.5. I expect around the same production this year. Sebastian Joseph-Day isn’t as good as a pass rusher but is better as a run-stopper. He may not have as many stats as Fox, but he definitely had as much of an impact against the run. I still think he is a vital piece to our defense and helps against the run.
Behind them are Austin Johnson, Otito Ogbonnia, and 6th-round pick Scott Matlock. Both Johnson and Ogbonnia are coming back from serious injuries that were around the middle of the season. Because of this, we don’t even know if they’ll be good to go. This would mean Matlock and other rookies or second-year players will have to step up if they are still recovering. I think Johnson and Ogbonnia are great against the run and would help immensely. Without them, though, I would feel very concerned about this group being a big weakness.
Breakdown of Edge
Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (52) and Joey Bosa (97) – Getty Images/Orange County Register
The bug that took out our interior line also got to the edge position: injury bug. Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack showed such promise in weeks one and two last year, getting sacks and hurries left and right through eight quarters. Then week three came, and Bosa went down for essentially the rest of the season. He came back for the last few games of the season and the playoff game, but he only played about 50% of the snaps, and you could tell he wasn’t anywhere near his best. Mack did well for someone being double and triple-blocked all season but couldn’t do it alone. If these two are healthy, they could wreak some real havoc.
Behind them isn’t much to break down. Chris Rumph II hasn’t done much as a rotational player in his two years, and this might be his last chance to prove he belongs. The only other edge we have is 2nd round pick Tuli Tuipulotu. I have high hopes and think he will get around five sacks, but it isn’t saying much when a rookie is your third-best edge rusher. Should Mack or Bosa go down again this year, I don’t feel comfortable with either of these two playing a full game.
Breakdown of Linebacker
Former Vikings LB Eric Kendricks (6) – Lorenzo Reyna/Pro Football Network
I was surprised when the Chargers decided to sign Eric Kendricks over resigning Drue Tranquill in the offseason. I didn’t hate the decision, but I didn’t love it either. Either way, Kendricks is who we’re rolling the dice with, and he has my full support. I’ve liked Kendricks throughout his career, but he is on the older side, and you never know how long linebackers will last. Hopefully, he can stay productive like he was in his prime years.
Behind him are Kenneth Murray, 3rd-round pick Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, and Amen Ogbongbemiga. Murray is fast and athletic, yet he can’t cover tight ends or receivers and he takes a lot of bad angels when pursuing ballcarriers. This year is his last chance to prove worthy of trading back into the first round for him. Henley is possibly our best cover linebacker. According to an article by Chargers writer Omar Navarro, Henley started his college career as a wide receiver. That should show how good he can be at coverage and ball production from the linebacker position. Niemann and Ogbongbemiga are mostly special team defenders with occasional snaps on defense. I wouldn’t expect much from them this year.
Breakdown of Cornerback
Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr. (26) – Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
The more I go down this breakdown list, the more I remember just how injury ridden the Chargers were. This group’s status of strength or weakness depends largely on J.C. Jackson‘s recovery. While he didn’t do well at the start of the season last year, also partly because of a surgery he had in the offseason, he did seem to be getting back to his old self before going down for the season. It was a big injury that could last deep into this season. However, Jackson shared a video stating he thinks he’ll be ready for Week 1, which you can find in Noel Sanchez’s article on Charger Report.
The two starters at corner are going to be Asante Samuel Jr and Michael Davis. Samuel is really coming into his own, and I would place him as our number one corner right now. He plays so physically, and I think has a knack for the ball. Davis is a tall, strong corner who had trouble adjusting to Staley’s system but has really settled in as a good shutdown corner. I feel comfortable with these two taking any receiver one on one.
After them are Ja’sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, and Kemon Hall. I think Taylor can do well in the slot, but he still needs to develop. Leonard was one of the most raw corners I’d seen coming out of the draft, so I don’t think he can be a starter yet. Hall is mostly special teams with some action in dime looks. All three of these players need more development, but I feel more comfortable with the depth on this position group than all the others on defense. Again, if J.C. Jackson comes back strong, this could be the team’s strongest defensive group.
Breakdown of Safety
Chargers S Derwin James Jr (3) – Rick Scuteri/AP Photo/Bleacher Reports
Derwin James Jr is arguably the best safety in the league. He is a chess piece that can be placed anywhere on the field. Deep coverage, outside coverage, between the numbers, man coverage, linebacker, rushing from the edge, and even sometimes in the middle. There is nothing James can’t do. He makes this defense click and without him, it would just fall apart. He’s possibly the reason the defense held up despite injuries to key starters last year. ‘Nuff said.
Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Raheem Layne, and Mark Webb Jr. are the rest of the safeties. Gilman showed promise last year, obtaining the starting safety spot towards the end of the season to play alongside James. The question is if he can carry that production over to this year. There were such high hopes for Woods last year, but he barely saw the field. Because of how much the defense relies on its safeties, the coaching staff never felt comfortable with him being out there. Layne is great with special teams but not as a starter, and Webb hasn’t seen the field since being drafted two years ago.
If Gilman and Woods develop into what fans and coaches expect them to, then that gives the coaches more flexibility with James. They haven’t had a chance to because they’ve always needed him to just cover deep since no one else could. With Gilman and Woods covering deep, James could have a career year and fill up the stat sheet.
Conclusion
Almost every position group has at least one player coming back from an injury last year. That makes it difficult to make a breakdown of them. After taking a look at each position, if the players come back from injury fine, then the defense is pretty much in the same boat as the offense. There isn’t really a gaping hole anywhere on the team, but there isn’t much depth behind the starters. If any of the starters (Bosa, Mack, James, Kendricks, Asante, Fox, etc.) goes down, I don’t trust any of the depth behind them. The only one I would feel comfortable with is Tuli.
Last season, the defense finished strong and seemed to finally be what Staley envisioned. Then it broke down in the last two-quarters of the season. It’s time for Staley to show he can make this defense what he’s always wanted. He definitely has the talent to do it. Time to put up or shut up.
