After an eventful free agency period, the Los Angeles Chargers still need to address a serious need.
Chargers Projected to Draft Pass Rush Help
Life in the AFC West for defenses, for the foreseeable future, will not resemble a vacation. If you call the same division as Patrick Mahomes home, then your defensive coordinator must stay awake at night with worry. The Los Angeles Chargers live this nightmare every year.
However, if last January’s Super Bowl is any indication, constant, unrelenting pressure is their Achilles heel. While that remains easier said than done, ESPN analyst and former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum highlighted the potential need during a media call. When it came to the Chargers, he didn’t shy away from their most pressing need.
Moving On
Earlier this spring, the team released Jory Bosa. Bosa, who spent his entire nine-year career with the organization, departed the franchise with 72 sacks. The five-time Pro Bowler, still only 29, will look to sign elsewhere. When healthy, Bosa ranked among the league’s best pass rushers.
That, in itself, was the problem. Bosa struggled to stave off the injury bug. In the last three years, he played just 18 of 51 games. In a league where one of the better abilities is availability, Bosa’s poor injury luck ended up hurting the franchise more than he helped it. Teams would run to the side that they knew Bosa would vacate via injury.
Twilight
As of this writing, Khalil Mackiss is the only pass rusher of any note or renown. Entering his 12th year, Mack continues to inch closer and closer to Canton. Yet, before that, he endeavors to win a championship or, at the very least, a deep playoff run.
Granted, this version does not match up with the phenom who claimed All-Pro distinctions at both linebacker and defensive end in the same season. A wily veteran, Mack uses guile and power more than the quicker first step that he flashed in Oakland.
The Road Ahead
Tuli Tuipulotu’s eight-and-a-half sacks led the team. The former Trojan standout does show a feel for the pass rush, but he will fail to secure the stop. Anyone’s guess is whether it’s footwork, timing, or hand strength. The Chargers must get home with disruptive frequency.
Available Talent
You cannot keep relying on safety Derwin James off the edge to generate pressure. Instead, serious options exist in the draft. Marshall edge rusher Mike Green enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, pacing the country with 17 sacks. Relatively young as a pass rusher, Green’s speed and surprising power jolt blockers will provide enough daylight to bring down the quarterback.
Tennessee’s James Pearce, on the other hand, used steady growth to excel on the edge. Pearce’s speed stands out. If you possess just one rush tool, ensure it’s elite. The former Tennessee volunteer screams off the edge and flashes excellent closing speed. Equally important is the ability to make backside plays that require speed, effort, and hustle to get to the ball. That level of relentlessness will endear him to Jim Harbaugh and his staff.
Overview
The Los Angeles Chargers are crucial in the early stages of the Harbaugh era. Fresh off an 11-win season that culminated in a playoff appearance, the team must take the next step. Everyone knows the Chiefs will reload and return in the fall just as well as they’ve been.
KEEP READING: Jim Harbaugh To Reunite With Colston Loveland? Chargers Predicted To Land Michigan Star TE
At the same time, as Tampa Bay showed in Super Bowl LV and the Eagles in January, the only way to defeat the Chiefs is to apply maximum pressure from multiple directions.
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