The Chargers’ primary attention will be on the interior part of the defensive line this offseason, but they will also have to consider the positional group right next to it.
With edge defenders Uchenna Nwosu and Kyler Fackrell’s contracts up, Los Angeles could dip into the free agency pool to address it.
This group offers a lot of compelling players at the position, and Pro Football Focus believes Los Angeles should be interested in Lions’ Charles Harris.
Starting his career with the Dolphins, Harris went on to amass just 3.5 sacks across three seasons. After that, he had a stint with the Falcons, where he posted three sacks.
It was until he signed with the Lions that everything clicked, and Harris finally lived up to his first-round billing. Living in the backfield, he doubled his career sack total, notching 7.5.
Further, Harris finished top 20 in quarterback pressures among edge defenders (52), and his 17.4% pass rush win rate ranked 17th.
The credit for his breakout year entirely goes to Harris as he did not have Trey Flowers or Romeo Okwara or an experienced interior defensive line to draw multiple blockers.
Detroit signed Harris to a one-year, $1.75 million contract last offseason, but his play from this past season should garner a pay raise.
Even if Nwosu is re-signed, the Bolts should strongly consider Harris for the depth purposes, and at the very least he could be a key rotational pass rusher next season.
Edge man Charles Harris with strip sack off bull rush snd grip-and-rip to create a soft edge to turn the corner. #Lions pic.twitter.com/22KtqDvL9t
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) December 5, 2021