The Chargers secured their edge defender duo in Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa after the two agreed to restructured contracts this offseason.
Heading into the upcoming season, Mack and Bosa are still recognized as being some of the best at their position. But where exactly do they rank?
Pro Football Focus released their edge defender rankings, with Mack ranked No. 7 and Bosa ranked No. 13.
Here is what they had to say about Mack:
Just when Mack is supposed to be slowing down, he recorded his highest run-defense (90.8) and pass-rush (86.3) grades since he was a Chicago Bear in 2020. At 32 years old, he was back to his elite ways in 2023.
Mack set a career-high in sacks for a season with 17 and became the 43rd player in NFL history to hit the 100-sack mark. A menace off the edge, Mack not only got after the quarterback at a high level, but he was also a key contributor at defending the run.
Here is what they had to say about Bosa:
Bosa has slowed due to age and injury, but he is still a very solid edge defender. He hasn’t played as much or as well as we’re used to, but 2023 was his second straight season with a pass-rush grade above 80.0 and a run-defense grade above 70.0. Even if he doesn’t get back to elite Bosa status, he is still a reliable, all-around three-down edge player.
Bosa has missed 20 games in the last two seasons with various soft tissue and lower body injuries. The Chargers are hopeful he can stay healthy and replicate his 2021 season when he had double-digit sacks and started in all 16 games.
Under the new defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, Mack and Bosa’s contributions, as well as those of Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree, will go a long way toward forming a dominant defense.