Tag: Chargers Linebacker

Chargers agree to terms with LB Kyler Fackerell

The Los Angeles Chargers have agreed to terms with outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell.

The Los Angeles Chargers have added depth at outside linebacker.

According to the Chargers’ official website, the club has reached an agreement with Kyler Fackrell.

The former Green Bay Packers 2016 third-round pick has generated 127 combined tackles, 20.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and interception in his 73 career games, 18 of which he has started.

The Utah State product’s breakout season was in 2018 with the Packers when he set a single-season high with 10.5 sacks. In 2019, Fackrell signed with the New York Giants and provided 4.0 sacks and a 46-yard interception returned for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 11, 2020.

In 2020, the Chargers had 7.5 sacks from defensive end Joey Bosa to lead the team. Fellow defensive end Uchenna Nwosu had 4.5. Fackrell’s 4.0 with the Giants would have been good enough for third-best for Los Angeles last season.

Fackrell gives the Chargers an experienced pass rusher as they revamp the defense with new coach Brandon Staley and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill.

LB Denzel Perryman returns to starting lineup for Chargers

The move to bench arguably the best linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers is a bit puzzling.

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn announced that linebacker Denzel Perryman will start at middle linebacker this weekend against the Vikings.

Perryman missed the Week 14 matchup against the Jaguars after he and safety Roderic Teamer were sent home after missing a morning meeting prior to the game.

While Perryman missed out on the action, rookie standout Drue Tranquill got the start, where he led the team in tackles with eight.

“He’s been our starting MIKE all year. Last week we had a disagreement, so he went home. He understands, and now he’s back,” Lynn said.

The decision to start Perryman and resort Tranquill back to the bench isn’t surprising, but it’s a bit of a head-scratcher.

The fourth-round selection has arguably been the best linebacker this season, where he’s been a force against the run and has been the most superior in coverage.

There’s still a chance that we could see Tranquill on the field more than advertised. But at the moment, we can anticipate Perryman getting the majority of the snaps, while Tranquill serves as a sub-package linebacker.

Other notable updates:

  • Lynn said he will make a decision on whether defensive tackle Jerry Tillery will be active for Sunday later this week. Tillery was not active in Week 14 in favor of Sylvester Williams.
  • With his suspension over, Michael Davis will retake his starting job at corner. But Lynn said Brandon Facyson will still get time because of how well he’s played, particularly against the run.

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The future is now for Chargers LB Drue Tranquill

Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill has been lights out in his rookie campaign.

Prior to the regular season, general manager Tom Telesco made it clear that he wanted to add more talent at the linebacker position.

One of the ways that Telesco was hoping to fulfill that was by selecting Drue Tranquill with their fourth-round selection of the 2019 NFL draft.

Telesco was taking a bit of gamble because while the talent and football intelligence were there, Tranquill had two season-ending knee injuries throughout his collegiate career.

With expectations not that high for the former Notre Dame product entering camp, it wasn’t long until he started to raise eyebrows.

The coaching staff was pleased with how quickly he was getting adjusted to the playbook, and from that point it was clear that the team knew they might’ve had something with Tranquill.

Tranquill entered the season as a key special teamer and sub-package linebacker.

Tranquill’s presence was evident, as he was making tackles over the field, whether that be rallying to the football on special teams or shooting through gaps and blowing ball carriers in the backfield.

He was playing like he had been in the league for years and with that came the reward of receiving more snaps with the first-team defense.

Tranquill was given the starting role at middle linebacker over Denzel Perryman, and Sunday’s victory over the Jaguars marked his third start this season.

Tranquill finished the game with a team-high eight tackles, including five on the first defensive drive where he played a large contribution in holding the Jaguars to less than 100 rushing yards.

The run defense department had been shaky for the Chargers over the past few years and he has certainly helped with shoring that up, posting four tackles for loss. But his previous safety skills show in pass coverage, where he’s held his own against running backs and tight ends.

There’s no doubt that Tranquill has shown that he’s capable of managing the full load as the team’s starting middle linebacker role, which is why it could make out to be something to watch for this offseason.

Denzel Perryman, who signed a two-year contract extension this past offseason, could be a candidate to be cut in favor of Tranquill. The team has a lot of key players to re-sign and releasing him would free up some cap space to do so.

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