Tag: Chargers secondary

Nasir Adderley making strides towards big season for Chargers

Nasir Adderley will play an integral role in a loaded Chargers defense.

There was the sense that safety Nasir Adderley was going to make a leap in Brandon Staley’s scheme when he took the Chargers’ head coach position.

Adderley, the 2019 second-round pick, did just that.

After having his rookie season hampered by an injury and experiencing highs and lows under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in his sophomore season, Adderley finally came into his own in Year 3.

Utilized as a deep safety, in the slot, and in the box, Adderley made plays in coverage and showed improvement as a tackler in open space, something he struggled with early on in his career.

Adderley played with more aggressiveness, the athleticism to match skill players, and the ability to anticipate well and trust his diagnosis skills to put himself in a position to make plays.

“You’re able to look at the quarterback’s tendencies,” Adderley said on Staley’s scheme. “You’re able to look at where the receivers align and the down-and-distances and all of that. When you’re not thinking about what you have to do, you’re able to look at a lot more.

As a result, Adderley set career-highs in tackles (99), tackles for loss (3), passes defended (5), and forced fumbles (1).

While he was around the football a lot in coverage and had opportunities for a few interceptions, Adderley did not produce a single takeaway. For reference, he had 11 interceptions in his college career at Delaware.

Adderley has two picks at training camp. While Derwin James has sat out since the start of camp amid contract extension negotiations, Adderley has been the standout of the safety group.

“He’s earning it in camp here,” Staley said of Adderley. “He’s really flashing in the run game and in the pass game. Little things — command before the ball is snapped, helping his teammates out.”

Entering his fourth season, Adderley will play an integral role in a loaded secondary next to James, which features All-Pro J.C. Jackson and second-year Asante Samuel Jr.

With a revamped front that is bound to cause consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, an advanced understanding of the scheme, and his unique skillset, Adderley’s ball production should increase.

Projecting Chargers’ secondary depth chart in 2022

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers secondary will look like in the 2022 season.

Football has returned, and the Chargers officially kick off training camp with high expectations and new faces.

A revamped secondary loaded with star power starters is sure to be watched closely, along with the depth waiting in the wings behind them.

Here is how I expect the defensive back room to shake up when the Chargers head into Week 1 against the Raiders

Cornerbacks

J.C. Jackson

The $82.5 million free agency splurge. Jackson was brought to Los Angeles to erase No. 1 targets and frustrate quarterbacks into throwing interceptions. He is one of the NFL’s best cover men and will face no shortage of tests in 2022.

Asante Samuel Jr.

After many draft analysts pegged the former Florida State Seminole as a slot-exclusive player, the Chargers demonstrated their faith in the second-round choice by trusting him on the outside. Samuel is technically sound, sticky to his opponent’s hips, and multitasks with confidence. His ascension opposite Jackon will be exciting to watch

Bryce Callahan

Staley praised the former Denver Bronco slot agent’s movement skills, long speed, and lower body strength this offseason. Callahan is a capable defender against the more agile inside weapons, and he’s a great fit for Staley’s defensive philosophy that values athleticism over size.

Michael Davis

Last year’s CB1 finds himself as a rotational player heading into this season, but Davis offers the Chargers vital flexibility. If the offense’s top target shifts to the slot for a play, Davis suit up at the outside spot and allow Samuel to move inside. Davis had his share of ups and downs in 2021, but he knows the defensive system and offers 4.34 speed with plenty of length at 6-foot-2.

Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor didn’t capture national attention during the draft process, but the sixth-round selection is versatile, fast, and brings a studious mentality to the game. Taylor tracks the ball well and responds to every detail revealed by the offense. He’ll back up Callahan in the slot and contribute as a returner on special teams.

Deane Leonard

Leonard will compete with Teavaughn Campbell, Kemon Hall, and Mark Webb Jr. for the final spot in the defensive back room. He’s only a rookie still learning the system, but his quickness, ball skills, and strong OTA performance give him the best shot to make the team. 

Safeties

Derwin James

James rebounded with a strong 2021 campaign after missing eleven games the previous season. He’s the perfect blend of physicality, range, coverage ability, and instincts. Rumblings around the league suggest he’s primed for a massive payday before the start of the season.

Nasir Adderley

Adderley lined up with James for a full season and the results were catastrophic for offenses. Staley will alternate James and Adderley over the top and down in the box, using them both as chess pieces to add strength against the pass and patch up necessary gaps facing the run. Adderley puts down ball carriers hard and has only scraped the surface of his opportunistic abilities.

J.T. Woods

Woods played the ultimate centerfielder role for Baylor and racked up so many interceptions the coaching staff started calling him ‘The Heartbreak Kid.’ He’s also got 4.3 speed (notice a trend?) to provide swift help to the team’s cornerbacks when needed. Woods and his eye for turnovers in the deep half should lead to more freedom for James and Adderley.

Alohi Gilman

Gilman will compete with Woods for two-deep duties behind Woods and Adderley. He contributed 37 tackles and an interception to the unit last season. Both Adderley and James have missed the majority of a season at one point in their careers, so having extra depth at the position is a good idea.

What addition of Bryce Callahan means for Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr.

The Chargers have plenty of options in the secondary.

It’s never too early for Brandon Staley to start tinkering with his defense.

That includes these summer days leading up to training camp, and the Chargers’ head handyman was already in his toolbox adjusting the roles and designations of his secondary.

The first-team defense operated out of the nickel package during the 11-on-11 period during Tuesday’s minicamp session, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. However, the setup looked a bit different from last season.

Star-studded free-agent acquisition J.C. Jackson manned one of the outside corner spots, while second year rising talent Asante Samuel Jr. was his wingman on the opposite side. Bryce Callahan, who joined the team in the offseason after a three-year stint with the Broncos, suited up as the slot defender.

That left Michael Davis, one of the team’s primary outside cornerbacks in 2021, on the sidelines while the first team practiced. Early observation would imply Davis is now the fourth cornerback on the roster and will be rotated in when needed, and that Callahan is the top candidate for slot duties.

Staley likes what he sees from Callahan so far. He praised Callahan’s quick thinking and ability to react with anticipation, as well as his vision for developments in the offense. Discussing Callahan’s fit in the nickel, Staley was thorough in his explanation of how the cornerback’s skills are a match for his system.

“He’s got a unique combination of quickness and then strength in his lower body,” Staley told the media on Tuesday. “He’s not a small guy that gets pushed around because he’s got strong lowers. But he’s also got long speed, which is rare. You have some nickels that are quick. They have quickness, but they don’t have deep speed. Bryce has quickness and deep speed, and he has good ball skills. So, you put all that together, and he’s got good toughness and he’s a good tackler, underrated blitzer, and I think if you look at his production since he’s come into the league, it’s reflective of those qualities.”

The addition of Callahan accomplishes two things. For starters, Callahan’s strengths complement Staley’s defensive philosophy and allow the defense to remain agile and explosive whenever the nickel package is required.

Secondly, Callahan playing the slot maximizes the amount of time Samuel will be on the field. While Samuel is seeing slot reps and spent time at the position as a rookie, the Chargers value his fluidity and ball skills at the outside spot more. With Callahan defending the slot receiver, Samuel can remain in coverage against the X or Y threats.

Furthermore, if Samuel adjusts well to a full-time outside corner spot, it allows other secondary playmakers like Derwin James and Nasir Adderley to make an impact elsewhere on the field.

Jackson earned his lockdown stripes during his time in New England. It’s likely the Chargers will trust him with a healthy amount of one-on-one matchups. It wouldn’t be surprising if it was in the details of his $82.5 million contract.

However, if Samuel gains the same confidence, it will give Staley more schematic freedom to cleverly craft the pass rush and further confuse offenses.

Chargers’ lack of depth in secondary exploited vs. Vikings

The Vikings had success in the passing game against the Chargers.

Brandon Staley’s defense is predicated on eliminating the deep passing game. However, that was far from the case in the Chargers’ loss to the Vikings last Sunday.

It did not take Kirk Cousins that long to diagnose the mismatch between Tevaughn Campbell and Justin Jefferson quickly.

With Campbell lined up against Jefferson for the majority of the afternoon, Cousins went to the wideout early and often. He finished with nine catches on 11 targets for 143 yards.

Campbell got the start in place of Michael Davis, who was out for the second straight week with a hamstring injury.

Not only that, but another reason for Jefferson’s field day was because Los Angeles was missing Nasir Adderley, who was out with an ankle issue.

In Adderley’s absence, Alohi Gilman and Trey Marshall split playing time. Marshall did an adequate job while Gilman had his struggles.

In the first half, the Chargers held their own, largely thanks to the pass rush between Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu. The Vikings converted just one of their six third downs through the first two quarters.

That quickly fell apart as the Bolts returned to the field, as they allowed 4-of-6 conversions on third down in the second half.

One of the two stops was on 3rd-and-20 on the final drive, but the 18-yard completion to Adam Thielen put Dalvin Cook in a perfect position to close out the game.

Asante Samuel Jr. returned to the action after missing last weekend’s game due to a concussion. Samuel was solid, allowing just 60 yards on the day. Chris Harris Jr. also had himself a good game after struggling in weeks prior.

But Cousins’ success with Jefferson primarily and in crucial situations speaks to the Chargers’ lack of depth and overall experience in the starting role in the secondary.

Chargers’ Nasir Adderley excited to showcase abilities in new defense

Chargers safety Nasir Adderley is primed for a breakout season.

Since being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, Chargers safety Nasir Adderley has failed to live up to expectations.

Adderley struggled last season after missing a good chunk of his rookie campaign with an injury. While he flashed in spurts, he was inconsistent in the single-high role in Gus Bradley’s scheme.

In Year 3, Adderley is in a prime position to make a jump since he will be playing for head coach Brandon Staley, who’s proven at getting the most out of his defensive backs.

Staley does this is by playing them in various roles, which is what Adderley is capable of, having not only played safety but cornerback at a high level in college at Delaware.

Therefore, Adderley’s skillset and mentality will be tailored to by allowing him to be around the ball more and play more aggressively, where he will line up in the slot (Star) and hybrid safety-linebacker (Money) on top of patrolling the deep parts of the field.

“It’s exciting,” Adderley said. “I’m gonna be playing a little bit more roles and moving around the field. I feel like it really showcases my abilities. I’m really excited, I’m just making sure I’m locked in and doing whatever I can to help our team.”

Not only will the position flexibility benefit Adderley, his coaches have had plenty of success with other players at the position.

Under Staley’s watch, he helped Rams’ John Johnson turn into one of the team’s top defensive play-makers en route to earning a big contract with the Browns, and last year’s sixth-round pick, Jordan Fuller, into a solid starter in his rookie season.

On the other hand, Broncos’ Justin Simmons developed into a second-team All-Pro player in 2019 and a Pro Bowl selection in ’20 and Kareem Jackson was a dominant force in the back end under the guidance of defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill.

If Adderley takes the leap, he and Derwin James could easily be one of the top safety duos in this league, and this defense could be lockdown.

“He’s taken the extra steps to become a leader on the back end. We’re going to demand a lot from him,” Hill said.

Chargers training camp: CB Asante Samuel Jr. starting to stand out

The Chargers second round pick has back-to-back solid outings.

As the Chargers are in the midst of situating the secondary, big contributions have started to be made by rookie Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel, the team’s second round pick, began training camp working with the second and third team as an outside cornerback, but the past couple of days has seen him with the first team in the slot.

The former Florida State product’s performances have been compiled of multiple passes defensed and an almost interception that would have been taken back to the house.

While the majority of his work has come inside up to this point, the plan is for Samuel to have the versatility to play on the outside and slot, similar to how head coach Brandon Staley used Rams’ Troy Hill last season.

Samuel has the ability to thrive in multiple looks, which Staley loves to deploy. He’s comfortable in various coverage schemes and can make plays on the ball from any alignment.

“He’s going to play outside plenty whether we’re in four DBs or five or six,” Staley said. “But we’re trying to cross-train him inside so that you’re putting your best combination out there. The fact that ‘Sant has that type of skill set just increases our ability to flexible, multiple.”

Situating the Chargers secondary: Brandon Facyson sees field as starting outside cornerback

Brandon Facyson has the early advantage over Asante Samuel Jr.

The Chargers drafted Asante Samuel Jr. in the second-round, but that doesn’t mean the rookie will be without competition.

Entering Year 4, Brandon Facyson will be pushing Samuel for the starting boundary corner opposite Michael Davis when the team deploys a dime or nickel look, which is the majority of the time in Brandon Staley’s defense.

Through one day of practice, Facyson has the early advantage, as he was manning the outside with the first team when Chris Harris Jr. was in the slot.

This alignment mirrors the one all throughout minicamp and OTAs.  Throughout the spring, the coaches had high praise for Facyson.

Up to this point in his career, Facyson has primarily been used as a reserve corner and primary special teamer, only making four starts in 44 games.

While his professional resume is limited, the coaching staff is appealed by Facyson’s athleticism, measurements and experience in a variety of techniques and coverages and in run support, and they believe his game can be maximized in the new system.

As for Samuel, he has only been a pro for a few months and he is still getting acclimated to the transition from the college level.

There are 16 practices and a three-game preseason slate left, so it’s anyone’s spot to win still. But in the early going, the staff appears to favoring Facyson’s potential in that role.

3 position groups where Chargers should improve in 2021

Three specific position groups for the Chargers have their arrows pointing upwards heading into the 2021 season.

The Chargers addressed a variety of position groups via free agency and the draft, but there were a few whose arrow pointed upwards based on the additions and some of the players that will be returning in 2021.

With that being said, let’s take a look at three units that should see the most improvement in comparison to last season.

Offensive line

The offensive line ranked near the bottom in the NFL last season and a great amount of their success lies in the hands of quarterback Justin Herbert, which is why general manager Tom Telesco made the point to build it from the ground up.

It first started with hiring with offensive line coaches, Frank Smith and Shaun Sarrett. Smith worked with  the likes Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs and Carl Nicks, all of whom were named to the Pro Bowl during his time with the Saints while Sarrett spent eight years with the Steelers.

In free agency, Corey Linsley was the biggest splash signing as he is one of the best centers in the league. Guards Matt Feiler and Oday Aboushi have proven themselves for their previous teams. Bryan Bulaga, who is coming off an injury riddled season, is back to man the right tackle position.

In the draft, first-round pick Rashawn Slater was one of the event’s biggest steals, solidifying Herbert’s blindside protection. Fifth-round pick Brenden Jaimes is an enticing depth piece who will likely kick inside, but he has versatility to protect the edges in a pinch.

Secondary

The Chargers’ secondary had high expectations entering the 2020 season. But with Derwin James being ruled out injured before Week 1, Desmond King being traded away a few games into the year, Chris Harris Jr. being limited to just over half the season, and Casey Hayward having arguably one of the worst seasons of his career, those expectations weren’t quite met.

This season, however, should be completely different. Under head coach Brandon Staley and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill, who are two of the best in this league at getting the most out of their defensive backs, the unit has the opportunity to be a solid group altogether.

Michael Davis is ascending into one of the better boundary corners. The usage of Nasir Adderley’s versatility should see him finally come into his own. Rookie Asante Samuel Jr. was one of the nation’s top corners. Mark Webb is an intriguing piece with potential to play a role in Year 1. Harris Jr. is familiar with the defense. James is back and eager to regain his All-Pro status.

Health is key, considering the safety group is top heavy, with the depth being slim. But should they stay injury-free, the sky is the limit.

Special teams

A few of the Chargers’ games from last season were lost due to the poor special teams department. The first step to fixing the unit was hiring Derius Swinton II as the new coordinator.

Swinton has 13 years as a special teams coach under his belt. He previously served as the Cardinals’ assistant special teams coach. Swinton has worked as the 49ers’ special teams coordinator in addition to coaching with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs and Rams.

The team brought in experienced special teams players via free agency and the draft to give Swinton to work with, including two new kickers to compete with Michael Badgley, with those being Tristan Vizcaino and Alex Kessman.

In addition, proven coverage players were added like veterans Ryan Smith and Kyler Fackrell and the majority of their rookies have experience to aide in that department.

Chargers CB Chris Harris Jr. values familiarity with defensive system

Chargers cornerback Chris Harris Jr. expressed his excitement to be playing in a system he’s familiar with.

This won’t be the first time that cornerback Chris Harris Jr. has been on the same team as Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

Harris spent nine seasons with the Broncos, which included one with Staley (2019), who was then Denver’s outside linebackers coach.

His lone stint with Staley was also the only year that Vic Fangio coached Harris. This is significant because Staley’s scheme is going to draw some similarities to Fangio’s, so Harris already has a leg up.

“This year, I feel very comfortable [being in a system I’m familiar with]. I’m able to be that extra quarterback back there for these guys because they’re still learning the system, so it’s good to have me back there to be able to speed up their thinking and to help them out.”

In Staley’s defense, Harris, who has been practicing at multiple spots, will be tasked with playing his natural position inside the slot, near the boundary and dimebacker.

Harris will have more man coverage responsibilities, which is what he’s more comfortable with as opposed to heavy dosages of zone with former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley last season.

Harris said that Staley’s scheme is “night and day” and the “complete opposite” of Bradley’s scheme.

Chargers CB Desmond King ruled out vs. Broncos

Chargers cornerback Desmond King has been viewed as a possible trade option.

The Chargers added cornerback Desmond King to the injury report, ruling him out ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.

The reason for King being ruled out is not injury related.

This wouldn’t be King’s first rodeo being ruled out for non-injury related reasons. The same incident occurred in Week 15 of the 2019 season.

King has served as the team’s starting slot corner ever since Chris Harris Jr. was placed on the injured reserve. Since then, he has produced a mixed bag of results. While he’s been strong in the run game, he has been inconsistent in coverage.

King is in the final year of his contract and has been tabbed as a potential trade candidate. With the trade deadline being on Nov. 3, there’s some reason to be believe that he could be out the door prior to.

With King out tomorrow, the team could use the defensive backs in a variety of ways to fill his void. But the most realistic option is starting Tevaughn Campbell inside.

We will update once we find out why King was ruled out for tomorrow’s contest.