Tag: denzel perryman

Projecting the Chargers’ linebacker depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers linebacker room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge rusher

Interior defensive line

Next, I project what the linebacker room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Denzel Perryman

The Chargers needed a veteran presence in the linebacker room, so they signed Perryman. Perryman donned the powder blue and gold for the first six seasons of his career before playing with the Panthers, Raiders, and Texans. He has dealt with injuries throughout his NFL career, but when he is on the field, he provides the defense with a physical and hard-hitting presence when coming downhill.

Junior Colson

Jim Harbaugh got his guy in the third round of the draft. Colson was one of the leaders of Michigan’s defense last season. Now, given his talent and familiarity with Jesse Minter’s defense, he is expected to be the starting Mike linebacker. Colson is a rangy and explosive linebacker whose coverage skills are high-quality NFL traits. He has the speed to stay in phase with tight ends and running backs and is also effective in the run game.

Daiyan Henley

Henley was selected in the third round of last year’s draft. During his rookie campaign, Henley was primarily a special teamer. Heading into Year 2, he should push for playing time, as he offers reliability in coverage, something that Perryman isn’t equipped to do. The team likely envisions Henley starting alongside Colson.

Nick Niemann

While serving as a core special teamer, Niemann had the opportunity to start three games last season when former Chargers Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray were injured. He finished the year with 40 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a fumble recovery. Niemann will make his money on special teams this season and can start in a pinch.

Troy Dye

Dye, a fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, spent the past four seasons with the Vikings. Dye reunites with Ryan Ficken, who was Minnesota’s assistant special teams coach (2020) and special teams coordinator (2021). With the Chargers, Dye will provide a special teams ace and depth at linebacker following the departures of Amen Ogbongbemiga and Tanner Muse.

Chargers LB Denzel Perryman had the perfect Hollywood comparison for Jim Harbaugh

Honestly, we see it.

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman has a pretty great comparison for his new coach, Jim Harbaugh.

As Harbaugh makes his return to the NFL in Los Angeles, Perryman says his coach reminds him of one of the funniest people in Hollywood.

Per the NFL, Perryman says Harbaugh reminds him of none other than Will Ferrell.

“My first impression of Harbaugh… he reminds me of Will Ferrell,” Perryman reportedly said about the new Chargers coach.

Honestly, we can kind of see it. If they ever make a movie about Harbaugh one day, casting directors might want to look to the Elf star as a possible candidate.

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NaVorro Bowman on Chargers’ linebacker room: ‘There’s no weak point in our room, everyone is hungry’

NaVorro Bowman spoke to the media for the first time.

Linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman spoke to the media for the first time at OTAs on Monday. First, he spoke about what attracted him to the Chargers’ job.

[Head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh. I mean, I loved playing for him when I was in San Fran. We all were sad when he left. I took a hiatus and took five years away from football. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I didn’t want to jump back into it so fast, so I went to the college level. We had some showings in San Fran where Jim showed up. I would throw it across his ear and see what he says. He was like, ‘Yeah.’ No hesitation. I got myself prepared and started in that year-and-a-half at Maryland, just started really understanding the coaching side and being prepared for when the opportunity presented itself. I’m just blessed, man. Blessed to be here. Blessed for him to believe in me to do this job. I’m attacking it like I should.

Bowman expanded upon his profound respect for Jim Harbaugh and their relationship dating back to the San Francisco days:

I left it all out there on the field for him. Just his pre-game speeches and how he prepared us throughout the week, you just knew who you were coming to work for. Being able to understand his message and get his nod, his approval on how I played, it’s my job to get guys to play that way and do the things that he expects us to do — or the players to do, I should say. I think I’m going to that. I think I fit right in. The guys just enjoy everything that we have going on right now.

The new Chargers’ linebackers coach also spoke extensively about rookie Junior Colson and how he’s fit into the team up to this point:

Let me tell you about Junior (Colson), okay? We’re in meetings and he’s answering every single question. We knew that when we drafted him that he’s going to be familiar with the defense. Just to have a young guy speak so confidently and see the heights that the other young guys can reach, he’s there to settle them down and really say, ‘Hey, Coach is talking fast, but it’s just this.’ Just to have a guy like that who understands the scheme and just really needs to learn how to be a pro — I think that’s where I come in. Just teach them how to be a pro. Teaching him certain things that he can do in certain defensive calls. When you can kind of take a gamble here and there and just off the field. Understanding your body has to last you 17 weeks in the regular season and so forth in the playoffs. Just getting him used to playing so many games, meeting so much and doing the little things. Not assuming that you have it already because you were in the system, but doing the extra work. I think that’s going to be the evolution of his game — learning how to be a pro.

Bowman would go on to say he thinks it’s too early to tell if Colson would be getting the green dot at some point. However, he did say that the rookie obviously has a “step forward” in learning the scheme,

Bowman also had high praise for Denzel Perryman in his return to the Chargers, mentioning that he “plays the right way”. He also noted that he’s set an example for Daiyan Henley and Colson.

He’s a 10-year vet and he’s doing the things that a lot of 10-year guys that I played with wouldn’t do. He’s approaching it the right way and we’re glad to have him.

Denzel Perryman on return to Chargers: ‘Like I’m back home’

Denzel Perryman speaks on his return to the Chargers and NaVorro Bowman talks about the impact he’s made already.

The powder blue is not unfamiliar to linebacker Denzel Perryman since he spent his first six seasons with the Chargers. The veteran was drafted by the Bolts in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. 

“It feels good to be back, back where it all started,” Perryman said. “Like I’m back home.”

“Obviously, there’s a lot of different faces in the locker room, some familiar faces,” he added. “Even in the building, there’s new faces, familiar faces. It just feels good.”

Perryman’s return to the Chargers will definitely be memorable with the electric additions since he last donned the powder blue. With head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm, Perryman has spent the offseason getting to know all the new faces. 

“Different faces in here. Obviously, it’s a whole different structure that Coach Harbaugh got going on,” Perryman said. “I don’t know what the structure was last year or previous years before that, but I like the structure he has, the way he goes about directing the team. I love it.”

One of the newest additions to the coaching staff, linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman, kept a close eye on Perryman throughout free agency. 

“I’ve been watching Denzel for a long time, and he plays the right way,” Bowman said about Perryman. “When I knew that he was out there, I wanted to get him.”

As a veteran, Perryman is a player who can make an impact on and off the field. He can help the team by playing at a high level and the young linebackers, including rookie Junior Colson, can glean from his knowledge and experience. 

“He’s a 10-year vet, and still, he’s doing the things that a lot of 10-year guys I played with wouldn’t do,” Bowman said. He’s approaching it the right way and we’re glad to have him.”

Perryman has no specific role yet, However, he is willing to contribute to the team in any way he can. 

“Whatever they want me,” Perryman said jokingly. “I’ll be the placekicker if they ask me to.”

Perryman’s unselfish attitude is a reflection of the culture Harbaugh is trying to build in Los Angeles. The season can’t come soon enough to see Perryman and the rest of the Bolts in action.

Chargers sign LB Denzel Perryman

The Chargers are bringing back a familiar face.

The Chargers signed linebacker Denzel Perryman, the team announced on Monday.

Perryman, 31, spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Chargers. In 69 total games (51 starts), he amassed 349 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, five sacks, eight quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

During the 2021 offseason, Perryman was signed by the Panthers before being traded to the Raiders a few months later. He had the best season of his career, racking up 154 tackles, and was voted to his first Pro Bowl.

After two seasons with Las Vegas, Perryman was signed by the Texans last offseason. In 13 games, Perryman recorded 76 tackles, six tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and three passes defensed.

Perryman has been hit with injuries throughout his lengthy NFL career. But when he is on the field, he provides the defense with a physical and hard-hitting presence when coming downhill.

What the Chargers can do with their cap space after roster moves

The Chargers currently sit at about $28 million in salary cap space.

The Chargers currently sit at about $28 million in salary cap space. Some of that will be saved for draft pick allocation in addition to the contracts of LA’s recent free agent acquisitions that are not yet baked in. But, as a result of trading Keenan Allen, Joe Hortiz and company have some avenues towards becoming active in the second wave of free agency.

One position the Chargers should be aggressive in acquiring prior to the draft is center. Corey Linsley’s likely retirement has left a hole that is currently filled by Brenden Jaimes. Bradley Bozeman, amongst other potential options, would make a lot of sense given his history. He also doesn’t factor into the comp pick formula because he was cut by Carolina.

Signings like Bozeman’s are what I imagine being the strategy for other positions as well. One-year deals with a positive upside that builds depth so the team isn’t quite as pigeonholed in the draft seems like the way to go.

With Josh Palmer currently the #1 wideout on the depth chart, wide receiver is another position where the Chargers should arguably make an investment post-Allen trade. The market is a bit dry given that the Allen trade happened nearly a week into the tampering/free agency window. Options like Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyler Boyd are projected to get $7-8 million in AAV on shorter-term deals via PFF’s projections. Other less expensive veteran wideouts like Josh Reynolds and Marquez Valdes-Scantling could also be in play.

However, Hortiz did mention the depth of this receiver class before in his media availability at the combine. Considering how deep it is thought to be, there could be an argument for LA to take multiple wideouts as opposed to using the free-agent market.

At linebacker, the team looks to fortify starter, depth, and special teams talent with the signing of Troy Dye and Denzel Perryman. Other depth linebackers could still be appealing as LA explores their options. Zach Cunningham and Isaiah Simmons could play well in coverage with a Jesse Minter scheme.

Another position the Chargers don’t seem set on entering the draft is cornerback. Vet options like Stephon Gilmore and Steven Nelson are still waiting in the second wave of free agency. Cheaper options like Rock Ya-Sin or even a reunion with Michael Davis could also make sense. The Chargers shouldn’t go into the draft with Asante Samuel Jr. being the only starter-level worthy cornerback on the roster.

In any event, the goal for positions like center, wide receiver, linebacker, and cornerback on the roster right now should be getting playable talent for draft leverage. You’re not going to fill every hole in free agency and it’s still a tall task to do it in the draft, even with the newly added fourth-round pick. Giving the roster some breathing room at key spots should be the goal to give LA more flexibility in April.

6 worst free-agent signings in Panthers franchise history

The Panthers have made a few costly blunders in their history on the free-agent market.

We’re getting closer and closer to the first round of free agency under the Dan Morgan and Dave Canales regime. But let’s hope they don’t make anything close to the mistakes you’re about to see.

Here are the six worst free-agent signings in Carolina Panthers franchise history:

22 former Panthers on this year’s Divisional Round rosters

Here are 22 names from this weekend’s Divisional Round action that Panthers fans may recognize

While the Carolina Panthers are busy trying to find a new power duo, quite a few of their former players are right in the middle of playoff action.

Here are 22 ex-Panthers who are gearing up for this year’s Divisional Round games:

AFC Divisional Round picks: Who the experts are taking in Ravens vs. Texans

The NFL experts have made their picks, and the Baltimore Ravens are favored to defeat the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round

We’re a little over 30 hours away from the Ravens (13-4) and Texans (11-7) kicking off the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on ESPN.

Houston advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff win earned the Texans a rematch against the Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

With kickoff fast approaching, here’s the NFL expert picks.

Ravens divisional round preview: 10 things to know about the Houston Texans

We’re looking at ten things to know about the Houston Texans ahead of their AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Baltimore Ravens

The Texans advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff success earned Houston a rematch against the Baltimore Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

The Texans are a different team since that humble welcome to the NFL moment for C.J. Stroud, and all the former Ohio State star has done is shatter records and lead his team to the postseason as a rookie.

With final preparations for Saturday’s kickoff underway, we’re looking at ten things about the Houston Texans.