The Chargers looked like they were going to be a playoff team in 2021. The team had an 8-5 record through 13 games and was armed with one of the best offenses in the league.
Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler formed a quartet of excellent offensive weapons. Add in the fearless play-calling of coach Brandon Staley, and it seemed like the Chargers were a threat to score on every possession.
However, the Chargers weren't able to make the playoffs last season. They faltered in the final month of the season, losing three of their last four games, and that was largely thanks to some issues they had on defense.
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Los Angeles' defense wasn't bad in 2021, but it had its share of warts. During the final four games of the season, the Chargers allowed at least 34 points in three of their outings and surrendered an average of 30.75 points per game. That included them allowing 41 points to the lowly Texans in Week 16.
The Chargers knew they had to do something to upgrade their stop unit, and they did. General manager Tom Telesco spent plenty of resources on that side of the ball to ensure that Los Angeles won't have as many issues as it did try to stop teams in 2021. That will give them a well-rounded team given their explosive offense.
How did the Chargers upgrade their defense? Below is a breakdown of the major moves they used to give themselves a chance to compete for the AFC West title.
Khalil Mack trade creates terrifying tandem with Joey Bosa
The Chargers wanted to add a fearsome complement to go with Joey Bosa on their defense. So, on March 16, 2022, Los Angeles sent a 2022 second-round pick that became Jaquan Brisker and a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Bears in exchange for Khalil Mack.
Mission accomplished.
Mack was coming off a year during which he played a career-low seven games but still logged six sacks. The Bears needed to clear his cap number from the books, so they moved on from the 31-year-old. That should benefit the Chargers greatly.
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Mack was a stud in his first game in Los Angeles. He recorded three sacks against a helpless Raiders offensive line, but he actually thought he should have been better during the contest.
"It wasn’t good enough," Mack said after the Chargers win, per the Associated Press. "I left a lot of stuff out there and I have to get it corrected."
Mack may feel that way, but it was clear that his presence had an impact on Los Angeles' defense. He opened up a lot of lanes for his teammates, including Bosa. Bosa's presence does the same for Mack, but it's their communication that could be a real asset for the Chargers.
"It’s great to talk ball on the sideline and just communicate about what we get and what each offensive tackle is giving us," Mack explained. "So to bounce ideas off each other throughout the game is good."
It's early, but the Chargers paid relatively little to get Mack and are already getting massive production out of him. That move could be the one that takes their defense to the next level.
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J.C. Jackson signing gives Chargers a true No. 1 cornerback
The Chargers have had strong cornerback play in recent years, but they were lighter at the position in 2021 after Casey Hayward joined the Raiders. As such, the team needed to add more to the position in 2022, especially with Chris Harris set to be a 33-year-old free agent.
Signing Jackson was a great move to shore up that position. The New England ballhawk known as "Mr. Interception" was available in free agency, and Los Angeles signed him to a five-year deal worth $82.5 million to be the team's top cornerback.
Jackson has logged a whopping 25 interceptions during his four-year NFL career. That includes 17 over the last two seasons. He made the All-Pro second team in 2021 and led the NFL in pass defenses with 23.
The Chargers had just 11 total interceptions last season. That was tied for the eighth-fewest in the NFL. Jackson had eight by himself, so Los Angeles will have far more splash play upside on defense with him in tow.
Jackson could be the final puzzle piece n the Chargers' secondary. He will allow Michael Davis and Asante Samuel to slide into the more natural No. 2 cornerback spot and provide the team with great depth on the outside.
So, between Jackson's coverage ability and Mack's pass-rushing skills, it will be much harder to throw against the Chargers than it was in 2021.
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Other notable Chargers defensive signings
Mack and Jackson represented the star power acquired by the Chargers during the offseason. However, they added plenty of other key role players that will bolster their stop unit and provide the team with plenty of depth — something they didn't have last season.
Below is a breakdown of each move and how it helped the Chargers.
DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
The Chargers were gashed by Rex Burkhead in their Week 16 defeat at the hands of the Texans. Burkhead ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, and in that moment, it became clear that Los Angeles needed to add some run stuffers to their defensive line.
Joseph-Day qualifies. He's a 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle and has consistently ranked as a solid run stopper, per Pro Football Focus. He had 22 stops in 2021 and 33 in 2020, so he should be able to help the Chargers contain the run better this year than they did last year.
Joseph-Day came over from the Rams, so he has experience working with Staley. That should make his transition as a key role player relatively smooth.
DT Austin Johnson
Johnson was brought in for the same reason as Joseph-Day. He's big (6-4, 314 pounds) and will be a strong run defender for the Chargers.
Johnson is coming off a season that saw him make 72 combined tackles and register 3.5 sacks. Both are career highs. He should do better with the Chargers than he did with the Chargers considering the talent surrounding him.
In Week 1, Johnson made one tackle and generate one pressure while playing just over 50 percent of the defensive snaps. He graded out as PFF's 19th-best defensive lineman out of 123 in that contest, so his impact went beyond the box score stats.
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CB Bryce Callahan
Jackson wasn't the only corner the Chargers added to the fold. They also brought in Callahan, who was once one of the better slot cornerbacks in the NFL.
Callahan has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, as he had only started 16 games since 2019 entering 2022. However, he looked good in the slot for Los Angeles in Week 1, as he made five tackles and logged an interception and two pass defenses during the contest. Both of the latter numbers are tied for the NFL lead after one week.
It's unclear whether Callahan will continue to start in the slot when Jackson returns from injury, but either way, he has helped shore up the depth in Los Angeles' cornerback room. They now have four players capable of starting, so they can mix and match depending on the matchups they like.
OLB Kyle Van Noy
Since his first full season with the Patriots in 2017, Van Noy has averaged 56 tackles, six sacks, five pass defenses and two forced fumbles per 17 games played. He is a do-it-all linebacker who can play both inside and outside in the Chargers' 3-4 linebacker corps.
The Chargers didn't sign Van Noy until after the draft, but he should be a versatile defensive super-sub for the team. He rotated in at middle linebacker for 20 snaps and rush linebacker for seven snaps in his team debut. He was a great late signing and should be able to continue producing, especially if the Chargers keep him fresh in an off-the-bench role.
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DE Morgan Fox
Fox checks a couple of boxes that other players on this list do. Like Joseph-Day, he has experience in Staley's defense, as he spent the first four years of his career with the Rams. And like Van Noy, he can rush the passer and had a six-sack season in 2020.
In his debut with the Chargers, Fox logged half of a sack while playing just under 50 percent of the snaps. He will be a key backup on the edge and his primary responsibility will be helping to keep Bosa and Mack fresh.
LB Troy Reeder
Reeder is a great depth addition for the Chargers. They needed some more experience at middle linebacker that they can rotate in the middle, and Reed averaged 86 tackles per year for the Rams over the last two seasons.
The funny thing is that Reeder didn't even play on defense in the Chargers' first game of 2022. He instead played exclusively on special teams, where he is an ace. He will play a valuable role there while adding depth and experience to a Chargers linebacker corps that was shaky last year.
