After coordinating the league’s number one defense with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, Head Coach Brandon Staley will now look to carry over some of that success with the crosstown Los Angeles Chargers. While the Bolts defense struggled a bit giving up the 10th most points per game last season, they will look to bounce back with the return of All-Pro safety Derwin James, former pro bowler Chris Harris Jr. and the addition of rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. who showed a lot of promise in the preseason.
There is good reason for optimism for the Bolts this season, but here are a few of the things to keep an eye on this year:
How will the new look defense look without longtime Chargers Melvin Ingram and Casey Hayward?
For the past five and eight years respectively Hayward and Ingram were cornerstones of the Bolts defense. With Hayward now a Raider and Ingram a Steeler, that leaves room for other talent on the defense to make an impact. Though Joey Bosa is established as one of the best and most feared pass rushers and will most likely serve as a leader along with Derwin James and Linval Joseph who look to anchor the middle, where will the pass rush come from outside of Bosa?
During the 2020 campaign, linebacker Uchenna Nwosu was the team’s second-best pass rusher with 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss and will most likely be heavily relied on to take some pressure off Bosa and make life tougher for opposing quarterbacks.
There are a lot of questions that will need to be answered during the season in the front seven. However, the Bolts secondary who was hurt by injuries last season look poised to take a step forward. In a division with the Chiefs and Raiders both of which have big arm quarterbacks who are looking to throw the ball downfield, their secondary will likely be tested. How they respond to those tests will likely shape the image of their defense and have a direct impact on their success this season.
Can Justin Herbert take the next step?
After winning NFL Rookie of the Year, breaking the rookie touchdown record and being named a team captain for 2021 there is little question that Herbert is the solution at quarterback for the Bolts. However, in order to make a run at the playoffs Herbert will need to continue to take strides in his game. Part of his progression will just be accumulating experience and having the game slow down for him more than it has to this point.
The Bolts front office has done their part by solidifying their offensive line to protect their franchise signal caller giving him time to scan the field and be comfortable in the pocket. They used their first-round pick on left tackle Rashawn Slater and signed center Corey Linsley in the off-season.
With the weapons they currently have at the skill positions in wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, tight end Jared Cook and running back Austin Ekeler the Bolts look to be explosive offensively. Barring injuries and regression, I can legit see Herbert as a dark horse MVP candidate if all goes well with this unit.
Can Austin Ekeler bounce back from his hamstring injury?
Hamstring injuries are tricky for explosive twitchy athletes such as Ekeler and there is legitimate reason for concern with Ekeler currently battling another hamstring injury in the same leg. As of today, he is listed as questionable for the season opener against the Washington Football Team. But my concerns go deeper than just week one, like I said before with hamstring as well as groin injuries, one quick or explosive move can reaggravate the injury or make it worse than before putting the Bolts offense in a tough situation.
With Ekeler battling these issues, luckily the Bolts will be getting Justin Jackson back who served as a solid complimentary option to Ekeler and former Charger back Melvin Gordon in 2019. With that being the case there should be no rush to get Ekeler back too early until he is fully ready to go.
What is going to happen with wide receiver Mike Williams after this season?
Former Clemson star and number seven overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft Mike Williams is entering the final year on his rookie contract. While he has been a solid number two behind Keenan Allen, he is yet to pop like he was expected to early in his career. In his four years with the Bolts so far, he has only amassed one 1,000-yard season and 17 career touchdowns. At the pace he is currently on I doubt there is a lot of certainty about Williams’ future in LA. While his production may not be where it was expected on draft day, he still possesses a lot of talent and can be a solid red zone option. So more than likely this season will influence whether the Bolts front office will keep him around or let him walk via free agency.
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