The Chargers bolstered their defense with multiple additions throughout the offseason.
Adding Pro Bowlers up front and in the secondary could help the Bolts go a long way, and one writer thinks there will be a major shift on this side of the ball.
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently compiled his list of potential surprises for each team entering the season, opining that the Chargers could "have a top three defense" by the end of 2022.
He wrote:
There's a lot of hype around Justin Herbert and the offense, and for good reason. It has a chance to be as good as any in the league. But don't overlook the other side of the ball, where the Chargers boast legitimate superstars up front (Joey Bosa) and on the back end (Derwin James, Jr.).
With the offseason additions of Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson and more to a defense that already has elite talent, the Chargers have the pieces to be one of the best in the league.
Specifically when it comes to James, Graziano knows that he can elevate their level even higher.
He wrote:
When James is healthy, he is the difference-maker for L.A. on defense, and the contract the Chargers just gave him speaks to their faith in his ability to stay on the field moving forward.
The Chargers have never had a player win the Defensive Player of the Year Award (although Mack won the award himself back in 2016). But if the Bolts do end up having one of the best defenses in football, Graziano thinks both James and Bosa could be in the running for the award by the end of the year.
Don't be surprised if James and Bosa both get DPOY votes as this group becomes one of the very best in the NFL.
Graziano's full list of potential surprises for each team can be found here.
