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Why Joey Bosa is Rejuvenated Ahead of Year 9

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Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter, outside linebacker Joey Bosa and cornerback Asante Samuel, Jr. took the podium at The Bolt on Day 3 of Chargers Training Camp.

Below are three takeaways from their media availability Friday:

Bosa fired up for 2024 season

There's excitement in the buildup to every year — but veteran outside linebacker Joey Bosa has enjoyed what this offseason has brought to him and the Bolts.

The main thing, of course, bringing Head Coach Jim Harbaugh into the fold.

Bosa explained how great the start has been between Harbaugh and the staff, as he's looked "forward to going to meetings" to hear what the Head Coach has to say that particular day.

The track record speaks for itself, and the excitement has come with it.

"I'm super excited, every year I'm excited," Bosa said. "The beginning of every year there's a lot of hope and excitement going into each season. You never know how it's going to play out.

"When you get a guy like Coach Harbaugh, that has been there and won at a bunch of place, you know that he's not testing it out for the first time," Bosa continued. "He has a strategy that he knows that works and I think it's easy to buy in when you have a guy like that.

"Winning a National Championship, going to a Super Bowl, wherever he's been he's been really successful," Bosa added. "So to have a guy that comes in, lays the plan out for you and there's no guessing, it feels nice."

Bosa has spoken about how he feels heading into another training camp, adding how motivated and good he feels physically entering Year 9.

And the amount of knowledge in edge rusher room entering 2024 is one of the factors for it as well.

Not only does he have Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu in the same room, but the addition of Bud Dupree has also been big, adding another veteran mind in what's one of the most experienced groups on the team.

Things like that have made it easy for Bosa.

"It's easier when you have a great staff around you, you have a lot of great guys and give you that extra motivation to just not only perform well for yourself but also not let the man beside you down and perform well for them," Bosa said.

"I think we have a stacked room and we all complement each other well," Bosa later added. "I think Bud is a very different rusher than I am, I'm a different rusher than Khalil is, so we can all pick each others brains and learn things from each other."

It hasn't been an easy road the past couple of seasons for Bosa while dealing with injuries, but the veteran enters another season in the powder blue in a good spot.

And he's hoping he can remind the NFL the type of player he is.

"I'm pretty confident in myself that my best years are still ahead of me," Bosa said. "I think I still have a few more years of my physical prime left, so I think that combined with my experience and all the things I've been through, can really help me hopefully reach that next level.

Bosa later added: "I feel confident about how I'm feeling physically. I think I've been not forgotten, not around here, but maybe some people have forgotten the player I can be. I've always enjoyed proving people wrong, whoever that is. Obviously, that's not the main driver, but I have felt a bit more motivation this offseason to really get back and make a big impact."

Check out the best photos from the second day of Training Camp 2024 at The Bolt in El Segundo!

Henley showing growth

Daiyan Henley has gotten some major reps at linebacker up to this point.

The Bolts defense has trotted out veteran Denzel Perryman alongside the Chargers 2023 third-round pick in the middle of the defense so far in camp.

And without being able to see everyone at full speed, the second-year linebacker has made a big effort both on and off the field.

Minter spoke highly about the way Henley has approached the offseason and noted his excitement to be able to see him turn it up a notch Monday when the pads come on.

"He's a guy that athletically, talent-wise, feel like sky is the limit for him with his physical skillset," Minter said about Henley. "He can run with anybody, he can cover.

"I'm excited to see him with pads on, which I haven't had the opportunity to see yet," Minter added. "But I think he came a long way in the offseason being here and really diving in and learning."

Henley got some valuable snaps towards the end of last season, showing flashes even in limited playing time as a rookie.

The valuable snaps have kept coming throughout the spring, as he's been able to learn alongside a veteran like Perryman.

Perryman, a 10-year NFL vet, is the type of player Minter believes has a big impact on young players like Henley — and he's looking forward to seeing that development when the pads come on.

"I think any time you have guys that have just done it," Minter said. "They're veterans, they have a presence about them, they've been through some of the things you're going through, they're able to talk to you.

"And at the same time, I think he's going to be a good player for us too," Minter added. "Get to put him next to a veteran, vocal guy, a guy with a lot of leadership qualities and also a really good player. I think it'll only help Daiyan on as he keeps getting better."

Minter later added: "Once again, it's just allowed him to pick up at a fast pace, kind of going back through things for the third or fourth time as an install. Happy with where he's at and really looking forward to see him progressing at the rate he's at right now."

Bosa, Samuel have praise for Minter

Jesse Minter spent the past two years at Michigan but said Friday he the vibes are the exact same at The Bolt and in the NFL.

"Honestly, training camp right now feels about how training camp did last year with Jim Harbaugh and how he goes about building a team," Minter said. "There's nobody better. There's nobody better at building a team than Jim Harbaugh."

Minter, of course, had a hand in the Wolverines winning a national title with a defense that led the nation in both points allowed per game (10.4) and yards allowed per game (247.0) on the way to a perfect 15-0 season.

And he's no stranger to the NFL as he spent four seasons with Harbaugh's brother, John, in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020. Minter was a defensive assistant for the first three seasons before becoming their defensive backs coach in 2020.

Bosa and Asante Samuel, Jr. both complimented Minter on Friday for his approach and ability to connect with players.

"I think Coach Jesse is doing a great job explaining everything," Bosa said. "I think he's a really smart guy, he obviously has a really good plan in place.

"We'll obviously see how it plays out down the road. I'm really loving how everything is going so far," Bosa added. "I think the staff is just great."

Samuel said: "He's a smart guy. He listens to his players and listens to what we have to say. We're out there [on the field] so he wants to work with us. I'm still learning but he's a great coach."

Samuel recalled an anecdote where Minter asked some players how they'd play a certain coverage rather than just implementing his scheme.

We'll learn more about Minter's defense once the pads come on next week but the early returns on the 41-year-old coach have been solid.

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