The Bolts have beefed up their linebacker room of late with the additions of Troy Dye and Denzel Perryman.
Dye, a 2020 fourth-round pick by the Vikings, signed with the Chargers on Monday.
Perryman, a familiar face as a Bolts 2015 second-round pick, inked his deal on Tuesday.
Here's what each player brings to the Chargers defense:
Troy Dye
Dye was swayed by a pair of connections to the Bolts coaching staff.
The first was to Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh.
"The new coaching staff and the new opportunity that presents itself to play linebacker again is a main reason why I came out here," Dye said. "Definitely love Coach Harbaugh. He recruited me coming out of high school so we have a connection there.
"I love his passion and his love for the game," Dye added. "You want to play for guys who love and respect the game and he's one of those guys."
Dye, a California native, also knows Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken well from their time together in Minnesota.
"Coach Fick was one of the main guys who put me onto the Chargers," Dye said. "He called me and said they wanted me.
"I love coming back to Southern California," Dye continued. "I'm from Corona, so only 30 minutes down the road. It's amazing to be back in front of family and friends again.
"And Coach Fick, I love that guy and would run through a wall for him at any moment," Dye added.
Ficken knows Dye's special teams ability well.
In 2021, Ficken's lone year as Minnesota's special teams coordinator, Dye logged the second-most special teams snaps that season at 326.
But don't rule out a potential starting spot for Dye on defense, too.
With 2023 starters Kenneth Murray, Jr. and Eric Kendricks no longer on the roster, there are two open spots that need to be filled.
Daiyan Henley and Nick Niemann are certainly candidates for those roles, as is Dye, who said Monday that he looks forward to competing for a starting spot under new linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman.
"I think with the tools we have here with the Chargers and Coach Bowman, it will be great to pick his brain and learn from him," Dye said. "I do think I'm a starter in this league.
"I just have to put in the right work and prove that to not only myself but the coaching staff and my teammates," Dye added. "I'm looking forward to it."
Denzel Perryman
Perryman is also in the mix to start, as he brings a wealth of experience back to the Bolts.
He has appeared in 108 career games (88 starts), with the majority of those games coming in a Chargers uniform.
Perryman on Tuesday said he's excited to be back in Southern California.
"Feel great," Perryman said. "I'm back home. Grateful for the opportunity to be back and can't wait to get out there with the guys."
And he still believes he has the ability to make an impact once again for the Bolts defense.
"They brought me back for a reason," Perryman said. "I'm here for a job. Whatever I can do to get the organization back on the rise."
Like Dye, Perryman also referenced Bowman as a reason he joined the Chargers.
"Coach Bowman, I actually used to watch him play," Perryman said. "He's a players' coach."
One thing is for sure, Perryman is going to help set the tone on defense with his energy and aggressiveness.
Perryman tallied an 82.0 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, a number that ranked 11th among all off-ball linebackers.
With both Perryman and Dye in the fold, the Bolts have replenished their linebacker depth and created a solid room ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
