LA Chargers: One breakout player from each AFC West foe to worry about

Las Vegas Raiders’ breakout player that the LA Chargers must worry about: DE Clelin Ferrell

Notice the trend yet? All three of the potential breakout players that we have highlighted are players entering their second season. Typically, that is when an early-round pick really starts to blossom and really makes it or breaks it. Clelin Ferrell is going to sway more towards the latter.

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I am not completely bought in on Ferrell taking a massive leap and being a Pro Bowl pass-rusher in his second season but it certainly is possible. There are just so many talented edge rushers in the league that it would take a massive leap for Ferrell to be in that discussion.

However, he did show some promising signs last season and the Raiders are really going to emphasize on putting him in positions to succeed as they did seemingly reach a bit to draft him fourth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ferrell had 4.5 sacks last season in the 15 games that he played and added eight tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits. It was not a spectacular rookie season, as he was a bit inconsistent, but it was a solid one.

His best game, ironically, came against the LA Chargers. Ferrell recorded 2.5 of his 4.5 sacks against the Chargers in Week 10 and added another against the Bolts in Week 15. Four of his eight quarterback hits on the season were also against the Chargers.

The Chargers’ offensive line has gotten better and the promising thing is that Ferrell typically lines up on the left side of the defensive line, matching him up against Bryan Bulaga instead of Trey Pipkins.

However, with Ferrell making an overall leap next season, I would not be shocked if the Raiders move him to Pipkins’ side of the line just to get that pass-rushing advantage.

The Chargers’ offensive line is better, but it is not perfect and someone like Ferrell can swing the entire game.