LA Chargers: 3 options to replace Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator

3. Thad Bogardus

Pictured above is current Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Brandon Staley, not Thad Bogardus. We had no usable pictures of Bogardus, so we used a picture of the man that he is connected to and may lead to him getting a coordinator job, either with the Rams or elsewhere.

The LA Chargers are actually interviewing Staley, who took over the Rams’ defense this year and made it the best in the league, for their head coaching vacancy. If the Bolts were to hire Staley then I doubt they would bring in a defensive coordinator, although they could bring Bogardus over for another role.

Bogardus has a very similar background to Staley. He first broke into the league with the Buffalo Bills in 2014 as a defensive quality control coach before spending two seasons with the Broncos (where Staley coached before the Rams) as an intern and defensive assistant.

The Rams then hired him in 2017 to be the defensive quality control coach. He held that post for two years before becoming the assistant defensive line coach.

I think it is more likely that the LA Chargers bring in an offensive-minded head coach to work with Justin Herbert, but what if they are bringing Staley in for an interview to get some intel on Bogardus? They both have been a part of two really good defenses in Denver and Los Angeles and perhaps the Chargers could look to mimic the Rams’ fantastic hire.

He is very young but that has become the new normal in the NFL. Brady is only 31 and we all know about the Sean McVay effect with coaching hires. I would not be surprised if the LA Chargers considered Bogardus as the defensive coordinator.