LA Chargers: 4 defensive free agents that could still help the team

Tashaun Gipson, S

As mentioned earlier, the LA Chargers value versatility on the defensive side of the football. The team valued it before Brandon Staley and with Staley now at the helm, you could make the case that it is valued even more.

The Chargers also need to add to the safety position. While it is getting slightly overlooked because of the need at cornerback, safety is really thin for the Bolts heading into the 2021 season.

The team’s best safety, Derwin James, did not play at all last season and is injury-prone. There is no guarantee that he is the same guy in 2021 that he was in 2018, or that he will even play. Nasir Adderley is projected to be the team’s starting free safety and while he is still young with potential, he has been awful thus far in his career.

Then there is Alohi Gilman, a second-year safety who did not play much last season and quite frankly, is not that special.

The team should draft a safety but they could also bring in a free agent as well; enter Tashaun Gipson. The former Pro Bowler can play either safety position for the Bolts and fits the versatility billing that would allow Staley to line up him all over the field.

Gipson is an average to slightly above-average defensive player at this point in his career but his versatility increases his worth tenfold. Last season Gipson played 545 snaps at free safety, 426 snaps in the box and 117 at slot corner.

He had an overall PFF defensive grade of 72.0 last season. The best grade in the Chargers’ secondary last season was Rayshawn Jenkins with a 68.9.