In theory, new Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary has all the tools he needs to maintain the dominance the unit found under Jesse Minter the past two seasons.
While there's some room for uncertainty in the overhaul of the defensive line, the secondary and the linebacker corps remain much the same. Derwin James Jr. is still one of the top safeties in the league, and Los Angeles certainly has the talent to maintain their zone-heavy, nickel approach, with some tweaks from O'Leary.
But heading into training camp, O'Leary will have some work to do among the off-ball linebackers. Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman are still the established starters. But beyond that, he will need to sort out the hierarchy of rotational contributors, identifying his cornerstones and leaning on them as the team attempts to solidify the middle of their defense.
Troy Dye is entering the final season of the two-year, $5.5 million contract he signed last offseason. Since his arrival in Los Angeles, he's turned himself from a special teams contributor into a real defensive weapon.
In 2026, the Chargers will need to lean on him even more heavily, and this upcoming campaign could easily represent the most important of his career.
Troy Dye has a major role to play for the Chargers in 2026
Dye, after being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, spent the first fours seasons of his career primarily with the special teams unit. He never played more 30% of the defensive snaps during the time he was in Minnesota, and that number dropped as low as 3% during his third NFL season.
But the Chargers have turned him into something greater. He's still maintained his heavy special-teams presence in Los Angeles, but he's also carved out a role as the bona fide third off-ball linebacker behind Perryman and Henley. In 2025, Dye played 49% of the team's defensive snaps (a career-high), posting 58 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, and a QB hit.
He's not necessarily the strongest in coverage, but he is a staunch run defender— something Los Angeles will desperately need to utilize this season.
The run defense as a whole was solid last season, but they had some moments the team would like to forget— such as their Week 5 performance against the Washington Commanders and their Week 11 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dye doesn't have the blitzing, downhill upside that Henley does, nor does he provide the veteran experience of Perryman. But with uncertainty looming over the Chargers' ILB room, he will only increase in importance in 2026.
Perryman could very well be entering the final season of his career. Henley is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Although the Chargers are almost certain to extend Henley, there's definitely a degree of uncertainty there.
But beyond that, their depth is not rock solid either. Junior Colson missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, and it's unclear what exactly he can provide as he heads into his third NFL campaign. Both Marlowe Wax and Del'Shawn Phillips will be pushing to make the leap from special teams just as Dye has done, but there's no guarantee either becomes an impactful rotational linebacker this season.
Although Dye will be owed a base salary of just $2.15 million in 2026, he'll likely be relied upon as a load-bearing pillar for this defense when he's swapped in for either Henley or Perryman.
If he can continue to improve as a tackler— he posted a missed-tackle rate of 20% last season, per Pro Football Focus— and flash more of his athleticism in coverage, Los Angeles could have a sneaky breakout candidate on their hands. At the very least, they have more than Dye's slim salary might indicate.
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