The LA Chargers added the best cornerback on the market this offseason by signing J.C. Jackson to a five-year deal. With Jackson comes the true CB1 that the Chargers were lacking last season as Brandon Staley gets a blue-chipper to put in the secondary, make plays and force takeaways, which is something the Chargers have struggled to do in recent years.
This move seemingly allowed Michael Davis to slide back to being the CB2, which is a far more comfortable role for the former undrafted free agent. Davis took a step up in 2020 and showed signs of being a CB1 but he struggled in Staley's scheme last season, perhaps showing that the jump to CB1 was too much for him.
However, the Bolts may not even view Davis as a quality CB2 option for the defense next season, either. Appearing on the NFL Stock Exchange podcast, Daniel Popper of The Athletic said that he does not believe the Chargers are very high on Davis anymore, suggesting that he is currently the CB3 on the roster and could have to fight for playing time if the Bolts draft a corner at 17.
Popper's full comments on Michael Davis (he took Trent McDuffie for the Chargers in the NFL Stock Exchange's mock draft): https://t.co/HPCdSKnaRt pic.twitter.com/ecvkjlccb7
— Bolt Beat (@BB_Chargers) April 12, 2022
This is significant news as it could be signaling the Chargers' intent to take a cornerback over other positions of need in the 2022 NFL Draft. This becomes even more interesting after Staley seemed to plant the seeds of interest in LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Granted, Stingley would have to fall quite a few spots in the draft to fall to the Bolts at 17.
The LA Chargers would be much better with Michael Davis as the CB4 than the CB2.
While Michael Davis is making much more than a CB4 should make, the Chargers should simply bite the bullet if it comes to it and turn him into a depth corner. He would still have a role on this defense as Staley's defense thrives with deep, versatile secondaries where he can play mostly nickel and dime and not load up the box.
If Davis had the versatility to play inside then that could be a good fit for him but Asante Samuel Jr. is going to spearhead that role in 2022. Davis could provide depth there in key situations, but Samuel should get the bulk of the playing time.
Davis is actually more exciting as a depth piece that the team brings in on passing downs when it brings on extra defensive backs. While his ball skills and coverage ability struggle at times, Davis is arguably the most physically gifted corner the Chargers have. Not every corner in the league can run a 4.3 40-yard dash while being six-foot-two.
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Playing him in a smaller role could allow him to capitalize on his athleticism more, turning him into more of a playmaker on the ball than someone who is tasked with covering the other team's best receiver. Ironically, we might see a better Michael Davis with a demotion in the cornerback room.