The LA Chargers have dealt with more injuries than any team in the league this season and have had to bring in an assortment of players throughout the year to fill in the gaps. To say that this was not the kind of year Chargers fans were expecting would be an understatement.
Perhaps the most impactful injury that the Bolts have dealt with this season is Joey Bosa's torn groin. Bosa has not played since Week 3 and with no updates on his return timeframe, it appears that the injury could keep him out longer than expected.
This has had a direct impact on the Chargers' defense this season. Los Angeles has been unable to get pressure on the quarterback consistently as teams have been able to hone in on Khalil Mack while the run defense has suffered as well. The Chargers have gotten next to nothing out of the other edge-rusher spot, which has been an issue.
Some teams don't have that issue at all and actually have a surplus of edge rushers. One of those teams is the Dallas Cowboys, who waived 2017 third-round pick Tarell Basham on Tuesday. With all things considered, this is a no-brainer waiver pickup for the Chargers to make.
36 total pressures with 4 sacks and 7 hits in 2021 when he had a larger role.
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) November 29, 2022
Tom, PLEASE. https://t.co/8HIcXSFb8e
Tarell Basham would produce the jolt that the Chargers need on the defensive line.
Kyle Van Noy and Chris Rumph simply have not been very good this season and Tarell Basham could provide a spark to this defense that neither guy is currently providing. While he is not going to completely change this defense, bringing him in could be a great hold-over option until Joey Bosa gets healthy.
Not only that, but it would give the team a better veteran rotation option than it currently has. Basham has shown flashes of being really productive in the league and certainly would add more on the edge than Van Noy at the least.
This would also allow the Chargers to play Van Noy more at middle linebacker, which is something they did before Bosa got hurt. According to Pro Football Focus, Van Noy played 57 snaps in the box in the first three games of the season. Since then, he has played a total of 14 snaps in the box with almost all of his snaps coming on the defensive line.
Van Noy is far from a perfect option to play at middle linebacker but with Kenneth Murray's immense struggles this season, it would give the Chargers a better option in pass coverage that can take some pressure off of the young linebacker. It would be the best way to maximize the talent the Chargers have on the roster.
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But with how this team has operated this season, it seems unlikely that they would bring in Basham regardless of how much sense it makes on paper. Hopefully, the Bolts snap that trend and make a slam-dunk waiver claim.