The LA Chargers were very aggressive this offseason as the team is looking to capitalize on the Super Bowl window that exists with Justin Herbert under center. The weakness last season was the defense, which was not going to fly for a second season in a row with Brandon Staley calling the shots.
Staley and the front office rebuilt the defense to make it more in line with what he wants to do on that side of the football. The result is not only a more talented group of guys on the defensive side but a group of guys that should have a better identity.
Staley had to work hard to accomplish this as last year's Chargers were far from what he needed to succeed as a head coach on defense. It is a shame, too, because there are a few recent former Chargers who would have been perfect with Staley, they just missed the boat.
3 recent former Chargers who would have been perfect under Brandon Staley:
1. Desmond King
This one is a bit tricky, as Desmond King the player would have been absolutely perfect on the LA Chargers. While he had his flaws at times as a slot corner, we all saw how high his ceiling was both on defense and special teams and there is no doubt that Brandon Staley would have maximized that if he was the head coach.
That being said, there seemed to be some contention later in King's tenure with the Charger that ultimately resulted in him being traded. Staley has stressed the importance of getting selfless guys on the roster that buy into the singular vision. Tom Telesco has been good at not adding any potential character distractions to the roster as well.
That being said, if Staley was the head coach King would have gotten more playing time as he would have been utilized properly, so that contention may not have ever happened. That very well could have been an Anthony Lynn/Gus Bradley thing, not a Desmond King thing.
2. Adrian Phillips
This one still hurts. If there is one decision that Tom Telesco could go back and change it might very well be this one. Adrian Phillips was undoubtedly an impactful player with the LA Chargers yet the team let him walk away on a cheap deal to the New England Patriots. $3 million is all it cost to steal Phillips away from the Bolts.
Charger fans are now hoping that they are not saying the same thing about Kyzir White as well. White is coming off a contract year and he too signed a deal worth $3 million with the Philadelphia Eagles. If he follows in Phillips' footsteps then he will continue to be great with his new team.
Philips was a versatile piece of the secondary that could do a litany of things on the defensive side of the ball while also being an impactful player on special teams as well. He is exactly the kind of player that Bill Belichick loves and that has shined through in New England. He is also exactly the kind of player that Brandon Staley loves.
Staley loves cover cornerbacks and Phillips is someone who could have lined up in the slot, out wide or even at safety for the Bolts. Staley is all about matchups and maximizing the outlook on defense and Phillips would be perfect in accomplishing that vision in LA.
It is a shame that the Chargers couldn't simply hold onto Phillips because it would have been really exciting to see what Staley could have done with him in the powder blue.
3. Trevor Williams
This one might be a bit out of left field considering Trevor Williams is not in the league anymore. Williams has dealt with various injuries and has been handed multiple stints on various practice squads but he has not played in an NFL game since the two games he played in 2020 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
It is a shame that Williams' NFL career did not last that long as he had a lot of potential with the Chargers. LA brought in Williams as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and he instantly made enough of an impact to carve out a spot in the roster.
Williams followed up a promising rookie season with a really productive second season in 2017. He was an important part of the secondary and was making his mark in the league. He dealt with injuries and only played nine games the following season but was still solid when he was on the field for the Bolts.
Williams would not have been a standout star corner for the Chargers with Brandon Staley as the head coach but he would have given the team legitimate depth that Staley could utilize. Even with the additions this offseason, cornerback is still a bit thin and having the 2017 version of Williams would be exactly what the Chargers need.
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Williams had moderate speed and good enough ball skills to make a difference on passes in the air. He is the definition of a cover corner and he was already refining some of the greener areas of the game. Just imagine if Staley got his hands on him.