The Los Angeles Chargers defense is ready to dominate this season. The unit is returning most starters from last season, as they enter the second year under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. The Bolts have a solid mix of both younger players and veterans contributing on the defensive side of the ball. They were able to retain one of their most important veterans this offseason, as they agreed to a one-year deal with Khalil Mack.
Mack was one of the most sought out free agents in the pass rusher market, but the Chargers were able to bring him back for $18 million. Mack, the future Hall of Famer, has no plans on slowing down anytime soon. Mack had a quieter season in 2024, with six sacks compared to the 17 he put up in 2023. Still, the veteran has plenty left in the tank.
At Wednesday's practice, the Chargers' defense came away with two pick-sixes from Daiyan Henley and Tarheeb Still. They were overshadowed by Mack, who had a whopping four sacks, three of them coming consecutively during team drills.
Fellow veteran Derwin James also added to the defense's dominant day, forcing and recovering a fumble that could've been taken the other way for six. Minter has been extremely impressed with the Chargers' defensive stars.
"This group is a joy to go to work with every day. The drive to want to be good, the drive to want to be better than what we've been, the leadership that we have, the new guys coming in and really acclimating to how we practice, how hard we want to practice. We want to make it harder than the games, and how we run to the ball, how we attack things. The group overall has just been unbelievable."
If Mack and the rest of the Chargers defense can carry this to the regular season, good luck to opposing offenses trying to get past them.
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