Chargers News: Returning Bolt Overjoyed for Homecoming, Praises Harbaugh's 'Structure'

The once-and-current Bolt is looking forward to his Chargers return.

Los Angeles Chargers middle linebacker Denzel Perryman (52), center, is congratulated after forcing a fumble of Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) (not pictured) in the fourth quarter during a Week 1 NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals lost 16-13. Los Angeles Chargers At Cincinnati Bengals Sept 13 | Kareem Elgazzar via Imagn Content

Veteran middle linebacker Denzel Perryman is returning to the fold for the Los Angeles Chargers this season on a one-year, $2.3 million contract with the Bolts (including a $500K signing bonus).

Perryman, now 31, was selected by the then-San Diego Chargers with the No. 48 pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He departed for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, and was named to his lone Pro Bowl team that season. He lingered with Vegas for another season, before hopping over to the Houston Texans in 2023.

Per Omar Navarro of Chargers.com, Perryman is relishing the opportunity to return to the powder blue.

"It feels good to be back, back where it all started," Perryman said. "Like I'm back home."

"Obviously, there's a lot of different faces in the locker room, some familiar faces," Perryman continued. "Even in the building, there's new faces, familiar faces. It just feels good."

Perryman praised new head coach Jim Harbaugh's immediate impact on the team's locker room. He came up while being coached by Mike McCoy and Anthony Lynn.

"Different faces in here. Obviously, it's a whole different structure that Coach Harbaugh got going on," Perryman noted. "I don't know what the structure was last year or previous years before that, but I like the structure he has, the way he goes about directing the team. I love it."

L.A. linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman, excited to add Perryman as a free agent this offseason, explained what he sees in the vet.

"I've been watching Denzel for a long time, and he plays the right way," Bowman said. "When I knew that he was out there, I wanted to get him."

"No matter what was wrong with him, I just know that the way he's going to come in and work, come in and set the example like Daiyan [Henley], like Junior [Colson]," Bowman said. "He's a 10-year vet and still he's doing the things that a lot of 10-year guys I played with wouldn't do. He's approaching it the right way and we're glad to have him."

Perryman's role with the club is as yet undetermined, Navarro notes.

"Whatever they want me," Perryman said jokingly. "I'll be the placekicker if they ask me to."

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