Are there concerns regarding Jesse Minter’s Chargers defensive unit?

In 2022, the Los Angeles Chargers earned a wild card playoff berth under head coach Brandon Staley. The team headed to Jacksonville for a first-round encounter with the AFC champions. The Bolts squandered a 27-0 second-quarter lead on the way to a humbling 31-30 setback.

Brandon Staley’s team appeared to carry that losing feeling into 2023. A humiliating 63-21 Thursday night loss to the Raiders at Las Vegas dropped the Bolts to 5-9, and subsequently the organization immediately dropped Staley. The Chargers finished dead last in the AFC West with a 5-12 record. This offseason, the franchise brought aboard one-time 49ers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh, known for his many reclamation project in both the NFL and college football.

The sideline leader of the 2023 National Champion Michigan Wolverines assembled a staff with a lot of familiar names. He brought aboard Jesse Minter, Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator for the previous two seasons with the Wolverines.

The Chargers got off to a strong start on this side of the ball, and when it was all said and done allowed a league-low 301 points. It was a first for the franchise dating back to the merger. In fact, the last time the club gave up the fewest points in a season in pro football was during their days in the AFL in 1961.

While it was quite a turnaround for a team that was ranked 28th in the NFL in total defense in 2023, it’s hard to ignore that this looked like a different unit the second half of 2024.

Keep in mind that the clubs gave up only 118 points and 12 offensive touchdowns in its 6-3 start. However, that turned into became 183 points and 19 offensive touchdowns allowed by the Bolts in their final eight outings (5-3). After allowing only one of its first nine opponents to reach the 20 points, Harbaugh’s club gave up 27-plus points in half of their last eight regular-season contests.

The disastrous 32-12 wild card loss at Houston was marred by quarterback Justin Herbert’s four interceptions. However, Minter’s defensive unit gave up only two offensive touchdowns, but allowed 429 yards of total offense, including 168 on the ground.

It’s safe to say that Harbaugh and Minter have some tweaking to do this offseason. One step would be making sure that the team makes sure tone-setting pass-rusher Khalil Mack, who can become a free agent in mid-March, is back in the fold.

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