Manti Te'o puts Chargers' Denzel Perryman amongst NFL's top 10 linebackers

Do the Los Angeles Chargers have a top 10 linebacker on their defense?

The majority of the league's analysts may say no, but there's one former player who says there is. Manti Te'o, the Chargers' former second-round pick from 2013, believes Denzel Perryman is among the league's best at the linebacker position.

Te'o played four seasons for the Chargers, totaling 221 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions. He'd spend the next three years in New Orleans, then a brief stint in Chicago before announcing his retirement. Te'o played the linebacker position himself, so he had strong feelings when he put together his top 10 rankings.

Te'o placed Perryman at No.9 on his list.

"My Chargers teammate for two seasons (2015 and '16), Perryman has an uncanny ability to sit while the ball is snapped, then shoot out of a cannon and meet the ball in the backfield. I don't think it's a coincidence that Ray Lewis played the same way; both enjoyed decorated college careers at Miami. Perryman is entering his 11th NFL season and has been an underrated player for much of his career, partially due to a lengthy injury history. In his healthiest season in 2021, he logged 154 tackles and made the Pro Bowl with the Raiders. When his body's right, Perryman is a reliable, hard-nosed, hard-hitting defender."

Perryman played solid last season for the Bolts when he was healthy. He had 55 tackles, one sack and two tackles for a loss in 11 games. If Perryman can remain healthy in 2025, the Chargers' defense could skyrocket.

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