Chargers News: Raiders Pundit Ranks LA's Linebacker Corps Near Bottom of AFC West
As things stand, the NFL season is right around the corner.
Yes, it's still July, but preseason games begin in just a few short weeks. The Los Angeles Chargers will take the field on August 12 against the Los Angeles Rams to open up the ramp-up for the regular season.
Teams around the league are ramping up training camp, and there are many interesting storylines around the NFL.
Along with that are previews of how teams will fare in the 2023 season, and Levi Damien of Raiders Wire took a look at each of the linebacker corps in the AFC West.
Damien ranked the Chargers linebacker duo of Kenneth Murray and Eric Kendricks at No. 3 in the AFC West and here's what he had to say about the Bolts.
The Chargers signed veteran Eric Kendricks to team up with former first round pick Kenneth Murray. Kendricks may have just turned 31, but he put up 137 tackles last season with eight for a loss, so he’s showing little signs of slowing down. If he does, the Chargers selected Daiyan Henley in the third round to be the next man up.
That slot may be a little low, but it's fair at this juncture.
Murray has been somewhat inconsistent over his career, and the success of the Chargers linebackers will ride on the newly-signed Kendricks, who inked a two-year, $13 million deal this offseason.
Kendricks is certainly capable of playing at an All-Pro level, but the fact that he's 31 years old brings somewhat of a wait-and-see approach with him. Ultimately though, Kendricks contract could prove to be one of the steals of the offseason if he's able to perform like one of the better linebackers in the league.
Murray still has a lot of potential, but after a great rookie season in 2020, it's been downhill sense. If Murray can return to being a dominant force again this year, that'll go a long way toward improving a much-maligned Chargers defense.
