Getty Former Las Vegas Raiders LB Denzel Perryman.
Since the hiring of head coach Jim Harbaugh, it’s been a tough offseason for the Los Angeles Chargers. Trapped in a tough salary cap situation, the team had to move on from star wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
While they’ve been moving on from fan favorite, they were able to bring one back. Linebacker Denzel Perryman is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers, per a March 17 X post from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Reunion: The #Chargers are expected to sign their former 2nd round pick and veteran LB Denzel Perryman to a 1-year deal, source said. Was in San Diego and LA from 2015-2020, now is back.
Quick photoshop 👇👇👇
Perryman spent last season with the Houston Texans after two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He had a career year with the Raiders in 2021 where he had 154 combined tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl. He also played in 15 games that year, which was the most he’s played in a season, while also being named a team captain.
Perryman is a tenacious tackler and team leader but injuries have held him back from being one of the better linebackers in the NFL. He’s never been able to play a full season and missed five games in each of the last two seasons. At 31, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to stay healthier but the Chargers need cheap options on defense. Perryman spent the first six years of career with the Chargers and can be an impact player for them if he’s able to stay healthy.
Are Las Vegas Raiders Set at LB?
There hasn’t been much noise about the Raiders adding a linebacker this offseason. Robert Spillane was a revelation for the team last season and could be in line for a contract extension. He finished the year with a team-leading 148 combined tackles while also notching 3.5 sacks and three interceptions. He’s entrenched as the starting middle linebacker going forward.
Divine Deablo also had a strong season and finished the year with 106 combined tackles. He didn’t make as many plays as Spillane but is a solid running mate. Now, the depth is a bit questionable. Luke Masterson and Amari Burney are still under contract but neither have shown that they can make plays. The Raiders could look to add a linebacker with some upside in the draft but it doesn’t seem like they’ll take any swings at the position in free agency.
Head coach Antonio Pierce is a former linebacker and used to coach linebackers for the Raiders so he understands the position well. He must be confident in what Spillane and Deablo can do going forward. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham runs a lot of sets with just two linebackers on the field so the team doesn’t need a ton of them on the roster.
Las Vegas Raiders 2nd Best Team in AFC West?
The Raiders finished with the second-best record in the AFC West last season and with the moves that the Chargers and Denver Broncos have made this offseason, it’s possible they will maintain that position. While the Chargers upgraded at head coach, they’ve lost key playmakers on offense.
Their defense is also heavily reliant on two aging pass rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. It still feels like they’re a year away before they can compete. The Broncos have been bad for years and just took on an $85 million dead cap hit after cutting Russell Wilson. They’re going to need a year or two before they can be taken seriously again. Things are set up nicely for the Raiders to have a strong year in the AFC West.