Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Los Angeles Chargers have been winning with defense for the last couple of years. They ranked ninth in points allowed last year after coming in first in that category in 2024, and in particular, their pass rush attack has been pretty impressive.
They have two strong pass rushers in Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu, and in the secondary, Derwin James continues to be a stellar fixture at the safety position.
But the Chargers’ linebackers, particularly their interior linebackers, leave something to be desired. As a result, Pro Football Focus ranked their linebacker room as one of the worst in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus is bearish on the Chargers’ linebackers
PFF ranked the San Francisco 49ers’ linebacker unit as the best in football. That isn’t a huge surprise, considering that Fred Warner is arguably the league’s best Mike linebacker and Dre Greenlaw has been an excellent off-ball linebacker.
But the publication placed L.A.’s linebacker corps at No. 24.
“Denzel Perryman returned to the Chargers ahead of the 2024 season, but has compiled PFF grades below 63.0 in each of those two seasons,” wrote Gordon McGuinness. “Next to him, Daiyan Henley took a step back in 2025 with a 57.3 PFF grade after playing to a 69.5 grade in his second season in the NFL in 2024. If Henley can bounce back, then Los Angeles should outproduce this ranking. But if not, then the second level of the Chargers’ defense could give them serious problems.”
Henley logged 103 total tackles (54 solo), five tackles for loss, five passes defended and 3.5 sacks last season. But in 2024, he recorded 147 total tackles (84 solo), eight passes defended and seven tackles for loss.
Perryman, meanwhile, has been slowed by injuries the last few years. He had been named to the Pro Bowl in 2021 as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders the year after leaving L.A., but he hasn’t been able to return to that level of play since.
Overall, the Chargers are still a work in progress as they look to develop their young talent and give Harbaugh a team he could perhaps guide to the promised land. There is a bit of hope for linebacker Troy Dye, who started seven games in 2025 when Perryman was out of action due to an ankle injury and a two-game suspension.
Dye posted 58 total tackles (28 solo), five tackles for loss and four passes defended last year. When Perryman was injured early in the campaign, Dye was starting to become a tackling machine for a period of time.
