The Good

There were a handful of young quarterbacks that were due big deals this offseason. One of those is the Chargers Justin Herbert. Herbert had his share of struggles in 2022 where he posted his lowest QBR of his career at 58.2. Despite that, he has shown time and again that he belongs as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today. The Chargers agreed and paid him a massive 5-year, $262.5 million contract extension right before training camp. With the contract out of the way, Herbert is poised to take another step forward in his young career.

One of the main reasons Herbert and the Chargers offense are in for a big year is new OC Kellen Moore. In somewhat of a surprising move, Moore decided to leave the Dallas Cowboys for the Chargers this offseason. Moore and the Cowboys offense had been one of the top offensive units in the NFL the last two seasons. He now comes over to a loaded Chargers offense full of weapons. If they can stay healthy I expect the Chargers to finish near the top in total offense for 2023.

The Bad

If you’re looking for a weakness on this Chargers team it’s on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary in particular has question marks beyond SS Derwin James Jr. At the FS position the Chargers will rely on Alohi Gilman who will need to take another step forward this year. Gilman has only nine total starts in his young three-year career. With not much depth behind him, I am not sure he is ready yet to be the full-time starter.

The Chargers also have to get better against the run for the defense to be successful. In 2022, the Chargers ranked 32nd in yards per rushing attempt at 5.42. They brought in LB Eric Kendricks for that reason as he should fit in well for the Chargers.

The Prediction

This is a big year for Chargers head coach Brandon Staley. In my mind, he will need to make the playoffs and at least win one game to be safe. I expect the Chargers to do that on their way to the AFC Championship game.

2023 Record: 11-6 (2nd in the Division)

The post Los Angeles Chargers Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

IDP scoring can vary greatly from league to league but for these rankings, we used the standard IDP format. Before you look at our top 50 IDP player rankings let’s point out some players to watch.

IDP Players to Watch

Bobby Okereke (New York Giants – LB) | The New York Giants had an impressive free agency period and they topped it off with the signing of Bobby Okereke. The former Indianapolis Colts linebacker finished 2022 with 151 combined tackles including 6 TFLs. Expect similar numbers from Okereke next season along with an uptick in sacks.

Tremaine Edmunds (Chicago Bears – LB) | Another new face in a new place, Tremaine Edmunds was one of the best defensive players available this offseason. He ended up signing on with the Chicago Bears and should immediately elevate their defense. Edmunds had 102 combined tackles, 6 TFLs and 1 sack for the Bills last season in only 13 games. If Edmunds can stay healthy for the Bears, he could end up finishing in the top 10 overall.

Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers – S) | Derwin James has been one of the best defensive players in the league since he was drafted by the Chargers. When healthy, the star safety stuffs the stat sheet and can be seen making plays all over the field. He finished 2022 with 115 combined tackles, 2 INTs and 4 sacks. If James can play in all 17 games expect another big output from him.

The post 2023 IDP Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

After missing almost all of the last two years due to injury, the highly anticipated return of Derwin James is finally here ahead of the 2021 NFL season. He will now be entering his fourth season in the league, but unfortunately, he has only been able to play one full season so far. On the positive side, that one season was enough to cement himself as one of the top defensive players in the league. His elite versatility and unique skill set make him the most indispensable defensive back in the entire NFL.

Rookie Season

After being selected 17th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Chargers, the 6’2 and 215-pound safety out of Florida State made an immediate impact. He quickly became not only one of the top rookies in his class, but one of the top defensive backs in the league. In fact, a strong case can be made that he is the best safety in the NFL. He filled the stat sheet for the defense of the Chargers and contributed in a wide variety of ways. He accounted for 105 tackles, 3 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, and 13 passes defended.

His efforts earned him a selection as a first-team All-Pro. Additionally, he received consideration for both Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and was on the very shortlist of candidates for both awards. This was obviously an amazing season for James and the fact that it was his rookie season made it even more exciting. Expectations of the potential player he could turn into officially went through the roof, as they should.

Next Two Years

Unfortunately, James missed the majority of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season due to injury. He was greatly missed by the Chargers for many reasons. Just as important as his contributions statistically and his ability to allow for a ton of creativity in defensive schemes, is his presence and leadership on the field. Along with Joey Bosa, James is the heart of their defense.

James is a player that the organization not only believes in but trusts as well. They want him to be a big part of the future of the Chargers. This was demonstrated in this past NFL Draft where James actually had a big influence on their selection. He told the team that he wanted them to draft CB Asante Samuel, also a Florida State Seminole like James, and they did exactly that.

2021 Season Outlook

Derwin James is finally healthy again and ready to get back on the field. As long as he can avoid another injury, he should once again have a monster season and get back to being the superstar he was back in 2018. He is still only 24 years old so there is no reason to believe that he can’t. The oddsmakers are very optimistic about his upcoming season as well because he is a top 8 betting favorite according to Draft Kings Sportsbook for both Comeback Player of the Year as well as Defensive Player of the Year.

His rookie season demonstrated that he is capable of doing it all defensively. His big frame makes him useful in the box for run support and his athleticism allows for him to be effective on the blitz as well. His physicality makes him great at jamming receivers at the line while his quickness allows him to be successful in man coverage. He is just as good matching up with tight ends as he is receivers. He has elite range and even better intelligence, which makes him one of the best in the league as a ball-hawking center fielder as well.

His unique skillset and rare versatility make him a truly one-of-a-kind player. He is an absolute luxury for the Chargers defense. Nobody is capable of doing what he does at the level he does it on, and that makes him the most indispensable defensive back in the NFL. Watch out for Derwin James.

The post Why Derwin James is the most indispensable defensive back in the NFL appeared first on Pro Football Mania.