In 2017, the Los Angeles Chargers hired Gus Bradley — architect of the legendary Legion of Boom in Seattle — as their defensive coordinator. The thought process behind the hire is, and was, that the Bolts would attempt to replicate the success Bradley had with the Seahawks; implementing a 4-3 cover 3-heavy defense that hinges on play from cerebral defensive backs.
For Bradley’s defense to play near the level it had been with the once-dynastic Seahawks, the Chargers must acquire the right talent; not just the coach. The safety position may be the most vital to that notion; his defense thrives with a prototypical box safety and a classic, rangy, free safety that can cover over the top.
In Seattle, Bradley had the luxury of coaching Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, each fit the respective prior noted builds — strong safety and free safety — to a tee and thrived. Between the two are ten Pro-Bowl nods, three first-team All-Pro appearances, and four second-team.
Los Angeles must've seen the prior success of Bradley’s stout defense and noted the importance of a proper free and box safety in a cover 3 defense. In the Chargers' two most recent draft classes, Bradley's former players Chancellor and Thomas were likely in mind. Derwin James, a box safety, is comparative to both, but more so the former. Nasir Adderley, a free safety, takes the latter.
James, the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2018 (No. 17), quickly stepped in and thrived in the “Chancellor” box safety role. The Florida State product — who most figured was a top 10 pick before the draft — instantaneously became a star in sunny SoCal. James earned a first-team All-Pro and Pro-Bowl nods and grades as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best safety in the NFL, as a rookie.
James quickly earned the starting strong safety position in Los Angeles, starting all 18 games of the 2018 season, including two in the postseason. He finished his first NFL campaign — including playoffs — with 119 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 13 pass deflections, and three interceptions. According to PFF, his 19 pressures and 40 defensive stops ranks second in the NFL for all safeties. His 88.3 overall grade was third among all rookie safeties since 2006.
Stats can tell the story of James well; his box score resembles a budding star, an elite strong safety, and an All-Pro worthy season. On the field, his play is eerily similar to Chancellor. Like the former Seahawk, he thrives playing near the line of scrimmage, either there for run support, blitzing, or bouncing around in flat zones.
It’s really easy to see why Derwin James was a first-team All-Pro selection as a rookie. pic.twitter.com/Nl2LFhXfDH
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) May 25, 2019
James — standing at 6-foot-2, 215-pounds — commands the field with an electrifying playstyle stemming on excellent instincts, sure tackling, expertise in coverage, and athleticism most pray for. Though he’s everything the Chargers hoped for as a strong safety, his game isn’t limited to a role near the line of scrimmage. James has no issue switching to a free safety role, swapping out astute short area zone abilities with sideline-to-sideline range and developed route-pattern recognition.
Despite his rookie status, James showed the Chargers what they knew when drafting him: they have a franchise cornerstone patrolling the backfield. Yet, their defense, and subsequently safety depth chart, appeared far from complete post-2018. The rookie's running mates, Jahleel Addae and Adrian Phillips, were solid, but neither provided Bradley with elite play over the top of the defense.
Per Sharp Football Stats, the Chargers allowed 589 yards, and three touchdowns to four interceptions in the deep middle field (15+ yards in the air). Not awful, but less than ideal numbers. The area of the field the Bolts had the most trouble defending was the deep right side. According to Sharp, they allowed a 121 passer rating to the deep right, and a nearly perfect 156 and three touchdowns on third-down.
Adding a legitimate compliment — as well as continuing the development of an impressive cornerback group — to James, in the mold of an atypical Bradley free safety should do wonders for the defense. In the offseason, the cap-strapped Chargers didn't get the actual Earl Thomas, although they drafted a player in a similar mold in Nasir Adderley.
A prospect hailing from a smaller school (Delaware), Adderley wasn't a highly touted player come draft time. While many in the scouting community placed a first-round grade on the safety, he slipped to No. 60; where the Chargers felt he couldn't stay on the board. Immediately, the pick earned recognition as a steal — Adderley, a natural free safety, projects a perfect fit for a defense needing just that.
Adderley has played every known position a defensive back can play, but it's obvious the Chargers view him as a free safety to pair with James. It's not too tough to see why. Measuring in at 6-foot, 206-pounds with a 4.54 second 40-time and 39-inch vertical in the books, the former Blue Hen checks the figurative measurables box off emphatically. But it's his tape that won draft pundits, and the Chargers, over.
FCS competition couldn't handle Adderley. He was utterly dominant. His 1.3 passer rating allowed in 2018, per PFF, isn't head-turning — if every pass is an incompletion, it would be a 39.6 — it's mind-boggling. Though he did play box safety, nickel corner, and outside corner from time-to-time, he's most comfortable playing in zone coverage as a roaming, center fielding safety.
Adderley is an explosive athlete with the speed, physicality, and a build to take advantage of it. Yet, he was a playmaker in Deleware not only because of his big hits and leaping interceptions, but because he could set himself up to make a play. He's a ballhawk; he can read and react to a quarterback and has the ball skills and athletic ability to halt a catch or steal one away.
#Delaware S Nasir Adderley to the #Chargers. Cover skills + range in the post. Fits at FS in Gus Bradley’s defense. Track the ball in Cover 3. #NFL pic.twitter.com/rkr6gxEtcf
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 27, 2019
Adderley can best be described as an instinctive safety with athleticism to exploit that. He doesn't slack support either, as he supplements electrifying hits with consistent textbook tackling.
However, Adderley did fall to the second for a reason; other than being from a small school. He's inconsistent, can often be manipulated by quarterbacks, and seems to need development in route-combination-recognition. Nonetheless, though each of his weaknesses are exploitable, they can be coached out in the film room.
The culmination of the Chargers' efforts is to be determined. But there is a clear path the team is taking; handing their defensive coordinator similar pieces to what he created a historically great defense with. When watching Derwin James it's hard not to see flashes of Kam Chancellor, and with Nasir Adderley, Earl Thomas. Though both are far from creating a Legion of Boom-esque resume, 2019 (and beyond) may show a reincarnation, of sorts, of one of the best defenses ever, perhaps called: the Bolts of Boom.
Follow Us
Subscribe