Chargers News: Jesse Minter Reflects On LA's Defensive Identity in 2024

The Los Angeles defensive coordinator will look to lean heavily on this defensive group.

Michigan interim head coach Jesse Minter watches a play against East Carolina during the second half of U-M's 30-3 win on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at Michigan Stadium. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Los Angeles Chargers had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. The Chargers defense was atrocious, and they couldn't do anything right. Because of this, head coach Jim Harbaugh decided to shake things up and bring along his guy from Michigan, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Minter will lead the defense moving forward with high expectations. 

Minter led Michigan to the best defense in the country, and the expectation is that he will eventually do the same with the Bolts. That's a tall order; however, Minter is confident he and his group can get it done. Minter knows it will take a collective group, but he will look to lean on the edge rushers led by Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Bud Dupree. 

Minter spoke to Daniel Popper of The Athletic and said how he would lean on arguably his best defensive group. 

"We want to accentuate our strengths," Minter said. "Every year I've been a coordinator, your strengths are different. It's not always the same. In the NFL, you have a chance at times for it to stay a little more consistent because you can keep guys on the roster. But we want to build on them. They're strengths of our defense. Let them affect the game, do things that they do really well, and try to let them have the best years that they've had and thrive in our defense."

All eyes will be on Minter to lead this group into an elite unit, and his new edge rushers will be responsible for the lower charge. The group contains three vital veterans: Bosa, Mack, and Dupree. Those three have combined for 221.5 sacks, 288 tackles for loss, and 403 quarterback hits. Mack, Bosa, and Dupree get to the quarterback better than anybody, which could be the difference in the Charger defense. 

Tuipulotu has emerged as one of the Bolts' better defenders, and they expect him to make an enormous leap in 2024. Minter will look to squeeze out all he can from this group and the entire defensive unit.  

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