Chargers Safety Listed as 'Breakout' Player For 2024 Season

Valentina Martinez | Aug 25, 2024

May 29, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during organized team activities at Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman is projected to be a breakout player for the 2024 season, according to NFL on CBS.

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"It hasn't really hit me fully," Gilman said via the team's transcript. "I've just been reflecting a lot on the last four years to get to this point.

Gilman wasn't always an elite defensive starter for Los Angeles. He got his start in the league as a sixth-round pick in 2020.

At the beginning of his career, Gilman played a smaller role for the Chargers in the special teams unit. Now, as a 26-year-old, the safety is an established starter in the defensive unit.

Gilman signed a contract extension with the Bolts in March. The safety signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Chargers.

There were speculations that the Chargers would part way with the safety, given the organization needed to free up cap space in the offseason. However, Los Angeles instead parted ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

The Bolts front office chose to restructure the contracts of key edge rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. It was evident the Chargers also valued Gilman when the team gave him a new deal in the offseason.

Chargers fans were eager for the team to keep Gilman, who was a key player in 2023. Gilman posted 73 tackles, two interceptions, 10 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries last season.

The safety knew the 2023 season was the final year of his deal and his stellar numbers were his response. Gilman was a player who remained in the shadows for the majority of the Brandon Staley regime, but he made sure to establish a name for himself in Los Angeles.

Gilman will play opposite of safety Derwin James. The bond between the two safeties has only grown stronger ahead of the 2024 season.

"It's been amazing. He's been that extra communicator, quarterback that I need, being opposite safeties," James said. "Our relationship is very important out there because we're the communicators on defense. I feel like that's even grown. He's getting better, too."

James has struggled to stay in the spotlight of NFL safeties; however, a big reason for his struggles were due to the many roles he had in Staley's defensive scheme.

Under the direction of Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Gilman and James are poised to have a phenomenal season.

Gilman is on pace to become one of the NFL's best success stories.