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Some may have been surprised when the Chargers double-dipped at the safety position in 2017. After all, they were able to snag Derwin James with the 17th-overall pick and they had just drafted safety Rayshawn Jenkins out of Miami the year prior.
But safety wasn’t going to be in the cards for the versatile defender from West Virginia. Immediately after the draft, head coach Anthony Lynn stated that they viewed Kyzir White as a linebacker and they were going to pack some pounds on his already chiseled 220-pound frame.
Low and behold, White wound-up winning the starting weakside linebacker job and was an impact player from the jump, including his first career interception against the Buffalo Bills in week 2. However, int the very next game, White would succumb to a knee-injury that inevitably kept him out for the rest of the season.
Now healthy and with a some time under his belt at the highest level, White is feeling as comfortable as ever heading into training camp. In today’s press conference following OTAs, White was asked how much he’s currently weighing nowadays:
After OTAs today, LB Kyzir White told the media he was weighing around 233 pounds and feels "comfortable" playing at that weight. Also said he only gained 3-4 pounds this offseason.
— Michael Peterson (@ZoneTracks) June 3, 2019
For context, Thomas Davis, who is starting ahead of White at WLB, is 235.
Him gaining over 13 pounds from his rookie season and being comfortable at that weight should be music to our ears. He’s just shy of the 235-pound Davis who he’ll be learning from and this will give him someone with some success at the position that he can chase.
Later on, White told reporters that he has been working at MIKE linebacker, as well, likely to provide some depth behind Denzel Perryman. Perryman, who the team re-signed on a two-year, $12 million contract this offseason, has yet to play all 16 games in a season since being drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft.
#Chargers LB Kyzir White on playing MIKE LB and about the transition from safety to LB from college to the pros. pic.twitter.com/ddJcKKPy5z
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) June 3, 2019
It’s encouraging to see good players get chances at a variety of positions. It’s also not surprising as DC Gus Bradley has a tendency of trying out players at a plethora of different positions. In the end, it just means that Chargers fans don’t have to hold their breath as long when the injury bug starts to creep its’ ugly head.