Chargers could steal talent from AFC West rival by signing FA DE Dre’Mont Jones

What’s better than adding a good young player to your roster via free agency? Adding a good young player to your roster via free agency who just spent the past few years playing for one of your divisional rivals.

If you like the sound of that, then you’ll like that Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders (via ESPN) believes the Chargers need to make an effort to sign former Broncos defensive end Dre’Mont Jones who has been an up-and-coming player for Denver in their 3-4 defense. It’d be a smooth transition into Brandon Staley’s defense and Jones would truly help reinforce the team’s base defense with a third defensive tackle with starting experience who is a force against the run.

“Every year, we talk about the Chargers struggling against the run, but Brandon Staley knows the truth about the modern NFL: The pass comes first,” says Schatz. “Jones is a strong interior pass-rusher who can line up inside and on the edge. Last season, his 15.9% PRWR lined up inside ranked sixth among all defenders. He would also be an upgrade over Morgan Fox when it comes to the running game, and signing him would steal talent from a division rival.”

Since being drafted by the Broncos in 2019, Jones has amassed 22 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. Over his past two seasons, he notched nine tackles for loss in each with 5.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. His 45 total pressures this past season are also a career high, as were his 47 total tackles.

The Chargers got 6.5 sacks from Fox in 2022 which was key in the defense’s late-season surge. Being able to add another interior pass-rusher with plenty of experience in the current scheme, combined with hopefully a healthy duo of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, should sound excellent to the fan base.