Chargers' new-look defense generates turnovers and pressure during joint practice against Rams

Updated Aug. 4, 2024 9:57 p.m. ET

Associated Press

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The new-look Los Angeles Chargers defense passed an important early training camp test on Sunday.

Jesse Minter's unit had an impressive showing during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams. That included five turnovers — three interceptions, two fumbles — forced by the first team against Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense.

“The ball was like a volleyball today. It was tipping up everywhere,” safety Derwin James said. “You can see it, it’s real and we felt that from our guys getting off the ball today, they did a great job.”

Stafford was picked off three times, with two by cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Kristian Fulton. Samuel intercepted a pass in the back of the end zone during a red zone drill and Fulton picked off Stafford after the ball was tipped at the line by linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu when the teams were working on two-minute situations.

Fulton, signed during the offseason after four years with Tennessee, has been one of the defensive standouts during the first two weeks of practices.

Minter, who was Michigan's defensive coordinator for two seasons before coming with coach Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers, was encouraged by what he saw.

“Results build confidence. It has started to stack up maybe the last three or four days where the guys are playing with a lot of confidence, trusting each other, starting to really understand fits of routes and things like that,” Minter said. “Then, when you get an opportunity to kind of test it against a different opponent and different schemes, it’s certainly great when you get the results.”

The defense was able to generate pressure against the Rams most of the practice. Three of the interceptions on the day resulted from the ball originally being tipped at the line of scrimmage.

“They got their hands up at the line of scrimmage a couple times and tipped balls in this league don’t hit the ground," Stafford said. "They have a really talented roster on the defensive side of the ball that we went up against today. It was good for us to see where we’re at.”

Linebacker Joey Bosa also had a strip-sack of Stafford before leaving late in practice with what appeared to be an injury to his left arm or wrist.

“We don’t want to be too high on ourselves. There’s more work to be done, but it definitely felt good to go get the ball. That’s definitely momentum going forward,” James said.

Generating turnovers though was a welcome sight. In the three years under former coach Brandon Staley, the Chargers tied for the fifth-fewest interceptions (34) and allowed the sixth-most yards (356.4 per game) from 2021 through 2023.

Rams receiver Puka Nacua was sidelined midway through the two-hour session and had a bag of ice around his right knee. Coach Sean McVay said he wasn't sure what happened to Nacua.

The Chargers' offense, which is missing quarterback Justin Herbert for at least the next two weeks due to a foot injury, struggled with Easton Stick leading the first team. Tre’Davious White and Kamren Curl each had interceptions of Stick while Florida State rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske each had pressures of Stick that would have been sacks in a game.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that even though Herbert is not practicing, he is still lending plenty of ideas in meetings about tweaking some things with the playbook.

“We’re not hitting the pause button at all. When he’s ready to roll here, pretty soon, everybody’s gonna be ready for him,” Roman said.

The Chargers open the preseason on Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks while the Rams host the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 11. The Chargers and Rams have another joint practice on Aug. 14 before their annual preseason showdown on Aug. 17.

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