Jesse Minter Is Leaving Michigan To Join Harbaugh As The Charger's DC
This was what most people assumed was going to happen and it's the first domino to fall. The next two will likely be Kellen Moore getting replaced as OC by Greg Roman, and ST coordinator Ryan Ficken getting replaced by Jim Harbaugh's son, Jay.
For Minter, he has an IMPOSSIBLY low bar to clear which was set by both Staley and Lynn. Here is the Chargers defense by the numbers during the Herbert era:
For all of Herbert's career, his defense has been in the bottom 25% of the NFL. This is why you see all three chargers fans get pissed off when talking heads go "OH BUT THEY HAVE TALENT! JOEY BOSA! DERWIN JAMES!" First of all, those dudes don't play. Hospital squad-ers. Second of all, when they did play there was only so much they could do. Now, compare this same 4 year gap for Mahomes and Allen, the two guys Herbert is going to have to beat to make it to a super bowl. Here is their their 2020-23 average defensive rankings.
Just think about that. Josh Allen has been coasting by with a team averaging the 5th fewest points allowed since 2020 & Mahomes is right behind him. THAT is what makes the difference for a playoff roster on a team with a good QB. That, and the run game. Heres how the Chargers look vs the Chiefs and the Boys (Not the Bills cause QB runs are a huge part of that scheme).
Once again, Herbert is stuff in the bottom 25% of the league with support. But that is a battle for a different day.
Hopefully, Minter can come in and shore up this defense and give Herbert some support. Michigan was the best defense in College football last year, so lets make it happen!
By the way, as a side note I think it would be an absolute shame to lose Ficken for Jay Harbaugh. ST coordinators don’t get the love they deserve and Ficken turned one of the worst units in the NFL into one of the best overnight. In 2021, the team was 30th in XP% and allowing the worst punt net return average in the league. Last year, Cameron Dicker became the most accurate kicker in NFL history through 50 attempts, the team had the second highest punt return average and one of the lowest put return averages in the league.
