Yet to live up to his first-round billing, Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery is hoping that 2021 marks a breakout year for him.
Based on his showings throughout the course of the summer, Tillery could be positioned to very well make that jump in Year 3.
Today at media availability, head coach Brandon Staley was asked about why specific players have and haven’t played in the preseason games.
He said that it differs from position to position and mentioned Tillery when discussing the interior part of the defensive line, highlighting that he has had a “phenomenal camp.”
What Staley said mirrors nose tackle Linval Joseph’s remarks, as he said that Tillery looked a lot more polished and took the necessary steps to take his game to another level.
After an underwhelming rookie season, Tillery made some strides in 2020. His ascend came when he was kicked outside and experimented as a defensive end, showing more flashes as a pass rusher.
While he ran into penalty problems, Tillery saw his tackles (17 to 30), sacks (two to three), quarterback hits (three to 14), pressures (nine to 22) and forced fumbles (zero to two) all uptick from Year 1.
Looking ahead to this season, Tillery is in a prime position to take the leap in a defense that caters to his skillset and play for Staley, who will put him in favorable matchups and give him more opportunities to make plays.
“The team expects a lot from me, and I have high expectations for myself,” Tillery said. “Coach Staley has definitely brought a different approach, a new staff, a new lease on football.”
