In his rookie season, Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray showed glimpses of how dominant of a player he could really be in this league.
Heading into his sophomore season, which will feature a new defense under first-year head coach Brandon Staley, Murray is capable of coming into his own.
At Tuesday’s media availability, Murray said he is happy because Staley’s defense fits perfectly into how he plays the game. He said he will play more downhill, blitzing more, and playing more aggressive.
In former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s 4-3 system, Murray still managed to lead all first-year linebackers in snaps (902) and tackles (106).
While he wasn’t the most adept player in coverage, Murray was one of the better rookie run defenders last season, always aware and around the football and rarely missing tackles.
Looking ahead to this season, Staley’s 3-4 defense that is constantly showing different looks will play more to his strengths, which are as a run defender and a blitzer.
Murray is at his best when making plays in front of him, attacking alleys or shutting down perimeter plays. While he was not tasked with blitzing much in 2020, Murray showed in college that he is explosive between gaps or around the edge.
Just barely scratching the surface, Murray is confident that playing for Staley will take his game to the next level.
“He tries to take advantages of matchups and exploit weaknesses of the offense,” Murray said when asked about Staley’s defense.
