Like many athletes worldwide, Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell has been doing whatever he can to stay in shape during the global pandemic that has been going on for over the past month.
Rochell, the former Notre Dame product, has the luxury of training in Southern California where he calls it “the nicest part of the country,” according to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Enright.
Rochell is using the workouts that he can do on the beach to get him ready for his fourth season in the NFL. Since being drafted in 2017, the 24-year old has been a key contributor as a rotational pass-rusher, playing in all 16 games the last two seasons and posting seven sacks and 46 tackles in his career.
Rochell has been a part of a defensive line that features the dynamic duo of defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, along with an interior that boasts Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones and newly acquired Linval Joseph. They also have linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and defensive tackle Cortez Broughton.
Rochell believes the Bolts’ defensive line is the best in the NFL. He called Bosa the best pass rusher in the league and gives defensive coordinator Gus Bradley credit for being creative with the usage of the members.
“So, yeah, [defensive coordinator Gus Bradley] definitely moves me around, which I’m super thankful for because I like to be able to do different things. And, again, we have guys like Corey Liuget, used to play for us. I learned a lot from him on the inside.
And you got guys like Joey who I can learn a lot from on the outside. And I just mentioned Justin Jones, younger than me but I’ve learned a lot from him. Just talking about D-line, he’s a beast. I’m just so thankful that I can utilize the guys around me and also be able to play inside and outside,” Rochell said.
Last season, the Chargers finished No. 28 in the league with 30 sacks. While it was near the bottom in that given category, the defense, which was led by the men up front, held their opponents to 21.6 points per game. Bosa and Ingram combined for 29 tackles for loss, 43 quarterback hits, and 18.5 sacks last season.
