The Los Angeles Chargers made another addition to their defense, signing veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy on Thursday. Mike Garafolo from the NFL Network was among those to report the signing on Thursday afternoon.
After starting his career with the Detroit Lions, Van Noy shined after joining the New England Patriots during the 2016 season. During the 2017 campaign, his first full season with the Patriots, Van Noy tallied 5.5 sacks. During the 2019 campaign, Van Noy posted another 6.5 sacks, which is still his career-high.
He spent one season with the Miami Dolphins in 2020, before returning to the Patriots for the past campaign. During the 2021 season, Van Noy added another five sacks.
His usage in New England was primarily on the edge, as he saw over 500 snaps last season on one edge of the defense or the other. With the Chargers, however, Van Noy might be relied on in more of an off-ball role, as Brandon Staley has both Joey Bosa and the recently-acquired Khalil Mack in place to prowl the edges. Still, with the offenses in quarterbacks in place in the AFC West, the more options you have on defense, the better.
Which is why Van Noy is headed west.
