General Manager Tom Telesco vowed earlier this year to bolster the Chargers' linebacker unit.
True to his word, they did just that on the first official day of free agency, agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with Thomas Davis. A three-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro, Davis is a tackling machine who's also regarded as one of the NFL's preeminent leaders.
A 14-year vet who entered the league as a first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft, the 6-1, 235-pound linebacker has totaled in 1,094 tackles, 28.0 sacks, 52 passes defensed and 13 interceptions in 176 career regular season games.
Davis' 1,094 tackles, according to press box stats, are the second-most in the NFL since he entered the league behind only Antoine Bethea, who has 1,222 in 193 games. Furthermore, he has 1,258 career tackles according to coaches film, which is the most in Panthers history.
Like fine wine, Davis has gotten better with age, making three straight Pro Bowls from 2015-17. He showed no sign of slowing down in 2018 as the 35-year old finished with 84 tackles, ranking third on the team despite missing the first four games of the season. Davis' top season came in 2015 when he earned first-team All-Pro honors after recording 123 tackles and a career-high 5.5 sacks. Overall, he's averaged 117.9 tackles over the last seven seasons.
Davis also has a wealth of playoff experience, playing in the most postseason games in franchise history (11). He's totaled 66 tackles in those games along with 2.0 sacks and one pass defensed.
In addition to his prowess on the field, Davis is as impactful in the community as anyone in the league. He was the 2014 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, which recognizes a player's off field impact as well as his excellence on it.
