The 2022 season was arguably the best of cornerback Michael Davis' career — and it could not have come at a better time for the Bolts.
After starting just two of the first seven games of the season, Davis took over the starting spot for fellow cornerback J.C. Jackson following his season-ending knee injury in Week 7.
Davis took off from there.
Davis led the NFL in passes defensed from Week 9 through the end of the regular season as he took on some of the league's best wide receivers on the outside. His play was one of the many catalysts in the late-season playoff push that gave the Chargers their first postseason berth since 2018.
His big year also was apparent in Pro Football Focus' grades, as Davis was the Bolts most improved player in 2022. After having a PFF grade of 54.0 in 2021, he leapt to 73.8 this past season — a career-best.
PFF's Gordon McGuinness wrote:
Davis has played at least 650 snaps in each of the past five seasons for the Chargers and followed up his worst year in the league in 2021 with his best this past season. He allowed a career-low 446 yards in coverage and registered a career-high 12 pass breakups.
Take a look back at the best photos of the defense's 2022 campaign
In 2022, Davis extended his streak to three consecutive seasons with at least 10 passes defensed. He also nabbed an interception and his first career sack, as well as having the fourth-most total tackles on the team.
Davis was one of the many big players to step up in 2022, and it was something Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco noted in his year-end press conference, as he praised Davis' season improvement and much-needed play this season.
"I don't like to single out players, but I couldn't be more proud of a player and how he played this year, from the start of OTAs to now, and how he handled this situation," Telesco said.
"When there is a coaching change and a scheme change, things just don't happen overnight, and he just kept working at it," Telesco later added. "He got his opportunity this year and he just played lights out for us. Without how we played, I don't know if we would have had 10 wins this year. He's just so competitive on the football. He is just a rock-solid player for us. I am really proud of how he handled the whole offseason, the regular season.
"His play time fluctuated at the beginning of the year," Telesco continued. "Those are the guys you need here that can handle a situation. We're talking about mentally tough players. Things don't always happen right away the way you want it to happen, and it never phased. He had a really tremendous year for us."
