Overshadowed by newcomers and stars on the defensive side of the ball heading into the regular season was linebacker Drue Tranquill.
However, the man in the middle of the defense has flashed week in and out, most recently shining in the Chargers’ victory over the Broncos on Monday night.
Tranquill continued to be a heady run-defender, but most of his money was made getting after quarterback Russell Wilson. On 11 pass-rush snaps, Tranquill amassed a team-high three pressures and two sacks.
“Consistency in performance, and I think production in that consistency,” Staley said on Tranquill. “Because you can be consistent in your job, but are you producing? I think he’s doing both those things.
He’s communicating at a high level, playing with a lot of energy, being a factor in the run game, pass game, pass rush. Having a really nice season.”
The new pieces in the interior part of the defensive line have made life easier for players like Tranquill in the run game by eating gaps to enable them to make plays at or near the line of scrimmage.
Tranquill has demonstrated great eyes and trigger against the run and pass and good speed and range to make plays sideline-to-sideline and downhill, as evident yesterday.
Tranquill has played every defensive snap and has made the most of them. With his high level of play in the final year of his rookie contract, Tranquill might garner a nice extension if he keeps it up.
Last season, the first year in Staley’s system, Tranquill finished with 79 tackles, five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks, and a pass defended in 14 games.
