New Chargers coach instantly proves that he's not Brandon Staley

He highlighted James as a key player, but it seems like he does not want to put too much on his plate. Even as an elite safety, there's a point where players can only do so much.

Instead, Minter wants to use scheme and James' teammates' skillsets to maximize his impact against opposing offenses. 

"There’s a fine line there because he is so versatile. We want to try to teach the defense conceptually, and we want to teach things as concepts, both in front structures and coverage concepts. If we’re able to do that over the course of between now and September, it gives guys the ability to move around a little bit more.. I want him to understand how we play certain coverages. And I think when you really try to look at it that way and understand it, hey, this week, maybe we can move you down here so we can do a little bit more with you. Or maybe there’s a matchup problem here that we want you to be able to handle. And so we want him to be a matchup piece, and we want to allow him to do the things that he does really well.” -- Minter via The Athletic

Minter also pointed out that James is dynamic while blitzing and in man coverage. Those specifics will be extremely important for Minter's play calling. 

In a discussion with beat writers, Minter made plenty of important points about his philosophy on defense and the outlook for the Chargers' unit. 

Aside from James, Minter pointed out disguises and rotations as main components of his defenses. They'll look to confuse offenses to the maximum, a notion that the Baltimore Ravens used for tons of success in 2023. 

Of course, that is easier said than done, but the Chargers are going to give it their best shot. Minter also noted that teaching will be at the forefront of his coaching. Scheme is important, but players must understand the why for play calls and certain decisions from coaches. 

"When we get the guys in the offseason, we’re trying to understand what we’re trying to take away in certain coverages, what we want that to look like. If the quarterback knows you’re in this coverage, this is the likely place that the ball would go based on the quarterback’s progression. And so when you’re playing a particular coverage and you know where the weak spot is, then OK, let’s all conceptualize pre-snap. What would get him to throw the ball where we’re at the advantage and showing him those different looks?" -- Minter via The Athletic

The new DC also said that he's been watching Chargers film for the past month. He is working his tail off in order to understand the talent that they will possess and how he can use it going forward. It's noteworthy. 

It is clear that Minter's vision will be different from the former defensive play caller. Chargers fans will be happy to hear that after struggles in recent years.