The Los Angeles Chargers have announced the signing of linebacker Denzel Perryman.

Perryman returns to the Chargers, where he previously played for six seasons (2015-2020) after being drafted in the second round (48th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft. During his time with the team, Perryman started 51 out of 69 games, accumulating 349 tackles (250 solo), 26 tackles for loss, five sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a recovery. He notably earned recognition as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after a standout performance in the team’s 2016 overtime victory against Atlanta, where he intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to set up a game-tying field goal and made a crucial tackle for loss on fourth down in overtime to force a turnover.

Following his tenure with the Chargers, Perryman spent two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders (2021-2022), achieving a Pro Bowl selection in his first season with the team. In 2021, he ranked sixth in the NFL with 154 tackles and tied for third among all defenders with 102 solo stops, setting career highs in both categories. Perryman then joined the Houston Texans in 2023, contributing as one of the team’s starting linebackers and aiding in the Texans’ success in winning the AFC South and securing a playoff victory.

During his collegiate career at the University of Miami, Perryman was a two-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, playing for the Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014. In his senior year, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, recognizing the top linebacker in college football, and earned Associated Press third-team All-American honors. Perryman tallied 351 tackles during his time at Miami, leading the team in tackles in both his junior and senior seasons, along with 4.5 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, and two interceptions across 47 career games, 37 of which he started.