The Chargers are gearing up for the 2025 NFL season, which features a mix of new and returning faces within the organization. Several players are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 20 Most Important Chargers for the 2025 season. We’ll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025, and hit on the biggest question facing them this year.
Next up at No. 17 is safety Elijah Molden.
Background
Age: 26
Position: Safety
Experience: 5th season
2025 cap hit: $3.66 million
2024 recap
After beginning his career in Tennessee, where he struggled to find any kind of consistency due to injuries, Molden was traded to the Chargers last year and flourished. As the third safety alongside Derwin James and Alohi Gilman, he started 12 games and logged 75 tackles, seven passes defended and three interceptions, which were all personal highs, before landing on injured reserve with a broken fibula near the end of the season.
2025 outlook
For his efforts, Molden was rewarded with a three-year extension with the Chargers. Having him and Gilman on the field will continue to allow James to play closer to the line of scrimmage, where he’s at his best. With how he played this past season, Molden could find his way as the second safety over Gilman in base packages. Now that he will have a full offseason in Los Angeles, he should only further improve as a player and become adept in this system.
Big question: Could Molden jump Gilman as the second safety?
We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Chargers of 2025. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.
20. OL Bradley Bozeman
19. LB Junior Colson
18. TE Oronde Gadsden II
17. S Elijah Molden
16. TBA
15. TBA
14. TBA
13. TBA
12. TBA
11. TBA
10. TBA
9. TBA
8. TBA
7. TBA
6. TBA
5. TBA
4. TBA
3. TBA
2. TBA
1. TBA
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 20 Most Important Chargers of 2025: No. 17 S Elijah Molden
Reporting by Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
