Leonard, meanwhile, has turned into a success story with the Chargers after being a seventh-round pick in 2022.
The 26-year-old has developed into one of the league’s more consistent gunners under Ficken and assistant special teams coach Chris Gould, both of whom also arrived in 2022.
The Bolts have rotated through a handful of gunners in that time, but Leonard has been a mainstay there in recent years. He’s also made some clutch plays, too, including a fumble recovery in overtime that set up a home win against the Broncos in 2023.
Defensively, Leonard has steadily progressed and improved as a cornerback and should continue to do the same going forward under Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O’Leary and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale.
Remember it was Leonard who snagged a flashy sideline interception against the Texans two seasons ago in the playoffs.
The Chargers will likely roll with Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart as their main cornerbacks in 2026, with Derwin James set to resume his role as a hybrid monster in the slot, too.
Leonard’s return means quality cornerback depth and consistency on special teams, two areas the Chargers will surely need if they want to make some noise in 2026.
This might not be a headline-grabbing move from Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz, but it’s certainly a smart one.
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