Chargers re-sign safety Phillips to 1-year deal

The Los Angeles Chargers have retained one of their key free agents, re-signing safety Adrian Phillips to a one-year deal on Friday.

Phillips, 26, will be entering his sixth season and is one of the league's top players on special teams. He was an All-Pro selection last season after leading the NFL with 19 special teams tackles. He also started seven games as the Chargers' third safety and posted 77 tackles, including five tackles for loss. In the wild-card playoff win at Baltimore, he became the first player in nearly two years to have an interception and fumble recovery in a postseason game.

Phillips earned a chance to play regularly last season because injuries at linebacker forced defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to play seven defensive backs.The 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety lined up as a linebacker in obvious passing situations, finishing with 94 combined tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception on 638 defensive snaps.

Phillips is the third defensive free agent the Chargers have re-signed, along with linebacker Denzel Perryman and tackle Brandon Mebane.