The Los Angeles Chargers committed themselves quite heavily to this year's class of UDFAs.
In part, this is due to the strong nature of the group they were able to pluck up after the conclusion of the Draft. Although offensive tackle Isaiah World likely won't play during his rookie season, the Chargers guaranteed a near record $534,000 of his rookie deal. He has the frame and the strength to be a real force at the NFL level, but the ACL tear he suffered in the College Football Playoffs caused him to fall out of the Draft.
They also picked up Nadame Tucker, who has a real chance to displace either Kyle Kennard or Bud Dupree in Los Angeles' edge-rusher room, and they added Lander Barton at inside linebacker. They guaranteed $287,500 and $264,500 of those players' contracts, respectively.
2025 was much different. The Chargers' highest-paid UDFA was nickelback Nikko Reed, who received just $40,000 in guaranteed money. The risk they took was much more limited last offseason, and that class has hardly paid dividends to this point.
Although Reed has a chance to earn a roster spot again in 2026, there's a world in which Los Angeles' class of UDFAs from last offseason has already run its course. As we continue to get our hopes up for this year's class, it serves as a bit of a cautionary tale.
In hindsight, the Chargers' 2025 UDFA class has fallen short.
Many of the Chargers' actual selections in the 2025 NFL Draft have already come to play major roles. Omarion Hampton projects to be the lead back during his sophomore campaign, and both Tre' Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith should taken on larger roles in the passing game. Both Oronde Gadsden II and R.J. Mickens also showed promise as rookies.
Their UDFAs, though, largely have not. Although Reed earned a roster spot, serving as the backup nickel behind Derwin James, he appeared in just five games last season, taking just 17% of defensive snaps and 19% of special-teams snaps when he was available. He suffered a hamstring strain late in the season that forced Los Angeles to place him on the injured reserve.
Now, former Toledo cornerback Avery Smith has a real chance to steal Reed's spot on the depth chart. Smith presents both a bigger body and a more complete coverage skill-set than Reed. The Chargers committed $267,500 in guaranteed money to Smith on his rookie deal.
Beyond Reed, the outlook for the top of the 2025 UDFA class gets even worse. Garmon Randolph was signed for $20,000 in guaranteed money, and he has yet to play a snap at the NFL level. With six edge rushers ahead of him on the depth chart, it's hard to see a path for him to make the roster. The same goes for cornerback Eric Rogers, who the Chargers gave $20,000 in guaranteed money as a UDFA last offseason.
Although Los Angeles still has a need at outside corner, it's likely that role will either be taken up by a late-offseason veteran signing or one of the team's internal candidates such as Deane Leonard.
The lone highlight from last year's class was inside linebacker Marlowe Wax, who made the roster as a special-teams piece after receiving only $3,000 in guaranteed money. He has a chance to make some noise behind Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley in the linebacker room during the remainder of the Chargers' offseason program.
In all fairness, this is what should have been expected out of the Chargers' 2025 UDFA class given their lack of financial commitment. But finding these diamonds in the rough has been one of Los Angeles' calling cards under this new regime. If the 2025 class has already fizzled out, the organization better hope that their major commitment to their 2026 UDFAs pays off in relatively rapid fashion.
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