The Los Angeles Chargers are in a position of relative stability at this point in the offseason.
Outside of the left guard competition between Jake Slaughter and Trevor Penning, virtually all of their starting spots are already set in stone. They've done an excellent job of addressing needs this offseason, and for better or worse, the players who will take the field for the first snap in Week 1 have largely been determined.
But that doesn't mean there won't be some intriguing roster battles to watch heading into OTAs, which officially begin May 26.
Perhaps the most intriguing among these will be the competition in the edge-rusher room. The Chargers brought back Khalil Mack in free agency, added Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the NFL Draft, and added Nadame Tucker out of Western Michigan as a UDFA.
This leaves veteran pass rusher Bud Dupree in a difficult position. After an underwhelming second season in Los Angeles, he'll now need to prove he still has the juice to stick on the roster over Tucker and second-year edge rusher Kyle Kennard.
OTAs will represent the start of his chance to accomplish this feat.
Bud Dupree's time on the Chargers roster could rapidly be coming to an end
In his first season with the Chargers, Dupree seemed, at the very least, like a low-cost contributor to the defense. He played just 50% of the team's defensive snaps, but he amassed 26 total pressures and six sacks (per Pro Football Focus) as he competed with Tuli Tuipulotu for opportunities in the pass rush.
Even with Joey Bosa gone in 2025, the addition of Odafe Oweh left Dupree with a slightly decreased snap share. He played just 41% of the team's defensive snaps last season. But it was his production that was truly disappointing. Across 16 games, he amassed just 19 total pressures and two sacks.
His saving grace was the fact that Kennard missed portions of his rookie campaign due to injury. Although Dupree wasn't able to earn consistent opportunities in the pass rush, his roster spot wasn't truly challenged in 2025.
The addition of a player like Tucker could change that. Tucker comes into the league having rounded off a highly productive senior season at Western Michigan, posting 21 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks across 13 games.
Dupree, 33, will be competing with the 25-year-old Tucker and the 24-year-old Kennard for a spot on the roster.
Not all hope is lost for Dupree. Just two seasons ago he was a highly productive member of the Atlanta Falcons' defense, posting 6.5 sacks and 39 combined tackles across 16 games. He's still a capable run defender off the edge, and he presents a veteran presence in the locker room that Los Angeles clearly values.
But he'll need to prove to the team he has enough juice to be worthy of a roster spot, and his direct competition could certainly make that task difficult.
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