The Los Angeles Chargers have a number of needs to fill in the NFL Draft come April.
Their main priority should be adding a player who can aid the rebuilding of the offensive line. They need to select either a guard who can start right away or a developmental tackle in the early rounds.
But with Jesse Minter's departure, replenishing the depth of their defense must be an equally dire priority. If they are able to bring back both Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack, they will have cemented their starters across virtually the entirety of their defense.
But one thing they lacked in 2025 was steady contributions from their depth pieces on defense. EDGE Nadame Tucker, who played at Western Michigan under new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary and new linebackers coach Sean Spence, is a clear target for them in the middle rounds as a result.
But if Los Angeles ultimately makes that selection, it could quickly put Bud Dupree on thin ice.
Nadame Tucker could quickly threaten Bud Dupree's place on the roster
The Chargers' mid-season acquisition of Oweh helped shore up their pass rush. But the lack of contributions from those behind him on the depth chart, including Dupree and Kyle Kennard, was notable.
Tucker could represent a solution if he comes to them at the right spot in the draft. In 2025 at Western Michigan, he amassed 14.5 sacks, 55 combined tackles, and 21 tackles for loss. He's a bit on the smaller side, but his production is impressive nonetheless.
Dupree, meanwhile, had a disappointing 11th NFL season with Los Angeles in 2025. Although he saw snaps in all 16 games, he collected just two sacks and 16 tackles on the season. He rarely made his presence felt in the pass rush or defending the run.
Dupree has one more year left under contract with the Chargers. His cap hit will be around $3.74 million. But if Tucker ultimately lands with Los Angeles on draft night, they will have some choices to make in training camp.
A pass rush combination of Mack, Oweh, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Tucker sounds absolutely lethal. Could they keep Dupree on as a depth piece beyond those players? Sure.
But they might prefer to have a younger, more developmental piece such as Kennard taking on that role. Even if Dupree stays with the team, his role will be severely limited.
Of course, there's no guarantee the Chargers end up selecting Tucker. But if they do, it could be a signal that Dupree's time in Los Angeles is rapidly coming to an end.