The Los Angeles Chargers have dialed the pressure up on former fourth-round selection Kyle Kennard this offseason.
Kennard's rookie season was underwhelming, especially as he came into the league on the back of a highly productive season at South Carolina. The Chargers ultimately leaned on trade acquisition Odafe Oweh and veteran pass-rusher Bud Dupree, with Kennard only playing a total of 80 defensive snaps over the course of the campaign. With Oweh's departure and the introduction of Akheem Mesidor, the bones of the Chargers' pass rush look much the same this season.
Except for one extenuating factor— UDFA Nadame Tucker.
Tucker, who was one of the most productive pass rushers in all of college last season with Chris O'Leary at Western Michigan, is gaining momentum in his push for a spot on the 53-man roster seemingly by the day. He still needs refinement (especially against the run), but he has the power and the pure athleticism to truly pop when Los Angeles enters live preseason action on Aug. 13 against the Houston Texans.
Kennard already has a steep hill to climb if he wants to stick on the roster. But if Tucker shows out on Thursday, the rest of camp may simply be a formality.
Kyle Kennard is one of the Chargers' clearest cut candidates at this point in training camp
Kennard, in many ways, is a victim of circumstance. Although he was a healthy scratch for much of his rookie campaign, he did deal with minor injuries that likely held him back from displaying his full range of athleticism. But unless you're a first or second-round pick, draft stock alone doesn't buy you much time on an NFL roster.
Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Akheem Mesidor will be the Chargers' three primary pass rushers in 2026. Dupree is also a cut candidate— considering how steeply his production has declined over his two seasons in Los Angeles— but the organization seems to have a fondness for his veteran presence and run-defending skill set.
Kennard, though, almost certainly still has some upside to be unlocked.
He posted an SEC-leading 11.5 sacks in his final college season, and he has solid fundamentals and agility in the pass rush. If he's able to fill out his frame and continue to gain power in his initial strikes, there's more than enough room for him to develop into an NFL-caliber 3-4 outside linebacker.
But how can he compete with Tucker?
Tucker was a key cog in O'Leary's aggressive Western Michigan defense, and he came into the league with a chip on his shoulder after dropping out of the Draft entirely. He'll be looking to make a major splash against Houston. We haven't heard enough about Kennard through the Chargers' first two and a half weeks of practice to project the same on his end.
If Kennard is ultimately destined for a practice squad role, perhaps another organization will look to take a flyer on him as a recent mid-round draft selection. But in all likelihood, he'll be slated as a depth piece/possible game-day elevation for Los Angeles in 2026, and his fate could all but sealed by the end of the matchup with the Texans.
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