With the deadline for cutting the roster down to the fateful 53 sitting just over a week away, the Los Angeles Chargers still have their work cut out for them at multiple positions.
The injury to Tyler Biadasz, for example, has thrown a wrench into any competition along the offensive line. Former cut candidates like Alex Harkey and Logan Taylor now have renewed chances at the roster, and even the injury that Branson Taylor suffered in the preseason matchup against the San Francisco 49ers could have come major implications for how things turn out.
But although most of the attention between now and Aug. 30 will fall upon the Chargers' protectors, there are still multiple other players on the edges of the roster who will need to fight to keep their spots. The most intriguing of these pieces might very well be second-year edge rusher Kyle Kennard.
With Nadame Tucker seemingly cementing his path to the roster on a daily basis, either Kennard or veteran defender Bud Dupree will likely need to be cut by the time the deadline rolls around. But Kennard did not play in the second preseason game after exiting joint practice on Tuesday with an injury.
He's teetering on the edge— and he'll need to have a major final week for Los Angeles if he wants to make the cut.
Kyle Kennard's roster chances aren't looking great as Chargers prepare for final week of training camp
The issue for Kennard has never been his potential or his talent.
He was one of the best defensive players in the SEC in his final college campaign with South Carolina, posting 11.5 sacks, 28 combined tackles, and 15.5 tackles for loss across 12 games. Coming into the league, he had the bend and the athleticism to be a worthy swing for the Chargers in the fourth round— especially with how unclear the future of the position was considering Khalil Mack's age and the release of Joey Bosa.
But Kennard failed to make an impact as a rookie. He dealt with injuries that limited his production, sure, but he was also a healthy scratch for much of the season even when he was available. He took just 80 defensive snaps in 2025, posting just two tackles and zero sacks across five games.
The Chargers responded by bringing in Odafe Oweh via trade to the Baltimore Ravens. With the introduction of Akheem Mesidor to the fold in 2026, it's hard to say whether there will be significant snaps available beyond Los Angeles' top three edge rushers.
If Kennard wanted to beat out the energetic Tucker or the experienced Dupree, he needed to show a major transformation in camp. That hasn't come so far.
He looked relatively solid during the Chargers' preseason opener against the Houston Texans, posting one pressure on 11 total pass rush snaps. But even during that small sample size, you could see that the necessary effort to work his way into the backfield simply wasn't there.
Kennard was also one of a few players that absolutely couldn't afford to miss a preseason outing. While we don't have any concrete update on his injury, his absence from the 49ers matchup could prove costly.
Kennard is rapidly running out of time to prove himself— and it will take a major turnaround this week if he's to have any shot at the 53-man roster.
Add us as a preferred source on Google