The Los Angeles Chargers need to add another edge rusher this offseason. With the departure of Odafe Oweh in free agency to the Washington Commanders, they have little choice.
The immediate issue is, of course, the depth of their edge rusher room. Behind Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack, they essentially have just Bud Dupree and Kyle Kennard. Dupree was unproductive in his second season in a Chargers uniform. Kennard, meanwhile, is largely an unknown quantity. He played just 26% of the team's defensive snaps in 2025.
But their problems extend even beyond that. While Mack was brought back on a one-year, $18 million deal for 2026, his time in the NFL is certainly nearing its end. Los Angeles can no longer consistently expect star-caliber production out of the recently-turned 35-year-old. They must prepare a succession plan this offseason.
While there are a small number of edge rushers that might be worth taking at the end of the first round, the team's needs at defensive tackle and offensive guard likely make seeking one out on Day 2 would be the smarter path. If they were to take that route, Malachi Lawrence out of UCF would be a dream target.
Former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum seems to agree in a broader context, slating Lawrence as one of his premier targets in the third round of the draft.
Malachi Lawrence might be the Chargers' ideal addition to their pass-rusher room
Although scouts have consistently graded Lawrence as a Day-2 pick, the narrative surrounding his draft stock has shifted since the NFL Scouting Combine. Scouts and draft analysts alike seem to be almost unanimously high on his ability to translate to the NFL level. Here's what Tannenbaum had to say:
"A four-year player at UCF, Lawrence has a really good motor and posted solid production with 20 career sacks. Plus, he had a fantastic workout in Indianapolis, running a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds. Anytime I can add a productive, high-motor pass rusher with production, I'm in."- Mike Tannenbaum
Last season, the Chargers' pass rush room was effective primarily because of the way the play-styles of Mack, Tuipulotu, and Oweh complemented each other. Lawrence has been compared to Oweh from a perspective of power and physicality, and bringing him in could fill that hole perfectly for Los Angeles.
Through 12 games at UCF in 2025, Lawrence posted seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 28 combined tackles. Per Pro Football Focus, he amassed 40 pressures on 228 pass-rush snaps. He was ranked in the top-100 at his position per PFF's grading system.
Tannenbaum obviously doesn't represent the entirety of the NFL. But he's merely the latest in a long line of analysts to sing Lawrence's praises.
If the Chargers are ultimately able to grab a player of his caliber in the third round, or even the late second, it could be a gamble that quickly pays off.