The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off the 2026 campaign with a major decision in the inside linebacker room.
After setting the stage for a competition between former UDFA Marlowe Wax and former third-round pick Junior Colson in training camp, they ultimately chose Wax to take over the fourth spot behind Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman, and Troy Dye in the middle of the defense. While both players had their inspiring moments, Wax was likely the right choice. He's shown constant intensity and improvement at the position, and he provides the well-rounded, versatile skill set the Chargers need to complement their primary trio in the inside linebacker room.
But with Perryman beginning the season on the IR—meaning he'll miss at least the Chargers' first four games—things have gotten a lot more interesting. As of now, it seems as though Dye is slated to take over the starting role next to Henley in Perryman's absence.
Entering a contract year, though, things aren't that simple for Dye. The absence of Perryman not only opens up an enhanced opportunity for Wax, but it also leaves room for the Chargers to elevate Colson if it gets extended.
This season for Dye is essentially an audition for his next contract, either with Los Angeles or somewhere else across the NFL, and Perryman's absence ironically ramps up the pressure on the seventh-year defender.
Troy Dye will need to fight to maintain his role over the course of this campaign with the Chargers
Dye never seemed to be truly in danger of being left off the Chargers' 53-man roster. Although he clearly doesn't have the same raw athletic talent as Henley or the intensity that Perryman provides, he's been a worthy backup for both when he's been asked to step in as a starter. He'll get the chance to prove that again at the start of the season for Los Angeles.
Across two campaigns with Los Angeles, Dye has elevated himself from his career special-teams role, and he's more than earned that honor.
Wax, meanwhile, was going to see an increase on the 4% defensive snap share he received last season no matter what. But with Perryman out, the Chargers will need to seriously consider how they'll balance snaps between him and the veteran Dye. It creates room for a temporary shake-up among the Chargers' inside linebackers, and that's an opportunity that might not have been there if the team was starting the season at full strength at the position.
As much as Dye has provided consistent production as a backup, Los Angeles needs to start sorting out its future as well. Henley is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Perryman is back on another one-year deal, and this could very well be his final season in a Chargers uniform. Dye, for his part, is entering the final year of the two-year, $5.5 million contract he inked with Los Angeles prior to the start of 2025.
If the Chargers view Wax and Colson as part of their future plans, then granting both of them snaps over the course of the season—at the cost of some of Dye's opportunities—makes sense. As the campaign opens, then, Dye has a distinct challenge in front of him.
As the competition for his role grows, he'll need to defend his spot as a starter next to Henley while Perryman is out—setting himself up to take on rotational snaps over the rest of the season and fending off Wax in the hierarchy of the room as a whole. A new defensive coordinator in Chris O'Leary means that a shake-up is possible, even if it's not likely.
Even if there's not another opportunity for him in Los Angeles beyond this season, his ability to accomplish this will be vital in his bid to earn another opportunity somewhere across the league next offseason.
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