Chargers Expected to Cut 2 Major Names Ahead of NFL Free Agency

The Los Angeles Chargers stand as one of the NFL teams with the most obvious major cut candidates around the league this offseason.

Jim Harbaugh and Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz worked the roster and contracts in such a way over the last two years that the moves are simply easy to see coming after reviewing the on-field impact.

Now, as the scouting combine kicks off, the first bit of insider hints points the finger directly at two big names the Chargers figure to move on from soon.

NFL insider hints at Chargers cuts.

Of the big names on the Chargers cut list right now, things have seemingly started to zoom in on guard Mekhi Becton and pass-rusher Bud Dupree.

This bit of intel comes from The Athletic’s Daniel Popper: “My expectation right now is that Becton will be cut. I also expect the Chargers to move on from Dupree. The other two are more up in the air.”

No wonder.

The Chargers will save $3.49 million against the salary cap by cutting Dupree. They have Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh at the spot as re-signing priorities in free agency. Beyond free agency, they also need to be thinking about a Tuli Tuipulotu extension. Dupree played just 41 percent of the defensive snaps in 2025.

Los Angeles Chargers guard Mekhi Becton runs on to the the field for the game. — Mekhi Becton | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Becton is the big one. The Chargers would save $9.7 million. He was a major risk, which is why Hortiz put the out into the contract after one season. Becton finished 79th out of 81 guards at PFF. He had trouble staying healthy and publicly had negative things to say about how the coaches took him out of games and his overall fit in the scheme.

Chargers cut candidates

G Mekhi Becton ($9.7 million)
C Bradley Bozeman ($5.8 million)
TE Will Dissly ($4 million)
P J.K. Scott ($2.9 million)
Edge Bud Dupree ($3.49 million)

It’s interesting Bozeman didn’t come up in the report. But the veteran center was bulletproof with Harbaugh despite being a weak point going into 2025, to the point of getting a captain’s C on his jersey. Perhaps they keep him around as a backup, which isn’t a terrible idea, though the cap hit seems a bit excessive.

At tight end, Dissly seems to be making too much. He basically flopped as a free-agent add, as did Tyler Conklin. The Chargers have a breakout with Oronde Gadsden as he heads into Year 2, so they might make more additions to the depth chart, then move on from someone like Dissly at a later date.

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