One Chargers Veteran on the Chopping Block After Akheem Mesidor Pick

With the Los Angeles Chargers' 22nd overall selection, they took Akheem Mesidor. What does this mean for the future of a certain veteran on the roster?

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers are currently in a window of opportunity due to the hiring of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. However, with a new, young coordinator on the other side of the ball, Chris O'Leary, this window needs to be carefully threaded, as inexperience can be a major cause of imbalance across the two sides of the ball.

To help this inexperience from O'Leary, the Chargers decided to select Akheem Mesidor, the 25-year-old experienced EDGE rusher from Miami. A player touted for his abilities as both a run defender and pass rusher finds himself in Los Angeles.

Now, with another talented body in the EDGE room, this has the very real possibility of pushing a long-time NFL veteran off the Bolts roster.

Bud Dupree on the Chopping Block After Akheem Mesidor Pick

Akheem Mesidor | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bud Dupree has been with the Chargers since 2024, being a rotational EDGE defender who takes snaps to give rest to Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipolotu. In this time as a rotational defender, he collected six sacks in 2024 and two sacks in 2025, "earning" an extension going through the 2026 season.

2025 was a down year for Dupree, playing fewer snaps, having fewer pressures, fewer sacks, etc. His age began to show as he was 32 in 2025. That said, the former 22nd overall selection of the Steelers in 2015 may be replaced by the 2026 22nd overall selection, Mesidor.

The Chargers EDGE room is expected to look like (as of Day 1 of the NFL Draft): Tuipolotu, Mack, Mesidor, Kyle Kennard and the odd man out, Dupree.

Moving on to a preview of Mesidor and why he will instantly push Dupree off the roster, he is noted by Chargers draft expert, Thomas Martinez, as: "a highly productive and powerful edge rusher who plays with a non-stop motor. He shows discipline in setting the edge and will anchor against pulling offensive linemen. He has a strong initial strike and will counter off of his power moves."

Martinez mentions Mesidor's main weaknesses being due to his age of 25 (a year and a half older than Tuipolotu) and his laundry list of injuries he suffered while in college. These major red flags must have been confirmed as nothing more than a note by the Chargers coaching staff, as they would not have drafted the powerful EDGE from Miami.

Going into Day 2 of the NFL Draft, the Chargers still find themselves with a major hole at offensive guard.

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