The Chargers' edge rusher woes persist. Could a veteran, proven performer be the surprising solution to bolster their pass rush and secure their defense?
I can't shake the feeling that Joe Hortiz and the Los Angeles Chargers have painted themselves into a corner.
What I am referring to is the Edge Rusher position, which often times ends up being the position that determines if your defense has a good-or-bad pass rush. The 2025 Chargers were known for having a good one, even moreso after they traded for Odafe Oweh from the Baltimore Ravens.
Part of the reason the Chargers traded for Oweh was because Khalil Mack was injured at the time. Hortiz knew that Mack was due to return in the next few weeks, but he also knew that Mack was pushing 35-years old and that the team probably needed a good backup plan. Oweh was that, and also ended up being the most dominant pass rusher on the team for the rest of the season and playoffs.
This offseason, the Chargers decided against putting a franchise tag on Oweh and let him walk to the Washington Commanders to sign a four-year deal for $100M. The team has replaced him by.....doing nothing.
With apologies to Bud Dupree and Kyle Kennard, who are solid backups but not starters, the Chargers have now found themselves in the same situation they just wriggled their way out of. There is no backup plan if 35-year old Khalil Mack, who missed five games last season, picks up an injury during the 2026 NFL season.
There are no concerns on the other side of the defense, where Tuli Tuipulotu appears to be an A+ option as the Chargers starter.
As much as I love the idea of the team drafting Nadame Tucker in the later rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, I don't know that I would trust any player taken in the later rounds of the draft to fill-in as a starter at such an important position. Which means the Chargers have three options.
- They can use their 1st or 2nd round draft pick on an edge rusher that they think is ready to play in the NFL today. Many mock drafts have been predicting that this is exactly where the Chargers will go with their first pick.
- They can count on Khalil Mack to stay healthy in 2026. Despite his age, it wouldn't be the worst bet in the world. Outside of the foot injury that took him out halfway through his final season with the Chicago Bears, Mack has rarely missed any time at all.
- They can sign a free agent edge rusher to replace Odafe Oweh.
The thing about that third option is that the market is not going to sit around and wait for them. In fact, there are not a lot of attractive free agents left on the market even now unless you're a big Joey Bosa fan.
One interesting name that is on that list is Cameron Jordan, a likely Hall of Famer after he retires, who is looking for a new home after spending 15 years as a member of the New Orleans Saints.
Sometimes, when you're looking for a backup plan for your aging defender, the best thing you can get is another aging defender. Mack and Jordan could split snaps, helping to keep each of them more fresh throughout the long season, and working as backup plans against each other in case of an injury.
Unlike Bosa, Jordan upped his game in 2025 when it looked like he might be entering the final days of his career. He finished the season with 10.5 sacks for the Saints, but somehow missed making what would've been his 9th Pro Bowl.
My assumption is that Jordan is looking for the right opportunity. A team that will give him at least a share of the starting job and a chance to compete for a title is likely the target, and that feels perfect for the Chargers (who still have plenty of salary cap space remaining).
Also, personally, I love Cam Jordan. He's a delightful interview, a great team leader, and exactly the kind of guy that I would want to have in-house to mentor the younger players on the roster. If the Chargers could find a way to sign him and then draft Nadame Tucker in later rounds, they could solve this roster issue and free up their early draft picks to focus on another position.