Chargers and 1st-round pick Akheem Mesidor agree to terms
The Chargers agreed to terms Thursday with outside linebacker Akheem Mesidor, their first-round pick in the NFL draft in April out of the University of Miami. Mesidor had 63 tackles, including 12½ sacks, plus four forced fumbles in 15 games for the Hurricanes last season.
The deal is for $20,456,392, fully guaranteed, over four seasons, per ESPN.
Mesidor, 25, gives the Chargers depth and versatility as an edge rusher, joining with likely future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, and Tuli Tuipulotu in what could be a very effective three-man rotation. It's also possible they could be on the field together, too.
Mack, Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh formed a successful combination last season, but Oweh signed a four-year, $100 million free agent deal with the Washington Commanders, leaving a void among the Chargers' pass rushers. Mack re-signed with the Chargers in March for his fifth season in Los Angeles, his 13th overall in the NFL.
Much as he did with Tuipulotu after the Chargers drafted him in the second round from USC in 2023, Mack has taken to mentoring Mesidor. Mack saw plenty of Mesidor from afar during the Hurricanes' run to the national championship game, where they lost to Indiana.
"Impressive," Mack said last month of his impressions of Mesidor. "Lights out. Hell of a player. Him coming on the (Chargers' practice) field and wanting to get working on that first day … just seeing how eager he is and the questions he's asked so far, yeah, he's polished, and you can tell he's got that attitude like he's ready to come in and play right away."
Brenen Thompson, a wide receiver from Mississippi State who was the Chargers' fourth-round pick in April, is their only unsigned selection with organized team activities (OTAs) wrapping up next week and their three-day mandatory minicamp set for June 16-18 in El Segundo.
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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 4:57 PM.