The Los Angeles Chargers shook up their edge rushing position a bit this offseason when they cut ties with former first-round pick Joey Bosa.
It was a cost-cutting move that subsequently allowed the team to afford to re-sign Khalil Mack in free agency. The Chargers planned on having Mack and Tuli Tuipolotu as their starting edge rushers, but veteran Bud Dupree was a player who many felt would need to have a big role. The team also found Kyle Kennard, last year's SEC Defensive Player of the Year, in the fourth round.
Nobody was talking about Caleb Murphy.
Murphy looked like a player who would just round out the 90-man roster in training camp, but he has had a tremendous summer. He had a tackle for loss in the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions and collected two sacks in Sunday's preseason win over the New Orleans Saints, forcing a fumble on one of them.
Murphy has gone from a fringe roster player to a guy the Chargers can't possibly cut before the season starts. He looks good enough to be the next man up behind Mack and Tulipolotu.
Murphy's road to this spot hasn't been easy. He signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2023 as an undrafted free agent out of Ferris State. After a positive start to his career there, he was waived by the Titans last October. The Chargers signed him and added him to the practice squad, and he appeared in three games for the team.
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He now seems ready to make the most of his opportunity and at only 25 years old, should have some great football in front of him.
Caleb Murphy has been hard to miss through the first two preseason games.
— Omar Navarro (@OmarNavarro____) August 11, 2025
He leads the 5 #Chargers Players who stood out in the preseason win over the Saints:https://t.co/SqvUubNY1o pic.twitter.com/1q4ol4Z3Hn
Murphy should not just be a lock to make this team; he is a guy who can make a serious impact in the games that matter this coming season.
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