EL SEGUNDO — Edge rusher Nadame Tucker stands 6-feet-3 and weighs 250 pounds, which may or may not include the sizable chip on his shoulder. Who could blame him for letting it rest there during his first NFL training camp with the Chargers, an undrafted free agent who has embraced an underdog role?
Tucker’s journey isn’t all that unique, but his story is his story.
He didn’t show much promise in three seasons at the University of Houston, starting in 2022, but he burst onto the scene after transferring to Western Michigan and linking up with Chris O’Leary in 2025. He had played only 13 games in three years at Houston, recording a grand total of 10 tackles.
It was a different story last season with O’Leary, Western Michigan’s defensive coordinator. Tucker had 55 tackles in 13 games, including FBS-leading totals of 21 for losses and 14.5 sacks, en route to being named the Mid-American Conference’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
“Just starting off by believing in me,” Tucker said of O’Leary’s influence on him during their one season together at Western Michigan. “You know, having a guy, just looking at me and saying, ‘You are that guy. Play at that level.’ He could kind of see it and he gave me a blueprint. I knew the kind of player I wanted to be, and he just kind of locked me in that way.”
O’Leary left Western Michigan to become the Chargers’ defensive coordinator after Jesse Minter departed to become the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. Although the Chargers didn’t draft Tucker, there was little doubt that he would follow O’Leary to Los Angeles after his stellar 2025 season.
“Wait until you see this guy in pads,” O’Leary had said some time ago.
It can be next to impossible for pass rushers to show their true value during minimal contact practices held during OTAs and minicamp in the spring, and it can be all the more difficult for them when the physicality increases only slightly during the opening weeks of training camp.
In recent days, while butting heads with Chargers tackles like Joe Alt and Trey Pipkins III, Tucker’s play has been difficult to ignore. He has stood out even among a group of standout pass rushers that includes future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack and Pro Bowl selection Tuli Tuipulotu.
“There’s kind of a fine line between going hard and keeping your (teammates) safe and stuff like that,” Tucker said. “I’m just a guy who wants to go through your face. I don’t know how to turn it off a little bit … and that probably rubbed a lot of coaches the wrong way in the past because when I put the pads on, I’m looking to go, go, go.”
Tucker might be a longshot to make the initial 53-man roster, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He certainly didn’t look out of place during his preseason debut, when he had one tackle and one quarterback hit in the Chargers’ 27-7 victory Thursday over the Houston Texans.
“I feel like I’m home,” he said. “I just know the type of guys I’m around, the stuff I can gain from, you know what I’m saying? So, I’m going to come with that approach like I’m at home here. I’m not star struck in any way. I want to be just like those guys in a way. I just try to pay attention to the details.”
PENALTY BOX
Defensive lineman Teair Tart was banished from the field for getting a little too aggressive with center Tyler Biadasz during an 11-on-11 drill, prompting a brief fracas. He also was sent off after knocking running back Omarion Hampton to the grass in a drill in a recent practice.
Tart has been a handful, no matter how you look at it
“He’s been really good for us,” O’Leary said. “He’s stepping into a role where he has a big influence on the defense. He’s up front. He’s in the trenches. He’s a violent player, and he’s going to make plays for us. So, we’ve kind of pushed him along into that role. He’s played hard, he’s practiced hard. At times, he’s got to pull it back a little bit in practice, but we like where he’s at.”
EXTRA POINTS
Left tackle Rashawn Slater sat out for a sixth consecutive practice. Pipkins replaced him, joining Kayode Awosika at left guard, Biadasz at center, Cole Strange at right guard and Alt at right tackle on the line that protected quarterback Justin Herbert. Jake Slaughter alternated with Awosika at times. …
Trey Lance, fighting to earn the backup quarterback spot, fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Oronde Gadsden near the end of practice, a highlight for both players. Lance got most of the snaps during the Chargers’ preseason victory Thursday over the Houston Texans.