Clelin Ferrell re-signed with the Commanders this offseason, but the former top-five pick did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. Rather than being kept as practice squad insurance, Ferrell has resided in free agency since that Washington decision.
Khalil Mack‘s injury could open another door, however. The Chargers brought Ferrell and fellow edge rusher Rashad Weaver in for workouts Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
The Bolts will see their outside linebacker depth tested in a way it hasn’t in recent years. Although Joey Bosa struggled to stay healthy, he represented a rather important piece during his nine seasons in Southern California. The Chargers also had Mack to rely on, as the former Defensive Player of the Year had missed just one game from 2022-24. The Bolts cutting Bosa and seeing Mack go down with a dislocated elbow — an injury Jim Harbaugh said is not expected to be season-ending — has changed the equation.
Bud Dupree is set to step into the Bolts’ lineup opposite Tuli Tuipulotu. This will be an adjustment for the Chargers, who could roll out a Bosa-Mack-Dupree-Tuipulotu quartet last season. They added Kyle Kennard in the fourth round but have yet to dress the rookie. That will probably change moving forward.
Ferrell’s past also makes this an interesting workout. The Raiders brought in the Clemson product at No. 4 overall months after trading Mack to the Bears. Viewed as a reach by most, Ferrell did not live up to his draft slot. He resurfaced in San Francisco, starting 17 regular-season games for the NFC championship-winning team. Ferrell produced 3.5 sacks in both 2023 and ’24, operating as a 10-game starter with Washington last year.
The Commanders re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal in March but then added Von Miller over the summer. Preston Smith is also back in Washington, while Ferrell (28) awaits his next opportunity.