Former Atlanta Falcons Sack Leader Finds New Home

Former Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Bud Dupree tied for the team lead in sacks in 2023. He will be playing elsewhere in 2024.

Atlanta Falcons edge Rusher Bud Dupree / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Bud Dupree signed with the Atlanta Falcons prior to the 2023 season and went on to tie for the team lead in sacks with 6.5. He was on a one-year deal and had been a free agent until Saturday night according to a report from Ian Rapoport.

Veteran pass-rusher Bud Dupree is signing a 2-year deal with the #Chargers worth $6M base with a max value of $10M, source said. Another post-Draft addition.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 11, 2024

"Veteran pass-rusher Bud Dupree is signing a 2-year deal with the Chargers worth $6M base with a max value of $10M, source said. Another post-Draft addition," wrote Rapoport on X.

The Falcons had still been involved with Dupree as of last week according to Adam Schefter. However with what looks like $6-million guaranteed from the Chargers, Dupree will double what he made with Atlanta last year.

He was an excellent addition to Ryan Nielsen's offense. He did a good job setting the edge in run support while offering a steady, if not dynamic, presence in the pass rush.

Atlanta finished last in ESPN's pass-rush win rate metric and waited until the third round to draft an edge rusher when they took Bralen Trice from Washington.

Dupree and Calais Campbell tied for the team lead in sacks in 2023. Like Dupree, Campbell was also on a one-year deal, and the soon-to-be 38-year old isn't in a hurry to get to a training camp with any team.

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Campbell had been a candidate to return to the Falcons as well. While that isn't completely out of the question, the Falcons took three defensive linemen in the draft including trading a second and third-round pick to take Clemson's Ruke Orhorhoro at No. 35 overall.

The addition of Orhorhoro along with fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus and sixth round pick Zion Logue gave the Falcons a younger, deeper defensive line making a reunion with Campbell seem unlikely.

Dupree joins a considerably deeper edge room in LA with Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. The Falcons meanwhile are hoping they found a steal in Trice and third-year pro Arnold Ebiketie takes another step forward after registering 6.0 sacks last season.