Source: Bud Dupree signing with Los Angeles Chargers

Veteran free-agent linebacker Bud Dupree is signing a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Saturday night.

Dupree, 31, had his best season since 2020, notching 6.5 sacks and 39 tackles with 8 tackles for loss and 8 quarterback hits for the Falcons. He quickly emerged as the team's top standup edge rusher in Atlanta's defensive scheme, often playing on many key snaps.

It was a nice rebound for Dupree after two seasons with the Tennessee Titans in which he missed 12 combined games and was a playing a little more than half the snaps. With the Falcons, he appeared in 68% of the team's defensive snaps while he was active.

Dupree, a 2015 first-round pick, spent his first six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He broke the 10-sack barrier once -- with the Steelers in 2019, when he played every game and had a career-high 68 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits.

He's played in 119 career games (99 starts) with 305 tackles, 53 sacks and 70 tackles for loss.

ESPN staff writer Michael Rothstein contributed to this report.