The Los Angeles Chargers qualified for the playoffs last season in Jim Harbaugh's first year as the team's head coach. While people will point to Justin Herbert and a strong offensive line for helping turn the team around after a 5-12 season in 2023, it was really the strength of the defense that carried the team.
The defense could be even better this season, but the key to that will be how the team replaces veteran pass-rusher Joey Bosa. Third-year player Tuli Tuipulotu may be the best pass-rusher many NFL fans don't know. But it was his 8.5 sacks last season, while playing on just 66.9 percent of the team's defensive snaps, that helped convince the front office that moving on from Bosa would be a move the team could survive.
Without Bosa, more will be expected out of the 22-year-old Tuipulotu in 2025. Ben Solak of ESPN, while searching for an X-Factor player for each team in the league (which couldn't be a QB, rookie or coach), chose Tuipulotu for the Chargers. Here was his analysis:
"Tuipulotu had 8.5 of the quietest sacks you ever saw -- or perhaps didn't see -- last season. He was a low-pressure, high-sack player -- and as we know, pressure is the stickier stat. Still, some players have a knack for splashy tackles behind the line of scrimmage, and he is one of them. In run defense we see the same sensation: By NFL Next Gen Stats' charting, he was below average in total run stops but above average in stuffs -- negative plays for the offense.
Tuipulotu cannot just be a splash player this go-round, though. He split snaps with Bud Dupree and Joey Bosa (when the latter was healthy) last season. Bosa is now off the roster, without much new depth behind. Tuipulotu will be a full-game starter, playing north of 70% of the snaps on a weekly basis opposite Khalil Mack-- and you know where opposing offenses will send their pass protection help on third-and-long. If Tuipulotu continues generating explosives on an increased snap count while also finding more down-to-down consistency, he'll be one of the league's most impactful No. 2 edge rushers".
Khalil Mack, even at 34 years old, is going to see the majority of attention from offensive coordinators who will try to avoid his game-wrecking ability. That could free up Tuipulotu for many one-on-one chances to make plays for this defense. And if he can consistently do that while playing more, as Solak points to, he could be a Pro-Bowl caliber player for this team.
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Bud Dupree, Kyle Kennard and Caleb Murphy are the team's other pass-rushers and while all three of them could be capable of making plays on a situational basis, a lot of belief will be placed on the ability of Tuipulotu to get to the quarterback and have a double-digit sack season for the Chargers in 2025.
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