Following the departure of 5-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa in early March, third-year edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu should be ready for a breakout season in 2025 as the Chargers‘ “best-kept secret,” according to Bleacher Report‘s Matt Holder.
‘Best-Kept Secret’ Has Clear Path to Starting Role in 2025
Joey Bosa’s past production included a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2016 and four seasons with double-digit sacks. But, Bosa “was a salary cap casualty this offseason,” writes Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder.
That didn’t come as a surprise, considering Bosa produced some of the lowest PFF grades of his career in 2024. As the PFF staff notes, Bosa generated only 40 quarterback pressures with a 13.5% pass-rush win rate. According to PFF staff, prior to last season, his win rate did not drop below 16.4%.
Holder believes the Chargers were likely more comfortable to part ways with Bosa due to the ascendance of Tuipulotu.
“He earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie team in 2023, and more honors should be on the way as the second-round pick takes on a bigger role in Los Angeles,” writes Holder.
Daniel Popper of The Athletic ranked Tuipulotu as the No. 11 player who’s most important to LA’s success in 2025. Popper writes that Tuipulotu has “a massive opportunity in 2025” with “a clear path to starting playing time.”
Popper noted that the Chargers will be “banking on Tuipulotu taking advantage of this opportunity.” If the edge-rushing group is going to continue to be the strength of the defense in 2025, “Tuipulotu will have to make a jump,” writes Popper.
Tuipulotu Took Big Step in 2024, Especially in Second Half of Season
Heading into Week 8, the second-year edge rusher was playing well, but just hadn’t broken through for a sack yet. After sacking Spencer Rattler during their Week 8 victory over the Saints, Tuipulotu seemed to have found a spark.
Over the next three weeks, he caught fire. Tuipulotu recorded 6 sacks and 5 tackles for loss during LA’s victories over the Browns, Titans and Bengals.
By the end of the streak, LA had improved from 3-3 to 7-3 and overtaken the Broncos for second place in the division. Despite his increased production, Tuipulotu remains the Chargers’ “best-kept secret.”
According to Chargers Jr. Writer Omar Navarro, Tuipulotu became just the “fourth Charger since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to have three-straight games with multiple sacks.”
Navarro wrote that Tuipulotu’s high-level production “was especially important” as “[Khalil] Mack worked through an injury and [Joey] Bosa worked his way back from an injury of his own.”
Tuipulotu finished as the team’s leader in both sacks and tackles for loss, with 8 1/2 and 11, respectively. But he made it clear during the streak that he wasn’t focused on racking up stats.
According to Navarro, Tuipulotu said the following during the streak:
“We don’t come out looking for sacks. We just come out trying to play hard, make plays and have fun. We don’t focus on the stats. We play ball and the stats come to us.”
If he can create havoc in the backfield more consistently, LA will be happy to build around Tuipulotu. This would be a massive win for the Chargers, considering that Khalil Mack’s career is likely winding down.
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