You could make the argument that the Los Angeles Chargers have two of the premier pass rushers in the NFL. Yet, a new ESPN model projects Tuli Tuipulotu for about 6.6 sacks in 2025 and Khalil Mack for roughly 7.1, tidy preseason baselines but ones that miss the full story.
Tuipulotu closed 2024 as a heavier snap player who finished with meaningful sack totals and clear technical growth, which argues for upside beyond a single projection. Mack adds a veteran finishing presence and a history of production, and his presence changes how opposing offensive lines must allocate protection.
Those two together shift the risk calculus for the Chargers more than any isolated number on a projection sheet.
New Model Undervalues Los Angeles Chargers Sack Potential
Losing Joey Bosa was a real roster shakeup. He was a long-time go-to EDGE who demanded attention and produced consistent pressure when healthy (key word there), and his departure forces the Los Angeles Chargers into personnel choices they did not have to make last year.
But context matters here; Jesse Minter did not inherit a broken unit; he built one that graded near the top of the league in points allowed and situational execution. That scheme strength gives Los Angeles options beyond panicked spending, because Minter can mask inexperience and manufacture pressures through disguise and rotation.
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The practical path is development plus targeted additions. Tuipulotu showed the growth curve you want to see, a cleaner rush plan, better timing, and more consistent wins on the edge.
Mack projects as a 7.1 sack player and brings veteran chops that help in third down and passing downs, and those two together give Minter a credible foundation to generate consistent pressure.
If the rotation around them and the interior run defense stay healthy, the staff can use situational pass rushers and a veteran third-down specialist rather than betting everything on one new star.
Bottom line, ESPN’s projections are useful floors, not ceilings. The core pieces are in place to remain a team strength in 2025, provided Tuipulotu takes another step and Mack delivers the veteran production expected.
Losing Bosa is a headline, but Minter’s scheme, Tuipulotu’s growth, and Mack’s projected production give the front office a path to keep this defense elite without forcing a full identity rebuild.