For the first time in nearly a decade, the Los Angeles Chargers’ edge rusher room no longer includes Joey Bosa. After years as a franchise cornerstone, the four-time Pro Bowler was released as a cap casualty and later signed with Buffalo. And while the departure may feel strange for veterans like Khalil Mack—who called it “weird” not seeing Bosa in the room—it’s also cleared the path for one of the league’s most quietly ascending defenders: Tuli Tuipulotu.
At 22, Tuipulotu is stepping into the void left by Bosa not as an understudy, but as a rising star. “Tuli is a special player,” Mack said via Daniel Popper of The Athletic. “I’ve been saying that ever since he stepped foot in the building… it won’t be a surprise when he’s a 10, 12-plus sack guy this year.” New defensive coordinator Jesse Minter called him an “ascending superstar,” and internally, the Chargers are treating him like one.
Tuli Tuipulotu’s Moment Arrives as Los Angeles Chargers Reset Edge Room
A second-round pick in 2023, Tuipulotu has made steady year-over-year gains. After a solid rookie year that earned him PFWA All-Rookie Team honors, he leveled up in 2024—posting 8.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and becoming just the fourth Charger since 1982 to log multiple sacks in three consecutive games. His production surged midseason, helping LA rip off four straight wins and shift the trajectory of their season.
Even with All-Pros like Mack and Derwin James still anchoring the defense, it was Tuipulotu who led the team in sacks and TFLs. He did so while adjusting to Minter’s scheme, which grew more creative as the year progressed—frequently pairing Tuipulotu and James on the same side to wreak havoc.
Joey Bosa’s decline—marked by career-low grades and a sub-14% win rate in 2024—only made the decision easier. The Chargers didn’t chase a splashy edge rusher in the draft or free agency. They didn’t need to. As Bleacher Report recently dubbed him, Tuipulotu might just be the Chargers’ “best-kept secret.” But with a bigger role, a full offseason in Minter’s system, and Mack possibly in his final year, Tuipulotu is set to become anything but.
If he builds on his breakout stretch and keeps terrorizing quarterbacks, the Pro Bowl—and a long-term contract—won’t be far behind.
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