The Chargers have added more pass-rush presence.
Tuli Tuipulotu can play on the inside or outside – while he primarily played on the interior for the Chargers, he shed weight from 290 to just 266 pounds at the combine, suggesting he’ll play on the edge once he returns to Los Angeles. However, he did not test prior to the draft with a hamstring injury.
That’s where Tuipulotu’s proximity to the Chargers likely comes into play. As a local player, any visit he took with LA did not count against their 30-player limit, meaning the Chargers may have been able to gain more clarity on his status than other teams around the league.
The rookie’s flexibility illustrates a key point about Brandon Staley’s defense: versatility is key. Tuipulotu can stick on the edge, where his power will be too much for tackles to handle. As a rookie, he’ll likely kick inside a fair bit with Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack both on the field, where his quickness off the snap will be too much for guards and centers to compete with. With Bosa and Mack’s contracts both ballooning beyond 2023, it also gives the Chargers the flexibility to move on from one of their two stars heading into 2024.
While he was a 2022 unanimous All-American, Tuipulotu is only an average tackler who has some stiffness to his game. Those two factors are reasonable causes for concern. But his arsenal of pass rush moves and first step are ready-made for the NFL. As a rookie, he can see the field as a designated pass rusher from anywhere on the line while he improves his tackling ability and finds his true home. The Chargers are one of the few teams with that leeway.
Bottom line: this is a pick for both the present and future. Tuipulotu will contribute right away, with the upside of becoming an impact all-around player.
