Tuli Tuipulotu’s development has been one of the few steady storylines for the Chargers, even as the season has opened with a 0-5 stumble. The fourth-year outside linebacker has kept climbing since arriving as a second-round pick in 2023, and his start this year has only strengthened the case that he’s becoming a real force.
Through five games, the 6-foot-3, 266-pound defender is tied for third on the team with 22 tackles. He also has two sacks, a team-high eight quarterback hits, one interception, two forced fumbles, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery. His production has come in a variety of ways, and that kind of all-around disruption is part of what makes him so interesting in the first place.
His rise has been gradual but obvious. As a rookie in 2023, Tuipulotu played in 11 games without making a start, finishing with 53 stops, 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.
In 2024, he took a bigger step forward, appearing in all 17 games and starting nine of them. That season brought 38 tackles, a team-high 8.5 sacks and another forced fumble, plus four special teams stops.
He also saw action in the team’s playoff loss at Houston.
Then came the leap. In his third season, the former Trojan put together the best stretch of his career, finishing ninth on Jim Harbaugh’s squad with 45 tackles while leading the Bolts with career highs of 13.0 sacks and 23 quarterback hits.
He added two more forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and four additional special teams stops. Tuipulotu also earned his first Pro Bowl nod and recorded two tackles and a sack in the Bolts’ wild card loss at New England.
That kind of growth usually makes a player part of the long-term plan. But the Chargers’ situation has created another layer to the conversation.
Last Wednesday, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus listed Tuipulotu among 15 players who could come up in trade discussions. He’s ranked 14th among PFF edge rushers, and he’s heading into the final year of his rookie deal without an extension in place.
The edge-rusher room is part of why the topic even exists. Khalil Mack is still producing, leading the team with 3.0 sacks. Akheem Mesidor, the team’s 2026 first-round pick, is tied with Tuipulotu for the team lead in tackles with 22, sits second on the roster with 2.5 sacks and has forced one fumble of his own.
Mack could draw interest too, though his 13th season makes it harder to envision a huge return in a deal. Tuipulotu, by contrast, is younger, ascending and under team control for now only through this season.
The Chargers go to Arrowhead Stadium this week to take on the 4-0 Chiefs. Last year, the Bolts swept the season series for the first tine since 2013. This time, Harbaugh’s team is one of three in the league still hunting for its first win in 2026.
So the question hanging over all of this is simple: does Joe Hortiz already start thinking ahead after such a rough beginning? Tuipulotu could bring back a meaningful package if the Chargers ever decided to listen. And even for those who see him as the sort of player you build around, the modern NFL has made one thing clear - very little is truly untouchable.
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Chiefs Trade Idea Would Fix A Big Need And Sting A Rival
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Bleacher Reports Alex Kay floated Khalil Mack as a target, a suggestion that would instantly grab attention around both teams. Mack is on a one-year deal and could be viewed as a manageable rental if the Chargers continue to stumble, which only adds to the intrigue for a division rival looking to patch a need while making life a little more uncomfortable for Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]