EL SEGUNDO — Tuli Tuipulotu arrived at his first Chargers training camp as a wide-eyed, 20-year-old second-round draft pick from USC. He approached veteran teammates and fellow outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa and called them “sir” and “mister” with a sense of reverence.
Tuipulotu made quite the first impression during the 2023 season, and it went far beyond being polite and respecting his elders in the locker room and on the field. He made his mark as a rookie, saying far more with his actions during practices and games than by opening his mouth.
He was quiet and shy off the field.
His play on the field was loud and attention-grabbing.
He was courteous off the field.
He was a menacing threat to opposing quarterbacks on the field.
Entering his third NFL season, Tuipulotu has embraced an enhanced role that now includes an occasional locker room or sideline speech to his teammates, something that was unthinkable when he was a rookie. Slowly but certainly, over 34 games, he has commanded additional respect from his peers.
“He’s a quiet dude, but when he speaks, everybody listens to him,” Mack said Friday of his younger and less experienced teammate. “It’s good to see him kind of coming into himself from a vocal standpoint, especially when he’s on the field. Just want to see more from him from that standpoint.”
Tuipulotu said after the second day of training camp that he hasn’t accomplished enough so far in his young career to be an outspoken leader, to be that rah-rah guy in the locker room or on the field. He insisted he must continue to let his play do the talking for him.
No question, Tuipulotu, 22, will get that opportunity this season, what with Mack now 34 and entering his 12th season and with Bosa having been released by the Chargers and signing with the Buffalo Bills. Tuipulotu is expected to start opposite Mack this season, his first as a full-time starter.
“Every year, I feel like, coming into it, it’s going to be a big year,” Tuipulotu said when asked if he believed the 2025 season could be even more of a breakout season for him than his first two. “That was my mindset going into last year and it’s going to be the same coming into this year.”
Tuipulotu said he has swapped texts with Bosa since Bosa’s departure in March.
“I hope he’s doing good, but, yeah, I miss him,” Tuipulotu said of Bosa.
Tuipulotu, Mack and Bosa formed a rotation for most of the past two seasons, but especially in 2024. Tuipulotu made 11 starts in 2023 and nine in ‘24. He had 4.5 sacks among his 53 combined tackles as a rookie and led the Chargers with 8.5 sacks among his 42 tackles this past season.
Tuipulotu and Mack are expected to be joined by veteran Bud Dupree, who might also earn more playing time during the 2025 season with Bosa playing with Buffalo. Dupree, who is entering his 11th season in the NFL, was a valuable depth player last season, and he might be even more so this year.
“You don’t want a guy to be comfortable, but also within a defense you can get more comfortable and you can learn, and he knows exactly what we want him to do,” said Jesse Minter, entering his second season as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator. “He also has a playmaking skill-set, too.
“I think the really good players, it’s like, can they do what you want them to do? Do they also have that little magic where sometimes they go outside the realm and make a play? The really good, productive players have always been that way. I think he can be that. I think he’s done a great job of taking advantage of the opportunity.”
EXTRA POINTS
Jamaree Salyer slotted into Mekhi Becton’s spot at right guard for Friday’s practice, joining left tackle Rashawn Slater, left guard Bradley Bozeman, center Zion Johnson and right tackle Joe Alt. Becton had a good excuse for missing practice. He received his Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles. …
Chuka Ndulue has joined the Chargers’ coaching staff under the Spanos Coaching Fellowship program. He’ll be assisting the Chargers’ defensive linemen after spending last season as the defensive line coach at Colorado State. He also has coached at New Mexico, Southern Illinois and Oklahoma.