The Los Angeles Chargers have managed to build an impressive young defensive line after years of scraping by with veterans, as the emergence of Tuli Tuipulotu and the selection of Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has set Jim Harbaugh up nicely for a future without Khalil Mack papering over the cracks.
Tuipulotu's dominant 2025 season has completely changed the calculus for this team in the 2026 campaign, and it has put the pressure on Joe Hortiz to get a deal done with one of the best in the business across the AFC.
Bleacher Report has become the latest voice to further bang the Tuipulotu extension drum, listing it as the single contract situation the organization needs to figure a resolution to. Any resolution that ends without the former USC star staying in powder blue for the foreseeable future is a major unforced error.
Chargers need to figure out extension for Tuli Tuipulotu ASAP
In keeping with the developmental pipeline many in Los Angeles expected of him, Tuipulotu managed to improve his sack totals from 4.5 during his rookie season to 8.5 in 2024 and a whopping 13 last season. Not bad for someone who came into the NFL with some questions about his overall scheme fit and transitioning to the scheme fit LA has asked of him.
The Justin Herbert contract, and the subsequent shopping spree that will happen as LA locks up its young talents on the offensive line, means that every dollar handed out in extensions needs to be metered out wisely. With the quarterback in Herbert locked in place, the next top priority most teams prioritize is landing an impactful pass rusher, and Tuipulotu fits the bill.
Tuipulotu is a full year and a half younger than Mesidor, which shows that his best seasons are clearly in the windshield and not the rear-view mirror. The Chargers had better act quickly, as they could avoid another messy Rashawn Slater hold-in situation if they prioritize taking care of perhaps their single most impactful non-Derwin James defensive player.
Part of the reason the Chargers are still considered a viable contender is the fact that their raw level of defensive talent could be good enough to stomach the loss of Jesse Minter as a coordinator. Tuipulotu is integral to that vision working out, and the Chargers need to ensure he is taken care of financially in the coming months.
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