Popper: Chargers EDGE Tuipulotu to play out deal

Tuipulotu was limited all week by a hip injury. He is also seeking a lucrative contract extension after leading the team with 70 quarterback pressures and 13 sacks last season. He held in during training camp. The Chargers ruled out CB Deane Leonard (abdomen).

Jim Harbaugh declined to answer when asked if Tuipulotu is holding in, saying only that it’s being “handled internally.” So, yeah, he’s almost undoubtedly holding in. Tuipulotu is coming off a career-high 13 sacks in 2025 and will be a free agent after the season, so it would behoove the Chargers to get something done here.

“Time will tell,” Tuipulotu said when asked about contract negotiations. Popper writes that the Chargers and Tuipulotu are in active contract extensions. The star EDGE had a career-best 13 sacks in 2025 and it would behoove the Chargers to lock him up before he hits free agency after the season.

ESPN’s Kris Rhim said earlier this week that James “almost certainly want[s] a new deal before training camp starts” in mid-to-late July. The Chargers’ organized team activities are scheduled to run May 26-27, May 29, June 2-4 and June 8-11. Mandatory minicamp will run from June 16-18. If extensions have not been agreed upon by the time mandatory minicamp rolls around, James and Tuipulotu could choose to hold out. That at least gives us a benchmark to check up on. Stay tuned.

Tuipulotu (6’3/266) comes from a football-rich bloodline with four immediate family members who played at USC and later in the NFL. A decorated performer for the Men of Troy, he was named the Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Year two years ago before earning All-American recognition in 2022 with a nation-leading 13.5 sacks to go with a gaudy 22 tackles of loss. Interestingly, he posted a minuscule 6.5% missed tackle rate in his first two collegiate seasons before seeing that mark plummet by missing a dreadful 31.4% of his tackle opportunities in 2022. Even so, the Trojan edge rusher increased his production from 29 pressures in 2021 to 56 last season while posting admirable PFF defensive grades above 82.1 in each of his final two campaigns. Tuipulotu likes to flash his shoulders to make tackles think he’s going one way, then quickly changes direction to win the rep. Though he didn’t test at the Combine due to injury, his evolved and creative pass rush approach and ability to be productive in multiple fronts despite not having raptor-length bodes well for his NFL projection. Tuipulotu has the requisite physical traits and strength to play with his hand down and hold the point of attack on an every-down basis.

Tuipulotu (6'3/266) may only be a three-star recruit by the rankings, but USC could use anybody they can get as of this point. The Trojans entered Wednesday lagging seriously behind in not only the national recruiting rankings but also the Pac-12 recruiting rankings for 2020 -- on the 247Sports team rankings board they came into the day ranked No. 84. Which, ouch. Now, USC tends to close strong and we could see them nicely elevated from that ranking come February, when everything’s sorted out. But for now, much work to do for HC Clay Helton and staff.