The 2024 Los Angeles Chargers are entering a new era under head coach Jim Harbaugh. While superstars like Justin Herbert and Joey Bosa will surely be keys to the Chargers' success, it feels as though nearly every other role and roster spot is up for grabs this preseason. With that in mind, it is worth getting to know players like Tuli Tuipuloto and Derius Davis.
Can Tuli Tuipuloto find his own role on the 2024 Chargers?
Despite the Chargers having two of the best pass rushers of their era on the roster last season in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, the team still drafted USC EGDE Tuli Tuipuloto in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
As a rookie, Tuipuloto played in all 17 games, starting 11 thanks to injuries. He put up a solid 4.5 sacks, 53 tackles, 8.0 tackles for a loss, 12 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in his 852 defensive snaps.
Fast forward to 2024, and while Bosa and Mack are still on the squad, this could be Tuipuloto’s season to break out.
Mack is 33, and even though he had an incredible 17.0-sack season in 2023, it stands to reason he will start slowing down at some point. And while Bosa turns 29 in July, the truth is he’s had trouble staying healthy at any age, playing in just 14 games over the last two seasons.
All this adds up to the fact that Tuipuloto should, once again, get some real playing time in his sophomore season despite the two future Hall of Famers in front of him. Also, with a new coaching regime, there could be a new role in store for the former Man of Troy.
New Chargers defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, told Chargers.com that he loved what he saw from Tuipuloto last season and is even more intrigued by how the USC coaching staff used him in college.
“The cool thing about him is he's a guy in college that they moved all over the place — off the ball, up on the edge, they even had him played out in space a little bit. You look at how he played his rookie year and I thought he stepped in and played really well for a rookie,” Minter said. “Didn't look like a rookie, didn't feel like a rookie when you were watching him. He plays with the toughness and the physicality that we certainly want our guys to play with.”
This sounds like Minter wants to find ways to get Tuipuloto, Bosa, and Mack on the field together, which is why Tuli Tuipuloto is a name to know this coming season.
Derius Davis could be a game-breaker on offense and special teams
The current state of the 2024 Chargers wide receiver group is well documented. Longtime stalwarts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are gone, and in their place are 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey, and average-ish veterans Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark.
That’s not exactly a Murderer’s Row of receivers for Justin Herbert.
There will be plenty of opportunity for other WRs to emerge this season, and the diminutive 2023 fourth-round pick Derius Davis could be one of those guys.
At 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Davis is one of the smallest players in the NFL. However, as a rookie, he proved he could at least be a valuable punt returner. After leading the league with 16.0 yards per punt return and taking one to the house, Davis was voted first-team NFLPA All-Pro at PR.
He also returned 17 kicks, but with the new XFL-style kickoff return rules coming next season, there should be a lot more opportunity to take kicks back, and the play will be more like a punt return, which fits Davis’ skillset perfectly.
There is a solid chance that Davis quickly becomes one of the first kick return stars under these new rules.
Additionally, Davis could see more time in the slot this season or even in the backfield on gadget plays. Jim Harbaugh has always been creative with his offenses (see Colin Kaepernick), and having a Swiss Army knife like Davis is right up his alley.
Last season, Davis had 15 catches for 66 yards, and 14 rushes for 101 yards. Look for those numbers to go up during the Chargers 2024 campaign, and if they do, look for Davis to find the end zone on offense for the first time in his career, possibly multiple times.
This season, the Chargers need to get creative to generate offensive chunk plays, and while Derius Davis might be the smallest player on the team, he could come up big in that area.
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