The Los Angeles Chargers open camp for their first practice of the 2026 season on July 29th. They enter camp with high hopes and expectations for the 2026 season.The Chargers have several position and role battles to settle but they also are facing the question of what will happen with edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and his contract extension. Los Angeles is hoping to avoid an ugly hold in situation.The edge rusher room will be a focal point of training camp with tight battles to round out the room and a rookie first-rounder added to the mix. Returning starters Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu look to give new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary a solid edge setting foundation but they at this point of their careers, they are not elite pass rushers.Where the Chargers edge rushers standNov 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for a safety during the first quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLast season the Chargers and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter were able to put forth an incredible defensive effort overall finishing the year fifth in overall yards per game and 10th in total sacks. When comparing the Chargers edge rushers, including Odafe Oweh who departed this past offseason in free agency, the trio were all outside of the top 30 in the NFL in terms of pass rush win rate against true pass setsPass rush win rate against true pass sets equates to the times the edge rusher defeats the blocker in front of them quickly when rushing against a straight pass play. Mack finished the season with the highest rate on the team of 19.4 and was tied for 34th in the NFL in 2025 with Odafe Oweh immediately next on the list with a win rate of 19.2. Oweh's win rate actually went down after being traded to the Chargers despite pass rush production being complete opposites.Tuli Tuipulotu had the most production of the Chargers edge rushers, finishing the season with 13 sacks. Tuipulotu actually had the worst win rate of the three finishing the season at 17.7 and 44th in the NFL.The Chargers finished 2025 tenth in sacks, how did they do that with pass rush win rates outside of the top 30 in the NFL? The answer is collectively. Jesse Minter desgined simulated pressures, games and stunts and confusing coverage to give the pass rush more time to work. For edge rushers like Tuipulotu, who plays with a ferocious motor, the extra time or creative usage is his bread and butter. There are edge rushers like Myles Garrett or Will Anderson in the NFL who can line up and just flat out beat the opposing offense and whoever they send to block. Garrett finished 2025 with a 32.7 percent win rate and Anderson finished at 32.6. Not every team has pass rushers of that caliber. Teams like the Chargers rely on the defensive unit to work together to create pressure and sack opportunities.Rookie reinforcementsThe Chargers drafted edge rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the 2026 draft. Mesidor will immediately assume the third edge rusher role and rotate in with or next to Mack and Tuipulotu. Part of the Chargers interest in Mesidor as a prospect was his maturity and readiness for NFL action immediately.At the University of Miami, Mesidor finished his final collegiate season fifth in the nation in pass rush win rate at 36.6 percent which he converted to 67 pressures and 13 sacks. The Chargers will be looking to use his versatility and pass rush skills alongside Mack and Tupulotu early.Rookie edge rushers typically face a steep learning curve when transitioning to the NFL. Most rookies see a dip of around 50 percent in their pass rush win rate during the transition and slowly climb back up as they grow into the league. However, there are exceptions that explain the obsession with traits during the pre-draft process. The rookies who do not see dramatic drops in pass rush win rates when jumping to the NFL either have elite power or an elite first step burst. For example, Jared Verse, a well-known power rusher finished college with a senior season pass rush win rate of 28.6 and barely saw a drop his rookie year, finishing at 27.3 percent.The good news for the Chargers is that Mesidor is well known for his elite first step and carries significant power. As a rookie he may still see a dip from the 36.6 percent win rate but he has the tools and the training from Hall of Fame edge rusher Jason Taylor at Miami to be more prepared for the challenges of the NFL.One of the Chargers undrafted free agents, who has a chance to make the 53-man roster in camp and his college pass rush win rate is a massive reason why. Nadame Tucker played for Chris O'Leary last season at Western Michigan. He is a smaller edge rusher with less than ideal arm length but he largely went undrafted due to his age and only one year of production. The one year of production included the highest pass rush win rate in the NCAA.Tucker finished his final collegiate season with a pass rush win rate of 40.8 percent and he translated that top rate into 61 pressures and 14 sacks. If he can prove himself on special teams, Tucker has an inside track to make the roster and possibly carve out a situational pass rusher role. The Chargers will need all the pass rush help they can get. These two rookies have a chance to make a big impact on the 2026 season.I know I've mentioned him a few times, but keep your eyes out for Western Michigan's edge rusher Nadame Tucker.He was second in the country in sacks under former Chargers DB coach Chris O'Leary running the same defense. ⬇️ vs Left Tackle pic.twitter.com/bN4tYAF9qE— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) January 29, 2026Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow