COSTA MESA — It’s early days, of course, but by the looks of it, the Chargers would appear to be strongest of all at outside linebacker with Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree forming a menacing group of pass rushers who could be very impactful when the 2024 season begins.
Bosa and Mack are seasoned veterans and Tuipulotu is a second-year player who modeled his play after his more experienced and more accomplished teammates. Dupree is a veteran who signed with the Chargers as a free agent after stops with Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Atlanta.
“It’s a very talented group in leadership all across the board,” Chargers defensive line coach Mike Elston said Wednesday as organized team activities continued. “It’s a very veteran group and a very experienced group. Putting the pieces where we need to put them in different situations is going to be the fun part.”
For now, during workouts leading up to mini-camp next month and training camp starting near the end of July, Elston is working more closely with interior lineman such as Morgan Fox and Poona Ford and defensive assistant Dylan Roney is working with the edge rushers. In time, they’ll combine efforts.
“Right now, we’re in the early stages of installing everything and teaching technique,” Elston said. “When we get more into game-planning and further down the road, then we’re going to spend a lot more time together just so we’re on the same page with the rush plans and things like that.”
The idea is to create a formidable defensive front that is capable of stuffing the opposing ground game as well as harassing the quarterback. The Chargers excelled at times at pressuring quarterbacks last season, thanks to Mack’s career-best 17 sacks and Tuipulotu’s remarkable advancement as a rookie.
Bosa was hurt for the final seven games of the 2023 season, but is sound now and has joined Mack and their teammates for OTAs. Dupree had 6½ sacks last season with the Falcons after…
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