EL SEGUNDO — Coach Jim Harbaugh had an opportunity to clarify outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu’s status Saturday on Day 4 of the Chargers’ training camp. He declined to say whether Tuipulotu’s limited participation during the first week of practice was because of his contract situation.
“I’m not going to label it,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh did say Tuipulotu was not injured or working through a past ailment.
“Ramping up,” Harbaugh said repeatedly.
The company line has been that the Chargers were handling it internally.
Whatever “it” is remains to be clarified, something Harbaugh could have done Saturday by referring questions about a possible contract extension for Tuipulotu, who had a team-leading 13 sacks during the 2025 season, ranking sixth in the NFL in his third season in the league, to Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz.
Tuipulotu worked off to the side Wednesday on the first day of camp and then joined his teammates for individual drills Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He watched from the sidelines while they went through team drills, including 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 limited contact scrimmages.
The Chargers aren’t scheduled to don pads until next week.
“Honestly, we have talked a little bit, but that’s his situation and whatever they do with it internally,” said outside linebacker Khalil Mack, Tuipulotu’s teammate and mentor. “I can’t speak on that, but I just hope everything works out in his favor, and whatever works in his favor works in the organization’s favor. Hopefully, that can be done.”
Mack, entering his fifth season with the Chargers and his 13th in the NFL overall, wouldn’t get into the specifics of his conversations with Tuipulotu. But he acknowledged they talked about the business of football, about how to approach the negotiations, and about life in general, too.
“He kind of bounced questions off me and I kind of say what I did or say what I’ve seen other people do or just give the best example of advice that I can,” Mack said. “But every situation is different. I just hope everything works out in his favor. I can’t speak too in-depth about it, but I can leave it at that.”
O-LINE UPDATE
The rotation at the top left guard position grew by one more Saturday, with Branson Taylor filling a spot on the line protecting quarterback Justin Herbert in team drills. Taylor joined Kayode Awosika, Trevor Penning, Trey Pipkins III and second-round pick Jake Slaughter, who have manned the position so far in camp.
It figures to be among the most competitive battles for a starting position, one that Harbaugh said wouldn’t be settled until the Chargers put on the pads and play one or more of their three preseason games, echoing comments made earlier in the week by offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Zion Johnson was the starting left guard for the past four seasons, but he signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent during the offseason, creating a compelling battle to replace him. Awosika, a free agent signing from Detroit, would appear to have an advantage over the others, but Harbaugh and McDaniel said the competition was ongoing.
In fact, Pipkins could be a co-favorite to win the starting job.
“Is he one of our five best linemen? Yeah, he probably is,” Harbaugh said.
Taylor was the Chargers’ sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. He played one game last season as a rookie, part of a seemingly ever-changing rotation of offensive linemen in the wake of season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.
A NEW VOICE
Butch Barry, the Chargers’ new offensive line coach, has been the loudest voice on the practice field so far during camp. His tone might sound harsh to an untrained ear, but center Tyler Biadasz said the volume isn’t intended to demean or berate the Chargers during individual drills.
Barry spent the past three seasons with the Miami Dolphins with McDaniel, who was their head coach for the past four seasons. Barry replaced Mike Devlin, who was fired along with offensive coordinator Greg Roman two days after the Chargers’ AFC wild-card loss Jan. 11 to the New England Patriots.
“His attitude, his effort and his energy,” Biadasz said of what has stood out most about Barry so far. “I could go on and on because it is day in, day out. … I don’t think you hear it that way (Barry’s shouts). You may think it’s loud, but it’s, like, the energy of what he says … you know exactly how to track that. It’s very much like a tone setting.”