Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge USC Discussion

[Factotum]

I saw Myles triple teamed on some plays last night. Try that with AD in the lineup, even at 38, and I think you will regret it.

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Guys! I am almost starting to bang my head against the wall! For the umpteenth time, Aaron Donald was born in May of 1991 which makes him 35 years old NOT 38! He's actually 90 days younger than Khalil Mack! But you may call me a stickler for these minutest of details 😳

[Whydachargers?]

I guess/hope that Ortiz is prepared to trade for an Edge as he did last year if Tuli's hip continues to be an issue.

[dmac_bolt]

I saw Myles triple teamed on some plays last night. Try that with AD in the lineup, even at 38, and I think you will regret it.

Personally, I don’t think dominant Edge players are overrated. They get doubled teamed which allows the rest of your pass or run defense to more easily penetrate.

Two dominant pass rushers are what you need in today’s league. If you don’t even have one….your defense is toast.

GM’s realize this. That’s why it’s the highest paid position.

The best and brightest football minds agree with you (including mine ). Of course, if a team only has one elite defender - any competent OC can neutralize him. Different but analogous to even a great QB won't succeed if nobody blocks, gets open or catches the ball.

The problem with an AD is that to triple team him is to leave holes somewhere else in the interior line. a moderately competent DC will stunt or blitz a different defender through the abandoned gap(s).

Myles did not seem to take to the McVey travel strategy imo very well. Many Rams did not seem to take to it - their best football was the first 15 minutes, but then got continuously worse from there. My dime store diagnosis is McVey fucked them up.

[Steve]

I guess/hope that Ortiz is prepared to trade for an Edge as he did last year if Tuli's hip continues to be an issue.

Except that in many years there is no edge to trade for in-season. Last year there were several, but you can't count on it.

[Steve]

Jamaal Williams was mostly a run stopper. When it was an obvious passing situation, he wasn't used as a pass rusher.

I agree though that you need interior guys. Interior guys that can pass rush on the inside.

Williams played on the pass rush line some of the time. Remember he wasn't a NT until later in his career, when he got a lot larger. He came into the league as a 300lb, 3-technique guy.

The only knock on Williams as a pass rusher, is when he was playing heavier after a couple of years, he was limited in the number of snaps he could play, so they had to mix in the IDL to keep him fresh for run downs.

[Whydachargers?]

Except that in many years there is no edge to trade for in-season. Last year there were several, but you can't count on it.

Exactly.

[Steve]

Tuli's had one good year as a starter. Oweh screwed up the market

Oweh didn't screw up the market. The Commanders may have, but Oweh just accepted the offer. If they didn't want to pay him, they shouldn't make the offer.

There are plenty of edge defenders who set a soft edge. If they can get after the QB, most don't care.

Oweh needs to do a better job of winning at the snap, as opposed to chasing QB down after the play breaks down. Too many college pass rushers get their sacks that way. A few guys like Vic Beasley and Leonard Floyd did it in the NFL. But if a team is playing a WC offense, timing the ball and trying to get it out quick, players like Oweh and Leonard Floyd are completely ineffective if the QB get rid of the ball quickly. It's true of many pass rushers, but especially the long speed guys.

The key to rushing the QB is to make a team activity. Push the pocket up the middle, flush the QB to the edge. Edge players have to bend the edge and force the QB to step up into the IDL. Any decent QB can buy time if one of those elements is missing. And your D better have enough depth to be fresh when it counts, otherwise the other team is going to drive the ball in 2-minute O and look amazing, when it is really because the DL that dominated for 3 quarters is just gassed and is no longer applying pressure. Same is true of the secondary, which was something O'Leary covered in a presser this week, but it is more true of the pass rush.

As far as Tuli and $40+ mill contract, how do we afford the other edge players? Again, having 1 edge player to rush the QB is completely useless. You need at least 2 and even then you would have to design your offense to play keep away and keep the D off the field or the 2 guys are going to be gassed at the end of every game, in which case how effective are you spending your salary cap resources? We need 3 or 4 edge rushers, even if that means not having a elite player.

[Steve]

Exactly.

I think given how effective the trades were last year, teams will probably be reluctant to trade their edge rushers mid-season. They will probably wait and at least go for the higher comp picks in FA. Although then it comes down to how much value did we add to Oweh (or the Eagles add to Phillips)?

I could see keeping a player like Oweh at $20 mill as part of a rotation and then trying to trade Tuli for a 1st rounder in order to keep the cap under control. There is no question Tuli is far more effective, but can you afford him from a team building standpoint?

I imagine part of why we draft Mesidor is to not only have a 3rd edge in the room (bare minimum number), but to potentially reduce the number of sacks and pressures Tuli has to keep his salary demands in check.

[Whydachargers?]

I think given how effective the trades were last year, teams will probably be reluctant to trade their edge rushers mid-season. They will probably wait and at least go for the higher comp picks in FA. Although then it comes down to how much value did we add to Oweh (or the Eagles add to Phillips)?

I could see keeping a player like Oweh at $20 mill as part of a rotation and then trying to trade Tuli for a 1st rounder in order to keep the cap under control. There is no question Tuli is far more effective, but can you afford him from a team building standpoint?

I imagine part of why we draft Mesidor is to not only have a 3rd edge in the room (bare minimum number), but to potentially reduce the number of sacks and pressures Tuli has to keep his salary demands in check.

It had to have helped that Oweh was sackless (or maybe one?) when we acquired him. Then he becomes a sack doctor with us. All for a 5th round pick. That's not an easy equation/result to match in the future for certain! I hope Tuli can get over what is bothering his hip.

[Riverwalk]

Guys! I am almost starting to bang my head against the wall! For the umpteenth time, Aaron Donald was born in May of 1991 which makes him 35 years old NOT 38! He's actually 90 days younger than Khalil Mack! But you may call me a stickler for these minutest of details 😳

Good catch Facto. I sloppily read a post just prior to mine that incorrectly had 38 and I’m glad you pointed out he’s about the same age as Kahlil.

[Riverwalk]

Myles did not seem to take to the McVey travel strategy imo very well. Many Rams did not seem to take to it - their best football was the first 15 minutes, but then got continuously worse from there. My dime store diagnosis is McVey fucked them up.

That outcome of that game very well could have come down to that simple fact. The Rams conditioning was much worse than the 49ers because of the travel difference.

Now….what was our excuse when the 49ers dominated the hell out of us in preseason?

[Fouts2herbert]

That outcome of that game very well could have come down to that simple fact. The Rams conditioning was much worse than the 49ers because of the travel difference.

Now….what was our excuse when the 49ers dominated the hell out of us in preseason?

The 49ers have been knocking on the door for years now, they have a great coach and they keep restocking the roster, they have a really good team and they play in the toughest division in all the NFL...battle tested, between the NFC west teams minus the Cardinals the other three teams have either gone to or won a Super Bowl in the last 4 seasons, the Rams won in 2022 and Seattle in 2025, the 49ers lost to the Chiefs in 2024...so 3 of the las 4 seasons the NFC west has had representative in the Superbowl and three different teams have gone...there is no question that the 49ers are one of the best teams in football, even with Aiyuk, even with the power station nonsense, even with the injuries, no question they are battle tested and loaded with talent...