The Los Angeles Chargers are going to have their work cut out for them this offseason.
At 0-8, this is a formula that simply isn't working for Los Angeles. The offense has found virtually no momentum through nine weeks, and although the front office was hesitant to move players at the trade deadline, it's almost certain that most of the expiring contracts get recycled this offseason.
Keaton Mitchell, Charlie Kolar, and Cole Strange were all pieces brought in under Mike McDaniel's vision for the team. If he's gone, there's a real chance they're gone as well. And pieces like Dalvin Tomlinson, Donte Jackson, and Denzel Perryman may very well be cycled out in exchange for younger options at their respective positions.
But this a roster that Joe Hortiz and the front office still believe in—he said as much in his recent comments on the trade deadline:
“I feel like we can win this year,” said Hortiz. “I really do — I really do. It just hasn’t gone our way. But you guys see them playing every week. The fight, the effort, the attitude: It’s all there. We just got to get the breaks to go our way.”
And that means that, as long as Hortiz is still at the head of the organization, we're not likely to see a complete reset this offseason. Here are four pending free agents, then, that may be at the top of the list for a potential return in 2027.
4 Chargers who have a pathway to staying on the roster for 2027
1. Khalil Mack, OLB
Tuli Tuipulotu isn't included on this list by pure virtue of the fact that the Chargers have already made what seem like concentrated efforts to extend him. There isn't really a question there of his return outside of Los Angeles' willingness to fork over the $25 million or so he'll earn on an annual basis on his next deal.
There's slightly more of a question with Mack—and that comes down to his willingness to continue striving for a Super Bowl with this organization. I'm not buying the thought process that Mack's desire to stay with the Chargers through the trade deadline is an indication he'll be willing to play another year. Perhaps it was simply based on a desire to finish out his career without moving cities or acclimating to a new organization.
But Mack has still been effective this season off the edge, racking up 19 pressures and three sacks across eight games, and even if Los Angeles is able to grab another rotational pass rusher in the draft, having Mack back for one more year gives them some much needed depth and flexibility at the position.
2. Troy Dye, LB
There's a world where Daiyan Henley returns to the Chargers in free agency. But after the failed trade that went down at the deadline, it's getting harder to see a true path forward for the two parties. Obviously, the Denver Broncos were willing to pay him market value on his next deal before they discovered the knee issue that came up in his physical. The Chargers, meanwhile, couldn't have been certain of their ability to do that if they were willing to move Henley to a division rival.
If both Henley and the 33-year-old Perryman are gone this offseason, that likely leaves both Marlowe Wax and Del'Shawn Phillips with clear paths to starting opportunities in the middle of the defense. But there's going to need to be depth there, and Dye has at least proven himself as a reliable rotational linebacker in this scheme. Bringing him back on a cheap deal while adding some competition for Junior Colson in the draft may ultimately be Los Angeles' most reasonable path forward here.
3. Tony Jefferson, S
This is far from a guarantee, and it has been such since Jefferson first came to the team in 2024. In each of his three seasons in Los Angeles, the organization has moved Jefferson to the practice squad as part of their roster maneuvers befo[re ultimately bringing him back to the main roster.
The Chargers also have both Genesis Smith and RJ Mickens to take on snaps at the position, and there's a real chance they decide to lean into the youth movement in 2027. But through nine weeks, Jefferson is still seeing the lion's share of snaps at the safety spot next to Elijah Molden, averaging 66.9% of those opportunities while both Mickens and Smith struggle with inconsistent play.
He's not the most reliable coverage safety, but he's consistently made an impact on games by getting downhill and leveraging his physicality. It's clear that O'Leary, at least so far, has shown a preference for Jefferson's veteran experience, and it wouldn't be all that surprising if he got another one-year deal this offseason.
4. Kimani Vidal, RB
Vidal will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so he presents a slightly different case than the above players. All the Chargers need to do is place a tender on Vidal—perhaps an original-round tender that gives Los Angeles the chance to match any offer he gets—and his return is essentially guaranteed.
But the three-back rotation in Los Angeles with Omarion Hampton, Mitchell, and Vidal hasn't worked according to plan, and it feels doubtful that the Chargers will be willing to dole out the $14 million or so it will take to keep all three players in the backfield through 2027.
Vidal currently has the highest yards-per-attempt (4.5) of any of the Chargers' three running backs. Los Angeles, meanwhile, can save nearly $4.25 million against the cap by cutting Mitchell this offseason. Those two numbers right there should present the answer to the question.
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