There's always going to be lingering questions about the LA Chargers at the start of a new NFL season; that's to be expected. It's the answers to those questions that will decide if the Bolts make noise in 2026 or if it will ultimately become another forgotten year in a Rolodex of lost decades.
As cliche as it is, the 2026 season truly serves as a fork-in-the-road moment for the Chargers. Los Angeles is on year three of the Jim Harbaugh-Joe Hortiz partnership with zero playoff wins to show for it. Regular-season results are great, but they mean nothing if all they do is extend the season by one week.
Whether or not the Chargers split off down the stream of success or fall back into the pit of disappointment will depend on the answers to these looming questions.
1. Can Chris O'Leary pick up where Jesse Minter left off?
The Chargers' defensive coordinator change from Jesse Minter to Chris O'Leary is one of the most undercovered aspects of the team. On the surface, the Chargers are in a fine situation: they hired someone who coached Minter in 2024 and piloted a successful college defense last season.
Western Michigan ranked ninth in the country in points allowed per game with O'Leary as the defensive coordinator last season. Given that success, and his time as the safeties coach for the Chargers in 2024, there is an underlying acceptance that O"Leary can pick up where Minter left off.
But it's not always that simple. Just because O'Leary coached under Minter and shares similar philosophies doesn't mean he will be as effective as a defensive coordinator. We see how important coordinators are every single season in the NFL; overlooking the fact that the Chargers lost a top defensive coordinator is a trap.
This isn't to say that O'Leary can't get the job done; it's just not conclusive until the Chargers go out and prove they haven't skipped a beat.
2. Are the Chargers' pass catchers good enough for a deep run?
The Chargers bypassed another reunion with Keenan Allen or a shot on Tyreek Hill to instead bet on the youth in the wide receiver room. Every single receiver on the Chargers roster is on a rookie contract with Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis being the most experienced players.
There's certainly talent in the wide receiver room. Ladd McConkey was one of the most productive slot receivers in the NFL his rookie season until Allen came and took some of that offense in 2025. Johnston turned a corner last season with eight touchdowns and Tre' Harris has been a camp darling for two years.
But is it enough? Betting on an exclusively young group of receivers without a true "screw it I need to chuck the ball to my best guy" option is a bit daunting. Sam Darnold had Jaxon Smith-Njigba; Jalen Hurts had A.J. Brown; Patrick Mahomes had Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill; Tom Brady had Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski; Matthew Stafford had Cooper Kupp.
Every recent champion had an elite, legitimate No. 1 pass catcher. Barring a huge breakout, the Chargers don't project to have that weapon, regardless of how much we all like Ladd McConkey.
Is that enough? Time will tell. The New England Patriots got to the Super Bowl last year without a true No. 1 pass catcher only for the Seattle Seahawks to expose that reality on the biggest stage. The Chargers can definitely succeed with this receiving corps, but history says they will be held back unless someone steps up.
3. Do guards actually not matter?
This is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but if you've followed the discourse around the Chargers' offseason moves, you know exactly what I mean.
The Chargers had the most cap space in the NFL heading into the offseason and to fix the abhorrent offensive line the team signed documented first-round disappointment Cole Strange, recently released Tyler Biadasz, and drafted a center who has never played guard to maybe play left guard. Every other addition was a depth addition.
Biadasz is hurt and out for the year, forcing second-round pick Jake Slaughter to play center, his natural position. This has left the Chargers with Trey Pipkins and Kayode Awosika, who has less than 10 career starts, as the best options fighting for the left guard position.
Throughout it all, more bullish Chargers fans have argued that guards matter less in Mike McDaniel's scheme. Great! Let's go see it. Let's see if McDaniel has a magical offensive system that can make up for the lack of talent at the guard position and the awful job the Chargers did at adding depth.
4. Will the Chargers' front office be aggressive?
Hortiz has shown no hesitation in adding talent during the NFL season. He made a masterful trade for Elijah Molden in his first year as GM and swung a big trade for Odafe Oweh, which eventually netted Oweh a $100 million contract, last season.
Ironically enough, the opposite has been the case in the offseason. Hortiz rarely gives out contracts longer than two seasons to external free agents and despite having all the cap space possible the last two years, has been relatively cautious. It's a viable strategy for long-term consistency, but at some point, risks have to be taken to get over the hump.
The Chargers don't need to be overly aggressive, but it's not a bad thing to double down and go for it all if the right situation presents itself during the season. Seattle just did this last year with Rashid Shaheed, who gave the team valuable pass-catching and special-teams depth.
It doesn't have to be a superstar, and the area of improvement may not even be obvious right now in September. But a hole will present itself, and there almost certainly will be an opportunity to fill that hole and maximize the team's Super Bowl chances.
But will Hortiz take the swing? Time will tell.
5. Can Justin Herbert show up in the NFL Playoffs?
The most polarizing question to ask about the Chargers. I genuinely do not like pointing out Herbert's playoff woes and get no pleasure in doing so... but it is worth talking about.
Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs as a starter and has played pretty poorly in all three games. Herbert's not the sole reason the Chargers lost those games, but his play certainly didn't help.
The stats look fine in the Jacksonville loss but those who lived the game remember a different story. Herbert missed a wide-open Allen in the end zone that would have put the game on ice and played tentatively in the second half. If Herbert makes one top-tier QB play, the Bolts win that game.
The Houston loss was probably his worst as a pro as he tossed four interceptions in the face of immense pressure. It wasn't all on Herbert as he had poor center play and lackluster weapons, but just like in the Jaguars game, he did nothing to elevate the team.
Then you have the stinker in New England last year. Herbert was absolutely blown up in the fourth quarter and given how the regular season went, many remember that game as one where Herbert ran for his life. That wasn't the case.
The pass protection actually held up quite well in that game. Herbert was sacked twice in the Chargers' first six drives and both sacks came on the same drive. Sacks aren't everything, but it wasn't a case where he was constantly being blown up. That didn't happen until the end of the game, when it was already out of reach.
Herbert completed 19 of 31 passes for 151 yards in that game. Pro Football Focus gave him a 29.7 grade, the worst of any player on offense. The defense played well enough. Herbert didn't.
It may be unfair, and Herbert very well could shake the narrative entirely. But until he actually goes out and does it, it's absolutely fair game to question whether or not he can show up in the postseason.
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