With the big free-agency boom, the draft, and the release of the schedule all now officially things of the past, we're at the point of the NFL offseason where there's not much more to look forward to before training camp. Yes, there are some high-profile players still on the market and looking for work, and we'll likely see a little more movement with trades and releases once things become a little easier to maneuver after June 1. But for the most part, clubs know what they've got heading into the 2026 campaign.
As such, analysts everywhere are taking this time to opine on just about every aspect of the upcoming year that you could think of, with one such pundit being Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, who recently took the time to lay out what he believes would be the "dream 2026 season scenario" for each of the 32 teams, using only a single sentence for each club.
And here's what he rolled with for the Los Angeles Chargers:
"Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel take Justin Herbert to the next level in his age-28 season and the team's talented offensive tackles stay healthy this time as the Bolts win the AFC West for the first time since 2009."
I think it's safe to say Bolts fans would be on board with this.
The returns of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will undoubtedly help Justin Herbert in 2026
While the Chargers didn't make the splash some thought they would in free agency in terms of player personnel, they certainly made some noise by bringing in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to replace Greg Roman as offensive coordinator.
And truth be told, the returns of tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will somewhat feel like new additions, given the time both missed this past year. Slater, of course, missed the entire 2025 campaign after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during training camp. And Alt appeared in just six games due to ankle issues, still wildly earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
Furthermore, while Gagnon failed to mention the interior portion of the O-line, which was easily their biggest issue this past year, the Chargers have improved there as well, first signing veteran center Tyler Biadasz to replace the retired Bradley Bozeman, then bringing in a familiar face for McDaniel in former first-rounder Cole Strange, and then using their second-round pick in the draft to select Jake Slaughter, who should seemingly surpass Trevor Penning on the depth chart come camp.
So, when you add it all up, Justin Herbert should feel much more comfortable than he did this past season. And it's not as if he had a bad campaign. Despite all the pressure he faced throughout the year, he still earned his second Pro Bowl selection after completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,727 yards with 26 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.
Was it his best year? Certainly not. But other teams had it far worse, and seeing what McDaniel can do with such a talented quarterback is unquestionably exciting to think about, as is the prospect of having a healthy Omarion Hampton for an entire season.
As for winning the AFC West, that's obviously a tall task, as the Denver Broncos proved last year that they're a force to be reckoned with, and assuming Patrick Mahomes' recovery from his knee injury continues to go smoothly, the Kansas City Chiefs will undoubtedly bounce back. And while the Las Vegas Raiders may not yet be ready to compete for a division title, they'll still be better than they've been, given all the moves they made this offseason.
But as Gagnon said, if Slater and Alt come back from their respective injuries and play the way they're capable of playing and McDaniel can indeed take Herbert to that next level, the Chargers will be right there in the mix.
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