The Los Angeles Chargers have everything they need to address the gaps on their roster this offseason.
They have ample cap space (the third most in the league currently), and possible cuts of Mekhi Becton and Will Dissly could push that number even higher. In addition, all of their capital at the top of the draft is intact. Although they are missing their fifth and seventh-round picks, they should have the selections they need to bring in some premier talent.
As free agency approaches, that cap flexibility will be the focus of many fans. But the 2026 NFL Draft sits just over two months away. For now, the NFL Draft Combine will take up much of the bandwidth.
Realistically, we won't truly know what Los Angeles is going to do on draft night until we finally get there. But the testing results of various prospects this week could be highly informative.
O-Line or D-Line? That is the question.
As various analysts have continued to pen their mocks for 2026, it has become clear that everyone is aware of the Chargers' real offseason needs.
Many mock drafts have them projected to select Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane with their selection at 22nd overall. Ioane still has some development to do, but the solidness of his technique could allow him to be a day-one starter at right guard for the Chargers.
At the same time, other drafts have them addressing this need in later rounds or in free agency, instead taking a swing on a defensive tackle in the first round. Names such as Peter Woods out of Clemson, Kayden McDonald out of Ohio State, and Caleb Banks out of Florida have floated around in recent months.
There's also been a bit of buzz surrounding tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon.
Here's where the combine could be instructive. Ioane is, realistically, the only guard worth reaching for at that point in the draft. He has been mocked by many analysts, however, as high as the top-18.
With a strong showing at the combine this week, Ioane could elevate himself well out of the Chargers' draft range. The New York Jets are just one of the teams that could spring at Ioane before Los Angeles gets a shot at him, although there are many other teams in need of protectors.
Meanwhile, if any of the defensive tackles mentioned above have a strong showing, the positional pool is so deep that the Chargers could realistically still nab one in the first round. They could then pivot toward a lesser guard or one of the top centers in the second and third rounds.
Of course, their ultimate strategy will remain a mystery for quite some time. Perhaps an offensive weapon such as Sadiq could truly be on the table.
But for now, there will be clear takeaways to pull from these prospects' performances at the 2026 NFL Draft Combine.