The Los Angeles Chargers' most notable additions this offseason have been on the offensive side of the ball.
It all started with the addition of Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, whose West Coast-style offense offers a bevy of new options for Justin Herbert and company. The Chargers then doubled down on this stylistic shift, adding Keaton Mitchell, Charlie Kolar, Alec Ingold, Brenen Thompson, and David Njoku to buoy these efforts.
If everything goes according to plan, Los Angeles should have one of the most formidable offenses in the league in 2026. But the defensive side of the ball should certainly be getting some love too.
Gary Davenport at Bleacher Report recently re-ranked the NFL's top defenses after the seismic trade of Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Although there was some movement at the top, the Chargers stayed relatively close to their offseason expectations— Davenport had them ranked as the NFL's seventh-best defense heading into 2026.
But it was what he said about the Chargers defense that was notable. Although they may not have the most expensive playmakers in all of their position groups, it's a defense with no major holes.
"The Los Angeles Chargers fashion themselves a Super Bowl contender in 2026, and a big reason for that is the team's defense. In 2025, the Bolts were a top-10 defense in total yards (fifth), pass defense (fifth), run defense (eighth) and points allowed (ninth). That's a defense without a glaring weakness." Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report
Chris O'Leary has a complete unit at his disposal heading into 2026
As Davenport outlined, the Chargers found ample defensive success under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter last season. Their zone-heavy scheme saw some minor regressions from its overwhelming efficacy in 2024, but Los Angeles' combination of strong tacklers and complex coverages helped stifle opposing offenses for much of the season.
Combined with their strong play from their pass-rushing trio of Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipiulotu, and Odafe Oweh, it's not impossible to make the case that the Chargers were a top-five defense in 2025.
Things will look different in 2026 from both a personnel and a schematic standpoint. But from a perspective of production, things seem poised to stay relatively steady.
The Chargers still have a strong secondary, having only lost Benjamin St-Juste in free agency and added Genesis Smith as an additional ball-hawking safety. Their selection of Akheem Mesidor in the first round should help replace much of the production they lost with Oweh's departure. Along the defensive line, their additions of Dalvin Tomlinson and Nick Barrett should help offset some of the turnover they saw this offseason, and their decision to extend Teair Tart gives them a returning playmaker up the middle.
There's room for some trepidation concerning the inside linebacker room. But their starters, Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman, are both viable and versatile defenders in the middle of the defense.
As exciting as a McDaniel-led offense will be in Los Angeles, it's reasonable to temper expectations at this point. If McDaniel can lead the offense to a consistently viable status across all 17 games, that would be a major victory in and of itself.
What the Chargers need to truly enter Super Bowl contention is to pair that offensive attack with another top-10 defense. It's a big ask from new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary, but he has the tools at his disposal to get it done.
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