We're only two games in the season, and almost no one expected this to be a reality. But the fact of the matter is that missing the playoffs has now become a very tangible possibility for this Los Angeles Chargers team in the third season of the Jim Harbaugh era.
The Chargers dropped their first two games of the campaign to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, and they're the first team in NFL history to have that sort of start against two squads who finished with 14 or more losses in the previous season. They'll now head off to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, who by all measures seem to be the hottest team in the NFL right now.
Only two teams have made the playoffs in the 21st century after starting the season 0-3—the 2018 and 2025 Houston Texans. Given the schedule they have the rest of the way, it's safe to assume that a Week 3 loss could all but erase Los Angeles' playoff hopes before they even truly get going.
Let's hope for a win—no matter how the Chargers are ultimately able to get it done.
But there's still some time, in this window where the season is seriously threatened, to take a look at some mock drafts. In NFL Spin Zone's recent projections for the 2027 class, the Chargers are slated to select Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV at 12th overall.
Getting a top cornerback in this upcoming draft class should be considered a major need. But if they're ultimately going to land one, it may very easily come at the cost of a playoff berth in 2026.
Chargers should be seeking out a top CB in the 2027 NFL Draft—but it's going to take a disappointing season for them to land one
Let's get one thing straight. There's no world in which the Chargers are better off missing the playoffs this year. This is Year 3 of the Harbaugh era. It is not a transition season, even with a pair of new coordinators in the fold. This was supposed to be the year where it all came together for a front office that has insisted upon a conservative, slow-building strategy.
If Los Angeles misses the playoffs, both Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz should, at the very least, be in the hot seat.
But apart from that, it's worth giving some serious thought to where this team goes from here. Even if the offense turns things around and they ultimately make the playoffs (which is still a possibility at this point), it's clear they need some upgrades on the defense. The departure of Jesse Minter has caused a breakdown in communication and talent-maximization on that side of the ball, particularly in the secondary.
Donte Jackson will hit free agency next season, while Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart will be entering the final years of their rookie deals in 2027. Los Angeles doesn't truly have any long-term options at outside corner beyond that.
Seeking out a piece like Robinson—who has archetypal height at 6'0" and has displayed a clear ball-hawking ability during his college career—could be the right move with Los Angeles' first-round pick. The other top cornerback in this class, Leonard Moore out of Notre Dame, seems destined to go inside the top-five.
Given how the Chargers' season has unfolded so far, Robinson is a player that could reasonably be within reach by the time the Draft rolls around, and he's the type of high-upside defender the Chargers desperately need to add. There are options in this class as well on the defensive side of the ball. Will Echoles out of Ole Miss and A'Mauri Washington out of Oregon both look promising along the defensive line.
But if Los Angeles is going to land that type of piece, it's likely going to come at the cost of a playoff berth this season. That's certainly not a trade-off they should be looking to make, but it's a reality they're already facing entering Week 3.
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