While the Los Angeles Chargers had quite a bit of salary cap space to work with heading into free agency, even after re-signing nose tackle Teair Tart back in January and bringing back edge rusher Khalil Mack on another one-year deal, they certainly didn't make as many moves as some thought (or hoped) they would, at least not as it pertains to external free agents.
In regard to their own free agents, the Bolts brought back several players, inking Trey Pipkins III, Trevor Penning, Del'Shawn Phillips, Denzel Perryman, Tony Jefferson, Deane Leonard, Josh Harris, and Trey Lance to new deals. But as far as outside help goes, they've only added center Tyler Biadasz, whom they were able to sign ahead of the tampering period as he'd already been released by the Washington Commanders, fullback Alec Ingold, blocking tight end Charlie Kolar, running back/kick returner Keaton Mitchell, offensive linemen Cole Strange, and defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson.
And let's not forget, of course, that Los Angeles has lost a number of players, most notably Odafe Oweh, who signed a four-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Commanders. Zion Johnson, Benjamin St-Juste, Da'shawn Hand, Otito Ogbonnia, Jamaree Salyer, Tyler Conklin, and Austin Deculus all have new homes as well.
The Chargers can obviously still add a few more free agents, and they're also still in position to make a big trade if they so choose. But at this point, it seems that the bulk of the remaining help they'll get will come in the 2026 NFL Draft, which Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh absolutely have to nail, as the Bolts only have five total selections.
The first of those five picks comes in Round 1 at No. 22 overall, and given what's happened with the roster thus far, it seems fairly clear which way Los Angeles will go with that selection.
The Chargers should probably prioritize the edge rusher position with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
This past season, the Chargers' biggest weakness was easily the offensive line. Big factors in that, of course, were the season-ending injuries to superstar tackles Rashawn Slater, who was lost during training camp, and Joe Alt, who went down midway through the campaign. So, getting those two back healthy will certainly improve things. And Biadasz is undoubtedly an upgrade over the retired Bradley Bozeman at center.
The guard position still isn't the strongest on either side, as Strange and Penning, neither of whom ever lived up to their first-round draft status, leave a lot to be desired. While some might be hoping the Chargers go in this direction, we're thinking that this doesn't happen until Round 2.
In Round 1, we're thinking the Bolts take an edge rusher after failing to bring back Oweh. And that was the right move letting him leave for Washington, by the way. He's a good player, but he's certainly not worth the $25 million per season that the Commanders are paying him.
Sure, the Chargers still have Tuli Tuipulotu, who is in line for what will likely be a lucrative extension. But while bringing back Mack was a good move, there's no getting around the fact that he's a rotational player at this point in his career. Don't get things twisted; he's still a very good player and commands a lot of attention when he's on the field. But the depth chart behind him is very thin, and Los Angeles simply hasn't addressed this need as of yet.
Furthermore, given the way Harbaugh likes his defense to look, which new DC Chris O'Leary is expected to adhere to, having three strong edge rushers is of paramount importance, which is why the trio of Oweh, Tuipulotu, and Mack worked so well this past year.
So, this is the direction the Chargers need to go, and there should be some solid options available at No. 22. The top players at the position, such as Ohio State's Arvell Reese, Texas Tech's David Bailey, and Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. will all be off the board by the time Los Angeles goes on the clock, but Auburn's Keldric Faulk, Clemson's T.J. Parker, and Oklahoma's R. Mason Thomas could conceivably all still be there.