It's been more than a week now since the 2026 NFL Draft came to a close, and the Los Angeles Chargers can undoubtedly say that their roster looks a lot better than it did heading into this year's festivities in Pittsburgh.
Now, did the Bolts have the sexiest draft? No, they most certainly did not. But after an overall underwhelming haul during free agency, they certainly filled some gaps that needed filling, using four of their eight selections on offensive linemen, the most for the team in a single draft since 1991, adding a much-needed edge rusher in Round 1 with Akheem Mesidor, bringing in another weapon for Justin Herbert in wideout Brenon Thompson, and tacking on more defensive depth in safety Genesis Smith and defensive tackle Nick Barrett.
The Athletic recently put together a piece on how each of the 32 teams fared in the draft, and Chargers expert Daniel Popper is very pleased with how GM Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh handled themselves:
"The Chargers did an excellent job addressing needs. They added a third edge rusher in Akheem Mesidor. They added competition at guard, starting with Jake Slaughter. They brought in speed and run-after-the-catch ability with Brenen Thompson. They filled the fifth spot on their interior defensive line depth chart with Nick Barrett. They bolstered the tackle depth with Travis Burke.
"Genesis Smith has the deep-field skill set to push for snaps in sub-packages as a rookie. This was a superb draft for Joe Hortiz. In particular, they dramatically revamped the offensive line room. As coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned Saturday, the Chargers only had three offensive linemen under contract for 2026 when last season ended. They are now up to 14, with some exciting young talent in the mix."
So, how have the draft picks affected the Chargers' odds to win Super Bowl 61?
Chargers are tied for the fourth-best odds to win Super Bowl 61 among AFC teams
Coming out of the draft, here's how the overall odds shake out for Super Bowl 61, which, of course, takes place next Valentine's Day at none other than SoFi Stadium.
Team | Super Bowl 61 | AFC | NFC |
|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Rams | +800 | — | +425 |
Baltimore Ravens | +950 | +475 | — |
Seattle Seahawks | +1000 | — | +500 |
Buffalo Bills | +1000 | +500 | — |
Kansas City Chiefs | +1500 | +750 | — |
Green Bay Packers | +1500 | — | +750 |
Philadelphia Eagles | +1500 | — | +750 |
Los Angeles Chargers | +1600 | +800 | — |
New England Patriots | +1600 | +800 | — |
San Francisco 49ers | +1700 | — | +850 |
Houston Texans | +1800 | +900 | — |
Detroit Lions | +1800 | — | +900 |
Denver Broncos | +2000 | +1000 | — |
Cincinnati Bengals | +2200 | +1100 | — |
Dallas Cowboys | +2500 | — | +1300 |
Chicago Bears | +2500 | — | +1300 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | +3000 | +1500 | — |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +5000 | — | +2200 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | +5000 | +2200 | — |
Minnesota Vikings | +5000 | — | +2500 |
Indianapolis Colts | +6500 | +2800 | — |
Washington Commanders | +6500 | — | +3000 |
New York Giants | +7000 | — | +3500 |
New Orleans Saints | +8000 | — | +3500 |
Carolina Panthers | +8000 | — | +3500 |
Tennessee Titans | +12000 | +5500 | — |
Atlanta Falcons | +12000 | — | +5500 |
Las Vegas Raiders | +15000 | +7000 | — |
Cleveland Browns | +15000 | +7000 | — |
New York Jets | +20000 | +9000 | — |
Miami Dolphins | +30000 | +15000 | — |
Arizona Cardinals | +40000 | — | +20000 |
As you can see, the Chargers are getting +1600 odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history, good for a tie for eighth overall and a tie for fourth among AFC teams alongside the defending conference champion New England Patriots.
Those are just a touch short of the +1500 odds they were getting in the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl 60, but they are up a little from the +1700 odds they were given following the first wave of free agency. So, while not a big jump, it's still a jump. And their +800 odds to represent the AFC in the title game are also up a touch from +850 after that initial free agency frenzy that took place around the league.
As for the odds to win the AFC West, which we didn't post above, the Chargers sit in second in that regard at +190, trailing the Kansas City Chiefs at +160. The defending division champion Denver Broncos sit in third at +225, while the Las Vegas Raiders are an extremely distant fourth at +2000.
All betting odds courtesy of DraftKings. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. The content in this article should not be considered betting advice. Gambling involves risk, and one should only gamble with funds that one can comfortably afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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