The Los Angeles Chargers have made a few major tweaks to their roster after yet another first-round exit in the postseason. The biggest change made around Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert, in a reversal of traditional offseason logic, was the addition of someone who won't strap on a single helmet.
Seth Walder of ESPN gave the Chargers an A- grade for their performance in the 2026 NFL offseason, giving only the notoriously efficient Philadelphia Eagles a better grade. Oddly enough, the move that Walder was fawning over wasn't a new addition like Akheem Mesidor in the NFL Draft or Tyler Biadasz in free agency.
Walder was very complimentary of the decision to hire Mike McDaniel, fresh off a stint as Miami Dolphins head coach, as the team's offensive coordinator. After making a Maserati like Herbert operate the offensive equivalent of a Ford Aerostar over the last few years, McDaniel's acumen could help this offense take flight in 2026.
Los Angeles Chargers' offseason praised after Mike McDaniel OC hire
Every time the Chargers have someone who creates a dominant vertical passing game around Herbert's talents, they not retained by the incoming coach staff and end up with the Philadelphia Eagles as their OC before becoming a head coach. Shane Steichen in 2020 and Kellen Moore in 2023 followed the same path before the Colts and Saints snatched them up.
Following each of those two, the Chargers decided to roll with Joe Lombardi and Greg Roman, respectively. Lombardi was an overly conservative play-caller who used Herbert's rocket arm to throw 25 checkdowns to Austin Ekeler every game, and the recently fired Roman is a passing dinosaur who was not equipped to get the most out of No. 10.
McDaniel has his faults, and there is reason to question how well his offense will work without the league's fastest wide receiver tandem in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at the peak of both their respective powers. Even with those questions, this offense managed to help Tua Tagovailoa lead the league in passer rating and passing yards on different occasions. Imagine what Herbert could do.
Walder wasn't even fawning over the rest of the Chargers' moves too feverishly. He wanted LA to use their plentiful cap space on a veteran offensive lineman, and he called Khalil Mack "diminished" as a pass rusher. However, the McDaniel hire could be such a great fit for Herbert and the offense that all of those concerns wither away.
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