The Los Angeles Chargers have a lot of work to do this offseason. After another abysmal showing in the Wild Card Round, there's no avoiding the fact that major changes must be made.
Bradley Bozeman's retirement and the likely release of Mekhi Becton will leave the Chargers in need of two new interior offensive lineman. The tight end room needs to be restructured. Defensive tackle and safety depth needs to be installed. And there remains a distinct possibility the hierarchy of the receiving corps must be more clearly outlined, whether internally or through a trade.
General manager Joe Hortiz has already gotten off to a good start this offseason, extending Teair Tart on a three-year, $30 million deal.
The work, however, has only just begun. Hortiz's comments at the 2026 NFL Draft Combine indicate that Los Angeles will keep heading in the right direction over the coming months.
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz pointed to scheme changes with new OC Mike McDaniel, upgrading OL and adding playmakers on offense as ways his team is working to better protect Justin Herbert this offseason. pic.twitter.com/3hfqzQKzJR
— Eric Williams (@edubnfl22) February 24, 2026
Joe Hortiz is saying all the right things, now it's time to execute
Think back to how you felt immediately after the Chargers' disastrous loss to the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round. Probably unimaginably angry or despondent.
But think about how you would have projected the perfect offseason at that time. I can't speak for everyone here, but I believe I can make some safe assumptions.
Fire Greg Roman and replace him with a younger and more innovative offensive coordinator. Check. Retain Jesse Minter, or if that's not possible, bring in a defensive coordinator who is well-familiarized with his scheme. Check. Extend Tart, who was integral to the team's run defense and had an excellent showing against the Patriots. Check. Bozeman and Becton gone. Almost check.
Of course, there's still work to be done. Los Angeles has over $87 million in cap space to work with, and their first and second-round selections in the draft should go a long way towards addressing some of the remaining needs.
Even if the Chargers don't get their shot at Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, they have plenty of other options. Connor McGovern and Cade Mays will come at cheaper prices than Linderbaum on the open market. In the draft, Connor Lew, Sam Hecht, and Jake Slaughter could all be viable choices.
Guard is a slightly trickier situation, but it's quite possible Los Angeles gets a shot at Olaivavega Ioane in the first round. If they don't, free agency could yield them a suitable replacement for Becton.
The question of adding an offensive playmaker is significantly hazier. A.J. Brown could be available this offseason, and so could a player such as Deebo Samuel or even George Pickens. These are far-fetched names, for the most part, but you get the picture.
Hortiz is, once again, attempting to do everything he can to give Justin Herbert the necessary tools. If the organization can nail most of their decisions from here on out, 2026 could look much different for the Chargers.