Tre Harris had a good, not necessarily great, season for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. Whether that was Greg Roman's doing or simply the result of Harris being a rookie and getting his feet under him is something we may not have answered until the 2026 season rolls around. Harris did everything that was asked of him and really made an impact as a blocker. But for him to not be forgotten as a weapon this year, he's going to have to take another step as a receiver.
The Chargers are looking to have a completely different, more modern identity, and they've added the weapons to help make that possible at every level. Luckily for Tre Harris, his quarterback, Justin Herbert, has all the confidence in the world that he's going to get it done.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers are looking for Tre Harris to have a breakout 2026
Chargers QB Justin Herbert on Tre' Harris: "Tre's been awesome. He's so reliable. I thought he had a great year last year, but we're expecting big things from him this year."
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 4, 2026
Says WR Ladd McConkey fits the offense and highlighted his ability to create missed tackles downfield. pic.twitter.com/ACm5401BhN
Watching the player Tre' Harris was at Ole Miss and then seeing who he was during his rookie season felt almost like watching two different players. At Ole Miss, Harris was electric downfield and brought explosive plays to Oxford on Saturdays. In the NFL, his first season was full of grit, and his biggest impact seemed to come when the ball wasn't in his hands.
His development as a blocker was great to watch, but the Chargers didn't draft him in the second round to be a good blocker. For this offense to become everything fans are hoping for, Harris needs to blossom into an effective WR2, or at the very least an elite third option depending on Quentin Johnston's own development.
Harris has all the talent necessary to become a valuable weapon for the Chargers this season. For Herbert to be singing his praises this early in training camp is a great sign. He could very easily keep quiet and not say much at all about Harris. Instead, he praised him and followed it up by challenging him to be great this season for the benefit of the entire team.
For Harris, that's a big signal that regardless of who was brought into the offense, whether it's David Njoku, Brenen Thompson, or a healthy Omarion Hampton, his quarterback is looking to him to make a real impact this year.
Given the versatility he showed as a blocker, Mike McDaniel should be ready to deploy Harris in a number of different packages. On top of that, McDaniel isn't going to be running the same archaic offense Harris dealt with during his rookie season. The sheer number of real opportunities for everyone in this offense should increase. Assuming a healthier offensive line, that alone should create more opportunities in the passing game and more time for receivers, including Harris, to get open.
Harris is going to be a big piece of the 2026 Chargers. Whether he becomes a bona fide WR1 or simply part of a very strong trio alongside Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey, Herbert is right to place high expectations on the second-year receiver.
The pieces are in place for Harris to have a much easier path to production this season. Now it's up to Herbert, McDaniel, and Harris himself to make sure he builds on a solid rookie year and turns into a reliable contributor in this offense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google