The Los Angeles Chargers are set to take an entirely different approach under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
This extended, first, to the personnel they added this offseason. In anticipation of a West Coast-style offense and a zone-blocking scheme along the offensive line, they added Tyler Biadasz, Cole Strange, Charlie Kolar, Keaton Mitchell, Alec Ingold, and David Njoku to their offense. It's also extended to the type of drills they've run through OTAs and the start of mandatory minicamp.
The offensive linemen have been running a lot more, with an emphasis on agility and power along the line. But what's drawn the most attention has been the different approach McDaniel has taken to Justin Herbert's offseason program.
After missing the start of OTAs, Herbert spent both workouts that media were present without throwing the football, instead working on his footwork and timing in Mike McDaniel's scheme. While any injury concerns this spawned were certainly misplaced and overblown, it was an intriguing insight into how McDaniel plans to acclimate Herbert into his scheme.
Now, though, with the start of mandatory minicamp, ESPN's Kris Rhim has reported that Herbert will throw every day this week. It signifies him officially taking the next step in McDaniel's grand offseason plan.
Jim Harbaugh said Justin Herbert will throw every day this week. Herbert had been taking one day a week to focus on footwork.
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) June 16, 2026
"We got a plan. We got a nice progression where he's ramping up to training camp and the first game of the season and the entire season. So he's in a…
Justin Herbert will begin throwing consistently this week— a major step towards his acclimation to Mike McDaniel's scheme
Herbert is no stranger to adjusting to a new offense. McDaniel will be his fifth offensive coordinator in just seven years in the NFL.
But it's likely that McDaniel's scheme will ask him to make a number of adjustments he hasn't previously been asked to. McDaniel's passing scheme is built on timing throws, seeking out YAC opportunities in the short and intermediate parts of the field. Los Angeles certainly has the weapons to get this done from a pass-catching perspective. Ladd McConkey, Oronde Gadsden II, Tre' Harris, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith should all have a part in creating opportunities for these explosive plays.
Under Greg Roman's offense, though, Herbert was often asked to extend plays and make downfield throws in an attempt to keep the offense viable. With the abysmal performance of the offensive line, this was a recipe for disaster in 2025.
McDaniel will attempt to overcome any deficits in interior protection by getting the ball out of Herbert's hands quickly, depending on Herbert's anticipation to get the ball to the receivers at the right moments within their breaks.
His emphasis on footwork during OTAs, therefore, was a natural development of this plan. In a timing-based passing game, almost nothing is more important than the quarterback's ability to remain technically sound in the pocket.
Per Daniel Popper, Herbert did not participate in the seven-on-seven period on Tuesday, but he did take some throws in the team's play-action drills.
The hope for the Chargers this season is that McDaniel's scheme is able to fully unleash Herbert's skill-set and, by extension, the offense as a whole. Herbert moving forward in his offseason progression in minicamp is an excellent sign that he's on track to come out of the gates hot in Week 1.
Add us as a preferred source on Google