Despite winning 11 regular-season games for the second straight year, which actually marked the first time the franchise has notched double-digit victories in back-to-back seasons since 2006 and 2007, the Los Angeles Chargers once again suffered an embarrassing loss in the Wild Card Round, taking a 16-3 defeat to the New England Patriots.
The Bolts made a couple of big moves to open their early offseason, quickly parting ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin. The former position, of course, has been filled, as Los Angeles made a monster splash by signing ex-Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. The latter is still open, but many are hoping McDaniel will find a way to bring along Frank Smith, who served as the Chargers' O-line coach in 2021 before becoming McDaniel's OC in Miami in 2022.
Now, there is still the matter of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who may end up taking one of the vacant head coaching gigs, specifically with the Baltimore Ravens, as he seems to be one of the big favorites. But we'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.
Outside of the coaching staff, the Chargers will have a lot of decisions to make during the offseason, as they have nearly 30 players set to enter some sort of free agency. And, of course, whatever holes aren't filled by re-signing some of these players or signing external free agents will need to be filled in the NFL draft.
To that end, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. recently released his first mock draft of the year, and while he has the Bolts addressing one of their more pressing needs, he doesn't have them addressing their biggest problem.
Mel Kiper Jr. predicts the Chargers to select Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods in the opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft
As you can clearly see from the headline above, Kiper has the Chargers taking Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods with their opening selection in April's draft, which rolls around at No. 22 overall.
"Woods looked like a top-10 pick heading into the season, but the production dipped, and here he is outside the top 20. The Chargers won't complain, though. They would love to bring in a talented 3-technique with strength and versatility. At his best, Woods can wreck an opponent's game plan. Can coach Jim Harbaugh (and maybe defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, if he isn't hired elsewhere as a head coach) get Woods' game back to that level? If so, he'd be a really good replacement for free agent Teair Tart."
It's hard to argue with Kiper's assessment that Woods' production dipped this past season, as the Alabama native had fewer solo tackles, fewer tackles for loss, and fewer sacks than he did in 2024. And while PFF grades don't always tell the whole story, the fact that his overall defensive grade dipped from 87.2 to 72.9 certainly can't be ignored, nor can the fact that he was the ninth-ranked interior defender on the site in '24 and dropped to 189th in '25.
As Kiper mentions, none of this means he wouldn't be a great addition, as the 6-foot-3, 315-pounder still brings a lot to the table, maybe just not as much as some originally thought.
But should the Chargers even consider the defensive line with their first pick. Yes, they need help in the trenches, but Kiper simply made the mistake of focusing on the wrong side of the football, as the biggest problem Los Angeles had this past season was on the offensive line.
Naturally, it should be noted that they lost both of their superstar tackles to season-ending injuries: Rashawn Slater before the season even started, and Joe Alt midway through the year. But while both are expected to be healthy when the 2026 season begins, that doesn't mean the Chargers don't have things to fix, specifically on the interior.
Zion Johnson and several of the swing backups who were forced into starting roles are free agents, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see both Bradley Bozeman and Mekhi Becton get cut, as they really don't fit into McDaniel's offensive scheme. So, the Bolts would obviously benefit by addressing those needs before worrying about the defensive line.
Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane, who hasn't allowed a sack since 2023, could be a prime choice for the Chargers if he's still available.