The Los Angeles Chargers have all the tools they need for new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary to carry over the dominance the unit found in the past two seasons under Jesse Minter.
There were some departures this offseason, sure. Odafe Oweh walked to the Washington Commanders on a four-year, $96 million deal. Benjamin St-Juste, Da'Shawn Hand, and Otito Ogbonnia found smaller deals with their new organizations. But on the whole, this unit is still intact— especially in the secondary.
The trio of top cornerbacks— Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, and Cam Hart— all have at least one year left on their deals. Los Angeles will be expecting major strides from all three in 2026, especially from Hart and Still as they enter their third NFL seasons.
Donte Jackson, in his press availability on Thursday, made it clear that he expects a breakout from Still sooner rather than later. In the short-term scope of the Chargers defense, that would be an excellent development.
Chargers CB Donte Jackson on CB Tarheeb Still entering year 3: “Swiss army knife.”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 6, 2026
“He’s gonna be one of the guys you see on the ticker making a lot of money one day.”
But in the long-term, especially considering Joe Hortiz's general stance toward cornerbacks, it could set the stage for an impossible decision.
Do the Chargers extend both Still and Hart when the time comes?
Tarheeb Still's breakout is looming, and Cam Hart needs to match him step-for-step
Ever since Still and Hart were selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the two have been tied at the hip from an organizational standpoint. They both became immediately productive contributors under Minter's zone-heavy scheme, and both became starting-caliber corners behind Jackson last season.
Still is the better all-around corner out of the pair, especially when you factor in the pass rush and run defense. Still posted four PBUs and seven total pressures in 2025 while allowing a passer rating of just 95.6, per Pro Football Focus. Hart posted 10 PBUs, but there were times where he was still getting beat by quicker receivers and not converting his tackles at an ideal rate.
Jackson is likely correct in his evaluation of Still. He has the right mix of size, speed, and skill to be the top corner in the Chargers defense by the time his rookie contract ends.
But Hortiz hasn't been known to pay his cornerbacks. He let St-Juste walk this offseason at just two years, $10 million, opting to fill the position internally. The organization, to this point in the Hortiz era, has had the luxury of Minter's ability to maximize players in the secondary. The gamble this offseason is clearly on O'Leary's ability to do the same.
Let's assume Jackson returns this offseason for his age-31 campaign. The Chargers still have Still and Hart under contract through 2027, meaning that both players will still need to fight to carve out snaps in the starting rotation. But if Still finally breaks out, where does that leave Hart when both of their extensions come due that offseason? Would Hortiz be willing to extend second contracts to both?
Given Hortiz's approach to roster-building, it seems like there might be a bit of a competition brewing between the Chargers' cornerbacks. If either takes a major step forward this season, that could give us a hint as to what direction Los Angeles might ultimately choose.
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