The Raiders had to overhaul their own operation after a disastrous 2025 season, but the AFC West doesn’t hand out breathing room. Las Vegas may have improved with a coaching change, a wave of free-agent additions and a promising 2026 NFL Draft, yet the division still demands a whole lot more than “better.” If the Raiders want to matter, they need to jump levels fast.
That’s what makes the Chargers such an important measuring stick, especially with the teams set to see each other twice. To get a clearer read on Los Angeles, we spoke with Grant Bellchamber of Bolt Beat, and the message was pretty clear: the Chargers believe they upgraded in some key spots, starting with the most important move of all.
For Bellchamber, the biggest offseason addition was Mike McDaniel. He called the confidence in McDaniel “sky-high,” and said the difference between him and Greg Roman goes beyond scheme.
McDaniel, Bellchamber said, is willing to adapt to the roster and the moment, something Los Angeles struggled to do when defenses shut down the run last season and the offense stalled. He added that everything McDaniel has done this offseason, from personnel moves to his work with Justin Herbert, has been stellar.
The other side of the ball comes with a little more uncertainty. Bellchamber acknowledged that Chris O'Leary replacing Jesse Minter is not a lock to work out, especially with O'Leary taking over play-calling at the NFL level for the first time. Still, he pointed to continuity in the structure of the defense - heavy pre-snap communication and motion, Derwin James in a nickel/dime role, and pressure on opponents to run between the tackles - as reasons the transition could hold together.
Health on the offensive line also looms large. Bellchamber said both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt should be good to go for training camp, and while there is concern that Slater’s torn patellar tendon could affect his ceiling, simply getting those two tackles back changes the complexion of the unit. In his view, the line is already in “an infinitely better place.”
That matters for Herbert, whom Bellchamber already considers an elite quarterback. The question, in his eyes, is less about whether Herbert belongs and more about how McDaniel can get the most out of him.
Bellchamber said McDaniel watched every snap of Herbert’s professional career when he got the job, and believes the plan starts with getting the ball out quicker to help the yards-after-catch game and protect against interior issues. With more pass-catchers and more blockers around him, Bellchamber said there’s no more hero ball for Herbert.
He can’t guarantee a playoff run, but he does believe Herbert will be maximized in this system.
Los Angeles also got mixed reviews for its 2026 NFL Draft, but Bellchamber said the class did what it needed to do: add depth on both sides. He said Jake Slaughter and Akheem Mesidor are tough to judge before the pads come on, though Mesidor looks like someone who could make an immediate impact as a pass rusher.
Genesis Smith, the safety from Arizona, already stood out during the offseason program and could take snaps from R.J. Mickens and Tony Jefferson as the deep safety when James slides to the nickel.
Slaughter, meanwhile, brings some worry because of his positional switch from guard/center, but Bellchamber said that’s not something anyone can fairly evaluate yet.
Asked where the Chargers might be vulnerable, Bellchamber pointed to the run defense. He said Los Angeles was solid under Minter last season but inconsistent, and that explosive runs cost them games.
The interior linebacker group hasn’t changed much, even though the defensive line has been reshaped with Dalvin Tomlinson and Nick Barrett. If the Raiders can get Ashton Jeanty rolling in Kubiak’s outside-zone scheme, Bellchamber thinks that could create real trouble for the Chargers.
As for the biggest strength Las Vegas has to worry about, Bellchamber didn’t go with the passing game. He said there could be some early hiccups there while Herbert settles in, and instead highlighted the secondary and its ability to shut offenses down. He also praised the Chargers’ offensive weaponry and the hiring of Kubiak as head coach, but made it clear he doesn’t see a Raiders offensive explosion coming in Week 2.
And when asked for one final thought on what could tilt the matchup, Bellchamber kept it short: “Can I use three words? Kirk Cousins, lol.”
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