The Chargers are heading toward Week 1 with a trio of cornerstone names that ought to command attention across the league: Justin Herbert, Khalil Mack and Mike McDaniel.
Instead, they’re still getting treated like afterthoughts.
Herbert is an elite quarterback, Mack remains a future Hall of Famer, and McDaniel is in place to install a modern offense that should look nothing like the version the Chargers have dragged through the last few years. On paper, that should be enough to put Los Angeles squarely in the conversation. It hasn’t.
That disconnect showed up in a recent poll from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, who asked general managers, executives and coaches around the NFL about several league-wide topics. Herbert didn’t receive a mention in the MVP voting. He also was left out when the question shifted to the league’s three best quarterbacks, even though one vote did go to Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
Mack was also omitted when the discussion turned to the NFL’s best defensive closers, despite his long track record and the fact that he’s still producing in a limited role on rotation snaps.
And McDaniel’s absence may have been the most surprising of all. When the poll asked for the three best offensive play callers in the league not named Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan, 10 names appeared - and McDaniel was not among them. That’s a tough miss, especially considering the down year in Miami and the context around the quarterback situation and the overall state of that organization.
For the Chargers, though, the bigger picture is clear: all three have something to prove in 2026. If that proof comes in the form of a playoff win or more, the league will have a harder time looking past them.
And maybe the overlooked label suits this team just fine. The Chargers have often done their best work when the expectations aren’t screaming in their face. If Herbert, Mack and McDaniel turn that quiet into something loud, the surprise will land even harder.
In Other News...
Chargers Havent Settled Tuli Tuipulotu Situation As Opener Nears
With the 2026 opener against the Cardinals drawing closer, the Chargers still have a few important business items hanging over the roster. The starting left guard job remains unsettled, the fourth cornerback spot is still open, and now edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu is another key piece without long-term clarity as the team heads into the final stretch of camp.
Tuipulotu is set to play this season on the last year of his rookie contract, and talks between his camp and the Chargers have yet to produce an extension. Recent market moves and comparisons to other edge rushers have helped shape the conversation, but for now the sides remain apart, leaving one more situation the Chargers will have to manage as the regular season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have A Rare Christian Gonzalez Opening For The Wrong Reasons
Christian Gonzalez has been one of the more interesting names to follow around the league this preseason, not because of anything he has done on the field, but because of where things stand off it. The Pro Bowl cornerback and the Patriots have been working through extension talks for weeks, and while other top corners around the league are getting deals done, Gonzalez still has not locked in a new contract.
For the Chargers, the intrigue comes with a familiar twist: a possible opening for a player they know well, even if the path back to Los Angeles looks slim. Talk of a trade has surfaced, but the timing is awkward and the contract situation is still unresolved, leaving this more as a reminder of what might have been than a realistic roster move. Still, with the season opener approaching and negotiations ongoing, Gonzalez remains one of the more notable names to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers See A New Advantage In How Rookies Are Arriving
The Chargers have spent enough time around rookie arrivals to know the adjustment is rarely just about football. Defensive coordinator Chris OLeary pointed to the way NIL has changed the transition for players like Akheem Mesidor, saying it has helped young pros come in with a better sense of professionalism and how to handle the demands of the league. For a team trying to blend new pieces into the defense, that kind of readiness can matter as much as raw talent.
Across the AFC West, the same theme keeps surfacing in different forms. Chiefs rookie receiver Cyrus Allen is still working to slow his thought process and absorb multiple positions, while Andy Reid said he has made progress, and Raiders general manager John Spytek described kicker Kansei Matsuzawa as a practice-squad developmental piece after strong work behind the scenes. For the Chargers, the larger takeaway is clear: rookies are arriving with different paths, but the teams best positioned to benefit may be the ones that know how to build on what these players already learned before they ever got to camp. [Read more 🡒]