The Chargers’ season has unraveled fast, and with a bye week sitting in front of them, the bigger conversation in Los Angeles has already moved far beyond Week 6. At 0-6, the organization looks headed for a reset, and the most urgent question is no longer just who survives the fallout. It’s how the Chargers finally stop asking Justin Herbert to do everything himself.
One answer could come a couple of drafts down the road: Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Smith has already built a reputation as one of the most electric wide receiver prospects in years. He has the size, athleticism and production to make people wonder if he’s the kind of talent who can alter an offense the moment he arrives.
If the Chargers end up with the No. 1 overall pick, passing on him would be a brutally tough decision to defend. Los Angeles has spent years searching for a true difference-maker around Herbert, and Smith is the kind of player who could finally change the math.
That need has only become more obvious during this miserable start. Herbert gets the blame because that’s what happens to quarterbacks when the offense sputters, but the pieces around him have not helped.
The offensive line has been shaky, with Cole Strange at right guard and four rookies making up the rest of the unit. Ladd McConkey has been dealing with injuries.
Tre Harris is now hurt. Quentin Johnston still hasn’t become the reliable No. 1 option the Chargers need, and even Johnston has missed time.
When the offense needs a key play, Herbert is left with very little to lean on.
This is not new territory for him. Herbert has had promising receivers around him at times, including Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and McConkey during his impressive rookie season.
But the Chargers have never consistently surrounded him with elite receiving talent. That gap has been a constant, and it has shaped everything about the way this offense has functioned.
Smith would bring something different immediately.
The Ohio State standout has been wrecking college football since he got to Columbus, and his blend of traits has made him a serious candidate to go first overall. His profile has already drawn comparisons to some of the best receiver prospects the league has ever seen, and it’s easy to understand why so much of the buzz around him centers on instant impact.
Los Angeles has bigger holes than one receiver can fix. The offensive line still needs work, and that matters. But if Smith is sitting there with a top-three pick, the Chargers should be strongly considering the best player available instead of forcing a need pick.
For now, the path to that kind of opportunity is very much in play. Sitting at 0-6, the Chargers have positioned themselves near the top of the draft race, and their schedule doesn’t offer much comfort. By some measures, they have the NFL’s toughest remaining slate, which makes a dramatic turnaround hard to picture.
Miami is part of that picture too. The Dolphins are winless at 0-5 after their bye week, and the Week 16 matchup between the two teams could end up carrying major draft implications if both keep sliding. The Chargers also still have games against the Raiders, Buccaneers and Jets, matchups that could get them a win or two and shake up where they land in the draft order.
That’s where the calculus gets tricky. Winning might feel better in the moment, but it could also move Los Angeles away from the spot where Smith becomes realistic. If this season is already lost, then late victories that do little for the future could end up carrying a steep price.
The Chargers still don’t control the top pick, and Miami remains a serious threat in that race. But Los Angeles has done enough damage to stay in the conversation.
There’s also the bigger roster-building angle. The Chargers used their first-round pick in 2026 on edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, who has the chance to become a major defensive piece.
The next draft should be about helping Herbert, not replacing him. The 2027 class is expected to include a deep group of quarterback prospects, but Herbert shouldn’t be part of a one-year discard plan after a disastrous season.
He’s too talented for that, especially after receiving MVP votes last season.
The bye week gives the Chargers time to sort through the coaching staff and think about the direction of the franchise. Mike McDaniel’s future may be uncertain, and the offensive line still needs serious attention. But the biggest decision may come months from now, when the draft board is finally set.
If Smith is there, the Chargers need to be ready.
In Other News...
Chargers Trade Debate Comes Down To Helping Justin Herbert One Way
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Chargers are weighing whether a modest move could make a real difference around Justin Herbert. The front office is looking at affordable additions who might help both the depth chart and the passing game, with names such as Malik Herring, Dylan Cook, Calvin Ridley and others surfacing as possible fits if the price stays in late-round pick territory.
Jerry Jeudy has come up as one receiver option who could be available at a low cost, which would at least give the Chargers another layer of playmaking if they choose to lean that direction. Austin Jackson is another name being floated as a possible tackle target if Miami decides to sell, and that is the kind of practical, health-of-the-roster question Los Angeles has to answer before time runs out. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Winless Start Puts Omarion Hampton Decision Under Fire
A winless start tends to put every personnel decision under a microscope, and Omarion Hampton has already found himself at the center of that conversation. With the Chargers trying to steady themselves early, the usage of the rookie running back has drawn attention, especially as the offense looks for answers and consistency around its backfield rotation.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said the approach has been driven by game situations rather than any larger shift in how the staff views Hampton. The discussion around his playing time has only sharpened because of how the Chargers have been handling key snaps in the backfield, making it another small but telling sign of how much scrutiny comes with an 0- start. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Could Still Move An Unexpected Veteran Before The Deadline
The Chargers are still being cast as one of the leagues more interesting teams to watch before the deadline, not just because of what they might do, but because of the kind of veterans who could be in play. With the club holding the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, theres plenty of curiosity around whether it will turn established players into help for someone else, and veteran cornerback Donte Jackson has emerged as one name worth monitoring along with bigger names such as Khalil Mack, Quentin Johnston and David Njoku.
Jacksons situation is especially notable because of his expiring contract and the ballhawking ability he has shown in the past, which can make a corner appealing to a contender looking for immediate help. The injury piece complicates things, though, since a hamstring issue has limited him to four games this season and leaves his availability and value as the deadline approaches very much in question. [Read more 🡒]