Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers are back in camp, with rookies having reported last Thursday and veterans set to arrive Tuesday, and the franchise is still trying to turn two straight 11-6 seasons into something bigger. The regular-season results have been good enough to earn playoff trips. The postseason, not so much - Los Angeles was bounced by the Houston Texans, 32-12, and the New England Patriots, 16-3, in losses that stuck for all the wrong reasons.
That backdrop made Vinny Iyer’s latest offseason evaluation worth a look. The Sporting News handed the Chargers a B-minus for their 2026 work, slotting them 20th in the league. It’s a middle-of-the-pack grade for a team that has clearly tried to patch holes and sharpen the roster, even if the national view still sees more solid than spectacular.
Iyer pointed to a group of additions that should help in specific spots: center Tyler Biadasz, tight ends Charlie Kolar and David Njoku, running back Keaton Mitchell, fullback Alec Ingold, and 2026 second-round pick Jake Slaughter, who is shifting from center to guard after playing at the University of Florida. But the move that drew the biggest attention was not a player at all.
“The Chargers’ biggest addition was Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh,” stated Iyer, “with the hope of getting more out of the running game to help set up Justin Herbert for his most efficient passing. Mitchell, Ingold and the two tight ends will have an impact on the rushing success. Slaughter and Biadasz can make their line stout should Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt come back at full, healthy dominance.”
That emphasis makes sense given how rough the offensive line looked a year ago. The Chargers were missing their starting tackles for long stretches, and the interior trio of left guard Zion Johnson, center Bradley Bozeman and right guard Mekhi Becton also fell short before all three moved on. Pro Football Focus ranked Los Angeles’ offensive line 30th in the league last season.
McDaniel’s arrival gives the Chargers a fresh offensive angle, and his final year running the Miami Dolphins showed what he can do with a backfield weapon. De’Von Achane became a Pro Bowler in 2025 under McDaniel, and now he’ll be working with Omarion Hampton in Los Angeles. Hampton, the Chargers’ first-round pick a year ago, missed eight games as a rookie and is hoping for a much healthier year.
Taken together, it’s easy to see why some would argue this is Harbaugh’s most complete Chargers team yet. The bigger question is whether that completeness finally turns into the kind of breakthrough this group has been chasing: a first division title since 2009 and a first playoff win since 2018.
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Chargers Camp Favorite Suddenly Faces Real Pressure In Year Two
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The challenge now is turning that promise into something real in year two. Lambert-Smiths rookie season never really took off, and with the Chargers asking more of him this summer, the margin for error is shrinking fast. He has to show he can earn a steady role on offense after a first year that left plenty of questions unanswered. [Read more 🡒]