The Chargers came to training camp with something they haven’t had in a while: real depth, and the kind of roster that doesn’t leave much room for comfort. That’s the backdrop for two of the team’s projected first-stringers, tight end Oronde Gadsden II and wide receiver Tre Harris, who are already feeling the heat as 2026 approaches.
This is being treated as an “all-in” season for Justin Herbert and Los Angeles, with ESPN insiders pointing to a roster and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as the kind of setup that can do serious damage. Herbert, meanwhile, has apparently been glued to McDaniel’s every detail.
“There's Mike (McDaniel), with knowing this offense, and then Justin's right there in his hip pocket,” Harbaugh said. “There's nobody in the organization that understands the details of what everybody's doing, players and maybe even coaches, better than Justin does.
He's that meticulous. He's really smart, and he really studies.
The questions he's asking are like AP questions, like a guy who's been in this system for two or three or four years.”
Even with camp still young, the Chargers’ depth chart looks close to settled in most places. Not at tight end, though. Gadsden entered camp as the favorite to open the season as the starter after a promising rookie year, but the room has gotten crowded fast.
Los Angeles brought in David Njoku in free agency and also added Charlie Kolar, giving McDaniel and Jim Harbaugh three tight ends who bring very different things to the table. Gadsden is the dynamic pass-catcher who moves like a receiver.
Njoku offers strength, veteran presence, and value as both a receiver and run-game piece. Kolar has built a reputation as one of the better blocking tight ends in the league while also becoming a dependable option in the passing game off play-action.
That mix could leave the Chargers without a true No. 1 tight end, even if the depth chart suggests otherwise.
Gadsden can still begin Week 1 as the starter, but nothing about the job looks locked in. If his development stalls during camp, the Chargers have veteran options who can absorb a bigger share of the workload depending on the matchup. Njoku would be the most likely candidate to step in as TE1.
The same kind of pressure is building at receiver, where Harris seems to have the edge for the WR3 role behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. But even that spot is far from guaranteed.
Fourth-round rookie Brenen Thompson from Mississippi State has been one of the early standouts in camp. Herbert has already said Thompson will make plays this season, and McDaniel recently singled out the rookie for the speed with which he has learned the offense.
“I think he's captured the attention of the quarterback room by his attack and ownership of the offense,” McDaniel said.
That’s how a depth chart starts to shift.
Harris has the size and upside to become a long-term starter, but his rookie year didn’t turn into the breakout some expected, in part because Keenan Allen held a major role in the offense. With Allen unlikely to return, Harris now has to prove he deserves steady snaps over a rookie whose stock is climbing fast.
For the Chargers, though, this is the good kind of problem. Camp battles can sharpen a team, and if Gadsden and Harris answer the challenge, Los Angeles’ offense should be even deeper by the time Week 1 arrives. If they don’t, the Chargers already have capable replacements waiting.
In Other News...
Chargers Suddenly Have A Rashawn Slater Concern They Can't Ignore
Rashawn Slater drew some attention at Tuesdays practice after heading to the medical tent following 11-on-11 work, a notable development for one of the Chargers most important players. Slater later came back out, but he did not rejoin the team period and instead watched individual drills from the sideline.
For a team that leans on him to anchor the left side of the line, even a brief disruption like that is worth watching closely. The Chargers have not said what prompted the visit, and the exact nature of the issue remains unclear as they monitor his status and wait for a fuller update. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaugh Gives Chargers Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Jim Harbaugh landing at No. 7 in CBS Sports latest ranking of the NFLs best head coaches is another reminder of why the Chargers entered this era with a little more optimism than usual. The list was built from votes by NFL experts and weighed factors like coaching changes and career win percentage, and it put Harbaugh in the upper tier alongside the leagues most respected sideline voices. For a fan base that has spent years looking for steadier footing, seeing the Chargers coach grouped with that kind of company carries real weight.
John Harbaugh also drew votes despite falling short of the top 10, which only adds to the family names staying power around the league. For the Chargers, though, the bigger takeaway is simpler: Jim Harbaughs presence is still being viewed as a legitimate difference-maker, the sort of hire that can shift expectations before a single snap is taken. In a conference where credibility matters almost as much as talent, that kind of recognition is part of the reason belief around this team feels a little easier to sell. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Camp Battles Are Already Shaping The Back End Of The Roster
The first week of Chargers training camp has already started to sharpen the picture of how the 53-man roster might look, and the most interesting wrinkles are showing up where depth and versatility matter most. Based on early practice and preseason evaluations, the projection leans heavily on familiar names at the core of the roster while leaving a few spots open to competition, especially on the offensive line and in the safety room.
Left guard remains one of the clearest ongoing battles, and the safety group is still sorting itself out as camp moves forward. Even with a working projection in place, the final calls wont come until more practices and preseason snaps give the staff a better read on who can hold up when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]