The Chargers’ Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals didn’t just leave them without a win. It also gave a first look at how this staff is divvying up snaps, and a few of the early decisions already stand out.
On defense, Del'Shawn Phillips opened the season next to Daiyan Henley in Chris O'Leary’s scheme after the Denzel Perryman injury that hit right before cutdown day. That opportunity translated into 41 of 75 defensive snaps, and Phillips flashed some strength against the run.
The fit wasn’t perfect, though. Los Angeles had issues handling slot receivers and Trey McBride, which leaves some uncertainty about Phillips’ long-term role.
Even so, his physical style and his edge over Troy Dye and Marlowe Wax make Week 1 a positive for him relative to expectations.
Dye, meanwhile, was one of the players who lost out. He was mentioned as a possible beneficiary of the Perryman injury and the new defensive setup, but instead he was limited to 15 defensive snaps and didn’t make much of an impact. For now, Week 2 looks likely to bring a similar workload, with Phillips taking the bigger slice of the action.
At tight end, David Njoku quietly moved into a bigger spot than many would have projected when he signed. He was initially expected to be the third tight end behind Charlie Kolar and Oronde Gadsden II, but he kept climbing as the offseason unfolded.
In Week 1, he played a team-high 30 snaps among tight ends, tied with Kolar, and backed that usage with 58 yards on five catches. That kind of production keeps him in position for a similar role next week.
One of the stranger developments came up front, where Kayode Awosika’s situation still feels unsettled. He’s done enough to earn the left guard job, but the Chargers still went with the unusual move of rotating offensive linemen in the middle of the game, with Trey Pipkins III sharing time. Awosika showed enough in Week 1 to justify being the full-time starter, yet he remains in a split role for now, which makes him a loser in terms of snap count and stability.
Kimani Vidal’s usage was harder to ignore. The Chargers have not exactly treated him like a priority since he arrived in Los Angeles, despite the fact that he eventually led the team in rushing last season.
After getting cut on cutdown day and then working his way back onto the roster, he looked like a player who should have had a real role in 2026. Instead, he played just four snaps in Week 1 and didn’t get a touch.
There were also a couple of other usage notes worth flagging from the opener. Teair Tart played the fourth-most IDL snaps with 31, even though he’s expected to be the top snap-getter there. Derius Davis also saw 10 offensive snaps, a number that suggests he’s getting onto the field more than he should be relative to other receivers.
In Other News...
Chargers Add Veteran Receiver And Fans Will Wonder What Comes Next
The Chargers are adding another experienced pass catcher, signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad after bringing him in for a tryout. The move gives Los Angeles a veteran receiver with plenty of league mileage, as Valdes-Scantling has already spent time with the Packers, Chiefs, Bills, Saints, Seahawks, 49ers and Steelers.
Valdes-Scantlings recent stop came in Pittsburgh, where he appeared in five games in 2025 and posted 10 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. For the Chargers, the appeal is obvious: a familiar NFL name with speed and experience who can get acquainted quickly, even if the bigger question is how soon he might factor into the active roster conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Have A Harbaugh Problem Fans Cant Ignore Outside The AFC West
The Chargers home loss to the Cardinals was the kind that lingers, not just because it came against a team that had been reeling, but because it exposed a familiar split in how this team has looked under Jim Harbaugh. Los Angeles was outgained in total yards and controlled the ball for less time despite running more offensive plays, a combination that pointed to a day when the offense could move in moments but never really take charge.
Harbaughs track record with the Chargers still looks strong overall, and his work inside the AFC West has helped steady the franchise. The problem is what happens when the opponent is wearing a different uniform, where the results have been much less convincing and the margin for error keeps shrinking. Sundays loss only sharpened that contrast, and it is the sort of result that makes the next few non-division games feel a lot more important than they might have a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Newcomer Sends Blunt Message After Ugly Offensive Debut
The Chargers 2026 opener at SoFi Stadium came with little of the early-season promise they wanted, as a 26-14 loss to the Cardinals quickly turned into a night defined by missed chances and uneven execution. In the aftermath, newcomer Charlie Kolar did not soften the message, taking direct aim at the offenses showing and describing it as poor and embarrassing.
Los Angeles was already acknowledging the mistakes that helped swing the game, and the blunt critique only added weight to a disappointing start. For a team trying to set a tone in September, the bigger issue now is not what went wrong in one game, but how quickly the offense can clean it up before the opener becomes part of a larger problem. [Read more 🡒]