The case for Los Angeles winning the division: Jim Harbaugh made the right move, parting with long-time offense coordinator Greg Roman, whose offense had gone stale. Importing Mike McDaniel was a stroke of genius. Quibble with McDaniel the head coach if you want, but there is no question his offenses can move the ball. The running game will be much more creative and should be the centerpiece — which Harbaugh will love. McDaniel’s quick-passing attack will be an adjustment for Justin Herbert, but it should also keep him from taking so many hits. Won’t that be a nice change?
The offensive line, the biggest weakness last year after Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt went down, is improved with the addition of Tyler Biadasz, second-rounder Jake Slaughter and Cole Strange. If the group can stay healthy (crosses fingers), the entire offense will function better.
The Chargers have weapons. There’s depth in the running back room, and the addition of Keaton Mitchell could be an underrated difference-maker, as his natural speed fits well with McDaniel. Perhaps they could use some veteran depth at receiver, but Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith are a good start, particularly if Harris and Lambert-Smith make a stride forward in Year 2. And with a trio of TEs in pass catcher Oronde Gadsden II, blocker Charlie Kolar and multi-faceted vet David Njoku, L.A. can play any personnel.
The defense, a top-five unit a year ago, remains solid and without a glaring weakness. The pass rush trio of Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and first-round pick Akheem Mesidor boasts division-winning upside. Derwin James still patrols the back end and remains a force of nature. If new DC Chris O’Leary steps into Jesse Minter’s shoes without missing a beat, it should remain a top-tier D in 2026.
The case against Los Angeles: With a franchise QB, the upgrades along the line, a new OC and DC, and a stellar defense, the Chargers have no glaring roster hole. Like most teams with Super Bowl aspirations, the negatives lie mostly in the abstract.
If Slater and Alt don’t return at full force, the offense won’t take a step forward under McDaniel. Trey Pipkins is much better as a swing option than a full-time starter, as last year showed. We also don’t know how Herbert, who spent some of the offseason workouts adjusting his mechanics, will fit in the new scheme. The QB has had plenty of coordinators during his tenure, so the belief is he’ll have zero trouble learning a new one. But given the newness of McDaniel’s scheme, it’s more than a formality.
Minter’s scheme was excellent, and he got the most out of his players. Can O’Leary continue that, or will the unit take a step backward? There could be some depth concerns in the secondary, where corner is a question entering training camp. And are the additions of Dalvin Tomlinson and fifth-rounder Nick Barrett enough to shore up the middle versus the run?
The Chargers finished as the AFC West runner-up in each of Harbaugh’s first two seasons, then quickly bowed out of the playoffs. Are the coordinator changes enough to put them over the top, or will they once again fall into the good-not-great category?