Table of Contents
Super Bowl road maps: Jaguars| Bears| Browns| Dolphins| Packers| Lions| Texans| Vikings| Falcons| Chiefs| Buccaneers| Bengals| Steelers| Colts| Rams| Panthers
Welcome to Super Bowl LXI road maps, where we look at every team’s chances of winning it all in 2026. We’ll analyze the summer optimism before providing a reality check of what’s to come. Next path to assess: the Chargers.
Ever since Justin Herbert hit the ground running as a rookie in 2020, the annual offseason conversations around the Chargers have been about what the team is doing to improve the star quarterback’s surroundings.
However, the latest playoff failure has shifted the offseason spotlight more to what Herbert hasn’t done to get the team over the hump. He has had reliable receivers, going back to the tandem of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams early in Herbert’s career. Now, wide receiver Ladd McConkey and running back Omarion Hampton highlight the skill positions. Herbert also has had the team invest in the offensive line, drafting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt in the first round. In March, the Chargers signed center Tyler Biadasz to a three-year, $30 million contract to shore up the interior of the offensive line.
As for the team’s most influential move to help Herbert, the Chargers did everything possible in 2024 to lure coach Jim Harbaugh away from Michigan and aid their quarterback. Still, the results haven’t changed much under Harbaugh’s watch, with Herbert dropping to 0–3 all-time in the postseason after the Chargers’ embarrassing 16–3 wild-card defeat to the Patriots.
But perhaps the latest most notable coaching hire of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is what finally gets Herbert to deliver a lengthy playoff run. There has been plenty of hype about what McDaniel and his proven scheme can do with a quarterback as talented as Herbert.
The excuses are running out for Herbert, but if injury luck is on the Chargers’ side, this may finally be the year it all comes together.
Leadership
Fans weren’t happy with the team not spending more money on external free agents, but the Chargers made up for it with the hiring of McDaniel, who had a handful of suitors after being fired by the Dolphins.
McDaniel, who spent several years working with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, has a proven track record of producing reliable rushing attacks and making life easier on his offensive linemen. These traits led to Tua Tagovailoa igniting his career after a slow start in Miami, but McDaniel’s Dolphins hit a noticeable ceiling partly because of Tagovailoa’s lack of availability and inconsistent performances.
Maybe McDaniel, having less on his plate as a coordinator and getting an upgrade at quarterback, could deliver a top-five offense in Los Angeles. McDaniel did fail to produce a physical element with his Miami offense, but Harbaugh, who’s known for that area, will likely make sure that’s not an issue with the Chargers.
Harbaugh also welcomes new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, who has massive shoes to fill, replacing new Ravens coach Jesse Minter. The 34-year-old O’Leary lacks experience as a first-time coordinator in the NFL, but he worked under Minter in 2024 as the safeties coach and spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame, along with being the DC at Western Michigan last season.
O’Leary’s familiarity with a defensive unit similar to the one from his first stint in L.A. could translate into fast results in 2026.
Most influential roster move
The Chargers’ re-signing Khalil Mack to another one-year deal (he’s set to earn $18 million this season) went under the radar because he’s no longer one of the league’s premier edge rushers. But the 35-year-old Mack is a lot more to this team than just a pass rusher.
His leadership has been a difference-maker, and his willingness to hone in on the details, especially in the running game, has set the standard for this defense the past four seasons. Perhaps more than ever, Mack’s experience is greatly needed to help the first-year defensive coordinator, along with mentoring rookie first-rounder Akheem Mesidor, the Miami product.
It also remains to be seen whether Tuli Tuipulotu can be a No. 1 edge rusher on an annual basis after delivering a breakout 2025 season with 13 sacks. Additionally, there’s a chance Tuipulotu misses part of training camp if he and the team don’t agree on a contract extension in the coming weeks.
Why this offseason move will (or won’t) work
The Chargers certainly took a gamble by standing pat at wide receiver. There might not be a legitimate No. 1 wideout in this group, but maybe Ladd McConkey becomes that after having a down second season.
L.A. also has been waiting on Quentin Johnston, the 2023 first-round pick, to finally play up to his potential and be a consistent playmaker for Herbert. And there’s plenty of inexperience behind the top two options, with second-year player Tre’ Harris in the running for the No. 3 role.
Last year, Harbaugh didn’t fully trust this group and added Allen as an insurance signing, but Herbert might have relied too much on the veteran receiver, and in the process, stunted the growth of the younger core.
Now, it’s all set up for the young wide receivers to see more targets. But if they don’t step up, the team added depth at tight end with the signings of Charlie Kolar and David Njoku.
Breakout player candidate: Omarion Hampton, running back
Hampton, the 2025 first-round pick, showed plenty of upside, but his rookie season was filled with setbacks, including an ankle injury that cost him a handful of games and being limited to a decoy role in the playoff loss against New England.
If Hampton can stay healthy, he could replicate the numbers that De’Von Achane had under McDaniel’s guidance. He’s not as fast as the Miami speedster, but Hampton is just as skilled as a passer and can provide more physicality running between the tackles as a 6'0", 220-pound running back.
L.A. is excited about Hampton’s future because of the flashes he displayed last year, including the 128 rushing yards in Week 4 against the Giants. In nine games, Hampton finished with 124 carries for 545 yards and four touchdowns, and added 32 receptions for 192 yards and one touchdown.
Missing piece
Obviously, the Chargers can’t control injuries, but it seems every year they're ravaged by them, including last year, when they played a bulk of the season without Mack, Hampton, Alt and Slater, who missed all of 2025.
This has also played a role in the Chargers constantly being overhyped in the offseason because of the uncertainty of what this team could do when healthy. So, once again, if they can stay healthy and keep their offensive line intact down the stretch, the Chargers have the roster to advance in the playoffs. There’s depth on a defense led by Mack, Derwin James and linebacker Daiyan Henley. There’s room to grow on offense with younger players ready to ascend.
But there’s always a “but” with this team. The Chargers need to stay healthy, and it’s on Harbaugh to keep them standing when January rolls around.
Realistic outlook
The Chargers are in a position to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season, but another one-and-done effort can no longer be acceptable with a roster that has a talented quarterback in Herbert and a coach as successful as Harbaugh.
The best path to Herbert’s elusive first playoff victory is for the Chargers to win the AFC West for the first time since 2009. That won’t be easy with the Broncos getting stronger in the offseason, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Chiefs quickly bounce back from a disappointing 2025.
Still, the Chargers are just as talented as those teams. Expect L.A. to finally get that first playoff win for Herbert, but it’s difficult to trust a team that constantly falls short of expectations.
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GILBERTO MANZANO
Gilberto Manzano is a staff writer covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated. After starting off as a breaking news writer at NFL.com in 2014, he worked as the Raiders beat reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and covered the Chargers and Rams for the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News. During his time as a combat sports reporter, he was awarded best sports spot story of 2018 by the Nevada Press Association for his coverage of the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov post-fight brawl. Manzano, a first-generation Mexican-American with parents from Nayarit, Mexico, is the cohost of Compas on the Beat, a sports and culture show featuring Mexican-American journalists. He has been a member of the Pro Football Writers of America since 2017.
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