Before the start of free agency, the Chargers looked like they had a pretty cut-and-dry plan in regards to where and how they needed to upgrade the roster for 2026 to avoid yet another first-round exit in the playoffs (and keep Justin Herbert on the right side of the grass).
Free agency and the draft came and went and the Bolts used what resources they had to orchestrate their vision. In free agency, the Chargers added new starting center Tyler Biadasz, right guard Cole Strange, and speedy back eaton
Mitchell. In the draft, they used their first-round pick on pass-rusher Akheem Mesidor and their second-rounder on center/guard Jake Slaughter.
Some needs were most certainly addressed. Others seemingly got some attention, but not nearly as much as you would have expected given what we saw in 2025.
Still, the Chargers have been viewed as one of the better teams from this offseason in terms of the perceived improvements from the past few months. In fact, ESPN’s Seth Walder gave the Chargers an A- for their offseason thus far which is tied for the second-highest grade he gave out (Dolphins).
Walder highlights that, in his opinion, the biggest move of the offseason for the Chargers was the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
“The McDaniel acquisition brings new hope for an offense that could be exceptional with quarterback Justin Herbert at the helm behind perhaps the best tackle duo in the game in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater — if they can stay healthy,” says Walder. “While it didn’t work out for McDaniel in Miami, no one has forgotten the heights his offense reached early in his tenure — and with a less talented quarterback, too.“
As for a move that Walder disliked, he notes that he wishes the Chargers spent more on the guard position to truly make sure the issue was fixed entering 2026. This is quite understandable as they had a number of potential upgrades at both guard spots available when free agency started and they chose to pinch pennies with Cole Strange while hoping his familiarity with the system would increase his value compared to what they spent.
They also chose to draft Slaughter, a full-time center in college, in hopes that he could compete for the starting left guard spot despite not playing guard since high school. However, veteran Kayode Awosika has impressed in OTAs and minicamp and has earned the lion’s share of the snaps with the first team up to this point in the offseason. He could very well win that battle and surprise after being widely considered as a depth signing over potential starter.
“Overall, this was a good offseason. But I wonder if the Chargers should have spent a little more. As of this writing, they have the fourth-most cap space in 2026 and rank in the top 10 in 2027 cap space. Could they have used that money to get a better guard than Cole Strange? I’d have shelled out for Elgton Jenkins or Isaac Seumalo if I were them.“
