Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has big plans for second-year tight end Oronde Gadsden.
After a limited outing in their Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, McDaniel said he plans to get Gadsden more involved in the offense moving forward.
"Every week we try to keep the opponent off balance by different ways to utilize people. I expected for him to get more, the game didn't play out. … We plan on utilizing his skillset," McDaniel said.
"I would expect him to be more involved outside of an unforeseen situation where the game and the parameters with which you're playing change, in which case we'll address that."
Gadsden was one of five players to catch passes from Justin Herbert in Week 1. The tight end played in only 10 snaps on Sunday, but
he certainly made the most of it.
The second-year pass catcher caught two passes, converting all his targets for 32 yards. His longest reception came on a 26-yard gain.
Fellow tight end David Njoku was tied with Ladd McConkey for the most receptions in Week 1 with five. Gadsden played in 18% of the Chargers' offensive snaps.
The Chargers selected Gadsden with the 165th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Gadsden accounted for 62% of offensive snaps in 2025.
Gadsden recorded 49 receptions for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games, including seven starts, last season. Expectations are high for the young tight end to surpass those numbers in 2026, and McDaniel's comments suggest he could make an impact sooner rather than later.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers' Mike McDaniel reveals plans for Oronde Gadsden moving forward
