Los Angeles Chargers announced a flurry of offseason moves on May 28, 2026, aiming to end a 17‑year AFC West title drought. The front office hired veteran offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and cleared left tackle Rashawn Slater and guard Joe Alt to return from injury, setting the stage for a fresh offensive identity.
Justin Herbert, now in his seventh season, will run McDaniel’s run‑heavy, play‑action scheme, a shift the numbers reveal could lift the team’s EPA per play by roughly 0.12 in red‑zone situations. The Chargers posted a league‑average 29.5 points per game in 2024, ranking fifth overall, and allowed 22.8 points per game, placing them in the top three defensively. Those figures, while impressive, mask a deeper narrative about personnel turnover, coaching philosophy, and the competitive landscape of the AFC West.
What the Chargers Achieved in 2024‑2025
Los Angeles finished back‑to‑back 11‑win seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh, yet each campaign ended with a one‑game playoff exit. The 2024 regular season saw the Chargers compile a 12‑4 record, topping the AFC West for the first time since 2009, but a 31‑24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round underscored lingering issues in situational football. In 2025 the team slipped to 11‑5, again falling short in the Divisional round, this time to the Kansas City Chiefs, who would later win the Super Bowl.
Offensively, the 2024 squad amassed 540 total yards per game, ranking second in the league behind the Philadelphia Eagles, while the passing attack posted 320 yards per game, third‑most in the NFL. Herbert threw for 4,708 yards, 38 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, posting a passer rating of 105.2 – the highest of his career. However, the line allowed 38 sacks, a slight uptick from 34 in 2023, and the unit’s Pass‑Block Win Rate (PBWR) fell to 71.4%, the lowest mark of Harbaugh’s tenure.
Defensively, the Chargers recorded 38 quarterback pressures and forced 23 turnovers, ranking them eighth in total takeaways. Their secondary, anchored by safety Derwin James and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., limited opposing receivers to a league‑low 4.9 yards per target in the red zone. Yet the defense also gave up 4.6 yards per rush, the ninth‑worst figure in the league, exposing a vulnerability that Kansas City exploited in the 2025 playoffs.
Mike McDaniel’s Play‑Calling Philosophy
Mike McDaniel arrives in L.A. fresh from a successful stint as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator, where his play‑action heavy concepts helped the 49ers rank third in points per game (31.1) and first in yards per carry (5.6) in 2025. McDaniel’s 49ers averaged 7.2 yards per rush attempt that season, a metric the Chargers hope to emulate. His trademark is the use of pre‑snap motion, jet sweeps, and high‑percentage passing concepts that create mismatches for linebackers in coverage.
McDaniel’s analytical background—he holds a master’s degree in data analytics from the University of Texas—means he leans heavily on expected points added (EPA) and success rate metrics when designing game plans. In 2025 his unit posted a 56.4% success rate on runs inside the tackle box, compared with the NFL average of 50.2%. The Chargers’ front office believes that by integrating those concepts with Herbert’s arm talent, they can raise the quarterback’s EPA per dropback from 0.28 to roughly 0.40, a leap that translates into roughly three additional points per game over a 17‑game schedule.
Strategically, McDaniel intends to employ a “dual‑threat” O‑line philosophy: the left side will focus on zone‑blocking to open up cutback lanes, while the right side will prioritize power‑blocking for inside runs. This scheme dovetails with the return of Rashawn Slater—an All‑Pro left tackle in 2022 and 2023—and Joe Alt, whose versatility at guard and center offers Harbaugh the flexibility to rotate linemen without sacrificing pass protection.
Key Offseason Moves Shaping 2026
The most headline‑grabbing moves are the clearances of Slater and Alt. Slater suffered a high‑ankle sprain in Week 4 of 2025, missing nine games. He returned for the final stretch, but his PBWR dropped to 66.7% during his absence. Alt, who fractured his right foot in Week 11, missed the final six games of 2025. Both players underwent offseason surgery and are now listed as 100% cleared. The Chargers’ offensive line coach, Matt Hulmes, projects that the upgraded line will cut Herbert’s sack rate by at least 1.5 per game, a margin that could swing close contests in L.A.’s favor.
In addition to the line, the front office added veteran safety Jordan Poyer on a two‑year, $12 million deal. Poyer, a three‑time Pro Bowler with eight seasons in Buffalo, brings leadership and a proven ability to read complex route combinations. His career 4.5 % interception rate and 84‑tackle average per season will bolster a secondary that already ranks third in passing yards allowed (210.3 ypg).
The Chargers also traded for former Pro Bowl defensive end Max Bullard from the Denver Broncos, giving up a 2027 third‑round pick. Bullard posted 12.5 sacks in 2025 and will pair with rookie edge rusher J.J. Watt to form a two‑gate pass rush that could push the team’s sack total past 45—enough to re‑establish a dominant front line that the franchise has lacked since the 2018 season.
Coaching Staff Adjustments and Scheme Integration
Harbaugh, who was hired by the Chargers in 2023 after a three‑year stint at Michigan, has embraced a collaborative approach, allowing his coordinators significant autonomy. The offensive staff now includes passing‑game specialist Aaron Fry, who will work directly with Herbert on quick‑release concepts designed to neutralize the blitzes that plagued the Chargers in 2025 (average of 5.2 blitzes per game).
Defensively, defensive coordinator Gus Brennan retained his 4‑3 base but added a nickel‑heavy sub‑package that features Poyer at the strong safety position and Bullard on the edge. Brennan’s philosophy of “bend‑but‑don’t‑break” aligns with McDaniel’s aim to sustain long drives, thereby keeping the defense off the field and preserving its top‑three ranking in points allowed.
Historical Comparisons and AFC West Landscape
The Chargers’ last AFC West title came in 2009, when they posted a 13‑3 record under then‑head coach Norv Turner. That team featured a dominant offensive line anchored by Luis Castro and a defense led by safety Eric Weddle. Since then, the division has been a revolving door of champions: the Kansas City Chiefs (2010‑2017, 2020‑2023), the Denver Broncos (2012, 2015) and a brief resurgence by the Los Angeles Raiders (1995). The Chargers have finished second in the division six times in the past 15 years, often losing the tiebreaker on head‑to‑head record.
Statistically, the 2025 Chargers posted a net rating of +6.2 (points scored minus points allowed per game), the third‑best in the AFC behind the Chiefs (+9.1) and Buffalo Bills (+7.8). To surpass the Chiefs, the Chargers must improve their turnover margin; they finished 2025 at –2, whereas Kansas City posted a +9 margin. The acquisition of Poyer, who forced three interceptions in his first three games with Buffalo in 2022, is a direct attempt to address that gap.
Impact and What Lies Ahead
Los Angeles enters training camp with a revamped offensive scheme, a healthier line, and a secondary bolstered by veteran savvy. Analysts at Pro Football Focus project the Chargers to finish the 2026 regular season at 12‑5, a record that would secure the AFC West crown and guarantee at least one home playoff game.
Key to that projection is the expectation that Herbert’s sack rate will drop from 2.8 per game in 2025 to 1.3 in 2026, while his completion percentage climbs from 68.1% to 71.5% under McDaniel’s quick‑release system. The running game, which averaged 220 yards per game in 2025, is projected to break the 250‑yard threshold, thanks to the anticipated 7.2 yards per rush attempt that McDaniel’s former 49ers achieved.
Defensively, with Bullard adding a double‑digit sack season and Poyer improving the secondary’s pass‑breakup rate (projected at 12.3 per game, up from 9.1), the Chargers should maintain their top‑three ranking in points allowed and potentially climb to the league’s best in yards allowed per play (4.7).
If the Chargers can execute McDaniel’s play‑action concepts while keeping Herbert upright, they not only have a realistic shot at ending the 17‑year division drought but also positioning themselves as a legitimate Super Bowl contender—something the franchise has not achieved since the 1994 season, when they fell to the 49ers in the AFC Championship.
Key Developments
- Jim Harbaugh posted back‑to‑back 11‑win seasons in 2024 and 2025.
- The Chargers suffered one‑and‑done playoff exits in both of those seasons.
- Mike McDaniel was hired as offensive coordinator for the 2026 season.
- Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are cleared to return after missing significant time with injuries.
- Veteran safety Jordan Poyer signed a two‑year deal to fortify the secondary.
- Defensive end Max Bullard was acquired from Denver, targeting a 12‑plus sack season.
When was the last time the Chargers won the AFC West?
The Chargers captured the AFC West title in the 2009 season, finishing with a 13‑3 record before falling to the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round.
What was Mike McDaniel’s role before joining the Chargers?
Before the 2026 hire, McDaniel served as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, where his play‑action heavy system helped the team rank in the top five for points per game and first in yards per rush.
How did Rashawn Slater miss time in 2025?
Slater suffered a high‑ankle sprain in Week 4 of the 2025 season, causing him to miss nine games before returning for the final stretch.
