Don't think Mike McDaniel's offense is going to be all flash and no substance.
Because if you're looking for a tight end that personifies grit and toughness, Charlie Kolar is a perfect fit in Southern California.
The Chargers on Tuesday announced they have agreed to terms with Kolar on a multi-year contract, a move that adds a valuable piece to McDaniel's new system.
Kolar, who just turned 27 years old, is listed at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds. But he's also more athletic than previous blocking tight ends the Bolts have had, and should open up a clear role for Oronde Gadsden II in the passing game.
In other words, he's the kind of guy you want on the end of the Chargers line next to either Rashawn Slater or Joe Alt to help create running lanes for Omarion Hampton or Kimani Vidal.
According to Pro Football Focus, Kolar ranked sixth with a run-blocking grade of 71.5 among tight ends with at least 400 snaps in 2025.
And he will help aid Justin Herbert by being a secondary option in the passing game, as Kolar was 15th with a PFF receiving grade among that same group of tight ends.
Kolar, by the way, should thrive under Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's coaching style.
After all, Kolar just spent the past four seasons in Baltimore where he played for Harbaugh's brother, John. And he was drafted in the fourth round in the 2022 NFL Draft by a Ravens front office that included current Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with tight end Charlie Kolar on a multi-year contract.
Kolar set career highs 10 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, so he isn't going to blow you away with statistical numbers.
But look beyond the box score and it's clear that Kolar is going to bring a hard-nosed mentality to the locker room and on the field, something the Chargers needed as they implement McDaniel's new system.
For all the chatter about points and yards the Bolts could put up under McDaniel, keep in mind that the Chargers will still be molded in Harbaugh's image as a gritty, tough team.
McDaniel said as much in late January when he was asked about Harbaugh's penchant for wanting to have a dominant ground game.
"He likes to run the ball and I am, by trade, I spent a good portion of my career being in charge of the run game and being the run game coordinator," McDaniel said. "I think you're always playing to your skillsets and each team that you're on has a different array of them.
"I think some of my run game prowess in the past has been different solutions for light boxes when you're adept to pass, to run the ball," McDaniel added. "That core foundational belief that football is inside out, prioritizing the line of scrimmage play and being able to win games when you have a lead with nine minutes to go in the game and you can keep the defense off the field. I think those types of things, that's where the like-minded football 101, core values of football kind of overlap."
Kolar is the perfect player that fits the identity of what Harbaugh and McDaniel are looking for in Southern California.
Because when January comes around, Kolar is exactly the type of player who can help you advance in the playoffs.
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