Chargers Training Camp is only a few days away, as we'll soon get our first real look at Jim Harbaugh's team ahead of the 2026 season.

It also means we're on the cusp of our first look at both new coordinators as they take a major step forward in their respective processes.

The Bolts hired Mike McDaniel and Chris O’Leary this offseason and now head into the new season as one of the nine teams with new playcallers on both offense and defense

And after a long offseason of work, the time has come to ramp up the process.

The Athletic's Mike Jones took on the task of going through each new coordinator and presenting ‘one pressing question’ that faces them ahead of the upcoming year.

With McDaniel now in powder blue, Jones believes all eyes are on whether the playcaller can help the Chargers take the next step, including both postseason success and making life easier on quarterback Justin Herbert and the offense.

Jones wrote:

Since entering the league in 2020, Herbert has ranked among the best young passers. But he and the Chargers hit the wild-card wall in three of the past four seasons. And since 2020, no quarterback has taken more sacks than Herbert (225). In search of answers, Jim Harbaugh hired former Miami Dolphins head coach McDaniel.

McDaniel's long track record of success makes him one of the most exciting coordinator additions of the year, and it's easy to see why.

He was the playcaller that led the Dolphins to No. 8 in the NFL in both passing offense and total offense over his four seasons as their head coach, including a top-ranked unit in 2023.

Not to mention his prowess while in charge of the run game in San Francisco, where the 49ers racked up the sixth-most rushing yards (8,538), tied for seventh with 237 total explosive rushes of 10-plus yards and had the ninth-most rushing touchdowns (71) over a four-year stretch.

Bringing that to Los Angeles is something Jones believes could both help get Herbert to another level, and also get the Chargers to a favorable spot when it's all said and done.

Jones wrote:

His energy and creativity feel like a good fit. He'll use a heavy dose of pre-snap motions to help manipulate defenses and put the offense in favorable positions. The OC will also stress a strong running game and getting the ball out of Herbert's hands quickly to spare him some of the punishment he has suffered thus far in his career.

With O'Leary on the other hand, Jones' question focused more on a specific position that will have a big hand in his first year as an NFL playcaller.

The 34-year-old takes over a Chargers defense that has been among the league's best over the last two seasons, thanks to a variety of difference makers on every level.

But heading into 2026, Jones has his eyes on a Chargers edge rushing room led by Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and rookie Akheem Mesidor, as they will have a big hand in the production of the entire defense.

Jones wrote:

Perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher Khalil Mack had his least productive season in 2025 as injury limited him to just 12 games and 5.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Mack, who had just six sacks in 2024, returns for a 13th NFL season, but at 35, a resurgence isn't likely. Fortunately for the Chargers, third-year edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu recorded a career-high 13 sacks and 23 quarterback hits and earned Pro Bowl honors. This year, the Chargers spent a first-round pick on pass rusher Akheem Mesidor. O'Leary will try to uphold the standard set by Jesse Minter, who is now in Baltimore, but he'll need his pass rushers to serve as the tone-setters for the defense to ensure success in Year 1.

The future Hall of Famer Mack enjoyed another strong year, while Tuipulotu enjoyed a breakout season as one of the NFL's top edge rushers. Add in Chargers first-round pick Mesidor in the mix and the Bolts have quite the trio.

All three players bring their own thing when it comes to rushing the passer but above all, are interchangeable along the line and not stuck to one spot.

Getting major contributions from this group, as well as finding the right mix, could allow the Chargers defense to set the tone for the rest of the unit.

"Get as many pass rushers on the field as we can," O'Leary said back in May. "Get teams into obvious pass situations, get those guys on the field, utilize them in ways that allow them to use their traits so if they're good inside, use them inside. In a general point of view, that's how I'm looking at it.

"We'll get into specifics as we get into [training] camp and find out exactly what everybody is best at but get offenses behind the chains and get those guys on the field," O'Leary added.