Welcome back to the Chargers Mailbag!
We'll run a Mailbag each week during the regular season. Send in submissions for the Mailbag on Twitter @EricLSmith or by email at eric.smith@chargers.nfl.com.
Off we go...
It's clear that the team needs to make some changes. What changes can we expect to see this coming Sunday? (Anna via Twitter)
We'll start with this question from Anna, which primarily should pertain to the offense.
How that unit performs going forward is the Chargers biggest storyline to watch, both coming out of the bye and for the rest of the 2026 season.
Through six games, the Bolts offense was disjointed at best. Mike McDaniel's unit ranks last in the NFL in numerous categories, including EPA per play and points per game.
"Not a person in the offensive room — player or coach — is where they want it to be," Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said last week.
So, what changes could we see starting Sunday against the Rams?
Well, we know that the Bolts did not make a change at play caller as McDaniel is still in that role.
Harbaugh spoke last week about reducing the volume of the playbook so that players understand it better and can then translate that from meeting rooms to the practice field and then to games.
So far this season, the vibe I've gotten is that McDaniel simply tried to do too much when installing the offense and it led to sloppy and ineffective play thus far.
We won't really know what changes are made until we see them in action Sunday, but perhaps there's less pre-snap motion, an emphasis on quicker routes or a focus on running simpler plays so that the offense can find success.
Better health might be a factor, too, as it appears Joe Alt is close to returning, which should be a boost for the offensive line.
Whatever the changes are offensively, let's hope they can contribute to the Chargers first win of the season in Week 8.
Will we see any players traded away before the deadline? (via Twitter)
This remains to be seen.
As a refresher, the 2026 NFL trade deadline is on November 10 at 1 p.m. (PT), meaning it's less than two weeks away
While teams can certainly make a trade before then, all trades must be submitted to the league by 1 p.m. (PT) on that day.
While Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz has been active in the trade market since he arrived in Southern California, things are obviously different right now given the Chargers current sub-.500 record.
Generally speaking, teams are more apt to trade away players who are in the final year of their respective contracts.
That is what the Colts did earlier this week when they shipped out Quentin Nelson and DeForest Buckner for various draft picks.
Will the Chargers do the same given where they are in the standings?
That's a decision Hortiz and the front office will need to make soon.
Programming note! (Eric via himself)
If you missed last week's Mailbag, a heads up that we will be pausing the Mailbag later this month as I go on paternity leave.
My wife and I are expecting our third child later this month so I'll be taking some time off once the baby arrives.
My colleague, Omar Navarro, will still have you covered with plenty of great daily content on Chargers.com, so keep an eye out for that.
Look for the Mailbag to return sometime in late November or early December.
