The clock is ticking on the 2026 NFL offseason.
Jim Harbaugh's squad will report to Chargers Training Camp on July 28 and hold their first practice a day later, a clear sign that the 2026 regular season is rapidly approaching.
ESPN's Seth Walder took one last big-picture look at the NFL offseason by handing out report cards to all 32 teams, with the Chargers earning the second-highest mark with an 'A- grade.'
Walder noted that the biggest move the Bolts made was hiring Mike McDaniel as new offensive coordinator, which also happened to be the move that the ESPN analyst liked the most.
Walder wrote:
The Chargers' biggest, and arguably best, move this offseason was not a player transaction. It was bringing in McDaniel, the former Dolphins coach, as their new offensive coordinator.
The McDaniel acquisition brings new hope for an offense that could be exceptional with quarterback Justin Herbert at the helm behind perhaps the best tackle duo in the game in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater -- if they can stay healthy. While it didn't work out for McDaniel in Miami, no one has forgotten the heights his offense reached early in his tenure -- and with a less talented quarterback, too.
Walder also lauded the personnel moves made by Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and his staff, whether it was Derwin James, Jr.'s recent multi-year contract extension or the shrewd decision to bolster the edge rusher room with the addition of Akheem Mesidor.
Walder wrote:
On the field, the Chargers spent money to retain some high-end veterans. They inked Derwin James Jr. to an extension that looks expensive for a safety or nickel at first glance ... but James is still at the top of his game and allowed 0.6 yards per coverage snap last season, best among all nickels.
Odafe Oweh, who delivered sacks for the Chargers after a midseason trade from Baltimore, departed in free agency ... but Los Angeles re-signed Khalil Mack and drafted Akheem Mesidor in the first round. Mack is still good when he's on the field -- though understandably diminished from his previous heights -- but the Chargers would benefit from an instant impact from Mesidor.
The Chargers also made a concerted effort to address the offensive line in recent months, with those slew of moves catching Walder's eye.
Walder said that center Tyler Biadasz "should be an immediate upgrade" in the middle of the trenches up front.
Walder did wonder if the Chargers could have spent more cap space along the interior of the offensive line, but keep in mind that Cole Strange's familiarity with McDaniel's scheme — not to mention his skillset that fits the system — is a big reason why the Bolts added the former first-round pick to play right guard.
Still, Walder summarized the past few months by noting "this was a good offseason" for the Chargers, a team that should once again compete for the double-digit wins and the AFC West while looking for breakthrough postseason success in Year 3 under Harbaugh and Hortiz.
