Mike McDaniel said last week that his first few months on the job have "exceeded expectations."

Of course, it helps to have a quarterback like Justin Herbert on the roster, as the Chargers Offensive Coordinator noted that he wants the Herbert to "own the position a way he never has."

But what about the group tasked with protecting Herbert?

McDaniel hit on a variety of questions during his 30-plus minute press conference Friday, including on the return of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, why Tyler Biadasz was a perfect fit at center and the state of the guards on the roster.

"I'm looking for the best five, we already have an idea of who three are and probably four," McDaniel said. "But I'm not rushing to make that judgement and having performance fit that judgement."

Here's a look at how McDaniel views the Chargers offensive line right now:

Rashawn Slater & Joe Alt

Slater and Alt are each returning from respective season-ending injuries.

Slater didn't play a single snap since he sustained a torn patellar tendon during an August 3 practice while Alt played six games before an ankle injury cost him the rest of the 2026 season.

The Chargers certainly missed the Pro-Bowl duo, something McDaniel noted when analyzing the Bolts 2025 season.

"Elite tackles are unicorns in this league," McDaniel said. "When you don't have them, it takes a complete schematic commitment to overcome it, whether that's having one of your five eligibles either be in fulltime or help that position, so my NFL experience does not undervalue tackle at all."

Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh have both said that Slater and Alt appear to be on track to be fully ready by Week 1.

Both Slater and Alt have been on the field for the Chargers voluntary offseason program, including Monday when each player worked on individual drills without pads.

McDaniel credited the pair of former first-round picks for leading the way in that room so far this offseason.

"To see those two guys, exuberant, because what you see is two guys that are going out in May and attacking footwork on air, on blocking pads, like they were undrafted rookies," McDaniel said. "When your best players are the examples and tone sets for work ethic, you're cooking with gas.

"It brings the group along and they've really embraced the challenge we try to present for linemen in the offseason to get them to move in conjunction and uniformity and conviction the way we want," McDaniel continued. "They haven't blinked, they've improved every day.

"That's all we're asking players to do because you know over time that continued improvement as you standardize it, is the makings of doing something as a group, that's pretty impactful," McDaniel added.

McDaniel later summed up the impact Slater and Alt have made in six simple words.

"They've been everything advertised and more," McDaniel said.

Tyler Biadasz

The Chargers needed a new plan at center this offseason after the retirement of Bradley Bozeman.

The Bolts pivoted by adding Biadasz before free agency started, a move that puts a Top 10 center in the middle of the offensive line.

"It was a position where, as we talked with Joe and Jim, it was a position we knew we could improve the Chargers flat out," McDaniel said.

According to Pro Football Focus, Biadasz posted an overall grade of 71.5 in 2025 regular season, good for ninth among all players at that position with at least 800 snaps.

Biadasz was also ninth among centers in that group with a PFF pass-blocking grade of 67.1 and was 11th with a run-blocking grade of 71.2.

Over the past five seasons, Biadasz has played 5,191 total snaps, which ranks second among all centers in that timeframe.

Biadasz's overall PFF grade of 72.0 since 2021 ranks seventh among centers with at least 3,500 snaps.

McDaniel said Friday that he felt that Biadasz would be a perfect fit in his scheme.

"He's a player that we think — specifically with the nuances and tools we give the center in both run and pass that are a little unique — we think his skillset really plays with what we like to do," McDaniel said. "We think he's a better athlete than maybe people give him credit for paired with an anchor in protection that protects the A-gaps and protects Justin.

"To me when we evaluated him, it's a player that if we get his best tape, it's in front of him because of what we ask the center position to do," McDaniel added. "Particularly how effective he is in space and blocking people."

Cole Strange, Jake Slaughter & the guards

McDaniel mentioned above that "we already have an idea of who three are and probably four" in terms of starting offensive linemen.

Slater, Alt and Biadasz are the initial three, but it's a safe assumption that Cole Strange is the fourth player McDaniel mentioned.

After all, Harbaugh said in late March that he had Strange penciled in as the starting right guard at that point of the offseason. Strange started 14 games for McDaniel in Miami last season.

McDaniel was asked Friday about the skillset he looks for at guard in his offensive scheme.

He initially quipped that, over his 20-year NFL coaching career, he wants "people who are able to block defenders."

McDaniel, who emphasized he didn't want that to sound sarcastic, then dove into what that encompasses.

"We want to play a certain style of ball that is convicted, dictates the terms, so there is a level of quickness, but overall we're looking for people who can block people in space, where a lot of the big plays and things that change games and scoring opportunities, where those occur," McDaniel said. "Overall, we're looking for someone that has the ability to compete and dictate terms in run and the pass.

"Schematically, there's an inherent disadvantage in all known pass situations, that's football to me seeing that the best athletes to me are generally the pass rushers," McDaniel continued. "Being able to tie our timing of our pass game to the sets and there's a lot of work that you can get blockers that are good in space to develop their pass sets and have your quarterback and timing work with pass protection so you're not getting sacked and having negative plays.

"We want guys that, there's so much productivity that occurs late in downs, late in blocks, so we're looking for guys that strain, that have the capability and desire to strain through an entire play that a lot of times can be three or four seconds into a play, particularly a run play," McDaniel added. "Then realistically, I want players each practice, each time they have the opportunity to compete, I want it to matter. For that to matter, you get high quality players that you believe in and you throw them out there and let them determine where they play and who starts."

The Chargers will have different starting guards in 2026 than they did a season ago.

McDaniel seems intent on fortifying those spots, which might include rookie Jake Slaughter, a recent second-round pick.

McDaniel raved about Slaughter's play at center and said the former Florida standout has the required skillset to move to guard.

"You're measured, particularly as a blocker in the National Football League, by consistency. This is a guy that had the strength and the body and mind," McDaniel said. "His mind was very impressive. Everything he did, he did really well.

He later added: "Has the size and the mind to own the little details that make you elite in this game. There's a lot of parity, ton of parity, a lot of strong guys that are athletic movers. Who are the guys that really excel in this league? It's the guys that master small nuances and can see the game slow because they're so supremely prepared, and that's what we saw in him."

Slaughter is likely to have competition from Trevor Penning for the starting role at left guard, but McDaniel said the overall depth of the group has stood out to him so far.

It's a group that has impressed so far, but all eyes will be on how the unit gels in training camp heading into a pivotal 2026 season.

"What we've created is a highly competitive room that we feel confident we're going to have not just five starters that you can win football games with — and be very happy about — but two, three, four extra guys that will probably have to see the field during the season based on the natural course of the rigors of the NFL," McDaniel said. "Really pumped about where we're at."

He later added: "We try to find the guys that will execute at the highest percentage based on blocking people and nothing else."