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...

What's the biggest game left on the Chargers schedule? (Tom via email)

Not to sound like Jim Harbaugh here, but my short answer is Sunday's game against the Raiders.

The Chargers Head Coach said as much Tuesday when asked about the home stretch of the 2025 season.

"Win the next game. That's how I make sense of it. It's a huge game this week because it is the next game," Harbaugh said.

The data shows Harbaugh is right. The Chargers sit at 7-4 and are in the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture.

The Bolts currently have a 59 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic. Those odds move to 64 percent with a win over Las Vegas, but drop to 37 percent with a loss.

The Raiders have the worst record of all of the Chargers remaining opponents, the Bolts are at home and the Chargers have already topped Las Vegas once this season.

Simply put, this needs to be a win so that the Chargers keep pace — and stay ahead — of the rest of the AFC field jockeying for playoff spots.

Plus, a win Sunday would move the Chargers to 4-0 in AFC West play and get them to 7-2 against AFC teams, both crucial marks that could be used for playoff tiebreakers after Week 18.

But if we take a little peek forward, the games against the Chiefs and Texans look like they're shaping up to be absolutely massive.

Kansas City hosts Houston in Week 14 and then the Chargers go to Arrowhead the following week. The Bolts then host the Texans in Week 17 at home.

Those three games will feel like playoff games within themselves. And if the Chargers beat the Raiders and then find a way to win against the Chiefs and Texans, their playoff odds skyrocket to 98 percent.

The path to the playoffs is quite clear for the Chargers.

Any update on Omarion Hampton? (via Twitter)

Yes!

Omarion Hampton returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in Week 5 against the Commanders.

The Chargers opened the rookie's 21-day practice window, meaning Hampton now have a three-week period where he can be added back to the active roster.

While the Bolts practiced Tuesday, they did not put out an injury report. (Those will come Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week).

And while Hampton's return to the practice field is obviously a step in the right direction, keep in mind that it doesn't guarantee that he plays against the Raiders.

"Good to get him back on the field and start ramping up," Harbaugh said Tuesday.

He later added: "Just going to really ramp up, see how the week goes. Good to get him back out there."

With the playoff push in full swing, getting Hampton back will undoubtedly be a boost for the Chargers offense.

Jamaree Salyer played well at LT when Rashawn Slater was hurt. It seems quite logical to put him there for this last part of the season? (via Twitter)

There's certainly a chance Salyer kicks out to left tackle for the rest of the 2025 season.

Harbaugh said Tuesday that he has four players — Trey Pipkins III, Salyer, Bobby Hart and Austin Deculus — whom he views as options at the tackle spots going forward.

The interior of Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman and Mekhi Becton, Harbaugh noted, is set.

The goal this week is to find the tackle duo and hopefully keep that starting five in place for the final six games (and possibly the playoffs).

"Ready to attack that and put the pieces together," Harbaugh said. "The hope is to solidify it from now to the rest of the season and also put in the contingencies, starting, backups in those kind of roles."

Salyer hasn't started a game at left tackle this season but did play 38 snaps there in relief of Joe Alt in Week 9 against the Titans.

And Salyer, as the question above alludes to, was dependable there in 2022 when he started the final 14 games of the season in place of Slater.

Salyer posted a 69.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade that season along with a 75.9 pass-blocking grade, both of which are the best season marks of his career.

If Salyer and Pipkins end up being the tackles Sunday, that would be the Chargers eighth starting offensive line combination in 12 games.

But it also might be the best group for the rest of the year.