Los Angeles Chargers AFC West

Herbert said for each of the next few weeks he expects to dedicate one day to footwork and throwing-motion drills, with the goal of speeding up his release. Under McDaniel's new offensive scheme, Herbert said an early emphasis has been "just getting the ball out as quick as possible" rather than relying on his arm strength, in order to allow his pass-catchers "maximum ability to turn upfield and have time before a defender gets to them" and accumulate yards after the catch. That shift will play to the strengths of the Chargers' athletic skill-position group, led by playmakers like RB Omarion Hampton, WRs Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and TEs Oronde Gadsden and David Njoku, and help reduce some of the attrition Herbert faced as the most pressured quarterback in the NFL last season. Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater (kneecap) and Joe Alt (ankle) are both expected to be cleared for training camp as well, so there are multiple reasons to be optimistic that Los Angeles' offense will take a productive step forward in 2026, with Herbert being a focal beneficiary of McDaniel's creative playcalling.

James' extension includes $57.5 million guaranteed and an average annual value of $25.2 million, making him the highest-paid safety in league history. The 29-year-old has spent his entire seven-year career with the Chargers and is coming off yet another strong season, racking up 94 tackles (50 solo), including 2.0 sacks, and three interceptions across 16 regular-season games.

Gadsden broke out as a rookie fifth-round pick last season, totaling a 49-664-3 receiving line over 15 regular-season games at just 22 years old. While Gadsden remains primed to take a step forward in his development in Year 2, Los Angeles inked blocking specialist Charlie Kolar to a three-year deal at the outset of free agency, and Njoku's arrival now makes for a crowded TE room. Gadsden, a 6-foot-5, 236-pound converted wide receiver, boasts a similar frame and skill set to Njoku, a nine-year veteran and off-the-charts athlete who totaled a career-high 81-882-6 receiving line in 2023 but struggled with injuries over the last two seasons and was overtaken by rookie Harold Fannin with the Browns in 2025. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel relied heavily on multi-TE sets during his four-year stint with the Dolphins, and the Chargers have little proven production at WR behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, so a path exists for both Gadsden and Njoku to operate as top targets for QB Justin Herbert.

One of the top free agents left on the board, Njoku will continue his career on the West Coast following a nine-year stay in Cleveland. Since submitting a career-best 81-882-6 receiving line in 2023, Njoku has seen his production dip over the past two seasons while missing 11 total games to injury, but he won't turn 30 years old until July and still profiles as an above-average pass-catching talent at tight end. However, after seeing his target counts drop in the second half of the 2025 season while rookie Harold Fannin emerged as a focal point in the Cleveland passing attack, Njoku will face competition for reps from another impressive young tight end in Oronde Gadsden as he moves on to Los Angeles. Njoku will at least benefit from a major upgrade in quarterback play with the Justin Herbert-led Chargers offense, and there could still be room for both Gadsden and Njoku to earn meaningful volume in the passing game in light of the lack of established depth at wide receiver behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.

Desrosiers began his collegiate career at UMass before transferring to Memphis in 2024 for his final two seasons. While it likely will be a long shot for him to make the final roster, he could have a chance to land on their practice squad.

Ross spent his first three collegiate seasons at Troy before transferring to Penn State in 2025. He caught 36 passes for 501 yards and five touchdowns during his lone season with the Nittany Lions and can add value as a returner as well.

Listed as a wide receiver during his collegiate stops at Texas Tech, Boston College and Kansas State, the 6-foot-5, 241-pound Bradley will transition to tight end as he makes the jump to the professional ranks. As a fifth-year senior at Kansas State this past fall, Bradley started in five of his nine appearances and totaled 13 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 21 targets.

Svoboda was originally a quarterback at Wyoming before switching over to tight end in 2025. He caught 11 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown during the 2025 campaign. Svoboda was one of two tight ends the team added as undrafted free agents alongside Jerand Bradley.

Slaughter (6-foot-5, 303 pounds) could probably stand to add a little more bulk, both because his height outranks his weight at the position (88th versus 49th percentiles, according to Mockdraftable), and because he has plus athleticism to spare if adding weight slows him down at all. He logged a 5.1-second 40-yard dash, 32.5-inch vertical and 110-inch broad jump at the combine, all of which are strong marks for an interior lineman. Nick Saban declared the former Florida standout his favorite center in the draft, but Slaughter might more so work at guard given that the Chargers signed Tyler Biadasz in free agency. With a little injury luck, the Chargers should have a good offensive line across the board.

Burke started at right tackle in 2023 and 2024 with Florida International before transitioning to left tackle in 2025, when he transferred to Memphis. The move paid off for him, as he was named to the All-ACC First-Team in 2025 despite missing the last two games of the season due to a lower-body injury. Burke is a gigantic addition to the Chargers with a towering 6-foot-9, 325-pound frame, and while that comes with leverage issues, he has better movement than expected for his size. Burke's versatility to play at both left and right tackle is a big boost to the team's offensive line, given that Rashawn Slater was sidelined for the entire 2025 season due to a ruptured patella tendon and with Joe Alt missing the second half of last year because of a high-ankle sprain.

Barrett doesn't have a long list of production to his name at South Carolina, but he did well in his lone season as a starter for the Gamecocks in 2025, racking up 42 tackles and 2.0 sacks. He sports above-average arm length and is pretty athletic for his size, but he's a bit raw on the pass-rush front. Barrett will provide some depth on the defensive line for the Chargers and might fit in better as a defensive end in the 3-4 scheme.

Smith (6-foot-2, 202 pounds) started the final two seasons of his three years at Arizona and stands to provide RJ Mickens with immediate competition for rotational snaps at safety behind Elijah Molden, Derwin James and Tony Jefferson. The 21-year-old Smith plays fast enough to provide a wide range of coverage but will need to develop into a more physical and consistent tackler in order to fit the bill as a potential starter at the NFL level.