Analyzing the Chargers’ depth chart after the first wave of free agency (original) (raw)

The initial wave of free agency is winding down, and most of the top young talent is off the board.

As of Wednesday, 18 players in my top 100 remained available. Of those 18 players, only four will be under 30 years old when the regular season begins in September. The average age of the remaining 18 players is 33.3. We have reached the stage of free agency where the options are mostly aging veterans — good players who can make an impact but will not dramatically shift the bedrock of a roster.

As such, the Los Angeles Chargers’ depth chart has started to take firm shape. Some internal free agents are back. Others left for different teams. The Chargers have added external free agents, and they still have holes to fill.

Let’s go position by position and analyze where the roster stands for coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz.

Quarterback

Starter: Justin Herbert

Depth: Trey Lance, DJ Uiagalelei

The Chargers keep this room intact. They re-signed Lance on a one-year deal to be Herbert’s backup for a second season. Lance beat out Taylor Heinicke for that job in training camp last year. Lance started one game in the regular season, Week 18 at the Denver Broncos. The Chargers put Lance in a tough spot in this game. He was playing behind a bunch of backups along the offensive line, as the Chargers rested starters ahead of the postseason. Lance was running for his life and led the Chargers in rushing with 69 yards. Lance showed some promise in the preseason. Bringing him back makes sense. Also worth mentioning is that new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was with the San Francisco 49ers when they drafted Lance with the No. 3 pick in 2021.

Running back

Starter: Omarion Hampton

Depth: Keaton Mitchell, Kimani Vidal, Jaret Patterson, Amar Johnson

Hampton was just breaking out when he suffered a freak broken ankle in Week 5 of his rookie season. He has immense potential within McDaniel’s scheme. Vidal returns on a cheap one-year extension. He is coming off a career year in 2025. The big addition to this room is Mitchell, whom the Chargers signed to a two-year deal after he was not tendered by the Baltimore Ravens. With his explosive speed, especially to the edge, Mitchell brings a different flavor to the running back rotation. It is easy to see Mitchell fitting well into McDaniel’s run scheme. This group has improved from last season.

Receiver

Starters: Ladd McConkey, Tre’ Harris, Quentin Johnston

Depth: Derius Davis, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Luke Grimm, Dalevon Campbell, JaQuae Jackson

Keenan Allen is a free agent. He led the Chargers in targets and receptions last season. Allen’s absence is the only significant change to this room. Hortiz and Harbaugh have said they want to bring Allen back. However, I believe the Chargers should be building their passing offense around McConkey. In order to do that, I think they should move on from Allen. McConkey and Allen both thrive in similar areas of the field.

McConkey could have a bounce-back season in McDaniel’s offense. One of McDaniel’s best attributes is how he schemes receivers open with pre-snap motion and linebacker manipulation. He did this often with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle with the Miami Dolphins. I can see McDaniel maximizing McConkey’s shiftiness and yards-after-the-catch ability on some of these same concepts. With Allen not on the roster, Tre’ Harris is in line for a bigger role. He was most impactful as a blocker in 2025.

Fullback

Starter: Alec Ingold

Scott Matlock was the Chargers’ primary fullback last season. He was not going to be a good fit at this position in McDaniel’s offense. So the Chargers replaced him with Ingold, who spent the past four seasons as McDaniel’s fullback in Miami. Ingold joining the Chargers felt like an inevitability once he was cut by the Dolphins. For now, we are going to move Matlock to the defensive line group. He was drafted as a defensive lineman in 2023 before Harbaugh moved him to fullback in 2024. I think Matlock has a better chance of getting on the field on defense this coming season.

Alec Ingold spent the last four seasons playing for Mike McDaniel in Miami. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)

Tight end

Starter: Charlie Kolar

Depth: Oronde Gadsden, Tanner McLachlan, Thomas Yassmin

Kolar was one of my favorite players in this year’s free-agent class, and I loved this signing from the Chargers. He can handle the bulk of the run blocking duties, and I believe McDaniel will find ways to tap into Kolar’s potential as a pass catcher. Kolar was playing behind Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews with the Baltimore Ravens, who limited his receiving opportunities. But he was open quite often. Introducing Kolar into the roster slides Gadsden into a more ideal role. Gadsden can impact the game as a receiver, but he has a long way to go before he can function effectively as a blocker. I like the way this room fits together.

Offensive line

Starters: LT Rashawn Slater, LG Trevor Penning, C Tyler Biadasz, RG Cole Strange, RT Joe Alt

Depth: Trey Pipkins III, Branson Taylor, Josh Kaltenberger, Ben Cleveland

I have some concerns about this room. Slater is coming back from a torn patellar tendon he suffered in practice in August. Alt is coming back from a serious ankle injury that ended his season. Pipkins, who the Chargers re-signed as their swing tackle, has struggled to stay healthy in his NFL career. The Chargers signed Biadasz in free agency, and he will be a huge upgrade at center. They signed Strange to be the starting right guard. He played there for McDaniel in Miami last season. His movement skills are clearly a fit for the run scheme, but I worry about his pass-blocking anchor.

At the very least, the Chargers need competition for Penning at left guard. Penning had a decent stretch at left guard for the New Orleans Saints before he was traded to the Chargers ahead of the deadline. He has the athleticism to play in McDaniel’s scheme. But I like him better in the sixth-lineman role, where he can be used as a move piece in jumbo packages.

Interior defensive line

Starters: Teair Tart, Jamaree Caldwell, Dalvin Tomlinson

Depth: Justin Eboigbe, Scott Matlock, TeRah Edwards, Josh Fuga

The Chargers let Da’Shawn Hand walk in free agency. Hand signed with the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal. They replaced him with Tomlinson, who was cut by the Arizona Cardinals. Early in the offseason, the Chargers re-signed Tart to a three-year extension. I was surprised the Chargers went with Tomlinson over Hand. The comp-pick formula was a factor in this decision. Tomlinson had a down year in 2025. He was also more expensive than Hand. However, defensive line coach Mike Elston has earned the benefit of the doubt in his two seasons with the Chargers. On multiple occasions, he has taken low-cost veterans and resurrected their careers. If the Chargers believe they can get more out of Tomlinson, it is hard to doubt them.

Edge rusher

Starters: Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu

Depth: Bud Dupree, Kyle Kennard, Garmon Randolph

Odafe Oweh left in free agency to sign a four-year, $96 million deal with the Washington Commanders. The Chargers need to replace him. They brought Mack back on a one-year extension. New defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary is going to be running a version of Jesse Minter’s scheme. This system needs three high-quality edge rushers to be most effective. The Chargers have two such players on the roster in Mack and Tuipulotu. The good news for the Chargers: This draft class is front-loaded with good edge-rusher prospects, and they should be able to find a contributor at No. 22.

The Chargers need another edge rusher to pair with Tuli Tuipuloto, pictured, and Khalil Mack. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)

Linebacker

Starters: Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman

Depth: Troy Dye, Marlowe Wax, Del’Shawn Phillips, Junior Colson, Emany Johnson

The Chargers re-signed Perryman and Phillips to keep this group together. The big question: How does Colson fit into the rotation? We are penciling in Perryman as the starter next to Henley for now. Perryman started all 10 regular-season games he played in last season. Dye has performed well every time he has gotten chances on defense. Phillips, too, showed promise on defense last season. Wax was an undrafted free agent in 2025 and made the 53-man roster. He made a bunch of plays when he rotated in on defense in Week 18. Colson, at this stage, is the sixth linebacker on the depth chart. The 2024 third-round pick has not been able to stay healthy over his first two NFL seasons. He missed all of last season with a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Safety

Starters: Derwin James Jr., Elijah Molden

Depth: Tony Jefferson, RJ Mickens, Kendall Williamson

The Chargers re-signed Jefferson on Wednesday, and they will keep the safety group together for 2026. O’Leary will continue to play James often at nickel, as Minter did. In order to move James around in this way, the Chargers need safety depth. Now they have it. Molden will be one of the deep-field safeties when James is closer to the line of scrimmage. Mickens and Jefferson both filled the other spot at different points last season. The Chargers could still draft a safety for added competition. They will want to roster Williamson for his special teams coverage ability.

Cornerback

Starters: Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart

Depth: Nikko Reed, Deane Leonard, Eric Rogers, Isas Waxter, Jordan Oladokun

Jackson, Still, Hart and Reed return. The Chargers re-signed Leonard to a one-year deal. I like the players in this room, but I think the Chargers should be eyeing a cornerback in the draft. They do not have a true No. 1 corner on this roster. Minter was able to elevate talent over his two seasons calling plays. Will O’Leary be able to do the same at this position? The Chargers retained defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale, who has been instrumental in the quality of their cornerback play.

Specialists

Starters: K Cameron Dicker, P JK Scott, LS Josh Harris

Depth: LS Peter Bowden

The Chargers re-signed Harris as their long snapper. Harris missed the first nine games of 2025 with a core injury he suffered in the preseason. He was missed. The Chargers ranked 21st in punt EPA over the first nine weeks of the season, according to TruMedia. They ranked fifth after Harris returned. He’s an underrated and important re-signing for the Chargers.