Johnston said McDaniel's scheme will put him "in the right position to be successful," noting that much of his collegiate success at TCU came after the catch. The 2023 first-round pick, who had his fifth-year option exercised in April, also said he's enjoyed working closely with his new offensive coordinator. Johnston managed a 51-735-8 line on 84 targets while suiting up for 14 regular-season games last year and could take a step forward in 2026 under McDaniel's scheme, with Keenan Allen still unsigned and freeing up 122 targets, and Los Angeles' offensive line set to return to health. Johnston, Ladd McConkey (hamstring) and Tre' Harris headline Justin Herbert's receiving corps, while tight ends Oronde Gadsden, David Njoku and Charlie Kolar will also figure into the passing game.

Hampton also mentioned earning a Terrell Davis comp from McDaniel this offseason. There's understandably a lot of hype around the Chargers offense with McDaniel taking over and OTs Joe Alt (foot) and Rashawn Slater (knee) expected to return from last year's season-ending injuries. The situation is indeed promising for Hampton in terms of per-carry efficiency and TD upside, but there's been some doubt about his workload projection after the Chargers gave Keaton Mitchell a two-year, $9.3 million contract this offseason. They also still have Kimani Vidal, but Hampton is the largest of the bunch (6-foot, 220 pounds) and probably also the best pass catcher — without sacrificing much in terms of speed (4.46 40) or agility. If McDaniel's offense lives up to the hype, Hampton won't need 300 carries to make his fantasy managers happy.

Dupree hurt his hamstring in Week 18 last season and had to sit out the Chargers' wild-card round loss to New England. However, his attendance during OTAs suggests that the veteran linebacker is back to full health. Dupree started just five of the 16 games in which he played last year and is slated for a similar role in 2026, as Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack are back as Los Angeles' starting outside linebackers.

Coach Jim Harbaugh told Insdorf earlier Tuesday that McConkey was "working through something" and would be limited to individual drills at this week's mandatory minicamp. McConkey clarified the nature of the injury not long afterward, while adding "let's get it healthy and ready to roll for" training camp. Through 32 regular-season games to begin his career, the 2024 second-round pick has tallied 148 catches on 218 targets for 1,938 yards and 13 touchdowns. McConkey will be seeking the second 1,000-yard campaign of his career under the direction of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Lambert-Smith played in only 10 games during his rookie season last year, in part because he was tending to a lingering hamstring injury. The Chargers' only big move at wide receiver during the offseason was selecting Brenen Thompson in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Lambert-Smith is one of a few players working on returning punts during offseason workouts, so now that he's back to full strength, he should have a realistic chance of snagging a spot on the 53-man roster for this season.

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.

Alt is making good progress in his recovery from an ankle injury suffered last season. The 23-year-old has been getting reps in practice every day and will resume his role as the Chargers' starting right tackle once healthy.

Slater is closer to returning from the knee injury that forced him to miss the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Once healthy, the 27-year-old should resume his role as the Chargers' starting left tackle.

With Keenan Allen still unsigned and looking like a poor fit for new OC Mike McDaniel's speed-based offense, Harris appears ticketed for a bigger offensive role in his second season. Harris appeared in all 17 regular-season games as a rookie, making 10 starts, but he logged just 49 percent of the offensive snaps and turned 43 targets into a 30-324-1 receiving line. Allen played 55 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps but paced the team with 122 targets and 81 catches. Harris will need to fend off fourth-round rookie Brenen Thompson, but Harris certainly has a chance to see significantly more playing time and pass volume in 2026.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Brown is joining the Chargers from Colorado, where he hauled in 22 receptions for 376 yards and two touchdowns during the 2025 campaign. He will face an uphill battle to make the final roster but could be a practice squad candidate.

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.

Harkey (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) started at right tackle for Texas State in 2024 and for Oregon in 2025, but his first challenge at the NFL level will be to adjust to a positional move inside. The Chargers are relatively deep at guard behind Trevor Penning and 2026 second-rounder Jake Slaughter, with Cole Strange, Kayode Awosika, Ben Cleveland, Branson Taylor, fellow 2026 sixth-round pick Logan Taylor and Harkey all slated to vie for opportunities this offseason.

Taylor was a regular starter in each of his last four college seasons. He played for Boston College from 2023 to 2025 and was named to the All-ACC Second-Team in his senior year. He's one of the rare prospects in this draft that has experience playing at four of the five positions on the offensive line. That versatility could be incredibly valuable for a Chargers team that dealt with several injuries to the offensive line in 2025, including Rashawn Slater (kneecap) and Joe Alt (ankle).

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.

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.

Thompson is a speedster who put up eye-popping numbers in Jeff Lebby's offense at Mississippi State in 2025, racking up 57 grabs for 1,054 yards and six touchdowns. He's undersized at 5-foot-9, 166 pounds, however, he possesses blazing speed, posting a 4.26 40-time at the NFL Combine, which isn't surprising given his track background. The Chargers already have a trio of impressive receivers in Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris, but Thompson could slot in behind that group and see the field in the slot if McConkey needs a breather or misses any time.

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.

Mesidor (6-foot-3, 259 pounds) turned 25 earlier this April and didn't log any pre-draft athletic testing, but his production at Miami (FL) and West Virginia was strong enough to still project him as an NFL starter. Mesidor logged 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in 15 games last year, and he was a starter immediately upon arriving at West Virginia in 2020. The Chargers likely view Mesidor as their long-term replacement for Khalil Mack.