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.

The No. 21 overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Johnston has gotten his career on track after what was a subpar rookie season. Across 29 regular-season games over the past two seasons, Johnston has secured 106 of 175 targets for 1,446 yards and 16 touchdowns as Justin Herbert's top downfield perimeter wideout. Johnston has improved his yards-per-catch average every season and finished 21st in the NFL at 14.4 yards per reception during the 2025 campaign. With Keenan Allen still unsigned, there's room for Johnston's role to grow this upcoming season.

New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel reportedly had significant interest in Thompson because of his blazing 4.26 40-yard dash, reminiscent of the wide receiver archetype he valued as a head coach in Miami. It's hard to tell if the Chargers will have designated plays for Thompson, or if they will continue to feature Harris, the 2025 second-round pick who made his bones at the collegiate level as a RPO specialist. Harris' rookie year was relatively mundane (30-324-1) despite playing all 17 regular-season games, but with Keenan Allen potentially on his way out, there overall could be more opportunities available in Los Angeles in what figures to be a more pass-happy scheme.

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.

Alt suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the Chargers' Week 9 win over the Titans and was unable to return to the field for the rest of the 2025 season. The star right tackle entering 2026 as a healthy practice participant is great news for quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers offensive line, who struggled greatly late in the year due to lack of depth amidst many injuries.

Los Angeles tendered the 2024 sixth-round pick as an ERFA in early March. The Chargers' offseason has seen Najee Harris (Achilles) depart in free agency, though the addition of Keaton Mitchell from Baltimore represents a new option in the backfield and potential competition for Vidal's grip on the No. 2 role behind Omarion Hampton. That said, Vidal has to be considered the favorite for the job after he broke out for 643 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 155 carries across 13 regular-season appearances in 2025, even if Mitchell ultimately sees more pass-catching reps.

Jefferson, who turned 34 in January, suited up for 13 regular-season games with Los Angeles in 2025, totaling 57 tackles (37 solo) and seven passes defensed, including four interceptions. The experienced veteran figures to reprise a depth role behind starting safeties Derwin James and Elijah Molden again during the 2026 campaign.

Lance is returning for a second campaign in Los Angeles following stints with San Francisco and Dallas. As Justin Herbert's backup last season, Lance saw action in four games (including a Week 18 start versus Denver), completing 27 of 57 pass attempts for 226 yards and a 0:1 TD:INT while adding 17 carries for 85 yards. The mobile quarterback should be the frontrunner to back up Herbert.

The 32-year-old defensive lineman from Alabama was dropped by the Cardinals on Mar. 6 but has since found a new home in Los Angeles. Tomlinson appeared in 17 games last season, recording 26 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and one pass defensed. Now with the Chargers, he's expected to operate as one of the team's top interior defensive linemen during the 2026 season.

Perryman will return to the Chargers for a third consecutive season (and ninth campaign since being drafted by the team in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft). He saw his production dip in 2025, finishing with 47 tackles (30 solo) and three pass defenses across 10 regular-season games. He missed seven games last season, five of which were due to an ankle injury and two more because of a suspension. Perryman's best days are behind him, but he'll fortify the Chargers' depth at inside linebacker behind projected starters Troy Dye and Daiyan Henley.

Mitchell brings his talents to a backfield already led by Omarion Hamption and No. 2 back Kimani Vidal. Across three seasons with Baltimore, the 24-year-old logged a total of 112 carries for 767 yards and three touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.34 YPC. While the Hampton and Vidal represent difficult competition for Mitchell to earn depth opportunities, he seems a strong fit for new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme and will be a sleeper candidate to impress with the Chargers.

Harris will be receiving a new contract after spending the last four seasons with the Chargers organization. The long snapper had a late start to the 2025 season due to a chest issue that kept him on injured reserve till early November, but he was able to finish out the year healthy. The 36-year-old will return to snap for kicker Cameron Dicker and punter JK Scott as the Chargers gear up for the 2026 season.