Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Grade: How Jim Harbaugh Rebuilt LA in His Image
Did L.A. Finally Give Justin Herbert Everything He Needs?
It’s becoming difficult to avoid being fooled by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Last offseason, it was a stark mentality change, leaning hard into a physical downhill running attack built in the mold of new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s philosophies and personalities. But, this year it seems the Chargers may have finally figured out how to set uber-talented yet rarely-clutch quarterback Justin Herbert up to take a big step.
Admittedly, that was the expectation in Houston when Herbert led a power offense onto the field in the AFC Wild Card Round, only to limp back into the locker room a 32-12 loser, again, this time after tossing four interceptions.
Will this year’s additions make the kind of impact that pushes Herbert and the Chargers closer to finally attaining the kind of success the 27-year-old quarterback’s talent and potential seemingly endlessly promise? Or, will 2025 feature a novel way of Chargering?
What I liked About The Los Angeles Chargers’ Offseason
Three moves, at two positions, might wind up being the elusive missing pieces in the center of the 2,500-piece jigsaw puzzle on your dining room table that you’ve been putting off finishing since the pandemic.
By signing offensive guard Mekhi Becton, and veteran running back Najee Harris before pairing him with first-round pick Omarion Hampton, the weight of carrying the entire offense on Herbert’s shoulders might finally be lifted.
Pro Football Focus lists Becton as the No. 21-ranked guard across the NFL last season, and he might have been even better than that, playing out his graduate-level coursework at Stoutland University along the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line. If Becton is anywhere close to the player who allowed only three sacks while producing a robust 74.7 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the Chargers will have significantly upgraded the interior of the offensive line. For this signing to work out, Becton is going to need to prove that last year’s success wasn’t a byproduct of Jeff Stoutland’s Hall of Fame caliber coaching and lining up between Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson last season.
Meanwhile, the Chargers’ backfield got more explosive after signing Harris, who rattled off 30 explosive runs of 10-plus yards, eighth most in the NFL, while forcing 63 missed tackles, fifth-most in the league, proving once and for all behind the Steelers’ shoddly offensive line that he’s far more than a plodder. Doubling down on committing to a balanced offense, complementing Herbert’s vertical passing attack with a violent downhill running game, the Chargers nabbed Omarion Hampton in the first round, after he rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns last season at North Carolina.
Los Angeles’ backfield duo could quickly evolve into the AFC’s Detroit Lions, and that’s the best possible news for Herbert.
Bringing back veteran Mike Williams, who played the best football of his career with the Chargers is a nice addition, but the trajectory of this receiving corps are in the hands of rookie Tre Harris and Quentin Johnston becoming worthy complements to the immediately explosive Ladd McConkey.
Defensively, defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand and cornerback Benjamin St-Just’s arrivals via free agency should tangibly make the Chargers better.
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One team’s trash may be another’s gold nugget.
Why I’m Worried About the Los Angeles Chargers’ Offseason, 2025 Outlook
It’s hard to fault the Chargers for trying, but the annual tradition of wondering if Los Angeles did enough at wide receiver to push Herbert to take the next step continues.
In an offseason that saw DK Metcalf, George Pickens, and Cooper Kupp change zip codes, reuniting with 32-year-old vagabond Mike Williams, who caught 34 passes for 298 yards and a score last season, feels underwhelming, with so much pressure on the young players at the position.
Meanwhile, moving on from oft-injured Joey Bosa makes sense in a vacuum, but replacing him with the five defensive ends currently on the roster who have combined for five sacks in their careers is a colossal gamble, especially in a division that houses Patrick Mahomes, an ascending star in Bo Nix, and Geno Smith who gets to quickly dump it off to Ashton Jeanty out of the backfield and let the equally elusive and explosive rookie back work his magic in the open field.
The Chargers were one of the stingiest defenses in the league last season, allowing a league-low 17.7 points per game. But, it’s hard to figure where the pressure is coming from from the defensive line as currently constructed.
Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Grade: B
Overall, there’s a lot to like about the upgrades that the Chargers made this offseason.
Being targeted and filling big holes at running back, receiver, and defensive tackle pretty early in the NFL Draft has the potential to be a pretty big win for the Chargers. If pass-catchers like Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Oronde Gadsen wind up contributing as rookies, Herbert’s life is going to get a lot easier and a lot more prolific.
There’s always room for healthy skepticism when it comes to Herbert and the Chargers’ offense reaching peak performance in clutch situations, but Los Angeles has the potential to be much more balanced this season thanks to the moves made in recent months, and that should count for something.
Jim Harbaugh has built the kind of team he believes can win in December and January. Now it’s on Herbert to finally prove he can, too.
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