The first thing Mike McDaniel did after he was hired to be the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in January was to watch quarterback Justin Herbert’s throws. All of them, as it turned out. The second thing McDaniel did was to begin to tweak Herbert’s game in ways great and small.
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“The boring stuff is the important stuff,” McDaniel said at one point this summer.
Or something to that effect.
McDaniel talks a good game, a very good game.
His job is to get Herbert and the Chargers’ offense to play a good game.
There was an unmistakable sense that the Chargers’ offense failed to live up to expectations during Jim Harbaugh’s first two seasons as their head coach. They ranked 20th in the 32-team NFL last season with an average of 21.6 points per game. Their passing game was 18th, averaging 212.2 yards.
So, exit Greg Roman after two seasons as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator and enter McDaniel after four seasons coaching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. McDaniel altered Herbert’s stance in shotgun formation and had him throw less during the offseason, too.
Will it result in greater success for Herbert and the Chargers’ offense? Is it possible that success could translate into an MVP-caliber season for Herbert, who threw for a franchise-record 5,014 yards in his second NFL season in 2022, but hasn’t come close to matching that figure in the seasons since then?
Keeping the quarterback upright and healthy are two of the biggest offensive concerns for the upcoming season for the Chargers. Herbert took a beating at times during the 2025 season, but never more so than during the Chargers’ AFC wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, when he was sacked six times.
Here’s a closer look, position-by-position, at McDaniel’s 2026 offense:
Quarterback
Starter: Justin Herbert
Backup: Trey Lance
The Chargers’ inability to protect Herbert in recent seasons has held them back despite consecutive 11-win seasons under Harbaugh. Offseason moves designed to strengthen the offensive line took a hit when Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp.
Rookie Jake Slaughter will replace Biadasz to start the season. It was anticipated that McDaniel would help Herbert reach his full potential, but will that still be the case with Biadasz sidelined? Herbert threw for 3,727 yards last season, his lowest production for a full season (15 games or more) in his six-year career.
Running back
Starter: Omarion Hampton
Backups: Keaton Mitchell, Kimani Vidal, Alec Ingold (fullback)
The ground game is at least as important as the passing game in McDaniel’s offensive game plan. Melvin Gordon was the last Chargers running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season when he had 1,105 during the 2017 season. That’s a generation ago. But the Chargers believe Hampton could be the man to provide the same sort of production that Gordon did nearly a decade ago. Hampton gained 545 yards and scored four touchdowns as a rookie last season.
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Ingold spent the past four seasons with McDaniel with the Miami Dolphins and knows the ins and outs of the offense. He’s an upgrade from Scott Matlock, who played fullback and on the defensive line last season, a more natural offensive player who can block and catch passes with equal ability.
Wide receivers
Starters: Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre’ Harris.
Backups: KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Derius Davis, Brenen Thompson.
McDaniel’s scheme calls for quick passes from Herbert to his receivers, with the receivers then able to run for additional yardage. The trick during training camp was for the receivers to learn to turn their heads back in time to actually catch Herbert’s spirals. The time issue might be ongoing as the season unfolds.
But the quick passing game figures to be the most entertaining part of McDaniel’s offense. McConkey set a franchise rookie record with 82 catches for 1,149 receiving yards in 2024, but slumped to 66 receptions for 789 yards in 2025, a symbol of the Chargers’ inability to ignite their offense.
Tight end
Starter: Charlie Kolar.
Backups: Oronde Gadsden, David Njoku.
These three could prove to be interchangeable, and each will be counted on to block as well as catch passes. The position is as important in McDaniel’s quick-strike offense as having a third tackle or a fourth wide receiver in the formation.
Offensive line
Starters: Rashawn Slater, Kayode Awosika, Jake Slaughter, Cole Strange, Joe Alt.
Backups: Trey Pipkins III, Travis Burke, Trevor Penning, Jacob Spomer, Logan Taylor, Alex Harkey.
Slater and Alt, the Chargers’ Pro Bowl tackles, are said to be 100% after sustaining season-ending injuries last season. Awosika could platoon with Pipkins at left guard, according to Harbaugh. Strange is most familiar with McDaniel’s offense after they spent last season together with Miami.
The Chargers’ depth was put to the test last season after Slater was injured during training camp and Alt was sidelined in Week 9. Replacing one proved difficult enough, but trying to find capable fill-ins for both was impossible. The Chargers will carry 11 offensive linemen to start this season.