There’s no doubt that Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh believe they built a strong offensive foundation in their two seasons together. But there are plenty of questions about its structural integrity in the wake of an unfulfilling end to the 2025 season.

Harbaugh got the point quickly during his season-ending news conference last month, after the Chargers’ second consecutive 11-win season ended with their second consecutive one-and-done in the AFC wild-card playoffs. He said it was time to build a sturdier support system for Justin Herbert.

“Justin’s talent, Justin’s ability, I have no questions about that,” Harbaugh said of the Pro Bowl quarterback, reminded that he and Hortiz had said they had done him a disservice. “Winner all the way. It’s our responsibility to get up to his level, and we’re continually striving to do that.”

Asked if the Chargers put Herbert in a position to succeed in 2025, Hortiz said, “At times we did and at times we didn’t.”

Hortiz and Harbaugh have another chance to improve their building project, provide greater support for Herbert and ensure he is protected adequately from the swarms of defenders that knocked him off his bearings at times this past season, especially during a wild-card loss to the New England Patriots.

“We weren’t good enough,” Hortiz said, “and our goal was to be good enough. I did Dean (Spanos, the Chargers’ owner,) a disservice. I did (Harbaugh) a disservice. All of us together, we want to win the Super Bowl, so we’ve got to get better. How do you get better? You attack it. You spend weeks, months, having conversations, leading up to free agency, leading up to the draft, and you make the best decisions you can in that moment for the team.”

Free agency begins March 11. The NFL draft is April 23-25.

Here’s an offseason primer focused on the Chargers’ offense:

Returning starters: RT Joe Alt, RG Mekhi Becton, C Bradley Bozeman, K Cameron Dicker, TE Oronde Gadsden,  RB Omarion Hampton, QB Justin Herbert, WR Quentin Johnston, FB/DL Scott Matlock, WR Ladd McConkey, P/H JK Scott, LT Rashawn Slater.

Getting a healthy Slater back on the field will be like signing a big-time free agent, and the same goes for Alt. Slater sat out all of this past season because of a ruptured left patella tendon and Alt was limited to six games because of ankle injuries that ultimately sidelined him after Week 9.

The Chargers desperately need to upgrade the interior of their offensive line. Becton and Bozeman had a tough time protecting Herbert, who was sacked a career-high 54 times. What’s more, the Chargers haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Melvin Gordon gained 1,105 yards in the 2017 season.

The Chargers selected Alt in the first round in Hortiz’s first draft as GM in 2024 and Hampton with their first-round pick in 2025. Establishing a strong ground game is important to Hortiz and Harbaugh, so you can expect them to continue to pursue their worthwhile goal in April’s draft.

Like last season, the Chargers will pick 22nd overall. Early mock drafts have the Chargers selecting a guard. Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State and Emmanuel Pregnon of Oregon are two names mentioned frequently as offensive linemen the Chargers might target.

Others expect the Chargers to select a defensive lineman or perhaps an outside linebacker, but that’s a story for another day. Literally, in fact. Our defense-focused offseason primer is set to be posted online Wednesday and to run in Southern California News Group newspapers Thursday.

Upcoming unrestricted free agents: WR Keenan Allen, TE Tyler Conklin, LS Josh Harris, RB Najee Harris, OL Bobby Hart, RB Hassan Haskins, C Andre James, LG Zion Johnson, QB Trey Lance, OL Trevor Penning, RT Trey Pipkins III, OL Jamaree Salyer.

Upcoming restricted free agents: OL Austin Deculus, TE Tucker Fisk, RB Jarret Patterson, RB Kimani Vidal.

Allen and Johnson could be re-signed before hitting the open market, but nothing was certain in the weeks after the season ended. Might the Chargers move on from their most reliable wide receiver and their most dependable offensive lineman in the wake of injuries to Slater and Alt?

The Chargers’ free agent list is heavy on offensive linemen, but there could be plenty of changes up front after a lackluster playoff showing led to the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin only two days after a dreary, 16-3, loss to the Patriots.

New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel emphasized speed in the Miami Dolphins’ offense while he coached them for the past four seasons. How that plays into the Chargers’ offseason moves in free agency remains to be determined, but don’t expect them to abandon their physical style of play.

Bottom line: Hortiz and Harbaugh want a team that’s difficult to defend. Speed and physicality will likely play big roles in whatever moves the Chargers make during the coming weeks and months. They might find either or both talents in players in the draft but also during free agency.

2026 salary cap: $83.5 million in cap space, per the website overthecap.com.

2026 cap commitments: $224.5 million

2026 cap commitments (offense only): $130.5 million.

Toughest decisions: Should the Chargers re-sign Allen? He was, after all, their leading receiver this past season with 81 receptions for 777 yards plus four touchdowns. But he also turns 34 on April 27 and has played 13 seasons in the NFL, all but one with the Chargers.

That’s a ton of mileage.

Tre’ Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, picked last year in the draft, showed flashes during their rookie seasons. But are they ready to play the sort of role that Allen has played while making 1,055 catches for 12,051 yards plus 70 touchdowns during his superb NFL career?

The Chargers passed on a chance to give Johnson a contract extension and now face the prospect of watching him walk away a free agent. Should they sign him before he reaches the open market? Johnson played every down of every game until the regular-season finale this past season.

Johnson was the least of their O-line concerns.

The Chargers have plenty of cap space, according to figures compiled by overthecap.com, based on a projected NFL cap of roughly $295 million. Hortiz said he was open to spending in free agency, but spending wisely has been his method of operation so far in his tenure.

“It’s like a house,” Hortiz said in last month’s season-ending news conference when discussing possible upgrades to the roster, especially when it comes to free agency. “You’ve got a nice house. You’ve got a nice structure, and that’s what we have here, but we’re going to keep renovating every room.”