To finally break the cycle of disappointment, the Chargers need more than just tweaks; they need a flawless offseason. The franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, is elite, but the Chargers organization continues to fail him. And now with another season wasted, a perfect offseason isn’t just a goal; it’s a necessity.
Herbert has proven to be one of the league’s elite passers, but Los Angeles could never get over the hump. From poor coaching to bad offensive line play, there’s always an excuse for the Chargers’ inability to win a playoff game.
Advertisement
What would a perfect offseason look like for Los Angeles to finally push them over the hump?
Who to Cut?
Luckily for the Chargers, they have the most cap space available in the NFL, with $99 million. So we won’t have to focus on saving too much money from cuts and restructures.
Our only cut is edge Bud Dupree. Cutting Dupree saves us $3.5 million. Dupree isn’t in our long-term plans, and we have big plans for the edge position later.
We also don’t make any restructures. Since we have enough available cap space, we’d rather take any hits this season rather than pushing that money to be a problem a couple of years down the line.
Advertisement
Trade
Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) runs for a first down before he is forced out of bounds by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
But we do make a trade. Moving into free agency, the Indianapolis Colts offered us the 47th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for linebacker Daiyan Henley. The fourth-year linebacker has developed nicely, but the value of the 47th overall pick was too good to pass up with Henley entering the last year of his contract.
Free Agency
Before free agency starts, we resign and extend some of our top free agents. First, we agree to a three-year, $54.9 million extension with outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu. The fourth-year pass rusher has gotten better every season, logging 13 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in 2025.
Advertisement
Next, we resign pending free agent Odafe Oweh. The veteran linebacker had a strong season in 2025, logging 7.5 sacks. We re-signed Oweh to a three-year, $45 million deal.
How could we go into free agency and not make a splash move for the offensive line? Our first deal of free agency is signing center Tyler Linderbaum. The 25-year-old center is one of the best of his position, and it’s rare for a player of his caliber and age to reach free agency. We get Linderbaum on a four-year $62 million deal.
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 26: Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson 91 in action during the game against the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bengals on October 26, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA OCT 26 Jets at Bengals EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon251026086
We’re not done spending, yet. We reached a two-year deal with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson worth $18.7 million per season. Hendrickson drew significant interest on the open market, but we made the most aggressive offer to ensure he joined our defensive front.
Advertisement
We also reached a deal with wide receiver/return specialist Rashid Shaheed. We pay the Pro Bowl return specialist $24 million over two years. Our final move is signing veteran cornerback Joshua Williams to a two-year, $20 million deal.
The Draft
With four picks in the first three rounds, we’re able to plug holes in our roster that we missed in free agency.
1.22 G Olaivavega Ionae, Penn State
Penn State OL Olaivavega IoaneCredits: X/TheChargersWire
When I paired every AFC playoff team to their best fit in the draft, I had Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane as the Chargers’ best fit, so it was an easy decision to grab the three-year starter with the 22nd overall pick.
Advertisement
Adding Ionae to an offensive line that now contains Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, and Linderbaum would surely keep Herbert protected for years to come.
2.47: WR Chris Bell, Louisville
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Louisville at Miami Oct 17, 2025 Miami Gardens, Florida, USA Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Chris Bell 0 celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami Gardens Hard Rock Stadium Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamxNavarrox 20251017_SNV_na2_00093
Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell makes a great fit for Los Angeles. With the Chargers likely not picking up Quentin Johnston’s fifth-year option, it’s a good time to start looking for his replacement.
Bell is a 6-foot-2 possession receiver with impeccable ball skills. He is a prototypical boundary receiver that has sneaky acceleration. The Louisville wideout tore his ACL during the 2025 regular season and wasn’t able to compete in the NFL Combine.
Advertisement
Despite this, NFL scouts are enamoured with Bell’s ceiling, and he could be a steal for a team that’s willing to wait for him to fully recover from his injury.
2.55 ILB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Big 12 Championship-BYU vs Texas Tech Dec 6, 2025 Arlington, TX, USA Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez 10 warms up before the game against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium. Arlington AT&T Stadium TX USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKevinxJairajx 20251206_krj_aj6_00012851
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has been gaining first-round hype, so to my surprise, I was able to snag him with the 55th overall pick.
Rodriguez is an ultra-productive linebacker, recording significant numbers in tackles, interceptions, and forced fumbles. He’s a stat sheet filler and will develop into a high-end linebacker. He is a little inconsistent and will need to be better in coverage, but Rodriguez late in the second-round is a steal.
Advertisement
3.86 EDGE Anthony Lucas, USC
Credits: via X @Ross_McCorkle
Yes, we’re making another move at edge rusher.
Drafting Anthony Lucas is betting on his physical traits rather than his production. He hasn’t produced much at USC, but his 6-foot-5 1/2″ frame with 33 1/2″ arms is everything NFL scouts are looking for.
Lucas is a decent athlete and has the potential to be a great athlete with better training. He’ll be a developmental piece for the Chargers going forward.
RecapAdditions:Losses:
The Chargers are set up for a big offseason. They have the most cap space in the NFL and plenty of draft picks to add talent. With not much need to create more cap space and plenty of resources, we’re buyers and not sellers in free agency.