Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | 2nd Wave Of Free Agency

[dmac_bolt]

What happens when they take a quick release away?

Easier said than done but it’s an improvement over the no-quick-release Gro scheme, right?

I simply don’t understand the foaming at Hortiz at this point.

We had 3 IOL positions to fill. RG and Center have been upgraded from Becton Bozeman to Strange Badass.

Hortiz is 1 LG away from fielding the entire starting OL and very likely better at all three positions.

In addition, Penning and Pipkins have been signed as backups. It should t be too hard to pick up an additional FA or draft some more backups and potential starters.

Relax, we are in good shape and haven’t shot our wad on overpriced FA’s.

HOU took short passing away in the playoff game. Their entire game play was smother Ladd from the LOS with a double, press-cover QJ from the LOS with their best cover DB, and blast the IOL as fast as they could. We had no usable TE or run game so its not a pure apples analysis.

But the maxim will always apply - if your team is only good at one thing, good NFL teams will be able to take it away. The notion that a defense cannot take away a short pass game if your OL cannot block long enough for mid and deep pass routes is foolish sophistry. Of course, a top defense that they will see in any playoffs can. The problem with betting that just a run game would prevent this is that their is similarity on how a defense tries to stop the run and how they try to stop the quick pass game. In both cases, they want to get closer to the LOS. So no mid-deep pass game also will harm the run game, paradoxically.

That said - McD is not going to just install a pure "quick pass" game. He will have a combination of quick and not-quick options frequently, sometimes the only "quick" will be a safety outlet. He won't just have 3 receivers all run 5 yards and cut or stop. All is not lost like some are screaming this week, and its still too early to assess the 2026 LAC roster.

So far on offense as of this moment unless I missed a new announcement:

Upside:
1. Badass is a huge upgrade. huge.
2. Kolar is a huge upgrade over Diss, Fisk, Hurst, any of em.
3. Ingold is a huge upgrade over Matlock.
4. Strange/Penning is likely a big upgrade over Becton. Pipkins back is ok fine with me, still some work to do.
5. Slater, Alt, Hampton all expected to return full strength

Downside:
1. Slayer currently "gone" - that is a meaningful drop in the WR room but likely resolved (KA or new WR) before camp.
2. Najee gone. re-running Kimani et al is a plan for average at best to compliment Hampton. Not expecting a change yet ... yet
3. Zion gone - I wasn't a fan to bring him back, but its a hole that needs to be filled imo. Draft or later signing ... tbd. Zion was not $18M good,sorry he wasnt

[Maniaque 6]

There should be a plug and play guard at#22 if they want to make that addition to build the IOL.
Vega is a LG and he may be there.
Bisontis is a LG and most likely is there.
If they want to add a RG they could draft Rutledge at #55 if he is still on the board.
If the 1st and 2nd Rd picks are LG and RG, that could be a solid way to address the needed IOL rebuild.

I didn't want an OG at 22 because I thought that FA would solve the IOL problems
Now that it's not fixed and than Zion is gone, I want a LG at 22
Unless there is a monster DL at 22 !

[Xenos]

There should be a plug and play guard at#22 if they want to make that addition to build the IOL.
Vega is a LG and he may be there.
Bisontis is a LG and most likely is there.
If they want to add a RG they could draft Rutledge at #55 if he is still on the board.
If the 1st and 2nd Rd picks are LG and RG, that could be a solid way to address the needed IOL rebuild.

I don’t think they draft a guard unless he also has OT flexibility. Same thing with Center.

[Chargers8491]

I can only assume they like Strange's (he does have a strange look) skillset over Zion's. I don't know really.

I read at Chargers.com that Pipkins is going to be the swing tackle.

Maybe they have a plan to draft the 2 best IOL available in April. I don't know.

16. Olaivavega Ioane Penn State
41. Emmanuel Pregnon Oregon
46. Chase Bisontis Texas A&M
63. Conner Lew Auburn
78. Keylan Rutledge Georgia Tech
83. Sam Hecht Kanas State
86. Jake Slaughter Florida
87. Logan Jones Iowa

These 8 are projected to go in the top 100 according to the 2026 Consensus Big Board, which compiles data from hundreds of big boards and mock drafts to assign a draft number to each player. It looks like there may be some value in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Maybe this is their plan. I don't know. The Chargers have picks #22, #55, #86, #123, #204. Maybe they use two of their first 3 picks on IOL, they've targeted players they really like.

I will bet a lot of money the Chargers won't draft an OG in the 1st rnd. They are going to draft a WR, S, IDL, CB, or edge. Just look at what they have done in free agency and what they value. They were going to throw big money at WR and came up short, OG not so much. I could see them going after Thieneman rnd 1 and Ted Hurst rnd 2.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Agree.....Hortiz did get some OL a we wanted. But signing Strange, Pipkins and Penning isnt what i had in mind. Biadasz is the only one i like.

Totally agree. Liked the Biadasz signing a lot very smart. The rest is a dice roll.

[dmac_bolt]

I just went through the PFF grades for Paul, Bitonio, Glasgow, Teller and Zeitler

Paul and Glasgow are by far the worst
Zeitler is the best followed by Bitonio and Teller
Taking Zeitler off the list - think its Bitonio if he plays or Teller

Now for Zeitler, I would figure out how to give him tickets to fly home. Edgerring James used to fly home Sunday nights after games in AZ to go back to Miami and come back Wednesday for practice. Zeitler can skip Monday meetings if need
I'm desperate

They have the internet now, I'm sure the facilities manager can get the AV comms installed before camp.

[richpjr]

Hortiz makes the choices if Harbaugh can be trusted. I have no doubt that McDaniel, O'Leary and Ficken's input is welcome, to a point. Likewise Harbaugh.
I still believe Jim that Joe is the final authority on hiring and firing players.
That said, I'm not inclined to go off about choices made thus far. I want to see how the Chargers look in camp and beyond. I'm no expert on player history and fit but I'll believe what I see on the field.

One person always has to have the final say but there is zero chance Hortiz is signing random players without input AND approval from McDaniel.

[Velo]

What Hortiz has done in free agency, to date, that can change, makes it more likely that if he can trade down, he should/will. The Chargers need to much for just 4 picks in the first four rounds

Trade down with whom? That is always the big question, do you have a team who is willing to give up the value you want? I would not assume there is going to be.

[CanadianBoltFan]

I can only assume they like Strange's (he does have a strange look) skillset over Zion's. I don't know really.

I read at Chargers.com that Pipkins is going to be the swing tackle.

Maybe they have a plan to draft the 2 best IOL available in April. I don't know.

16. Olaivavega Ioane Penn State
41. Emmanuel Pregnon Oregon
46. Chase Bisontis Texas A&M
63. Conner Lew Auburn
78. Keylan Rutledge Georgia Tech
83. Sam Hecht Kanas State
86. Jake Slaughter Florida
87. Logan Jones Iowa

These 8 are projected to go in the top 100 according to the 2026 Consensus Big Board, which compiles data from hundreds of big boards and mock drafts to assign a draft number to each player. It looks like there may be some value in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Maybe this is their plan. I don't know. The Chargers have picks #22, #55, #86, #123, #204. Maybe they use two of their first 3 picks on IOL, they've targeted players they really like.

Based in these rankings it suggests my fear of reaching at 22 or 55 because youbl have left yourself desperate for a quality guard going into the draft.

You have to reach for Pregnon or Bisontis at 22 over BPA or reqch for Rutledge at 55

[Charge!]

I just went through the PFF grades for Paul, Bitonio, Glasgow, Teller and Zeitler

Paul and Glasgow are by far the worst
Zeitler is the best followed by Bitonio and Teller
Taking Zeitler off the list - think its Bitonio if he plays or Teller

Now for Zeitler, I would figure out how to give him tickets to fly home. Edgerring James used to fly home Sunday nights after games in AZ to go back to Miami and come back Wednesday for practice. Zeitler can skip Monday meetings if need
I'm desperate

we need at least one of those if not 2 of them.....

[Charge!]

HOU took short passing away in the playoff game. Their entire game play was smother Ladd from the LOS with a double, press-cover QJ from the LOS with their best cover DB, and blast the IOL as fast as they could. We had no usable TE or run game so its not a pure apples analysis.

But the maxim will always apply - if your team is only good at one thing, good NFL teams will be able to take it away. The notion that a defense cannot take away a short pass game if your OL cannot block long enough for mid and deep pass routes is foolish sophistry. Of course, a top defense that they will see in any playoffs can. The problem with betting that just a run game would prevent this is that their is similarity on how a defense tries to stop the run and how they try to stop the quick pass game. In both cases, they want to get closer to the LOS. So no mid-deep pass game also will harm the run game, paradoxically.

That said - McD is not going to just install a pure "quick pass" game. He will have a combination of quick and not-quick options frequently, sometimes the only "quick" will be a safety outlet. He won't just have 3 receivers all run 5 yards and cut or stop. All is not lost like some are screaming this week, and its still too early to assess the 2026 LAC roster.

So far on offense as of this moment unless I missed a new announcement:

Upside:
1. Badass is a huge upgrade. huge.
2. Kolar is a huge upgrade over Diss, Fisk, Hurst, any of em.
3. Ingold is a huge upgrade over Matlock.
4. Strange/Penning is likely a big upgrade over Becton. Pipkins back is ok fine with me, still some work to do.
5. Slater, Alt, Hampton all expected to return full strength

Downside:
1. Slayer currently "gone" - that is a meaningful drop in the WR room but likely resolved (KA or new WR) before camp.
2. Najee gone. re-running Kimani et al is a plan for average at best to compliment Hampton. Not expecting a change yet ... yet
3. Zion gone - I wasn't a fan to bring him back, but its a hole that needs to be filled imo. Draft or later signing ... tbd. Zion was not $18M good,sorry he wasnt

agree with your upsides which are all big improvements!

....we actually have 2 WR spots open: KA and Davis/returner

[Jack Burton]

Joel Bitonio hasn’t retired yet. He’s an absolutely fantastic LG.