How did Los Angeles do?
This episode of the Electric Edge Podcast brings in Tyler Schoon from Guilty as Charged to break down everything happening with the Chargers right now. The two hosts are clearly passionate season ticket holders themselves, and they dive into Jim Harbaugh's recent comments at the NFL owners meetings, free agency moves, and what to expect from the draft.
The conversation kicks off with some fun banter about Tyler's rise as a Chargers content creator. He's apparently become something of a celebrity at games and team events, which he admits is a little surreal but also kind of cool. Both hosts acknowledge they're introverts who've gotten more comfortable with public speaking through podcasting, which is relatable stuff.
The meat of the episode focuses on the offensive line situation, which is clearly the biggest source of frustration for both of them. When Harbaugh essentially confirmed Cole Strange as the starting right guard, neither host was shocked, but they're both disappointed the team didn't do more to upgrade the interior. They've been through the "competitors welcome" talk year after year without real improvements. The signing of Isaiah Biadish was good, but with all the money available, they felt the Chargers should have been more aggressive. It's especially frustrating watching Justin Herbert take hit after hit despite being a franchise quarterback.
They also discuss Rashawn Slater's injury history. While Harbaugh gave positive updates on his recovery from his patellar injury, both hosts worry about what happens if he goes down again. The tackles are talented but carrying question marks due to their recent injuries.
On the defensive side, they're happier with what the team did. Bringing back Khalil Mack was the right call, even at the money involved. They also caught Harbaugh seemingly throwing out a trial balloon about trading for an edge rusher, which was interesting. The defense should be solid again, though losing Otito Ogbonnia was unfortunate.
The Mike McDaniel hiring clearly excites both hosts. They see him and Harbaugh as an "odd couple" in the best way, with very different personalities but the same winning mentality. McDaniel's offensive scheme should finally unlock Herbert's full potential after a frustrating year under Greg Roman. The fact that both coaches have acknowledged their differences and seem to feed off that dynamic is actually encouraging.
For free agency grades, Tyler gives it a B minus while the host leans toward a C plus. The Biadish signing was crucial, but they wanted to see more spending on interior offensive line upgrades. The Chargers seemed to put all their faith in McDaniel fixing things schematically, which feels risky. Having better players would set them up better for when McDaniel eventually leaves, which both think will happen within a few years.
Looking at the draft, they expect the Chargers to either take a guard, edge rusher, or trade back at pick 22. The consensus seems to be they need to address the offensive line in the first two rounds or the fanbase will lose it. Neither thinks Jalen Pregnant or some of the other commonly mocked guards will fall to them. An edge rusher pickup makes sense too, especially with some of the character questions around certain players in that group.
They wrap up with some fun personal questions about their favorite and worst games they've attended. Tyler's best memory is a win over the Seahawks with Antonio Gates going off. The host's best was last year's Sunday Night Football win over the Bengals, especially getting to meet LaDainian Tomlinson beforehand. His worst was the embarrassing blowout loss to the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. That game felt like rock bottom before the team finally made real changes.
Both hosts are manifesting a Super Bowl appearance with a home playoff game at SoFi Stadium in 2026. It's hard not to feel optimistic with Harbaugh and McDaniel in place, even if the offensive line questions linger. The Chargers finally have the right pieces in place to make a real run, assuming they can stay healthy and the front office doesn't fumble the draft again.