Beyond the offensive line, which positions will truly define the Chargers' future success in the 2026 draft? Unpacking key needs and potential impact players.
For someone covering the Los Angeles Chargers, this week has actually been a little boring. While the final game of the season is against a divisional foe, it's no longer a matchup to determine the winner of the AFC West and the Chargers are resting their starters in hopes of playing anyone but the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs.
As such, I've been using this week to dig into some of the bigger picture things about the Chargers, which has led me to digging around which positions the team is expected to target with their picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There are plenty of positions that will probably get a refresh in the offseason, just based on how the contracts work out. Here's a list of players heading into unrestricted free agency:
- EDGE Khalil mack
- EDGE Odafe Oweh
- RT Trey Pipkins
- WR Keenan Allen
- OH Zion Johnson
- DL Teair Tart
- OG Jamaree Salyer
- TE Tyler Conklin
- DL Da'shawn Hand
- CB Benjamin St-Juste
- QB Trey Lance
- EDGE Del'Shawn Phillips
- LS Josh Harris
- LT Trevor Penning
- DL Otito Ogbonnia
- C Andre James
- CB Deane Leonard
- RB Hassan Haskins
- LT Austin Deculus
- SS Tony Jefferson
- OG Bobby Hart
- RB Najee Harris
- LB Denzel Perryman
Now, I'm not saying that the Chargers are a threat to lose all of these players, but there's a good chance that a handful or more aren't back and there's also a good chance that those players are impactful and would not be easy to replace with the depth behind them.
I assumed that was where someone would start their analysis of the Chargers' needs heading into the draft, but apparently it's not quite that deep...
The Los Angeles Chargers, owners of a currently awful offensive line that has been absolutely decimated by major injury this season, are apparently going to be hunting for more offensive line help. That's what everyone says, anyway.
I have to admit, this confuses me. A lot of the Chargers issues on the line really do feel like they're tied to the absence of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, both of whom will be back next year and seem likely to have better injury luck.
Mekhi Becton, who has also struggled to stay healthy this season, is young and talented and due a bunch of money, so he'll also probably be back in one of the starting roles.
Bradley Bozeman has been pretty terrible at center and Andre James isn't likely to take his spot, so maybe Center is a place to target with an early draft pick. Zion Johnson has been a little better but, considering he hasn't been amazing and he doesn't make a ton of money, could maybe benefit from being pushed into a reserve role.
Still, I tend to think that people are a little too focused on the team's right now problems when they think offensive line (especially interior offensive line) is the only place the Chargers could go in the 1st round, but I guess we'll see when we get there.