Albert Breer Empties His Chargers Notebook From Training Camp Stop in SoCal

Mike McDaniel’s offense is starting to take shape with Justin Herbert and a healthy O-line as the foundation. Plus, a look at the decisions facing new DC Chris O’Leary.

Big things are expected from the Chargers offense under new OC Mike McDaniel (left). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jim Harbaugh’s third camp with the Chargers is off to a roaring start. Let’s dive in …

• The level of excitement over Justin Herbert’s fit in Mike McDaniel’s offense is palpable. For the new OC, he’s working with a quarterback who unlocks every blade of grass on the field with his arm and can manipulate everything in between with his mind. And for Herbert, the scheme is one that’s built to get the quarterback playing fast and with answers for everything, and stress the defense with McDaniel’s run game—allowing the triggerman to take advantage of the conflicts it creates in play-action. There’s a very real belief that the Chargers have as good a situation now as they’ve had around Herbert at any time in his seven years as a pro. We’ll see if it translates to gameday, but what’s showing right away in practice is how confident, accurate and explosive Herbert’s looked running McDaniel’s offense.

• There’s a good chance the Chargers have five different linemen than they had to finish the 2025 season—and that, thanks to some improved health, is a really good thing. The foundation of the team Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz have built runs through the group, and that the Chargers won 11 games last year despite the damage they took on is pretty remarkable. Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are, of course, the group’s core pieces, and both have looked like themselves coming back from last year’s season-ending injuries (Alt played in just six games last year, Slater played in none). Tyler Biadasz’s athleticism and intelligence has flashed at center, and the Chargers think they stole one in getting him after the Commanders cut him. Former first-rounder Cole Strange is coming with McDaniel from Miami. And that leaves the left guard spot, where Trevor Penning, rookie Jake Slaughter and Kayode Awosika are battling it out. Bottom line, this should be a team strength.

• Another area that’s much improved is tight end, where ex-Brown David Njoku and ex-Raven Charlie Kolar are perfect complements at the F (move tight end) and Y (in-line tight end) spots, giving Harbaugh the sort of strength at the position his best teams have always seemed to have. And at receiver, second-year man Trey Harris looks ready to take a big step forward, having grown into his body as a bigger target. What should be really interesting, though, is how McDaniel uses KeAndre Lambert-Smith and rookie Brenen Thompson, two young guys who have the sort speed that he’s always craved—with his ability to create space for those sorts of players.

• Defensively, the Chargers have consistently gotten bigger over Harbaugh’s three years, and the addition of Dalvin Tomlinson only bolsters Harbaugh’s vision for having a rugged, physical front. There’s strength and physicality on the edge, with Ahkeem Mesidor fitting the mold here in joining Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu. And what’ll be really interesting is how new DC Chris O’Leary uses the crew of off-ball linebackers, with Daiyan Henley, Denzel Perryman, Troy Dye and Del’Shawn Phillips all in the plans.

• O’Leary returning after a year of calling the defense at Western Michigan seems to be great news for the secondary he coached here in 2024—and in particular Tarheeb Still, the team’s instinctive, young corner who’s taken ownership of his role in the scheme. Still had four picks as a rookie playing for O’Leary. And for what it’s worth, Derwin James, the one superstar the team has in a very balanced defensive group, was a huge advocate of bringing O’Leary back to fill the very big void left with Jesse Minter’s departure for Baltimore.

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