Chargers brass reveal compensatory draft pick plan ahead of key offseason

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Through careful roster building by head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz, the Los Angeles Chargers enjoyed a dramatic turnaround and playoff berth in a supposed rebuild year. 

Now, the trick is building properly atop that foundation. 

One key aspect will extend beyond managing the tricky NFL salary cap and considering the compensatory pick process. Speaking with the media at their season-ending presser this week, Hortiz detailed the plan there. 

"The goal is to gain comp picks every year. That is the goal," Hortiz said. "But the reality of it is some years you might not be able to do that and you have to objectively look at that and say, 'Hey, this may be a year or it may not be a year.'

When Hortiz arrived last year with Harbaugh, one of his stated goals was getting a steady influx of compensatory picks flowing into the organization. Makes sense—even late-round comp picks help the roster churn at the tail end of the depth chart with prospects chosen by the new front office and coaching staff. 

This year will be trickier, though. A year ago, Hortiz signed a bevy of underrated players on one-year, prove-it deals and had several breakouts like Poona Ford and J.K. Dobbins. Now, the team will have to carefully balance re-signing their own guys and adding outside free agents with ample cap space vs. considering how it impacts the comp pick process (awarded based on a formula that considers contract size and playing time, etc of departed free agents vs. signed free agents). 

For now, the Chargers would clearly like to add comp picks to the 2026 draft armory, but not if it comes at the expense of smart decisions that get them back to the playoffs next year. 

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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