One Chargers Contract That Will Age Poorly in 2026

The Los Angeles Chargers don’t really take major risks.

Perhaps the biggest risk of all this offseason was one of the most well-received moves in the entire NFL: Jim Harbaugh left his comfort zone for the sake of Justin Herbert by moving away from friend Greg Roman to hire offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Otherwise, the conservative approach is the usual process for the Chargers, which especially includes making smart, measured moves in NFL free agency.

There, the Chargers signed new names at nearly every position group on offense, while keeping it simple on defense while bringing back Khalil Mack for another go.

It’s one of those additions on offense, though, that might backfire and cause problems for the Chargers.

NFL free agent’s contract could backfire on Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh — Jim Harbaugh | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The last thing Chargers fans want to hear about is more possible problems on the interior of the offensive line in front of Herbert.

Apologies.

Of the contracts the Chargers dished this offseason, the one-year deal worth $13 million for guard Cole Strange feels the riskiest. That includes $7 million guaranteed and a $5.75 million signing bonus.

Strange, after all, is a former first-round pick who has never really lived up to that billing, hence the Chargers technically being his fourth NFL team (he had a brief practice squad appearance in Cleveland in early 2025).

Last year in Miami, Strange registered a 54.9 Pro Football Focus grade over 808 snaps, ranking him 58th out of 81 guards in the NFL. His pass-blocking numbers landed him 75th.

This wouldn’t be so bad, but the Chargers have made it clear through their actions this offseason that there won’t really be any competition for Strange’s starting spot. It’s a risky play. Obviously, they’re counting on his familiarity with McDaniel’s scheme to help his play level and hoping that working in a Herbert offense will help, too.

But it’s especially risky considering the Chargers took a ho-hum approach to the other guard spot. They drafted Jake Slaughter, a college center, to start there. But he’s losing reps to free-agent journeyman Kayode Awosika so far.

The last thing the Chargers can really afford to have is another repeat of major guard struggles at both spots. Locking down at least one of the spots with a more guaranteed, sure thing, even if it was a bit more costly, might have made more sense.

It’s not like the Chargers are hurting for cap space if Strange backfires. But that’s sort of the point: Getting a little pricier with the cap they’re not using on anything else could have avoided such a big risk.

In hindsight, concern about this will feel silly if Strange is a steady performer in a scheme he fits well and the Chargers contend while Herbert reaches those hoped-for new heights. But fans have heard the ifs and hopes before about the guard positions quite often in recent years, to say the least.

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