Chargers Week 5 Mailbag: Hypothetical Path Forward, Seats Getting Warm, Future Focus

The Chargers are facing relentless injuries, an 0-4 season slipping away and eyes are starting to look to the future. See some hypothetical scenarios.

Oct 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack (52) is seen against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-4 and their roster has been brutalized by injuries. The Chargers personnel have been hot and cold with their performances and how they are grading out on gameday. They host the Denver Broncos at home in week five as they look for their first win and look to find any hope moving forward.

Fans and the media have clearly started the process of looking forward for the Chargers with the odds stacked against them for the remainder of the 2026. Trade scenarios are already being floated for Chargers star players and seats may be getting warm on the Chargers' sideline. This week's mailbag focuses on some of those forward looking hypothetical scenarios.

From JH^3 (@777onlinegamer on X):Two part question looking to the future.

1) Assuming the Chargers miss the playoffs and Jim Harbaugh is back but current struggles continue, what's the best path forward?

Aug 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh (left) talks with quarterback Justin Herbert (10) against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Chargers season continues on its downward spiral there will be massive questions to answer. The manner in which the season continues and wraps up will be the biggest factor in how the organization moves forward. The Chargers special teams unit is currently dead last in the NFL in terms of EPA per play and a change at special teams coordinator would be an easy and expected scapegoat-style change.

Chris O'Leary's defense has largely been the only reason the Chargers have been relatively competitive in the past two weeks and seem to be trending in the right direction. The offense is the question mark. The Chargers made a sizeable investment in Mike McDaniel but something is obviously off.

If the struggles lead to the Chargers and Mike McDaniel going their separate ways, the first call should be to former Chargers offensive line coach and run game coordinator Frank Smith. Smith served as Mike McDaniel's non-play-calling offensive coordinator in Miami the past three seasons and is currently the assistant head coach for the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings.

Smith would make sense because the offense would not necessarily have to change but someone familiar to the Chargers, Justin Herbert and who is getting a top of the line look at running a team side-by-side with Kevin O'Connell could be the perfect blend the Chargers offense would need without tearing it down to the studs. The largest contracts and investments that the Chargers have in the offense would be hard to move on from until after the 2027 season, so a teardown after 2026 seems unlikely.

I also believe, the with the current struggles of the roster, Joe Hortiz's seat could get very warm by season's end. The Chargers ownership usually gives a long runway to general managers but the offensive line woes that has plagued this team during the entirety of his tenure may be unforgiveable.

If the Chargers choose to move in a different direction, it has to be someone with an analytics background and a proactive philosophy to contract negotiations. The 49ers and Eagles are the teams that immediately come to mind. For continuity, 49ers assistant general manager Brian Hampton is the name I would have at the top of my list. He comes with a background in analytics, something that the current front office has seemingly gutted and actually worked with Jim Harbaugh during his time in San Francisco focusing on salary cap and contract negotiations.

Second part of the question from JH^3
2) Who do we target in the draft and free agency in 2027?

This is a broad and early topic but I will give two areas of focus. The Chargers have to look to upgrade their offensive line, they simply can't afford to narrow their focus to find scheme fits who could work if the world aligns perfectly in order to get value from the interior of their offensive line. Perennial all-pro guard Quenton Nelson is an unrestricted free agent next offseason and the Chargers should back up the Brinks truck even if the contract does not yield surplus value, they have to do something to change the interior.

The draft has a handful of promising interior guard prospects that could be available on the second day of the draft or they could target former teammate of Justin Herbert, Cowboys guard TJ Bass and let him battle it out with whoever is left standing from Branson Taylor and Jake Slaughter.

The Chargers need a difference-making wide receiver. Luckily, the 2027 draft class has at least five outside downfield threats that could be projected to go in the first round, possibly more. Depending on where the Chargers end up picking a wide receiver or potentially a cornerback would make a ton of sense in the first round based on needs and how the draft class is shaping up.

From Chargers Lead (@ChargersLead on X): Which of the three (Hortiz, Harbaugh, McDaniel) is most to blame? What do you think the likelihood of seeing an in-season firing is?

Jan 15, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh (left), general manager Joe Hortiz (center) and senior vice president of communications and brand messaging Josh Rupprecht arrive at press conference at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This may be a cliche answer but in terms of the Chargers struggles, the general manager, head coach and offensive coordinator all share in the blame significantly. Mike McDaniel has been a successful play caller and play designer but something went dramatically wrong in the initial install and implementation of the offense.

Jim Harbaugh instituted a new and lighter offseason training program designed to get the team to the season healthy. This lighter training camp may have set the offense back weeks and they coaching staff may have missed the opportunity to identify true weaknesses until it was too late.

Joe Hortiz uses the Baltimore Ravens philosophical approach to guards and focuses on gaining surplus value on interior offensive line contracts. Unfortunately this approach and drafting only one option, Branson Taylor, to potentially develop in the sixth round of the 2025 draft left the cupboard bare in terms of in-house options to fill roles. This approach has yielded disastrous results.

Justin Herbert is yet again one of the most pressured and hit quarterbacks in the NFL. Now, the Chargers are staring at a reality in which they will be starting three or four rookies against the Denver Broncos in week five.

In terms of an in-season coaching change, if the Chargers still do not have a win by the trade deadline, it has to be an unfortunate reality. But, it is worth noting, Chargers ownership does not want to make mid-season moves, it took the team flat out giving up on national television against the Raiders on Thursday Night Football for a change to be made in-season.