Chargers Week 4 Mailbag: Wide Receiver Room, Looking Ahead to the Draft

The Chargers are 0-3, banged up and searching for answers. Could additions to the wide receiver room help? Looking forward, see how the 2027 draft is shaping up.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; The Los Angeles Chargers logo is projected on the video board during the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Chargers now sit at 0-3 and their odds of making the postseason are now hanging on by a thread as they prepare to head north to Seattle to take on the Seahawks in Week 4. The Chargers are heading up to the pacific northwest to face off against the defending Super Bowl champions with a depleted roster and a rapidly filling injured reserve list following a substantial injury report from week three.

This is an odd time for the franchise, Jim Harbaugh is attempting to get the train back on the tracks but struggled with in-game decisions in week three against the Bills. The level of disappointment in the team compared to the expectations of the offseason is prominent everywhere from the media to players and on to the fans.

The on-field results have been rough to start this season for Los Angeles, for someone like myself who is rooted in the NFL draft, it is not hard to look ahead while trying to answer the current issues plaguing the team. For this week's mailbag, let's address the wide receiver room and look ahead to the draft and help understand who the top college prospects are.

From Lula (@PickleBolt on X): What are the odds Mike Williams unretires?

Sep 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (81) reacts after a first down against the Miami Dolphins in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Former Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams shockingly decided to retire just before the start of training camp in 2025. He had recently re-signed with the Chargers after a year away. The Chargers still hold rights to him should he decide he wants to play again.

However, Mike Williams appears to be happily retired and exploring his post football options. He is routinely posting on his Instagram page highlights from his travels and appears to have left football in his rearview mirror.

The question is rooted in the overarching questions of the wide receiver room and how the Chargers could potentially alter their plans after most receivers not named Ladd McConkey have been struggling through the first three weeks of the season.

Former Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has recently posted about getting ready to return to play and the reunion with Mike McDaniel makes logical sense if he is healthy and ready to play. There is significant controversy around Hill that would require the Spanos family to sign off on. The Chargers and their ownership have generally steered clear of off-field character concerns and Hill brings significant baggage to the table but when healthy, he could be a factor to get more options available in the passing game.

From Ne Ver (@LALNever on X): Two part draft question

1) Excluding Jeremiah Smith, which top 10 draft prospect is close to a sure fire pick regardless of a potential regime change?

If you are not following college football, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best player in the country and a sure-fire top draft pick in the 2027 draft. Depending on who has the number one overall pick in 2027, Smith is likely to be picked first overall, even potentially over any of the quarterbacks.

As is stands, there is one other top prospect that is undoubtedly primed to go at the top of the draft. Notre Dame's cornerback Leonard Moore is the best cornerback prospect to be draft eligible in years. We are talking about a prospect who could potentially be drafted second overall behind only Smith.

Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore returns an interception for a touchdown in the first half against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Moore is listed at 6'2 and just under 200 pounds and has the movement and press-man skills to compete with any wide receiver and the ball skills that make quarterbacks avoid him like the plague. Going back to 2025, watch Notre Dame against USC. The Fighting Irish deployed Moore to shut down first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon and he absolutely suffocated Lemon, even from the slot.

2) Thoughts on Jamari Johnson TE from Oregon? I'd like for LAC to draft him but not if they have a top 15 pick.

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson hauls in a reception as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oregon Ducks have a very good recent history of sending tight end prospects to the NFL and Jamari Johnson is the next in line. Johnson was performing well in 2025 even with eventual first round pick Kenyon Sadiq on the roster as well.

Johnson has become the guy in 2026 and is a reliable well-built tight end. He is a bit more of a move tight end compared to a traditional in-line Y tight end and excels in yards after the catch opportunities. He could be on his way to being considered a first-round prospect but I have my questions.

Johnson has elite hands but has had little opportunity to show them off in contested catch situations and carries a career 37.5 percent contested catch rate on only eight opportunities. As it stands, Johnson could be a first-round prospect but as we have seen with tight ends the late first to early second round is where many of the top guys fall.