Chargers Future Opponents Refresher Before NFL Schedule Release

The Los Angeles Chargers are one of the most interesting teams in the NFL this offseason.

Part of that is the hype around Mike McDaniel arriving as a potential savior for Justin Herbert. History hints he might be the guy to finally unlock the star quarterback’s immense ceiling, pushing Jim Harbaugh over the playoff hump in Los Angeles.

Part of it, too, though, is the upcoming NFL schedule release.

The Chargers’ path through the 2026 schedule won’t be simple. They get AFC West slugfests with rivals. As we broke down in post-draft analysis, the AFC West won't be an easy feat for the Chargers after some big changes for teams like the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

At home, they need to deal with hopeful contenders like the Houston Texans, New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers.

And on the road? Same story: The Chargers need to survive road trips to fight contenders like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks.

No easy feat. The Chargers hope a revamped offensive line, with free-agent addition Tyler Biadasz at center, another free agent in Cole Strange at one guard spot, and rookie Jake Slaughter at the other, equals a vastly improved unit. And they also hope the defense can survive the loss of coordinator Jesse Minter, replaced by Chris O’Leary.

On paper, the Chargers are built to survive a tough-looking schedule. And teams with a top quarterback like Herbert should always be in the mix.

The upcoming NFL schedule release should happen in mid-May. Ahead of that, here’s a quick review of the Chargers’ upcoming opponents.