NFL Insider Jason La Canfora Talks the Los Angeles Chargers: Mike McDaniel, Justin Herbert, and Super Bowl Expectations

The Los Angeles Chargers have made a habit of making their proponents look silly.

For years under former quarterback Philip Rivers they could fool you with just enough offensive firepower to be plenty respectable, but never good enough to do much damage in the playoffs. And, what do you know, it’s been just about the same thing under now-veteran quarterback Justin Herbert. Good enough to make you think they could be great … but never coming through.

Last season’s playoff meltdown at New England, with head coach Jim Harbaugh defying his uber-conservative nature to go for on fourth down inside the 10 early in that game, only to come up short, felt very much on brand for this organization. And yet, it’s hard not to be compelled by what this team could be in 2026. Smart football people around the NFL are somewhat captivated by what they could be this season, and even in the loaded AFC West there is a case to be made that the Chargers are a true Super Bowl contender.

The hiring of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was a decidedly un-Harbaugh thing for him to do (kinda like that fourth-down decision), admitting that continuing to move forward with assistants from within his longstanding coaching cocoon isn’t the only way to operate; you don’t bring in McDaniel, former head coach of the Dolphins, to try to manipulate him or tell him what to do, so this will be the first time in a long time that a Harbaugh-coached team won’t be running the offense that the former NFL quarterback and play caller and offensive coordinator would implement himself.

It just might be what Herbert and this offensive roster need to finally make their mark in the postseason and at least string a win or two together in the playoffs (+400 to exit in the division round +800 to lose in AFC title game might be worth a dabble).

"That offense will be transformed," one NFL general manager told me about the Chargers. "McDaniel was a great hire for them. He will have them playing faster, the YAC (yards after the catch) is going to go up. The spacing in the passing game, the deep shots. All of that is going to improve."

Longtime NFL general manager Marty Hurney, who was a former personnel executive with the Chargers when the team was based in San Diego, told me: "The Chargers addressed all of their big needs. This is their time. Now is the time for Justin Herbert to take that team on a deep playoff run. Their biggest deficiency was the offensive line, and they’re getting both tackles back, and they upgraded at center. That team is a legit contender for me."

Getting back All-Pro quality tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt from season-ending injuries is a massive boost. The consensus around the league is the team got stronger and more athletic in the interior offensive line as well. Far too often last season, former coordinator Greg Roman’s antiquated passing schematics and a bad line had Herbert relying on his legs and scrambling to sustain drives.

McDaniel was not cut out to be a head coach, but as someone who can just focus on his skill players and crafting a game plan each week and calling plays, he is elite. The Chargers made an emphasis this offseason in the draft and free agency to add more twitch, explosive players who can excel in space, and there is every reason to believe McDaniel will put them in positions to succeed.

Without sufficient protection and run blocking, however, they will struggle in January again, especially if they have to travel into cold weather on the road in the playoffs. McDaniel is a savant in the run game, his version of the outside zone is tried and true (honing it with 49ers guru head coach Kyle Shanahan for years together), and they should have the infrastructure to make it work from the get go in Los Angeles.

"The Chargers line last year, it was embarrassing in the loss to New England," longtime former offensive lineman and prominent NFL analyst Brian Baldinger told me. "They couldn’t figure out blitz schemes, who’s coming, who’s not coming. They had to blow it all up.

"And I feel like the new offensive line coach is really, really, talented (Butch Barry who was with McDaniel in Miami). Mike McDaniel is really, really, talented. The tackles come back … They should be a formidable foe this year and Justin Herbert should have his best season."

Baldinger also believes the Chiefs offense is going to have some issues with Patrick Mahomes coming back from season-ending surgery and him still not sold in their offensive personnel. And while the Chargers lost former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to the Ravens as their new head coach, his scheme remains and new coordinator Chris O’Leary is very familiar with it from his time on that staff as a position coach.

Third-down back Keaton Mitchell, one of the best pure burners in the NFL as a spare part in Baltimore and now a full season removed from surgery, could end up being a secret weapon for them of sorts. Buzz is already forming around fourth-round pick Brenen Thompson, who should be an immediate deep threat.

Perhaps it will all fall apart again late in the season. Maybe this franchise just cannot get over the hump. But if they get back in, it would be difficult to keep coming up as small as they have been. And nothing lasts forever.

Harbaugh has been to a Super Bowl and won a national title at Michigan. He’s done nothing but win running NFL teams. And making a real challenge for a Lombardi Trophy this season is hardly out of the question.