My 2026 Chargers Mock 2.0 is live: reconfiguring the draft strategy around Joe Hortiz's free agency boltbeat.com/chargers-7-r...

My 2026 Chargers Mock 2.0 is live: reconfiguring the draft strategy around Joe Hortiz's free agency boltbeat.com/chargers-7-r...

Talked about the first week of Chargers free agency and where the roster stands after it: -An awesome running back room after signing Keaton Mitchell -Shoring up the blocking at TE/FB -The offensive line moves (or lack thereof) -ideas for acquisitions in the following FA waves youtu.be/EtqgfKI0dys

Chargers DT Dalvin Tomlinson (#94) can still get after it as a run defender. Very much looking forward to seeing him work with Mike Elston in the same way Poona Ford, Teair Tart have previously.

The Chargers rewarded standout ST ace LB Del'Shawn Phillips with a contract extension. Phillips had the 3rd most special teams tackles (18) in '25 and earned a second team All-Pro. He and Marlowe Wax also flashed on defense at the end of the season. boltbeat.com/chargers-rew...

On the goal line, between the 20s, screens, you name it: very easy to see why Chargers OC Mike McDaniel wanted FB Alec Ingold back

Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore (#8) is a very intriguing Day 2 option for me in the world where the Chargers have to replace Odafe Oweh or Khalil Mack. 10 sacks, 41 pressures, 10.5 TFLs last season.

New: The Chargers have the most cap space in the NFL. They'll need every bit of it as they replace potentially 3 IOL spots with uncertainty around their star EDGE rushers. It is a make or break offseason for Joe Horitz, one that requires no half measures. boltbeat.com/chargers-sur...

New draft series I'll be doing: one player I like at every position on each projected day (1, 2, 3) of the draft. First up-Tight end targets for the Chargers. boltbeat.com/one-tantaliz...

New pod: Ranking the Chargers cut candidates by order of likelihood with contract impacts + thoughts on their 2025 performances. -Mekhi Becton + Bradley Bozeman are goners -Decisions to be made on Will Dissly, Bud Dupree -other possible cuts in March (and the summer) and more! youtu.be/AAwHJF6Fb7Q

My Chargers Mock Draft 1.0: Imagining what the draft could look like before free agency in March. boltbeat.com/chargers-moc...

New pod: Chargers Free Agency primer with March on the horizon -Where the Chargers sit financially💸 -The fates of Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack🤔 -external FA fits I like (including a relatively deep TE class) and taking your viewer questions! youtu.be/4IJ---bh57Q

If Keenan Allen wants to remain with the Chargers like he says, he probably will. The vet WR still showed he could be productive in '25. But, the gameplan cannot let Ladd McConkey take a backseat as often as he did last season in favor of Allen targets. boltbeat.com/keenan-allen...

Keenan Allen via Zach Gelb saying he "fully intends" to play football in 2026 and be on the Chargers

@katson.bsky.social joins me this week on Bolt Breakdowns for a 2026 early Chargers Draft preview: -Senior + Shrine Bowl standouts🔥 -How to address the OL this offseason🤔 -Sneaky position needs the fanbase isn't talking about -potential Alex Day 3 RB candidate emerges youtu.be/pCZNNWcjrrU

Chargers FA Odafe Oweh is getting a big contract. He had 7.5 sacks w/ LA + added in 3 more sacks in the playoffs. Priority #1 for Hortiz should be extending him before March. boltbeat.com/latest-proje...

new pod, ICYMI

@jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social joins the show this week to talk about the new OC of the Chargers, Mike McDaniel. -his journey in the NFL -the fit with Jim Harbaugh🧥👖 -maximizing Justin Herbert⚡️ -potential offseason player acquisition fits for his offense🤔 youtu.be/-D-fQd2yfQA

The new 2026 Los Angeles Chargers coaching staff trio HC: Jim Harbaugh OC: Mike McDaniel DC: Chris O'Leary

@jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social joins the show this week to talk about the new OC of the Chargers, Mike McDaniel. -his journey in the NFL -the fit with Jim Harbaugh🧥👖 -maximizing Justin Herbert⚡️ -potential offseason player acquisition fits for his offense🤔 youtu.be/-D-fQd2yfQA

Now that it's official, I spoke with The Athletic's Daniel Popper about the hiring of new Chargers OC Mike McDaniel last week! -Why he and Jim Harbaugh have more synergy than people think -What it means for Herbert -a schematic overhaul, even if it is only a year www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-j...

I cant do another quarter of romo

kick was hopeless but that was some incredible situational awareness from maye and vrabel

Playoff week in Foxborough: drop a question below and I’ll get to it in tomorrow’s special pregame Pats-Chargers Bolt Breakdowns Q + A. ⚡up

Playoff week in Foxborough: drop a question below and I’ll get to it in tomorrow’s special pregame Pats-Chargers Bolt Breakdowns Q + A. ⚡up

The good news from the first Chargers playoffs practice report: LT Jamaree Salyer is back bad news: RB Omarion Hampton's status now seems murky + other notes boltbeat.com/chargers-get...

Minter is the name to watch with Baltimore firing Harbaugh. But wherever he gets hired, he could take members of "Ravens West" with him-including Chargers asst. GM Chad Alexander. boltbeat.com/chargers-at-...

Harbaugh made the right call to sit Justin Herbert in Week 18. He is clearly still in pain having dealt with a hand fracture for 4.5 weeks. The seed doesn't matter if Herbert isn't Herbert. boltbeat.com/chargers-mak...

New pod: Chargers Texans vent sesh -Gadsden drops, Dicker and Scott shank -a key decision by the coaching staff that lost them the game -Failing Justin Herbert, again... -second half bounce back for Jesse Minter's defense youtu.be/Hg-r7r4GGtE

New pod: Chargers streamroll Cowboys in Dallas -Giving Jim Harbaugh his flowers for how he has navigated the Bolts -When you keep Justin Herbert clean, it looks like that -Quentin Johnston's return to Texas -Great situational defensive performance by Jesse Minter's defense youtu.be/u02GrYIP3Mc?...

New pod: Chargers streamroll Cowboys in Dallas -Giving Jim Harbaugh his flowers for how he has navigated the Bolts -When you keep Justin Herbert clean, it looks like that -Quentin Johnston's return to Texas -Great situational defensive performance by Jesse Minter's defense youtu.be/u02GrYIP3Mc?...

Harbaugh said that he admired Philip Rivers' unretirement: "Jealous I didn't do that." In September, Harbaugh admitted to trying to unretire for Arena League football as the HC of USD. MNF will also be of interest to the Chargers if they beat Dallas👀 boltbeat.com/chargers-jim...

The Chargers have struggled on offense. They've put up 349 passing yards combined in the last 2 games w/ under 4 YPC. For Harbaugh, only one thing matters: "Winning football." boltbeat.com/jim-harbaugh...

New pod! Chargers sweep the Chiefs for the first time in 12 years. -Unc Tony Jefferson sets the tone on defense😤 -Oronde Gadsden II, Tre' Harris, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith step up in a big way as rookies -Odafe Oweh and the pass rush put the clamps on Patrick Mahomes🔒 on YT: youtu.be/_8cZIkwjoXw

Chargers starting OT duos: Wk 13+14-Pipkins, Salyer 11-Pipkins, Penning 10-Pipkins, Deculus 9-Hart, Alt On Sunday, it will be Salyer + Hart. They keep winning despite the attrition. boltbeat.com/chargers-wil...

New pod: Bolts beat the Birds⚡️ -Herbert's resilience😤 -Defense muddied the waters for Jalen Hurts -Donte Jackson's lockdown performance🔒 -and Cam Dicker appreciation (we sometimes take him for granted) youtu.be/uF76IGsDv6I

The Chargers’ dynamic RB duo was supposed to be Omarion Hampton + Najee Harris. Harris tore his Achilles in Week 3 while Hampton (ankle) hit IR in October. Now-It’s Hampton and second-year breakout RB Kimani Vidal. And they have a chance to be dangerous. boltbeat.com/omarion-hamp...

Sunday: break your hand Monday: surgery Thursday: practice Such is life for Chargers QB Justin Herbert. He was listed as a limited participant today. Greg Roman said they're "really optimistic" he plays-also, will Trey Lance still get under center? boltbeat.com/justin-herbe...

New: Justin Herbert is (probably) going to play in a game on MNF against the Eagles barely one week after having stabilization surgery on his left hand. Cracked ribs. High ankle sprain. Broken fingers, bones-we shouldn't take his toughness for granted. boltbeat.com/justin-herbe...

NEW POD: Chargers sweep the Raiders in 2025! -Kimani Vidal has the best game of his career💙 -Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu bounce back from the Jacksonville game -Justin Herbert's hand injury: what we know and how the offense will be different going forward🏥 youtu.be/FKo59-Hgkic

NEW POD: Chargers sweep the Raiders in 2025! -Kimani Vidal has the best game of his career💙 -Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu bounce back from the Jacksonville game -Justin Herbert's hand injury: what we know and how the offense will be different going forward🏥 youtu.be/FKo59-Hgkic

RB Omarion Hampton's return was delayed at least one more week after being ruled out for Sunday vs. LV. Harbaugh said he remains "on track". Hampton practiced Friday with a "noncontact" jersey-he did not wear one in Tuesday or Wednesday's practices. boltbeat.com/omarion-hamp...

New Chargers Q + A pod: -Is Salyer playing left tackle realistic? -3-5 realistic changes the Chargers can make after the BYE week -offensive and defensive needs for 2026 -attempting to set realistic expectations for the team going forward as far as the playoffs are concerned youtu.be/vaxeTF5ROTE

CHARGERS BYE WEEK: Like I've done the last two years on Bolt Breakdowns, opening the floor to questions for this week's mailbag episode✉️ Chargers therapy, playoffs, free agency, the draft, non-football talk even-whatever you got, send in Q's via the comments👇

New pod: disaster strikes once again in Duval. -Everyone stunk except like four players -Greg Roman: what the hell was that?🤔 -Jesse Minter's defense rerun of the Colts game😬 -Where is the Harbaugh edge for this team? youtu.be/oYhRkeaFNHE

New: while the Chargers have played down the return to Jacksonville revenge narrative, Khalil Mack let the media know it's on his mind. "It's just certain things you gotta keep in your pocket and bring them out when the opportunity presents itself." boltbeat.com/chargers-kha...

New: the Chargers got it done vs. the Steelers. Both NFL NGS + the Upshot model have LA at 82% to make the playoffs. They now play their highest stakes playoff probability game this week, per The Athletic's Upshot. W vs. JAX: 📈 93% L vs. JAX: 📉 68% boltbeat.com/chargers-pla...

New pod: everything from the Chargers' dominant win over the Steelers -Keenan Allen shattering *the* record👑 -Justin Herbert getting the job done through some pain -Kimani Vidal showing up big once again 😤 -Minter's defense sends Aaron Rodgers on a darkness retreat👴 youtu.be/rJZ8kNyaX1Y

New: 2 years ago, the Chargers were close to the top of every special teams metric. It earned Ryan Ficken a spot on Harbaugh's staff. Now, the team is bottom of the league in key ST stats-how did we get here? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? boltbeat.com/chargers-unf...