Hey guys I just wanted to start a general offseason forum for any breaking coaching, player or roster news, NFL playoffs or anything else NFL related. Once we get past the Super Bowl we can start another draft and Free Agency forum. So fire away with any news, notes or nuggets you want to discuss.
⚡ LATEST
Joe Hortiz: Genius or Villain? | Chargers Free Agency Breakdown!⚡Zigging, Then Zagging: Hortiz’s Offensive Line Misfire⚡Hortiz’s 2026 Offseason Direction is Set⚡Chargers SIGN Center Tyler Biadasz! | More Free Agency DECISIONS On The Way!⚡Alec Ingold and the Simplest Signing of the Offseason⚡The First Domino Falls: Chargers Sign Tyler Biadasz⚡The Offseason Roadmap: The Compensatory Pick Rudder⚡Draft Prospects 2026: Positional Rankings – Interior Offensive Line⚡The Offseason Roadmap: Reading the Cash Budget⚡The Offseason Roadmap: Thinking Beyond Cap Space⚡Joe Hortiz: Genius or Villain? | Chargers Free Agency Breakdown!⚡Zigging, Then Zagging: Hortiz’s Offensive Line Misfire⚡Hortiz’s 2026 Offseason Direction is Set⚡Chargers SIGN Center Tyler Biadasz! | More Free Agency DECISIONS On The Way!⚡Alec Ingold and the Simplest Signing of the Offseason⚡The First Domino Falls: Chargers Sign Tyler Biadasz⚡The Offseason Roadmap: The Compensatory Pick Rudder⚡Draft Prospects 2026: Positional Rankings – Interior Offensive Line⚡The Offseason Roadmap: Reading the Cash Budget⚡The Offseason Roadmap: Thinking Beyond Cap Space⚡
Biadasz visiting…
https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/los-angeles-chargers-news/63274/chargers-hosting-former-was-c-tyler-biadasz
Looks like 3year $30M contract for Biadasz.
Brandon Thorne’s #2 ranked Center available in free agency. From his rankings…
Biadasz was a somewhat surprising release by Washington before free agency opened, placing a firmly above-average center on the market. He delivered the most complete season of his career in 2024, earning Third-Team All-Pro honors in our annual selection, and while his 2025 campaign did not quite match that level, he remained a clear plus starter.
Washington’s offensive regression and interior turnover last season provide context, but Biadasz’s individual skill set remains intact. He is one of the better move blockers at the position, consistently intersecting targets with precise angles, timing, and leverage on climbs and second-level fits. In pass protection, he has developed into a scrappy, technically sound presence who protects his frame well and can anchor efficiently despite average physical traits.
His ceiling is not elite due to modest size and athletic limitations, but his polish and reliability create one of the higher floors among available centers. Biadasz should draw strong interest on the open market (has visits with the Bears, Chargers and Ravens lined up) and projects as a plug-and-play starter capable of stabilizing the middle of a line immediately.
FWIW, PFF graded 40 centers with at least 300 snaps in 2025. Biadasz’s grades and their ranks:
Compared to Bozeman:
Whelp, the Chargers got themselves a Center named Tyler!
Fixed! Thank you for letting me know!
The Raiders a dysfunctional mess???? Say it ain’t so….lol. In other news, water is still wet.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7085512/2026/03/04/maxx-crosby-raiders-trade-nfl/?source=athletic_pulsenewsletter&campaign=17085991&userId=12566676
And no to the asking price, particularly giving that kind of draft capital to the Raiders. Hell no.
In a division where there are 3 potential HOF coaches and 2 potential HOF QBs, the Raiders have neither.
There is one area where the Raiders are winning – Revenue. The Raiders are 3rd in the NFL at $832M in revenue. The Chargers are 28th with $600M. So, while I’m sure Mark Davis and Brady would like to win, they’re making bank playing the Washington Generals role while fans of other teams fill their stadium to watch their team pummel the hapless Raiders.
Not sure if this is the strategy or not. I do know they’re paying a lot of ex-coaches. Gruden had a 10 year, $100M contract, so they’re writing him a check for $10M annually for the next 3 years. Not sure where they are with McDaniel, Pierce or Carrol, but I have to believe at least 2 of those dudes is still getting paid. With $232M in incremental revenue to play with, the Raiders can afford to pay for coaches, both current and past.
It is fun to watch the organization continue to flail. I wonder if they will ever lose their fans? It seems like the organization is doing everything they can to jettison anyone rooting for the team. Moving multiple times, sucking ass on the field, etc. No idea why anyone would root for that team.
Wow….Dalman retired. Now the Bears need a center too.
Unfamiliar with this source so unsure of the accuracy. I’ve been supportive of QJ and want to see what McDaniels can get from him, but I wouldn’t pick up his option either.
Chargers’ Quentin Johnston Gets Concerning Career Update https://share.google/ZNIbxFmu9epz9QNU5
I think this sentence summarizes the article pretty well. I have to believe the Chargers know what they’re going to do with QJ. They just have not told Dan what their plan is, so someone wrote an article about why they may or may not tag QJ.
I don’t know if they will tag QJ or not. I’m leaning toward not, but wouldn’t be shocked either way. If they do tag him, I think it’s part of a broader discussion on extending him.
And stop with the Tyreek Hill nonsense. If he ever plays again (which is very much in question), he won’t be ready until the fall. At best, he’s a late-season addition for a team on a post-season run. Personally, I want no part of his pregnant-women-punching @$$.
I believe there is a way for the team to pick up the option and then rescind it later. I bet that is very unpopular with players and agents, so probably not an avenue a team would like to take.
ESPN got the results of the NFLPA report cards. Here is the Chargers report card with 2025 grades in parentheses (there were many new categories in 2026 with no previous grades):
Treatment of Families: C+ (C)
Home Game Field: C
Food/Dining Area: B+ (A-)
Nutritionist/Dietician: A- (B+)
Locker Room: A- (A)
Training Room: A- (A-)
Training Staff: A- (A-)
Weight Room: A- (A+)
Strength Coaches: B (A)
Position Coaches: C+
Offensive Coordinator: D-
Defensive Coordinator: A+
Special Teams Coordinator: A-
Team Travel: B- (C+)
Head Coach: C+ (B+)
General Manager: B+
Team Ownership: A- (A)
Overall Rank: 15th (5th)
No surprise on Roman’s grade. Or Minter’s.
Harbaugh’s is a bit surprising and was near the bottom of the league, tied with Carroll for 29th and ahead of only Stefanski and Daboll, with all of these other three fired during or after the season. I suspect Harbaugh’s grade suffered because of loyalty to Roman… and maybe loyalty to some players like Bozeman.
Position coaches at C+ is also a bit surprising. That grade tied for 29th, ahead of only Jacksonville.
Treatment of Families tied for 21st. There are some franchises that got terrible grades there, including a F- for the Bengals.
Home Game Field got a C grade, but that tied for 15th. Again, there were a lot of bad grades in that category.
Overall, I find it a bit surprising the Chargers graded out at 15th overall. I would have expected higher, and that is a healthy drop from ranking 5th last year.
My guess is that last year’s grade was inflated a bit due to the upgrade Harbaugh was over Staley. After suffering through 3 years of Brandon, having Jim in the building had to be a relief.
I agree with your point on sticking with Roman, Bozeman. It would be great if there were grades per position for the coaches. I’m sure the LBs loved Bowman and the OL players hated Devlin. Having them grouped together pushes the scores to the middle.
The score also reflects what a colossal fuck-up it was to hire Roman. What could the Chargers have done if they would have kept Moore? Frustrating to think about.
I think some of this is BS also. You mean to tell me that in a 2 year old facility that got an A- in food it went down in a year? You mean they got a top grade and decided to make it worse? I know it’s a minimal drop but how can the same weight room, strength coaches and locker room decrease? I’ve never toured the facility, but from the pics I have seen and the comments from others it sounds like it is a state of the art A+ facility.
I would also take note of the Harbaugh drop. Maybe there is a growing disconnect there? I mean Aaron Glenn got a fucking A and that team is a shit show. So far it hasn’t affected wins on the field, but I wouldn’t ignore it. Of course we don’t know exactly the reasoning, but to get a C+, there had to be more lower grades mixed in than high ones.
The obvious answer is that a different group of players responded this year than last year, in part because there is a lot of roster turnover year to year. Different players = different opinions.
Titans release center Lloyd Cushenberry
Is this guy worth a look. 4 year $50M cut after 2 years with an injury designation….
Titans release C Lloyd Cushenberry III with failed physical designation – Yahoo Sports
Two thoughts:
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-news-roundup-commanders-releasing-former-pro-bowl-center-tyler-biadasz
Another possibly due to late season injury…
He was PFFs 11th ranked center in 2025. The question is how quickly he will recover from his week 16 injury
If the Chargers are willing to give Linderbaum a market setting deal, it would be rather surprising if he would choose the Titans over the Chargers.
(And if the Chargers are not willing to give Linderbaum a market setting deal, there is no point in talking about him any further.)
Although the Titans are in a shit division, the Chargers are definitely better positioned to win in 2026. If Tyler wants to win, come to LA.
For high-priced FAs, I wonder how much the California income tax rate (13.3%) factors into the equation. The Tennessee state income tax is 0.00%.
Example: If both LAC and TT offered Linderbaum an $80M contract:
I know there are nuances to the discussions (game checks being taxed in the jurisdiction they are being earned, price of living, quality of living, etc.). However, $10.6M is a lot of money to give up
All this speculation is great, but until I see Hortiz stop pretending to be Scrooge McDuck it doesn’t matter. The roster looks like swiss cheese with all the expiring deals and cuts to come. Maybe if he had like 10 draft picks he might be able to squeeze a few more dollars in FA, but he doesn’t, so I don’t see a way he can spend top $ on Oweh, Mack, Linderbaum and still fill the rest with quality depth. He doesn’t have 200M.
I wrote an article that shows it can be done. I’m sure many assumptions I made are off base, but the point of the article was to see the art of the possible.
I agree that Hortiz has to be a willing spender, and I think we will see that very soon.
It may be that the Chargers would need to pay a bit more, but the difference probably lies in the middle. It is worth a premium to play for LA over TEN and, for many, to live in LA over Nashville. Suppose the Chargers offered $85M and TEN offered $80M… not that tough a choice to pick LA IMO.
I realize this has to be a consideration for players and their families, but I don’t recall ever knowing or even reading speculation that a player picked a particular team in free agency due to tax considerations.
I think the biggest competition is Baltimore and NYG. Most players have an affinity for their original organization unless the team is annually terrible and probably prefer to stay where they have built a life the last few years. If Baltimore is ready to make a market setting offer, it might be tough to leave.
The hook with the Giants is obviously the relationship with John Harbaugh. That cannot be ignored as a factor to take an offer there either. The Giants have been such a poverty franchise the last decade that if Harbaugh tells them to give a blank check because he needs that player to win, they will do it. Having a good relationship with the new Czar of the franchise is definitely an allure.
Of course you could say there is a relationship in LA with Hortiz, but he was only an assistant GM/Player Personnel guy in Baltimore, not the HC who had direct contact with TL for the last four years for 6-7 months a year.
With the flurry of recent cuts and a few prospects in the draft at Center, Tyler Linderbaum isn’t the end all, be all of the offseason. I want the Chargers to make a solid offer, but every deal, no matter the industry, has a line in the sand that doesn’t make sense to cross. The team could be just a successful getting 3 IOL in FA at lower costs and then drafting 2 more players there to shore up the line.
It’s a difficult spot the team is in with this OL situation, but Hortiz created this mess by not addressing it over the last two off seasons. Now he has to sleep in the bed he made. 11 wins Pop!!!
I agree that if Baltimore gives him a market setting offer, he will probably stay. But not picking up his 5th year option is a sign that they didn’t think they wanted to do that last offseason. And they aren’t in the best cap situation.
I don’t really think the John Harbaugh connection is very significant. It is a minor plus at best. IMO the fact that he would have different OC and OL coaching minimizes the value of that head coach connection. I believe the priority Linderbaum puts on winning situation and his family’s preference on living in NY/NJ vs. LA would be bigger factors assuming the money is about equal.
We should find out very soon.
Interesting discussion.
Like it or not, Hortiz is going to be very careful in granting large contracts to FAs. Not sure that equates to my definition of “cheap.” Every NFL team has a narrow player salary range they have to stay within every season. The better organizations know how to manage their rosters, get the stars and the depth they need to compete.
The fact that Hortiz gave Slater a huge contract indicates, at least to me, that he is willing to spend on a star player the team knows and trusts. Could this result in missing out on a star player that could have made a difference in a season? Absolutely. Could this also help a team avoid JC Jackson fiascos? Absolutely.
Thus far in free agency, Hortiz has been trying to hit singles and doubles. Does that mean he’s never going to swing for the fence? TBD.
If Hortiz is ever going to spend big on an external free agent, Linderbaum is exactly the type.
Hortiz was with Baltimore when they drafted him and in his role was privy to their reasoning in deciding to draft him, possibly even an active participant in that decision making. Hortiz would be familiar with his draft profile, strenghts, weaknesses, etc. He would know how the Ravens assessed Linderbaum’s on field performance, locker room fit, etc. in his first two seasons.
Based on all that, if Hortiz wants to sign Linderbaum, he should be willing to spend what it takes to do it, since there really can’t be a lower center available in free agency, nor a lower risk top of market external free agent.
In addition:
IMO the Tart signing shows that Hortiz learned from the Poona situation. He should have kept Poona and didn’t because he drew a line at a contract APY well below Poona’s market value. He did not do that with Tart. He learned. That could indicate more willingness to sign a top of market free agent like Linderbaum.
Hortiz was willing to trade for Oweh, who had a somewhat expensive contract and was to be a pending free agent who would (if he performed for LA) require a big contract this offseason. He says he wants to re-sign Oweh, so he seems ready to spend what that takes. Like Linderbaum, Hortiz knew Oweh from his time in Baltimore. Just like Linderbaum.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/merrill-kelly-rejected-padres-lucrative-193413725.html
So, someone said the quite part out loud. As the California tax rates continue to increase, I have to believe this is going to be an issue.
SEIU is lobbying hard for a “wealth tax,” which I believe is on the ballot this fall. Instead of getting spending in order, the state seems focused on how they can increase taxes. I don’t want to delve into the politics; just pointing out that the special interests in CA are very focused on spending more and more, which means taxes are going to continue to increase. If the wealth tax does not pass (or does not yield the intended revenue increase), it’s likely the tax rates will in crease in future years.
If I were an agent, I would absolutely have my clients consider both the current and potential future tax rates in CA. Players with options have to consider the full package of signing with a team, including the tax structure and cost of living.
Hey come on up to Ontario, where the marginal rate is 53% if you make over $230k…..
Wow. That’s brutal.
If you add the highest US Federal tax rate (37%) to the CA state tax rate (13.3%), you get 50.3%, which is not quite Ontario, but it’s getting close.
If I were a team in a zero or low-tax state, I would absolutely use the tax situation to my advantage.
Bozeman retiring??? Just saw a headline….
Yes, thank god.
Seems like a good dude. I hope he moves back on his farm and has a great life.
Many reports I’m reading list Becton and Dupree as top cut candidates. I say yes to both, especially Becton. I’m on the fence about Zion. It depends on the contract. I would like to see him again with a good center next to him if the price is right. Otherwise we’re looking at a complete overhaul of the IOL and that’s a really big lift.
Maybe it’s necessary. It will absolutely require both free agency and draft capital.
Agreed, but I think the lack of draft capital is going to force Hortiz to spend in FA to fill most of the IOL. Factor in Bozeman just retired and now we need a backup C also. He really fucked himself last year not addressing it. Now he is faced with this scenario where the SB expectation is real and he has to not tweak, but, rebuild pretty much the entire OL with less than the full compliment of draft picks and a bunch of money in FA. I know he has spewed the “good teams don’t buy a lot in FA” rhetoric, but what else is he going to do? We can’t wait another 2 off seasons to figure it out. Legal tampering starts in about 10 days. Ball is in his court, but I tell you if we are waiting around for days before we even sniff a signing (or a Zion re signing), the pitchforks will be out.
I just saw & posted about Bozeman. My reaction? Good. Now get cracking Hortiz.
Gunner Rivers commits to the Pack
Awesome!!!
The legacy continues.
OK fans I have a scenario for you. You are the GM and you are on the clock at 1.22 and the draft has not gone as chalky as planned and there are options available that you never thought would be there, but might not be immediate needs. Let’s assume the team signed a starting C and OG in FA and resigned Oweh back, but not Mack. Ioane, Woods, Hunter, McDonald, Bailey, Bain, Tyson all off the board. Here are the players available to you and trading down is not an option. What do you do?
Are you truly going to take BPA and go with Styles?
Are you going to take another WR or TE?
Are you going to take a premier CB?
Are you going to take an OT to convert to OG?
You listed 7 players off the board and 7 choices, but you did not identify the other 14 players off the board. We can obviously assume Mendoza, but that still leaves 13 others.
In your scenario, the team lost Mack, so it still needs a capable Edge. And in your scenario, the team has signed 2 OL starters but still needs a starting guard. You didn’t comment on IDL, so I have to assume that would remain a high priority.
Given those circumstances, IMO if the 1.22 pick is not traded, it must be used on OL, IDL, or Edge. WR, TE, CB, and LB are much lower on the priority list IMO and can be more easily addressed via free agency.
I would ask McDaniel what he thinks about drafting OT Francis Mauigoa and moving him to the other starting G spot. If you were assuming he is already off the board, ignore that part. With Ioane off the board, if Mauigoa is also already gone, I don’t see a good starting guard candidate remaining who is worthy of this pick.
I would ask O’Leary how much he likes Edge Keldric Faulk and IDL Caleb Banks.
I would obviously also get input from Harbaugh.
Based on those inputs, I would take the player that seems like the best choice from among Mauigoa, Faulk, and Banks.
I know he is not a need, but in this scenario if we stay true to BPA, it would be hard to pass on Styles. So far in my evaluations he’s a top 5 overall player. Same with Lemon. He is probably going to be my WR1. That’s why this is a fun exercise.
Well, you didn’t say who was actually off the board. IMO Reese or Downs would be BPA over Styles if available.
But I also think BPA is overrated. IMO to take a true LB in the first round would be one of the worst possible decisions the Chargers could make given their roster situation.
Luckily I don’t think this has a chance at happening, but plugging in Styles gives you flexibility with Henley next year when his contract runs out. If Colson finally hits, pairing him with Styles would be something and Henley might secure a comp pick, but I get what you are saying about positional value at 1.22, but sometimes strengthening a strength can be another way to go. You could say we did that with Alt. We already had Slater when we took him at #5 . I know OT is a more premium position, but realistically we drafted a LT when we had an All Pro already.
I am not a strict BPA or need guy when it comes to drafting. I think there is a nuance between the two strategies that should be used as well as factoring in value. Derwin is a perfect example. Did we need a Safety at pick#17? No, but the value was to insane not to take him and he was clearly the BPA. 8 seasons later and he’s a franchise cornerstone.
It can work with need also. The years we drafted Fluker, Slater, Zion and QJ those were direct needs on the roster. Not everyone panned out as expected, but we got multi season contributions from all of them. In Slater’s case the strategies aligned and we filled need and BPA with the same player.
IMO, Hampton was a panic pick where Hortiz couldn’t pull the trigger on a deal and with the clock winding down he was just loyal to his board and Hampton happened to be the next name up. Hampton wasn’t a need at the time, but look how he has worked out so far to become the lead back in a possibly great offense. This is an example of just taking the BPA and having that talent work it’s way out.
My short answer? Best possible world is BPA with a nod towards need.
When a team needs to acquire more than 10 trench players in one offseason, IMO it cannot afford to use its first round pick on a player in a position group other than OL, Edge, and IDL. It would be appropriate to pick BPA from among those position groups, or, if those options aren’t desirable, trade down.
Given the provisions you listed and no attractive offer to trade back and garner more picks, I go CB….though I readily admit I’d be sorely tempted by Sadiq.
I got to watch Delane develop at Virginia Tech before transferring to LSU (VT has been something of a HC fiasco since Beamer retired 🫤 ). He has good size, great instincts, recovery speed, and good in run support. He’d definitely be a great addition to the DB room, IMO.
I agree that CB is a dark horse need. St Juste is a free agent and Hart got exposed when the team went more man heavy later in the season. We are one injury away there from the unit being borderline bad. If St Juste comes back, that lessens the need a little, but we have no idea if O’Leary wants to regularly play more man than Minter did. If that were the case this team really needs to add a strong man coverage CB.
I seriously doubt Mansoor makes it to 22 but, if at least the center position is adequately addressed in free agency and we either retain Zion or replace him before the draft, I’ll stick with Mansoor as a good pick. The CB room is not as strong as it needs to be, IMO.
Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50: 2026 NFL Draft prospect rankings 2.0 https://share.google/FZb1HKGjCiOHlCP21
8 new members of the coaching staff so far.
Adam Gase returns to NFL with Los Angeles Chargers as passing game specialist | AP News https://share.google/d7FaSav98lyTxCLuo
There was a lot of shade thrown at the Gase hire. Not sure I understand that. Was the guy a good head coach? No, he was not. Has he been successful as a QB coach and OC? Yes he has. Adding someone with his experience, especially as a “passing game specialist” is a strong move.
Barry is an interesting hire. The Dolphin OL out-performed their talent under Barry, which is great. How much of that was Barry vs. OC Frank Smith? We’re about to find out. My biggest criticism of Devlin was the shit player development. Who got better during his 2 years? Noooobody….
These are some resons fans were down on the Gase hire and why it is questionable to call his hire a “strong move”:
1. Gase was completely out of football for the past 5 full seasons (2021-2025).
2. Gase was an OC or HC in the NFL for 8 seasons. His offenses were in the top half of the NFL 2 times — Peyton Manning’s two great seasons in Denver. Was that really Gase or was it impossible to fuck up an offense with Manning at that point?
3. Gase has no apparent connection to McDaniel or the Shanahan coaching tree or to Harbaugh.
4. Nowadays, the passing game coordinator role is often seen as a precursor to OC, meaning that role could be McDaniel’s successor. Gase seems like a weak choice for that, if this puts him in that position.
He could turn out to be great in this role. I have a lot of trust in Harbaugh and McDaniel, so I’m inclined to trust them on this hire. But it is easy to see why some are down on the hire.
Barry is different IMO. He was with McDaniel. I don’t question that hire at all.
Not sure that’s true. He was not coaching, but he was definitely involved in football in various endeavors. He’s also consulted with several teams.
He was also the QB coach (when McCoy was OC) that won a playoff game with Tim Tebow. Gase got a lot of credit for the work he did with Tim, coaxing the one decent season he put up in the NFL
I think this is probably why he’s here. I believe Adam came from the Mike Martz tree – McDaniels seems like a guy that is constantly trying to absorb new/different ideas. I view this as bringing in a completely different mind into the hive to help diversify the playbook
Not sure if this is true or not, but think I would prefer Day or even Lal over Gase as the next OC. While they need to be thinking about what comes after McDaniels leaves, I think winning this year is the priority and the team believes Gase adds to the room.
Look – I am not in love with this hire and I would not like Gase to be the next OC. I do see the logic and don’t hate the thinking.
I obviously meant out of football coaching. Can you name any coach who left coaching altogether for 5 years and returned to be an effective NFL assistant coach? I have no idea.
Well, good for him, I guess. Seriously, that’s great. But I don’t think that really matters at all for coaching an offense with Herbert at QB.
I agree that I’d prefer those guys over Gase as next OC today. But that is more about Gase than about Day or Lal.
Anyway, you said you didn’t understand the shade, and I gave you the reasons, whether or not you agree with them.
Apparently the connection is Gase and Shane Day worked together for one year in San Fran (both Offensive Assistants there in 2008).
GaC have noted his official role is ‘passing game specialist’ and not passing game coordinator. Maybe that is of no moment. But hopefully it’s some indication he’s there in more of a Marc Trestman senior assistant role and not somebody who would ever be considered for a higher station with the team.
If that’s the case, I have no issue with the hire. McDaniel presumably values some of the different philosophies he will bring to the passing game (hailing from more of the west coast and Erhardt-Perkins offensive systems).
Getting on record now….no to Tyreek Hill.
100%
Agree 100%.
Not sure I agree.
I think the answer is more 1000% abso-fuckin-lutely FUCK NO!
I doubt very seriously that the dude is going to be able to pass a physical until at least mid-season. He may add some value to a team late in the season, but that would come with his additional baggage.
Injured, old, diva receivers are not a priority add for this team.
Of course we all want Linderbaum but there’s another option that still replaces the dead last ranked center in the league.
Chargers still have a tantalizing backup plan if Tyler Linderbaum hopes get crushed https://share.google/THR78BEpaJYlrGlpN
I get the feeling that most fans think Linderbaum signing here is a slam dunk. A ton of teams need a Center, and Baltimore will make every effort to keep him.
The Ravens declined to exercise his 5th year option for 2026, which would have been ~$23M. To franchise tag him for 2026 would cost $28M.
They could tag him with intent to agree to a contract, but he has no motivation to settle for a long term contract that is less than the highest center contract in history, which he would easily get on the open market. He could bet on himself in this scenario, collect $28M in 2026, and again hit the market as the top center available, set for a record setting long term center contract.
Meanwhile, the Ravens have 11 draft picks and thus are in position to draft the best center in the draft, whoever that is.
Given all that, if the Ravens push to keep him, it seems they handled this poorly.
If he reaches the open market, I’m sure he will have his choice among multiple teams, including the Chargers and Giants. Would he choose John Harbaugh (with a different coaching staff), Dart, and NY/NJ weather over Jim Harbaugh (and Mike McDaniel short term), Herbert, and LA weather?
Anything is possible, but the Chargers would have to be very enticing assuming they are offering an appropriate contract value.
Definitely not a slam dunk. I’m of course hopeful but as you said, we’re only 1 horse in this race.
I absolutely hope we can work out a deal to retain Oweh….he thrived in this environment and I believe could continue to be an integral part of the edge group. I would not, however, entertain the idea of a franchise tag.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/chargers_not_expected_to_place_franchise_tag_on_odafe_oweh/s1_14819_43474630?utm_source=mb&utm_medium=email&mb_edition=20260216&mb_loc=left_r
Oweh just turned 27. He was the 31st pick in the draft (very low 1st round pick).
According to Google AI:
I could get on board with a 4 year, $80M contract. 4 years, $100M seems like a lot to commit to a dude who had a really good half-season. To compound the problem, the Chargers also need to extend Tuli:
If the Chargers sign Owen and Tuli for a combined $50M/year AND re-sign Mack for $20, that’s $70M for three players. Even with the cap increasing to ~$305M, the edge room would account for over 23% of the cap. According to Google AI, the most any team spent on edge was Houston at 14.73%.
Difficult decisions to make. I would love to have Mack, Oweh and Tuli back, but I think the priority is the inverse of that order, with Tuli being the priority.
I LOVE Mack….he’s my perennial lunch pail guy. But Father Time is real and given the choice, I think I throw the money at Tuli and Oweh.
That is a notional APY total, which is different from a 2026 total.
Tuli will get extended, with the additional years following his 2026 season. Even if his extension is for 4 years, $110M, that means he will be under contract for 5 years for a total of ~$116M. His 2026 cap hit will almost certainly be under $10M.
Even if Oweh signs a 4 year, $100M contract, his 2026 cap hit will likely be $15M or less.
So, even if they re-sign Mack for $20M, re-sign Oweh, and extend Tuli, they would probably be spending ~$45M for them against the 2026 cap. That would be about 14.75%, nearly identical to Houston in 2025.
And they could get the 2026 cap hits for both Tuli and Oweh lower if they desire to do so. And, although I am skeptical,
Ryan Watkins has speculated that Mack will get less than $20M.
There is no cap-driven reason they cannot have all three of these guys again in 2026.
I agree priority is Tuli, then Oweh, then Mack. But it seems likely they will make decisions on Oweh and Mack sooner than getting Tuli’s extension done, since free agency starts in a month and there is no commensurate timing pressure on Tuli’s extension.
But when you need to also build pretty much the entire starting IOL and depth of the entire OL, how much $ is there to go around? I know you laid out a plan for that, but until I see Hortiz spend on at least one high priced free agent, I can’t believe he will spring for multiples in one offseason.
He spent on Mack last offseason, so that shows he will do it for internal free agents. It just so happens they have two internal free agents at edge. I see no reason why he wouldn’t re-sign both if both are willing.
He traded for Oweh, which shows that he will have interest in expensive external players known to him from his time in Baltimore. I assume that will contribute to the Chargers going all in on Linderbaum.
They will presumably use at least 2 draft picks on OL. They will presumably re-sign at least a couple of the cheaper free agents, like Penning, who should be cheap and should be better in McDaniel’s offense. And they will presumably sign at least one other veteran external free agent besides Linderbaum. This combination gets them most of the way to solving OL.
I say again, cap space is not a limiting factor in solving all roster problems this offseason, barring major impactful injuries again.
It’s always interesting to see teams salary cap strategies. Miami is now purging salaries (Hill, Chubb & possibly Tua). They went all-in without a QB and are now paying the price. They are going to suck with a capital S this season (and probably next).
Telesco’s Fantasy Football-esque approach of signing a handful of expensive FAs and surrounding them with shit found some success when everyone was healthy, but as soon as adversity hit the team, the wheels fell off.
Hortiz’ approach of spending on building quality depth, giving big contracts to the players you know and being very careful with the players you don’t has its advantages. The Chargers should rarely, if ever, be in Miami’s situation. While this should limit the JC Jackson situations, there is still risk (example: Slater).
My hope is that Hortiz’ learns to use every tool in his bag. Trade back in the draft to add picks. Sign an expensive FA when you have a championship window & the player is a difference maker. Stockpile assets, develop players and coaches.
I feel like this team is doing a lot of things right. They just need to demonstrate that they are open to all options.
Not big on Yardbarker articles but a couple of interesting names here. For me, in particular, Edge and CB.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/five_under_the_radar_nfl_free_agents_in_2026/s1_13132_43462999?utm_source=mb&utm_medium=email&mb_edition=20260213&mb_loc=left_h
Mafe is kind of a depth piece in my opinion. He’s not an Oweh or Bosa type that is a pure pass rusher. If we don’t sign Oweh than that spot becomes a glaring need. Luckily this draft seems great at Edge.
I went and revisited by 2025 Draft Position Rankings and set out my Best, Worst, Good and Bad Takes.
I find it helpful to do this. Any thoughts welcome!
Am I worth listening to this offseason? You can decide 😂
Click into the Tweet above for more info^^^
I should start creating positional lists like this when I do my draft prep. I usually know who I prefer and try to put a round grade on them, but this way makes sense also. I like the red font for concerns, but I find it hard lumping “OL” as a whole. I find it easier to rank them by their position of T,G,C. Same with DL and DB. Like I consider Edge it’s own category and wouldn’t lump them in with OLB or DE. Like last year, I would consider Scourton a DE, but James Pearce and Edge. Different positions in my mind.
You could certainly break these down into sub-categories, Erick. That’s what I use my notes for (“this guy could be best suited to a 3-4 defensive end”…”best ball comes as a wide-9 edge”, etc).
Why I like lumping some of them together (including OL) is because it forces me to make some tough decisions just like an NFL team would have to do with a vertical/horizontal integrated board.
If Booker and Josh Simmons are both available, who is the pick? That’s why I like to stack them 🙂
Replying here rather than X as I like Kyle better than Elon.
Interesting reflection. A few thoughts:
So, good reflection. Year 1 results do not necessarily mean you were “right” or “wrong” in your analysis. A disappointing rookie season could be the result of multiple factors. Much of this is and should be on the player. But, coaches, environment, scheme, opportunity all matter as well.
Zero arguments here 😂 😂 😂
I agree with all of your comments, Kev.
Currently, I think I’m better at scouting Offensive players. My assessments of OL, TE and WR the last few drafts have been solid.
Defense is much harder (especially the secondary) because to scout very well it helps to have a Ryan-esque knowledge of:
pattern match coverage rules (if the team runs that scheme),defensive frontshow LBs are taught to read and react to different run schemes/motions/shifts. What a false step looks like.What a Defensive lineman’s job is (whether 1 gap, gap and half or two gap) in the run game, or how to be the pick man properly on a stunt.How an Edge player is being asked to play (attack-react, whether that differs based on their alignment, playing the run first, how it differs if they’re to the weak side or strong side of the offensive formation).
I’m getting better at it all that but I still have much to learn.
I’ve just finished scouting my tenth player in the 2026 class and, so far, I’ve been underwhelmed by what is passing for a ‘first rounder’ this year.
I think the Penn State Guard Olaivavega Ione (Penn State) will be the most interesting discussion from the Chargers’ perspective, if he were to fall to 1.22.
I see many of the traits of an elite NFL Guard, but you will have some fans convinced he’s not an ideal scheme fit for McDaniel’s wide zone preferences.
I’m not sure I fully agree with that, but I’m going to continue to reflect on it as I watch more of his tape:
Al, I realize your audience is far larger than me. Just an fyi….I refuse to access or recognize that platform.
I respect that, Buck. We flirted with the idea of using Blue Sky but it took us about 3 years to build the following we have on X, and there are only so many hours in the day to be posting and marketing heavily on multiple platforms.
I don’t love the situation either, but X is the best way for us to get material out to Chargers fans consistently and read what interesting football analysts are saying too.
I watched a bit of Ioane and was super impressed. The movement and strength on a man his size is impressive. A 2026 OL with a healthy Slater, Alt, Ioane and Linderbaum would be crazy athletic. Add an NFL-average RG and you would have a chance to be the best OL in the NFL.
I consider my football knowledge above average for an NFL fan. I’ve seen a lot of football. I can watch all-22 and see the structure, intent and glaring fuck-ups. There is no way that I will ever have Ryan’s knowledge of the current game. The fact that you guys are so advanced while living in a country that doesn’t have a team is impressive. Love that you’re trying to get better. Don’t beat yourself up for not being Ryan. Few are.
When I watch game tape (which I have less and less time to do), I look at power/athleticism, technique and character. Do trench players play through the whistle? Do WRs keep playing even when they know they’re not getting the ball? Athletic dudes with strong character should be productive with good coaching. A good example of this is Tart, who was a bust until he got good coaching with the Chargers. Penning is an interesting, athletic dude that plays through the whistle. I would have liked to see what this staff could do with a guy with his capabilities. Wherever he lands, he needs to make sure there’s a staff there that can maximize his athleticism.
I would have zero problem drafting Ioane and have had my eye on him as one of the best fits for us for months (lone before the McDaniel news).
That said, I have noticed a trend and will be harping on this all offseason, that every team that has won a super bowl since 2019 has had an elite/borderline elite player on the interior of their defensive line that can generate pressure and collapse the pocket. Watching the last few super bowls, I think it has become clear to me that you cannot survive throughout the playoffs against the top competition without it.
Now with McDaniels coming in, and seeing what he has done with other offensive linemen in the past (like Aaron Brewer for example), I’m wondering if the Chargers can get some much better line play out of the right players that maybe do not cost as much in FA and/or draft capital.
There are a couple of very good DT prospects this year that seem like they could be available at 22. Meanwhile there are several IOL prospects that look like they’ll be available in rounds 2 – 3 that could be a great fit for McDaniels. Guys like Bisontis and Brian Parker seem like they’d be good fits. They are fundamentally sound and move well. Do they need to get stronger? Yes, but seem like the right kind of guys for McDaniel to work with.
Anyways, basically what I’m saying is I’m leaning towards grabbing someone like Caleb Banks or McDonald + Bisontis as a better 1-2, than Ioane + 2nd round DT talent that falls off quite a bit more by the time pick #55 rolls around.
And all of this of course assumes that the Chargers don’t go into the draft with a big hole at Edge, which is also a possibility unfortunately.
This is a great post, Blue Beers.
I’m rolling through the DT film now. For me, if you’re looking for someone who could bring some of the impact that Byron Murphy II has for Seattle, my guy is DT Peter Woods (Clemson), even though the Tigers had a bad season.
I know DT Caleb Banks (Florida) is the talk of the town right now because of the long arms and flashes on his tape (plus the Senior Bowl).
But if you sit patiently watching 200+ snaps of each player on All-22 across multiples seasons rather than only their sweet highlights, it’s Peter Woods who in my opinion rarely has a bad rep and has the ceiling of an elite player (still only 20yo). He moves differently to normal players just like Byron Murphy II did at Texas.
I think Banks comes with substantial “Jerry Tillery” levels of risk. Basically had 2 good games in his entire college career, missed most of 2025 through injury, and on tape has a few good reps per game with a lot of junk and terrible pad level mixed in there. I guess we have a good DL coach in-house with Mike Elston, but swinging for the fences on a “boom or bust prospect” doesn’t strike me as the most Hortiz thing to do, after he basically said no to a trade down last year to draft one of the safest projection to the NFL (in Hampton), despite playing a “lower value” position.
I think as the draft process goes on, we’ll see these DTs like Woods, Banks and McDonald creep up higher and higher in mocks and Woods likely doesn’t make it to 22. I’m not sure McDonald or Banks will either frankly, but basically I’m hoping for one of them. Banks obviously needs to be coached up (and he needs better conditioning) but he could end up being Jordan Davis-esque which is worth 22 IMO.
I do see what you are saying with regards to Hortiz style and not swinging for the fences though.
I am obsessed with roster construction. It is probably my favorite thing about the team other than the actual games. I think we all know the two biggest needs on the roster right now, before FA, and cuts are IOL and Edge. I could argue that DT could really use some blue chip talent infused to really solidify it. But until we either get a few signings, cuts or restructures done before the new league year, it is really tough to speculate on who to target in the draft. Especially with only 5 draft picks and only 3 in the top 100, this could be a trade down scenario. I don’t see any players being traded for picks because the only real player that would get you anything worthy in return might be QJ, but then you are creating another roster hole that is already going to look like Swiss cheese once the league year resets. That’s why all the one year deals eventually catch up.
Rumor has it Nassir Adderley wants to return to the NFL. Always had hopes for him but wouldn’t take another chance.
He turns 29 in May and hasn’t played in 3 years. Not opposed to giving him a tryout in camp, but the dude would need to earn a roster spot.
With the way this staff resurrects DBs, it’s probably a good spot for him.
To me it sounds like the $ dried up. I could see missing it and wanting to return after a year away, but 3? Hard Pass. Safety is one position we are set at.
Yeah, I still wish him well and am disappointed he didnt continue his ball-hawking ways from Delaware to the Chargers. I’m not advocating a return as a Charger, just found the news interesting. 🙂
Works for me. Underperformed, often unavailable, and isn’t a good fit for McDaniels’ scheme. Cut bait.
Chargers Projected to Cut Free Agent Bust After One Season https://share.google/TycvkdbY5GWbI4959
The comments he made criticizing the team aren’t going to help his case either. Turns out the Philly year was the outlier in his career.
He’s basically a turd in the punch bowl IMO. Hope Hortiz learned something valuable here.
He was more like a turd in the Truck Stop Toilet the Chargers O Line turned out to be in 2025.
I agree with the consensus that the correct and most likely outcome is releasing Mekhi. The man is, however, and incredibly large human. I was very excited about the signing and very disappointed with his play. I guess the question is if the shit performance was due to Mekhi, the scheme, the staff or a combination. My guess is that it’s a combination & that the staff did not do him any favors or set him (or anyone on the OL) up for success. Mekhi always seemed to be reaching for blocks, not getting to his spots and generally confused. You want a dude his size to find his man and flatten him. This rarely happened in 2025:
The bitching was not a good look and is probably the final nail in his coffin. Letting him go does force the Chargers to make decisions at all three IOL positions. No way Bozeman can be back. Zion is a FA. Cutting Becton creates another hole. It really depends on how the new staff view Mekhi & if they think they can get a 2024 performance out of him in 2026.
I’m all for him getting another chance…..somewhere else.
A dude his size & age will definitely get another chance.
Again, agree with the sentiment. Just sayin there’s a reason many (including myself) were excited to get this guy last offseason.
I was disappointed this was our “splash” signing and skeptical of him performing well.
I think this regime is not going to make many splash FA signings. You can like or hate that approach, that seems to be the way they want to operate.
It always seemed to me that Telesco and Johnny used to put the roster together like they were playing Madden. To me, it’s refreshing to have adults in charge.
I do hope they are open to use every tool in their toolbox. Their championship window has never been more open. They cannot roll Bozeman back out at Center. If it takes backing the Brinks truck up to Linderbaum’s house, then fuckin do it, even if that fucks up the cap situation in out-years. They cannot go into the season with glaring holes in the roster.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/los-angeles-chargers/keenan-allen-free-agent-future/
Since this Popper article is offseason specific I’m dropping it here vs the Hopper.
Chargers 2026 Offseason Handbook: Cap space, draft, free agency, roster needs – The Athletic https://share.google/ztYqSRfagrXRPAyuU
Why read this when we have Tau’s analysis? 🙂
Why not? 🙂
Always good to see various viewpoints, IMO.
That was meant to be a joke and a backhand compliment to the excellent article Tau wrote.
I have watched McDaniel’s introductory press conference twice. I could not be more impressed. I think the Chargers have a very good opportunity to contend for the Super Bowl next year, as long as Hortiz has a good offseason.
Let’s see how the rest of the off-season unfolds, but yes, this is the Super Bowl window.
Found this about O’Leary’s defense in 2025 (hopefully the image pulls through):
This is what I was trying to paste into the chat. I have a graduate degree in IT and couldn’t figure out how to paste the picture, so…
W Mi Defense 2024 2025
Sacks 118th 5th
Pass Rush 93rd 11th
Pass Yards 72nd 18th
Rush Yards 113th 34th
Total Yards 110th 17th
Yards/Play 118th 32nd
Points 107th 9th
Plus the experience he gained as a playcaller. In another discussion elsewhere it was pointed out that both Jim and John have “directed” candidates that they thought showed coaching promise to places where they gained head coach or coordinator experience, then gathered them back onto their staff. This may well have been the succession plan here too. Jim had to know it was likely Minter would advance pretty quickly.
I am curious who they’re going to groom for the OC job. They need a succession plan as McDaniels will not be here long.
Chris Oleary new DC.
Surprising to say the least. That’s not meant to be an insult. I’m just pretty shocked.
A few thoughts on O’Leary:
Overall, this is encouraging. System will be the same. If the staff can stay reasonably in tact, I am optimistic that the Chargers can once again be a top-10 defense. Combine that with a top-10 offense & the Chargers are entering their Super Bowl window.
At least he has some experience with the team and especially guys in defense. He’s not a hire that is completely foreign to the organization. I trust Harbaugh’s judgement. If nothing else, he finds and cultivates good coaches. If the thought process all along was to have O’Leary hone his craft in college to become the successor here, it’s a stroke of genius if it works out. My only question will be if the scheme changes at all. Since O’Leary came from ND I’m not sure he is a full disciple of the Macdonald/Minter scheme.
OL coach – Butch Barry from Miami
https://boltbeat.com/mike-mcdaniel-brings-in-key-dolphins-lieutenant-as-chargers-new-o-line-coach
I trust McDaniel.
“This past season, Barry helped develop center Aaron Brewer — a former UDFA out of Texas State — into one of the top players at his position in all of the NFL. Brewer finished the 2025 season with an 87.4 overall season grade by Pro Football Focus, including a 91.5 in run blocking. As a pass protector, Brewer allowed just one sack and 12 total pressures in 17 starts.”
Maybe he can do something similar with Josh Kaltenberger?
No offense to him, but I’m not looking to turning a long shot into a starter. If he can develop enough to be a functional end of bench depth piece, I’ll take that. We have a SB window here. Start spending and plug the holes with capable players.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DT-_TRfAVi1/
Anyone else starting to get annoyed about McDaniel still not signed? I think the only opening left he is in consideration for would be LV, but it looks like the Raiders may be waiting for Kubiak? Either way, until he is signed I won’t be at ease. Not that it matters a ton, but waiting until after the SB to officially hire him does have affect on draft prep and roster construction. After all, he would need to come in, take a hard look at the roster and then collaborate with the FO on what type of players he prefers for his scheme. That bleeds into FA and the draft so every day counts.
Definitely starting to grate……dropping out of the Bills, but continuing to consider LV is baffling. LV is a train wreck of an organization, unless he REALLY wants the money, he’s better off going OC for a year or two and then re-evaluating….
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/chargers-hire-former-dolphins-head-coach-mike-mcdaniel-as-offensive-coordinator-170615951.html
IT’S DONE!
About damn time!!
YES!!!!
Time to focus on rounding out the offensive staff (which I think will happen very quickly) and getting the defensive staff sorted (which may take a bit longer).
Thoughts on why the internal OC candidates were interviewed as soon as Roman was let go vs. no internal DC candidate interviews:
I hope he brings Frank Smith back as OL coach. Then, if McDaniel moves on to a HC job after 2026 or 2027, Smith could be a logical OC successor.
I assume Day will stay on as QB coach.
Will be interested to see the rest.
Agree.
Frank Smith would be great. Frank is interviewing with the Eagles for their OC position, but think they’re more likely going with Nagy.
The last time the Chargers OL didn’t suck was when Frank was the OL coach. Maybe he can teach Hardwick how to be an OL coach (and hopefully Nick didn’t pick up any bad habits/ideas from Devlin).
Tau,
I think both of your assumptions on OL/DC is correct. Smith would be a great OL coach and eventual successor for McDaniel. Hell, he’s probably ready to be an OC himself now, so another year or two of seasoning will only help.
I believe Smith with the Dolphin’s OC for the last 4 years, so taking the OL job for the Charges would be a step backwards.
I THINK McDaniel called the plays in Miami, so what Frank is as a play caller is still a bit of an unknown.
Smith would likely call plays for the Eagles. He would still be under an offensive-minded coach in Sirianni, so not sure how attractive that makes the Eagles position vs. coming to the Chargers to take a lesser position, with the understanding that he’s going to run the show as soon as Mike leaves.
Kev,
I agree with everything you said here. If not Clink, I think it’s Elston. Either way I think the best way to not have them poached is to promote both by making one DC and the other getting a title added. Unless Minter will take Elston on as DC, they can block lateral moves.
Just a thought but if the Raiders really liked and hired McDaniel, that would be a shrewd move to additionally screw us. I haven’t heard much about who the front runner is for that HC position. I wonder if they are interested in someone still in the playoffs? I just really want to see the update that McDaniel has signed as OC already.
I think the Raiders really wanted Minter. That would have both screwed the Chargers and given the Raiders an up-and-coming, very talented coach. I think Jesse rightly dodged that bullet.
The Raiders are paying 4 ex-coaches (Gruden, McDaniels, Carroll and likely Pierce). Firing Pierce and Carroll so quickly with shite rosters will not give any perspective coach the feeling of security. And the roster is still a dumpster fire. Don’t see why Mike would want to jump into that circus. Failing at his next HC opportunity will push him into Steve Spagnola territory; good coordinator, bad HC.
For the Raiders, they need to find the dude that can turn the culture around. They’ve been the worst team in the division for the last 10+ years. If I’m the Raiders, I’m all-in on McDermott. He’s the one dude in this cycle that could potentially right that fucked-up pirate ship.
Please let the Bills hire Rivers. That would be some amazing press conferences.
I love Rivers, but he would be a terrible hire for the Bills. It is ridiculous IMO that they are even spending time interviewing him. To think they could hire him to replace McDermott is absurd. What a clown show.
I’m also surprised he would consider it with his son a rising senior and other son a rising freshman on the high school team he coaches. His older son is a fairly highly regarded 4 star recruit. I would have expected Rivers to give his full attention to this particular high school season and his son’s recruitment before he would consider another job. It’s not like he needs the money.
That said, agree the press conferences would be awesome. It would be pretty funny if Rivers beats out Anthony Lynn for the job.
I wonder if it is just to gain experience for the future? I agree it’s absurd to take a SB contending team and offering the HC position to someone who hasn’t ever coached at any level in the NFL.
I think it’s pretty farfetched that they’re interviewing him.
It got me thinking though – if hired, is it possible that he could be good immediately?
I think it would be harder to be an NFL coordinator without any NFL coaching experience since you have to design schemes and call plays.
But if he was the “CEO type” of HC, hired good Xs & Os guys on both sides of the ball to coordinate, and focussed on just managing the players and giving motivational speeches, is it that absurd to think he might succeed? He’s been through thousands of practices across his career so should have a decent idea about setting up an offseason and in-season training program. And he’s always been good and demonstrably calling a timeout, and knowing when to do it!
I still think it’s a bit of a joke, but I’m not sure that it’s beyond him. I have Barry Switzer in mind (with Norv Turner the architect underneath him). Switznr was obviously an accomplished college head coach, but you get where I’m coming from!
I don’t doubt that he has the football acumen to be the HC. I just don’t think he’s a logical hire for a team with a true SB window still open. It would be a hard sell to the fan base who is expecting even better results in 2026.
Hey Erick/Al/Tau: Phil’s football super-power has always been his intellect. Rivers was never athletic. He never had the strongest arm. What he did was understand exactly what the defense was going to do, then tried to put his team in a position to beat what the defense was doing. When they lost, they were rarely out-smarted. I saw Phil doing Phil things this year at the LOS with the Colts; calling out protections, assignments, etc.
Would Rivers make a good head coach? No idea. He definitely has the brain and passion for it. I have no idea what his offensive philosophy would be if given a chance to develop one. He’s definitely been exposed to several very sharp offensive minds (Cam Cameron, Norv Turner, Steichen, Sirianni among others).
I think he’s an interesting, out of the box coaching option. If McDaniels takes the Bills job, then I would not be opposed to interviewing Phil for the OC job. I would still likely rather have Daboll, but damn, Phil is a smart dude that loves football.
We know something about his offensive philosophy since we learned this season that he has been running Steichen’s offense for his high school team. I’m sure it must be a pared down version, but the principles are the same.
I love Rivers, but I would rather have a number of other candidates as Chargers OC. I’d be fine hiring him as a passing game coordinator or another lesser offensive role to gain some NFL level coaching experience.
Agree that there are other candidates that are a safer (and very likely better) option. As I said, I would rather have Daboll.
I am very interested to see what Phil does next. He clearly wants back into the NFL. Maybe that’s as a passing game coordinator or QB coach. Maybe that’s as an OC. Maybe he’s the Bills HC. Maybe he’s a high school head coach for the next 10 years. The last one is just a lot more boring.
I actually think it would be easier for him to step into an OC role than a head coach role.
He wouldn’t have to worry about defense or special teams and would have less involvement with front office, contract/cap decisions, etc. And his playing experience and strengths lend themselves more directly to OC than head coach.
But I still think it would be a big leap to hire him as OC, and I can’t see a team doing that without him first having some lower level NFL offensive coaching experience and/or some college OC experience.
If he really wants to coach above high school level, he should let NC State he is interested in their OC job the next time it comes open. 🙂
He’s officially dropped out.
Really????
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/los-angeles-chargers/mcdaniel-interviews-for-bills-job-after-becoming-chargers-oc/
I just saw Minter pull out of the Cleveland HC opening. Well that is one more bullet to dodge to get him to stay. I always thought Baltimore was a lock for him, but it seems like the Ravens players and organization are high on hiring Kingsbury for the offense, and Minter has yet to announce who he prefers for OC. Zach Orr is also in consideration and word is he would want Kingsbury. Could be a tipping point not to hire Minter. This would be good news because the only logical HC positions I think he would take is Baltimore or Buffalo. With every day that passes, the chance oh having him return becomes more of a possibility.
Ravens signed him for 5 years
https://ravenswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/ravens/2026/01/22/ravens-hire-jesse-minter-reaction-analysis/88307567007/
Minter to the Ravens just made too much sense. I do think there are risks with the role.
I wish Jesse success (except when they play the Chargers). It’s not a lock that the Ravens gig is going to turn out well.
Damn. This could make the Chargers-Ravens game next season a prime time game. That sucks because I was thinking of going to that game.
Let’s meet there!
100%. I just have to see when it is scheduled. A Thursday night game would suck, but I can make anything work.
Anyone thinking of heading to the Buffalo game? Would be nice to know it’s not in December…..
I could think about it. 🙂
I am probably heading to the Baltimore game. It is closer to me than Buffalo, but it could be an option if the Baltimore game doesn’t work out on the schedule like a Christmas or Thanksgiving game.
I’m up in Ottawa, went to the Browns game a few years ago, but Buffalo is way closer. 90% sure my son and I will be in Buffalo.
It’s quite likely I go to the Baltimore game with friends. They’re Ravens fans so I know I’ll have to console them on the ride home. 😉