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One could argue the Los Angeles Chargers have made some key mistakes this offseason leading into training camp and the preseason.
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By far the one that will stick out the most is the front office simply not making a bigger move. Not a “blockbuster” like a George Pickens trade or something, sure. But there’s no real reason for an “all-in” team to still be sitting on roughly $40.5 million in free cap space right now.
Even simply paying up to keep free agent Odafe Oweh after trading for him in the middle of last season would have been a solid idea, most would agree.
Now, though, the conversation shifts to mistakes the Chargers need to avoid during training camp and the preseason as they move forward with the eventual 53-man roster going into the regular season.
Biggest mistake Chargers need to avoid
Moving past the offseason stuff, there’s one key thing the Chargers need to keep in mind if they want to find success with the Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel era. There’s one mistake they just can’t make:
Ignoring the youth movement.
Going “all-in” would seem to hint at a major reliance on veteran names like Khalil Mack. But there are simply too many good things happening at youthful spots across the roster.
Look at the 23-year-old former undrafted free agent Amar Johnson at running back. He’s enjoying a massive breakout right now, so if that means letting him move past Kimani Vidal, or even bump him off the roster, so be it.
This one won’t be unpopular with fans, but needs said anyway: First-rounder Akheem Mesidor and the surging undrafted Nadame Tucker need to move veteran names like Bud Dupree off the final 53.
Then there’s the guard battle. The Chargers started camp by making this mistake, throwing five or six names into the mix and not simply giving the work to second-rounder Jake Slaughter. But he flashed in preseason action and clearly needs to have the inside track. There are going to be growing pains for him during the regular season, but this is what the Chargers drafted him for. Get him out there.
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Elsewhere on the line, the massive, 6’9″ rookie draft pick Travis Burke has put together a really strong week. There’s no reason the Chargers shouldn’t embrace him rounding out a strong camp as a swing backup tackle by knocking Trey Pipkins aside in the order.
Same deal at safety. If rookie draft pick Genesis Smith can clean up tackling woes, there’s no reason his quicker step shouldn’t be out there over Tony Jefferson.
While not a perfect rule, the fact this is a possible mistake at all is at least a tip of the hat to the Chargers for building a strong roster that has lots of interesting younger depth and/or rotational options.
All that remains is for the Chargers to keep an open mind when it comes to things like age and even draft status.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as The Biggest Mistake Chargers Can’t Afford to Make Rest of Preseason.
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This story was originally published August 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM.