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Los Angeles Chargers fans know the routine: Every year, the team is met with hype and excitement in the preseason, only to end the year in disappointment, one way or another.
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There is a feeling that the 2026 NFL season will be a little different for the Chargers. They have new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel in place, and his new scheme is expected to put quarterback Justin Herbert and their skill players in position to put up big numbers.
But there are those who aren’t exactly feeling any of the hype or excitement surrounding the Bolts this summer. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report picked them to miss the playoffs, and now another analyst has followed suit.
An ESPN pundit expects the Chargers to be at home for the postseason
Bill Barnwell of ESPN predicted which 14 teams will reach this winter’s NFL playoffs, and the Chargers weren’t on his list.
He had three major reasons for leaving L.A. out of his playoff field.
“The defense lost star coordinator Jesse Minter, who joined the Ravens to take over as their new head coach. New coordinator Chris O’Leary will be in that role for the first time at any level. Minter was able to coax improved play from veterans Donte Jackson and Khalil Mack while developing youngsters such as Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still and Daiyan Henley into immediate contributors. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the defense took a step backward this season.
“And while Herbert will undoubtedly be excited about getting his two standout tackles back in the lineup, the interior of the O-line looms as a potential weakness, especially after Tyler Biadasz tore an ACL this summer. Second-round pick Jake Slaughter will step in at center, but the duo of Kayode Awosika and Cole Strange has much to prove at guard if McDaniel wants to install the sort of run game he was known for in Miami. The Chargers will also face what projects to be the league’s seventh-toughest schedule, while their division rivals in Kansas City and Denver land at 17th and 18th, respectively.”
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O’Leary is expected to keep the same principles that Minter used the last two seasons defensively, while blitzing more often and using his linebackers to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The injury that starting inside linebacker Denzel Perryman is currently dealing with is a concern, especially since he will have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season after being placed on injured reserve.
The interior of L.A.’s offensive line definitely looks like a relative weakness. Free-agent signing Tyler Biadasz was supposed to help at the center position, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury last month. Awosika isn’t a world-beater, and neither is Strange.
However, the Chargers have two of the NFL’s best offensive tackles in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, both of whom seem healthy and ready to go after the injuries they suffered last year. Running back Omarion Hampton could be poised to have a big year after showing promise in nine games last season as a rookie, and the hope is that speedster wide receiver Quentin Johnston will thrive in McDaniel’s new offensive scheme.
It won’t be easy, but if they stay healthy enough, they could survive a crowded AFC to earn another postseason spot and possibly even win a game in the playoffs. Los Angeles hasn’t won a postseason game since the 2018 campaign.
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This story was originally published September 10, 2026 at 8:22 PM.