The last time the Chargers advanced to the playoffs (and lost), the coach and general manager decided it was best to simply run it back for the following season. Minimal changes. Almost all the same starters. Mostly key personnel returning. A couple of changes on the coaching staff.

The Chargers then went ker-plunk in the next season.

Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz made it plain they do not intend to follow the plan Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco formatted during the offseason of 2023. Harbaugh and Hortiz were pleased by the Chargers’ results in their first season in their new jobs, but they want 2025 to be better than 2024.

Rest assured, there will be changes, as much as Harbaugh and Hortiz said earlier this month they’d love to have everyone on the roster back for next season. Some starters will be different. Many key personnel will not return. It’s possible there might be some changes to the coaching staff, too.

The Chargers don’t want a repeat of 2023, when they went 5-12 and Staley and Telesco were fired before the season came to an end. If the 2023 season proved anything, it was that tried and true saying that if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse, and the Chargers got worse.

Given the circumstances, the newly-hired Harbaugh and Hortiz did well in preparing for their first run at free agency in March 2024. But they were up against a significant salary cap crunch and were forced to trade Keenan Allen and release Mike Williams, two of quarterback’s favorite and most reliable receivers.

The Chargers went 11-6 and advanced to the playoffs (and lost).

Although the NFL hasn’t revealed next season’s salary cap figure yet, Harbaugh and Hortiz aren’t likely to be as constrained as they were last year. They are likely to have $60 million or more to sign free agents while retaining their own, including several potential starters and key role players.

Last year’s salary cap was about $255 million.

Next season’s salary cap is likely to be in the range of $275 million.

Harbaugh and Hortiz also did especially well in their first NFL draft together. Right tackle Joe Alt, their first-round pick (fifth overall), and receiver Ladd McConkey, a second-round selection, filled big roles. Defensive backs Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still, two fifth-round picks, also were impactful additions on defense.

This year, the Chargers have picks in each of the first six rounds, including the 22nd overall. They’re also expected to gain compensatory picks that will be announced before the April 24-25-26 draft. Hortiz has expressed his fondness for compensatory picks on several occasions.

“Build, build, build, better, better, better, version 2.0,” Harbaugh said, summing up their offseason goals.

Here’s a closer look at what Harbaugh/Hortiz 2.0 might look like on the offensive side of the football in 2025:

Starters under contract for 2025

Alt, McConkey, quarterback Justin Herbert, tight end Will Dissly, running back Gus Edwards, wide receiver Quentin Johnston, left tackle Rashawn Slater, right guard Trey Pipkins III and center Zion Johnson are signed for the 2025 season. Slater is eligible for a well-earned contract extension.

Any significant changes to the starting offensive unit would figure to be upgrades to the offensive line, including the center position. The Chargers also are believed to be looking to add to their depth and experience at wide receiver, providing Herbert with a more veteran group of targets than he had last season.

Herbert threw 23 touchdown passes with only three interceptions, a career low. However, he was sacked 41 times, the most in his five-season career. Better protection for Herbert, along with additional veteran targets, should be an offseason priority for Harbaugh and Hortiz.

McConkey was a revelation, setting a number of Chargers rookie records. He led the team with 1,149 receiving yards on 82 receptions with seven touchdowns. Johnston had his moments, rebounding from a rocky rookie season, but he wasn’t the trusted target Herbert needs for the future.

Bottom line: The Chargers must provide Herbert with more reliable options.

Upcoming free agents

Center Bradley Bozeman, wide receiver DJ Chark, running back J.K. Dobbins, wide receiver Simi Fehoko, quarterback Taylor Heinicke, tight end Hayden Hurst, offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes, offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, wide receiver Joshua Palmer, wide receiver Jalen Reagor and quarterback Easton Stick are set to become unrestricted free agents March 12.

Offensive lineman Foster Sarell and tight end Stone Smartt will be restricted free agents and tight end Tucker Fisk is a restricted free agent with a limited number of accrued seasons. Those three are eligible to sign with other teams, but the Chargers have the right to match those offers and retain their rights.

Bozeman made a tearful appeal to re-sign with the Chargers after their playoff loss to the Houston Texans, and Harbaugh and Hortiz have a decision to make on Bozeman’s future with the team. They could upgrade the center position via the draft or free agency or both. Protecting Herbert is paramount.

Dobbins also expressed a desire to remain with the Chargers after he rushed for a career-high 905 yards and tied his best with nine touchdowns. He almost certainly would have topped 1,000 yards rushing and set a career high for touchdowns if not for a knee injury that sidelined him for four games.

Dobbins and Edwards made for a successful one-two punch when they were healthy together at the same time. Crucially, Dobbins sat out four games late in the season and Edwards filled in capably as the featured back. Edwards then was hurt for the final two games as Dobbins returned to form.

The Chargers have roughly $63 million in salary cap space, according to the website overthecap.com’s calculations for Monday. The site lists 45 players on the active roster, including sizable cap hits of $37 million for Herbert, $19 million for Slater and $9 million for Pipkins.

The team also has a little bit more than $3 million in dead money chargers, including $2.6 million to center Corey Linsley, who retired for health reasons at the end of the 2023 season. They’re also on the hook for money for JT Woods, Isaiah Spiller and Jordan McFadden.

Toughest decisions

Do the Chargers move on from players like Bozeman, Dobbins and Palmer? Have they become too much of the team’s fabric to part with via free agency? Are there better options available? Harbaugh and Hortiz have some difficult decisions to make on offense in the coming days and weeks.

Next: A look at the Chargers’ defense and special teams.

Originally Published: January 27, 2025 at 12:55 PM PST