The season is over for the Los Angeles Chargers, the end coming in crushing fashion against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
It was a tough defeat for the Chargers, one in which Justin Herbert had an uncharacteristically poor performance, but the team still has plenty to be proud of this season and the future is extremely bright. After going 5-12 last year under Brandon Staley, the Chargers were 11-6 in the regular season, the first under the guidance of Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz.
Harbaugh installed a much different scheme on both sides of the ball this year and it is one that is proven to have success. Imagine what he will be able to do in year two. With another year to create the team they envision, the Chargers should be even stronger next year.
They will lick their wounds from this defeat but the team is headed in the right direction and it will have the resources to expand upon what it started this year. According to Over the Cap, the Chargers currently have the fourth-most available cap space for the 2025 season.
The Chargers will have to consider their own free agents, but whether it is through free agency or the draft, the Chargers are going to need to add some pieces this offseason. Here are the top areas where the team needs to look to improve.
Chargers biggest needs in 2025 offseason
Wide receiver
Free Agents: Joshua Palmer, D.J. Chark, Simi Fehoko
Ladd McConkey is a stud, but the Chargers don’t have another receiver on the roster that can be depended on consistently. Quentin Johnston scored eight touchdowns this season but are you ever confident in him being thrown the ball? He has a bad drop issue and often struggles to gain any separation.
The Chargers have to get Justin Herbert another high-end weapon at the wide receiver position and perhaps more than one.
Tight end
Free Agents: Hayden Hurst
The Chargers signed Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst in free agency but neither of them is a good answer for what this team needs. the Chargers need a tight end who can threaten the defense down the field as a wide receiver. You will see a lot of mock drafts this spring showing the Chargers selecting someone like Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren in the first round. That’s because it is a huge need.
Running back
Free Agents: J.K. Dobbins
As you can tell, the Chargers need to completely rebuild the offense at the skill positions. The offensive line is terrific, now they need to branch it out.
J.K. Dobbins had a great bounce-back season in his first year with the Chargers, but much like the wide receiver position, the team didn’t have much behind him. Gus Edwards could stick around in a complementary role and Kimani Vidal is an exciting prospect (though he doesn’t seem to fit well in a Greg Roman offense) but the team is going to need to look for a legitimate No. 2 option or even a guy who could challenge Dobbins for the starting role, if Dobbins is re-signed.
Defensive line
Free Agents: Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Otito Ogbinnia
The Chargers just need better talent and more depth along the defensive front. They will have some big decisions to make in terms of their own free agents but they will need to look at some young options for the future as well.
Justin Eboigbe did next to nothing as a rookie and the team will need to evaluate what role he could have in the future. But a complete overhaul of the defensive line could be discussed.
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