The Chargers have now put together back-to-back 11-6 seasons and back-to-back playoff berths under Jim Harbaugh, but the AFC West title has stayed just out of reach for a 16th straight year. In 2026, closing that gap — not just making the postseason — is the real question in front of this team.
2025 Season Recap
Los Angeles opened 2025 with a win over Kansas City in Brazil and rattled off a 3-0 start, its best since 2002, before dropping three of its next four. The season had real highs: the Chargers swept the Chiefs for the first time since 2013, eliminating Kansas City from playoff contention in the process, and Keenan Allen became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions while also passing Antonio Gates for the most catches in franchise history. There were also real lows, including a 35-6 defeat in Jacksonville that tied the worst loss of Harbaugh’s coaching career. Los Angeles finished 11-6, good for a Wild Card berth as the No. 7 seed, but a Week 17 loss to the Texans — combined with a Denver win over Kansas City — handed the AFC West title to the Broncos and left the Chargers looking up at a division rival for a 16th straight year. The season ended with a 16-3 Wild Card Round loss to New England on the road. Along the way, the Chargers also lost starting tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury.
Offseason Moves
Harbaugh is back for a third season in charge, and the front office spent this offseason reinforcing rather than rebuilding. The biggest addition is Khalil Mack, who re-signed with Los Angeles on a one-year, $18 million fully guaranteed deal to anchor the edge rush. The offensive line got real investment too: guard Cole Strange signed a two-year deal, center Tyler Biadasz joined on a multi-year contract, and tackles Trey Pipkins III (two years, $10 million) and Trevor Penning add depth up front — a clear response to the Alt injury that undercut last year’s line.
On offense, the Chargers added tight end Charlie Kolar (three years, $24.3 million) and running back Keaton Mitchell (two years, $9.25 million) to freshen up the skill positions, plus fullback Alec Ingold. On defense, veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman re-signed on a one-year deal alongside Del’Shawn Phillips and cornerback Deane Leonard. Guard Mekhi Becton and tight end Will Dissly were released, and center Bradley Bozeman retired.
In the draft, Los Angeles used its first-round pick, No. 22 overall, on Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor — more juice for a pass rush that now pairs a proven veteran in Mack with a rookie the Chargers hope develops quickly. The team also picked twice on Day 2, at No. 55 and No. 86.
2026 Season Outlook
The schedule is genuinely tough: Los Angeles’ opponents combined for a .522 winning percentage last season, tied for the ninth-toughest slate in the league and the fifth-hardest in the AFC. Eight games come against 2025 playoff teams, including home dates with the Patriots, 49ers, Texans, and Broncos, and road trips to the Bills, Seahawks, Rams, and Broncos again. Within the AFC West itself, the Chargers actually drew the third-easiest schedule behind the Chiefs and Raiders — small comfort in a division that’s come down to the wire in each of the last two years.
Our Team’s Projection
We’re projecting the Chargers at 10-7 for 2026. That’s a third straight double-digit-win season, and the roster additions up front and at edge rusher give this team a real chance to hold up better in the tougher spots on the schedule than it did a year ago.
The Chargers’ 2026 win total opened at 10.5, tied for the highest number on the board league-wide. Our 10-7 projection leans toward the under. The case for the under: this is a legitimately difficult schedule with eight games against playoff-caliber competition, and a team that’s needed a strong finishing kick in each of the last two years to get to 11 wins doesn’t have a lot of margin left to give. The case for the over: Harbaugh’s program has been remarkably consistent, the offensive line got real reinforcements after last year’s injury problems, and Mack gives this defense a difference-maker it didn’t have for a full season in 2025. As always, a lot of this comes down to how a team’s schedule is shaped and how much cushion is baked into a projected total — our Bet Smarter breakdown on how season win totals actually work walks through that reasoning in more depth.