Sportsvival is fully locked in on the 2026 NFL Draft, and when you get into this part of Round 1, the best teams stay disciplined. That is where the Chargers sit. Los Angeles still has Justin Herbert as the centerpiece, but this offseason also showed there is work left to do in the trenches and along the defensive front. With the Chargers holding the No. 22 overall pick again, this feels like a spot to add a tough, physical difference-maker up front.
Chargers offseason signings and key returns
The Chargers were active in reshaping the roster. They added center Tyler Biadasz, guard Cole Strange, guard Kayode Awosika, fullback Alec Ingold, running back Keaton Mitchell, tight end Charlie Kolar, defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, and brought back quarterback Trey Lance, linebacker Denzel Perryman, safety Tony Jefferson, long snapper Josh Harris, linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips, edge Khalil Mack, tackle Trey Pipkins III, tackle/guard Trevor Penning, defensive lineman Teair Tart, safety Kendall Williamson, running back Jaret Patterson, corner Deane Leonard, and running back Kimani Vidal.
Chargers offseason departures
There were also some meaningful losses. Bradley Bozeman retired, while Mekhi Becton and Will Dissly were released. In free agency, the Chargers saw Odafe Oweh, Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, Tyler Conklin, Da’Shawn Hand, Austin Deculus, Benjamin St-Juste, and Otito Ogbonnia move on.
Top 3 Chargers needs
1. Guard
Even after adding Biadasz at center, the interior offensive line still looks like a spot Los Angeles can upgrade. The Chargers’ own draft-needs outlook pointed to guard as a major issue, and the turnover inside only strengthened that case after Bozeman’s retirement, Becton’s release, and Zion Johnson’s exit in free agency.
2. Defensive tackle
Sportsvival also sees defensive tackle as a real need. Teair Tart returning and Dalvin Tomlinson arriving helped stabilize the room, but Hand and Ogbonnia are gone, and Tomlinson is a veteran addition rather than a long-term answer by himself. The Chargers still need another young, powerful interior defender who can help them get tougher and deeper up front. That last point is an inference from the roster turnover and the moves they made.
3. Edge depth
The Chargers still have Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack, which gives them a strong top line, but edge depth remains a need after Oweh left in free agency. The team’s draft-needs outlook highlighted edge as one of the main spots to address, and that makes sense when you look at both the short-term rotation and the long-term future of the room.
The pick: No. 22 - DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
At No. 22, Sportsvival has the Chargers selecting Kayden McDonald out of Ohio State. McDonald brings the kind of size and power that fits what Los Angeles still needs in the middle of its defense. He measured 6-foot-3 and 326 pounds on Ohio State’s roster, and he finished 2025 as a unanimous first-team All-American, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and an Outland Trophy finalist after posting 65 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups.
This is the kind of pick that makes a lot of sense for the Chargers. McDonald is not being drafted to be flashy. He is being drafted to anchor, absorb blocks, strengthen the run defense, and make life easier for everyone around him. With Herbert already in place, the Chargers do not have to force a skill-position pick here. They can stay true to the board, add a tone-setter inside, and come away with a player who fits the identity they should want to build in the AFC West.