Chargers QB Justin Herbert is back in the building, and 6 other takeaways from OTAs

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers opened organized team activities Wednesday at The Bolt, the team’s facility.

The Chargers practiced for a little over an hour. They held their first competitive team periods of the offseason, including 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven. We heard from coach Jim Harbaugh for the first time since the draft. Veteran defensive players Khalil Mack, Derwin James Jr. and Daiyan Henley also spoke to the media for the first time this offseason.

Lots to get to. Let’s dive into the takeaways.

1. Quarterback Justin Herbert was back in the building and on the practice field Wednesday after missing the final two weeks of Phase 2. All practices are voluntary until mandatory minicamp begins June 16. According to Harbaugh, Herbert was supporting his girlfriend, Madison Beer, on her music tour in Europe.

Harbaugh voiced full support for Herbert’s decision.

“Madison supports him at the football games,” Harbaugh said. “He told me he wasn’t going to be here for those two weeks, and my first reaction was, ‘Do you need a ride to the airport?’”

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— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 27, 2026

Harbaugh specifically brought up Herbert’s hand injury last season. Herbert fractured his left hand in Week 13. The next day, he underwent surgery and had multiple screws and a metal plate inserted into the hand. Herbert was back in walkthrough two days later. He played seven days later, rushing for 33 yards in a Monday night win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

“He’s just been somebody that he’s just here all the time,” Harbaugh said. “A lot of times I’ve wanted to shoo him out of the building. He’s at every voluntary, every non-voluntary workout. The same guy that broke his hand and then he was here the next day practicing, the next game stiff-arming guys. So yeah, I was happy. Good balance.”

We wrote last week that the situation would be moot if Herbert arrived for OTAs. On-field work is significantly limited during Phase 2. During OTAs in Phase 3, there are fewer limitations. Phase 2 is routes against air. Phase 3 is closer to real football work. Herbert is here for the real football work. The situation is moot. A non-issue. Moving on …

2. Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, the Chargers’ starting tackles, both participated in team drills Wednesday. Slater was at left tackle and Alt was at right tackle. Another big step forward as the two stars work back from their respective season-ending injuries. Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in August and missed the entire 2025 season. Alt suffered a serious ankle injury in Week 9.

When asked if he expects both Slater and Alt to be ready for the start of training camp in July, Harbaugh said, “It looks that way.”

Alt got more reps than Slater. Second-year offensive lineman Branson Taylor replaced Slater at left tackle for some of the snaps later in practice, while Alt remained at right tackle.

In between Slater and Alt, Tyler Biadasz was at center, and Cole Strange was at right guard. Kayode Awosika got the first chance at left guard with that group, but rookie second-round pick Jake Slaughter also got reps at left guard alongside Biadasz, Slater, Alt and Strange. Trevor Penning was working off to the side for Wednesday’s practice.

The open spot is pretty obviously at left guard. For now, it seems like it will be a three-man battle between Slaughter, Awosika and Penning. That competition will be decided in training camp.

Slaughter also worked at center with the second-team offense. Rookie Logan Taylor worked at both tackle and guard. Rookie Travis Burke worked at both tackle spots. Branson Taylor worked primarily at left tackle. Rookie Alex Harkey got reps at right guard.

3. Tight end David Njoku, the Chargers’ newest veteran addition, was present at Wednesday’s practice, and it will be interesting to see how he fits into the offense.

“He’s so strong and so fluid,” Harbaugh said of Njoku.

In particular, how will offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel split duties between Njoku and rising second-year tight end Oronde Gadsden? Free-agent signing Charlie Kolar is the best run blocker in this group, and he has upside as a pass catcher. I see him as TE1 because of his complete skill set. Njoku and Gadsden both impact the game more as receivers than blockers.

As Harbaugh said Wednesday, “The athleticism and the catch radius and the speed, they’re very similar in pass catching and route running.”

The Njoku addition allows the Chargers to get into pure three tight end sets more often. We saw this package, with Kolar, Njoku and Gadsden all on the field together, during Wednesday’s practice. Previously, the Chargers were looking at Scott Matlock as their third tight end. Or they were going to have to play fullback Alec Ingold in a tight end role in some packages.

Getting three true tight ends on the roster for these looks feels like the primary impetus for this move. At the same time, Njoku and Gadsden do have overlapping skill sets. We saw last year with Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey how this can sometimes stunt development and production for a young player. Just something to monitor.

Quick note: McConkey was working off to the side during Wednesday’s practice. No update on what he is dealing with physically.

4. James became the highest-paid safety in the NFL earlier this week when he signed a three-year extension. He has now reset the safety market with back-to-back contracts.

Harbaugh called James the “best player” and the “best human being.” James is one of the engines of Harbaugh’s Chargers culture. Harbaugh has mentioned this time and time again over the past two and a half years.

If you want any evidence, this is how James reacted to his contract on Wednesday: “I ain’t really had time to really think on it too much. I’m just so locked in on the process right now, just continuing to get better. I want to win a Super Bowl so bad, man. So just coming out here and working as hard as I can every day. I feel like that’s what I’m so focused on. The money is good. Yeah, it’s good. But I can’t get my thoughts off being the last team playing, especially in SoFi this year. I definitely want to do that.”

5. Edge rusher Kyle Kennard, a fourth-round pick in 2025, is facing a big spring and summer. The Chargers drafted an edge rusher in the first round in Akheem Mesidor. Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree are all back. The Chargers also signed Nadame Tucker as an undrafted free agent, and Tucker played for new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary at Western Michigan last season.

After an underwhelming rookie season, Kennard will be fighting for a roster spot heading into Year 2.

Where is Kennard’s head at? Mack offered a concise evaluation: “There’s a hunger there. I can just tell. The level of focus and detail.”

Mack does not say anything unless he means it. The real test will come in training camp when the pads come on, but this is the most positive development I’ve heard on Kennard this offseason.

6. Henley had an interception in 11-on-11 drills. He was roaming the middle and snagged a pass thrown by backup quarterback Trey Lance.

Henley had a very tumultuous 2025, which included a severe illness that impacted him for most of the first half of the season. He still set career highs in interceptions (two) and sacks (3.5).

This is a decisive year for Henley. He is eligible for an extension at any time. If he takes a leap this year, he could be in line for a big payday next offseason. Henley has that type of talent. If he can stay healthy, he could establish himself as one of the premier off-ball linebackers in football. Henley was on that track last season before the illness derailed his season.

“I want to make the statement to be a guy who makes those plays in a time of need,” Henley said. “So I want more of those, more big plays, more TFLs. There’s so much more on the table for me, and not only that, but it’s like, more is never enough.”

7. O’Leary will be running a variation of Jesse Minter’s defensive scheme. O’Leary coached under Minter with the Chargers in 2024. The two have a longstanding relationship, dating back to when O’Leary was a player at Indiana State and Minter was a coach there. When O’Leary left in 2025 to call plays at Western Michigan, he ran Minter’s defense.

But every individual play caller brings a different flavor. A steak dinner is a steak dinner, but it won’t taste exactly the same at every steakhouse.

“You can already tell the differences between him and Jesse in terms of schematics,” Mack said Wednesday.

Players are understandably keeping these differences private. They don’t want to reveal the secrets before Week 1.

Henley, though, did say the “O’Leary feel” is “fast and violent” as well as “aggressive.”

“He’s giving those ops to get downhill and go make some plays in the backfield,” Henley said.

Minter really picked his spots as a blitzer. The Chargers ranked 30th in blitz rate in 2025, according to TruMedia. Minter was very deliberate about when he dialed up pressures. They were very efficient as a result.

Could we see more blitzing from O’Leary? Could we see more man coverage? Those adjustments would align with a more aggressive mentality.

We’ll find out more in training camp.