Three takeaways from Jim Harbaugh's first offseason as Chargers coach

LOS ANGELES — In February, when Jim Harbaugh walked to the stage at SoFi Stadium’s YouTube Theater for his introductory news conference as the Los Angeles Chargers‘ new head coach, the moment was a celebration for the team’s leadership.

An organization criticized for being cheap and fighting for relevance in a crowded L.A. sports market had gotten one of the biggest names in football to be their head coach.

And despite taking over a team that was 5-12 last season, Harbaugh promised he would deliver championships.

In the months since that celebratory news conference, the Chargers have reshuffled their team, moving on from some of the best players in team history, as Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz navigated salary cap constraints to build a roster that best fit this version of the Chargers.

“Every year you feel like you’re going to attack it, you feel like you’re the team to beat, you feel like you’re going to win the Super Bowl,” safety Derwin James said, “but this year it just feels right.”

Here are three takeaways from the Chargers’ offseason:

The stars are excited

Quarterback Justin Herbert has never been the kind of player to speak with the media for long, extended periods. His news conferences often range from five to 10 minutes; he keeps many of his answers team-focused and short. But in his first time talking to the media since the Chargers hired Harbaugh, Herbert was different.

He spoke for 26 minutes, making jokes about his desire to throw the ball as many times as possible and even his appearance at a Zach Bryan concert, where he sang on stage.

“No, there’s no nerves up there. You get up there, and it’s just like playing a football game. It just happens to be a concert,” he said with a smile.

pretend zach bryan’s ‘revival’ is playing over this pic.twitter.com/niIb8aDr7J

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 3, 2024

Outside linebackers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack also joined Herbert in the unusually long and jolly news conference department for their first time speaking since the Harbaugh hire.

Mack revealed to reporters that his nickname is “Smokeshow” because he “smokes” the younger players in a linebacker drill. He joked with one reporter who asked whether 2024 would be his final season and said they needed to “turn on the film” because he was “rolling.”

As he walked off the podium, Mack admitted how different his news conference was from his typical interactions with the media, “Y’all got a lot out of me today. I don’t usually give y’all that much,” he said with a smile.

While Mack and Herbert were energetic about their new head coach and lauded Harbaugh, Bosa was the most direct in his appreciation for the new regime. Most notably, Bosa said he appreciated that under Harbaugh, the messaging from leadership is clear and doesn’t “get mixed up as it’s moving down the ladder,” which he’s experienced in other situations.

“I feel like coach is leading the team the way it should be led,” Bosa said.

Herbert is getting comfortable with sticking out

Quarterbacks typically wear a distinguishable color at practices so defenders know to keep away from the team’s most important asset. Harbaugh implemented a gold jersey for this purpose, but only for Herbert. The other quarterbacks wear white like the rest of the offense.

“Quarterback, we try to have a two yard halo around him,” Harbaugh said. “The gold jersey is just a reminder: Two yards for all the quarterbacks, but the guy wearing the gold jersey, let’s make that two and a half or three.”

Hebert generally shies away from things that draw attention to himself, so the gold jersey was an unnatural fit for him. He asked Harbaugh if the other quarterbacks could also wear gold, but Harbaugh declined.

“He said it was his rule and so if it’s his rule, I’m following it,” Herbert said. “It doesn’t matter what color it is, I’ll wear it.”

Rookies making an impact

The Chargers drafted nine players in April’s NFL draft, and a few of them have already begun to have an impact. Perhaps the biggest has been cornerback Tarheeb Still, drafted in the fifth round from the University of Maryland.

Still secured an interception against the first-team offense and had multiple pass deflections throughout minicamp. Still’s play drew the attention of James, who told reporters he’d been impressed with Still, and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who said he appreciated the leap Still has made from the beginning of the offseason program to the end of minicamp in June.

Harbaugh named first-round rookie Joe Alt among the five offensive linemen that separated themselves during camp, likely solidifying Alt as the team’s starting right tackle. This announcement was more a formality for Alt, who was almost guaranteed to be a starter, but having already been named a starter before the team was even in full pads indicates that Alt has made a positive impact in his first weeks in LA.

“He’s got all the right stuff,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “He respects the veterans, guys that have done it before him; He’s got a great demeanor about him, great work ethic, and he’s the kind of guy you want in the foxhole with you.”

Second-round rookie receiver Ladd McConkey has been perhaps the team’s best route runner in the offseason program, his quickness and preciseness in routes is what made the Chargers trade up to get him in the second round. He impressed Herbert with his maturity — and he bonded with Herbert off the field at the Zach Bryan concert.

After an offensive overhaul that saw the departures of some of Herbert’s favorite receiving options in running back Austin Ekeler, tight end Gerald Everett, and receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, McConkey has an opportunity in year one to have a significant role in the Chargers passing offense.

“He’s just picked up the offense so easily. It’s like he’s been a four- or five-year vet,” Herbert said. “He understands the game.”