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When people discuss the Los Angeles Chargers’ biggest X-factor entering the 2026 season, the conversation usually begins with Justin Herbert, new OC Mike McDaniel, or one of the team’s other star players.
However, the player who may ultimately determine whether the Chargers finally break through in the playoffs isn’t a quarterback, wide receiver, or pass rusher.
It’s right guard Cole Strange.
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That might come as a surprise considering Strange wasn’t one of the marquee additions of the offseason. In fact, his arrival flew largely under the radar. Yet, barring an injury or an unexpected trade, the former first-round pick is expected to line up as Los Angeles’ starting right guard when the regular season begins. For the Chargers, that’s a massive gamble, and one that could pay off in a big way.
Strange entered the NFL with high expectations after the New England Patriots selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Chattanooga. While his career in New England never unfolded the way many envisioned, he’s still just 27 years old and entering what should be the prime of his career.
If Strange can rediscover the talent that made him a first-round selection, Los Angeles could suddenly field one of the NFL’s most improved offensive lines. If he struggles, however, many of the same issues that plagued the Chargers a year ago could resurface. That’s why his importance can’t be overstated.
1 surprising Chargers player who could make or break 2026 NFL season
The Chargers completely reshaped their offensive line this offseason. Rashawn Slater returns to lock down the left tackle position after missing all of 2025. Joe Alt is back at right tackle after multiple injuries last season. Tyler Biadasz takes over at center after signing from Washington, and rookie Jake Slaughter from Florida is expected to claim the starting left guard job. The plan for Slaughter is to battle with Trevor Penning and Kayode Awosika, showcasing what could be a major position battle.
That leaves Strange as the final piece of an almost entirely new unit. Trey Pipkins is back with LA, expected to be a swing tackle, while Zion Johnson, Mekhi Becton, Jamaree Salyer, and Bradley Bozeman were not brought back. Bozeman then retired from the NFL.
Remarkably, Los Angeles is expected to start five different offensive linemen in Week 1 compared to the group that took the field in last season’s playoff loss to the Patriots. That’s an enormous amount of turnover, but it also reflects just how determined Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz were to fix the team’s biggest weakness.
Justin Herbert spent much of the 2025 season under relentless pressure, finishing as the NFL’s most pressured quarterback by a wide margin (173 pressures). For all of Herbert’s talent, even elite quarterbacks struggle when they’re constantly forced to evade defenders before receivers can finish their routes.
The good news is that the foundation already appears much stronger than it was a season ago. Slater and Alt give the Chargers one of the league’s best tackle combinations, Biadasz brings stability and leadership to the middle of the line, and Slaughter offers exciting long-term upside.
Early last season, before injuries and inconsistency began to mount, the Chargers opened the year 3-0 while winning three consecutive AFC West games. The offense looked balanced, Herbert played efficiently, and the line consistently controlled the line of scrimmage, even without Slater.
That’s the version of the Chargers Jim Harbaugh is trying to recreate.
If Strange elevates his game and solidifies the right side of the offensive line, the Chargers will have every reason to believe they can not only return to the playoffs but finally win the postseason game that has eluded them the past two years.
For a player who wasn’t viewed as one of the offseason’s splashiest additions, Cole Strange may end up having the biggest impact on whether the Chargers become legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2026.
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