The Los Angeles Chargers have made moves to help Justin Herbert get this offense into new heights. According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, tight end Oronde Gadsden could be “maximized” now that Mike McDaniel is the team’s offensive coordinator.
Per Popper’s report, the signing of tight end Charlie Kolar “will allow Oronde Gadsden to play in a role that maximizes the 2025 fifth-round pick’s receiving skill set.” That is great news for Justin Herbert, who found an unexpected weapon in the tight end last season.
Gadsden came out of nowhere and produced 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns. Now, Mike McDaniel and his highly-productive scheme could make Gadsden one of the best tight ends in football, at least in the receiving aspect of it.
McDaniel has made wonders with other tight ends
McDaniel had underwhelming tight ends his first two years as the Dolphins head coach, but once he got Jonnu Smith, things changed. In the 2024 season, Smith had 884 yards and eight touchdowns on 88 receptions.
McDaniel was also the 49ers offensive coordinator, where he had George Kittle. Now, Kittle is a superstar and he would arguably deliver in every scheme imaginable. Still, McDaniel’s scheme follows the Shanahan scheme, which means tight ends are not only important, but key to success.
The Chargers are not done
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the Chargers were keeping tabs on AJ Brown. While those rumors have dimmed, the fact is that this means the Chargers are in the market, active. After all, they have money to spend.
The Chargers have $59.5 million in cap space, which is the second-highest in the NFL this season. They have brought offensive players in Tyler Biadasz, Keaton Mitchell, Alec Ingold, and Charlie Kolar. They brought four names in defense, and plenty more will be spent.