Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s absence from the last couple of weeks of the team’s offseason program came with a seal of approval from head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Herbert was back for Wednesday’s workout and Harbaugh said that the quarterback missed time in order to accompany his girlfriend Madison Beer on her concert tour. Harbaugh said he was “so excited” to have Herbert back and that he supported the quarterback’s decision to make time for his relationship because of how committed he has been to the team throughout their time together.
“I was happy he went to support Madison on her music tour,” Harbaugh said, via Gilberto Manzano of SI.com. “Madison supports him at the football games. He told me he wasn’t gonna be here for those two weeks and my first reaction was, ‘do you need a ride to the airport?’ He’s just been somebody that’s just here all the time. There’s 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 he was here the next day practicing. The next game, stiff-arming guys. Yeah, I was happy. Happy. Good balance.”
As Harbaugh noted, the work at this stage of the offseason is voluntary and Herbert’s absence from a portion of it wasn’t the cause of any alarm for the Chargers.
The Chargers think they’ll have both of their starting offensive tackles on the field when training camp opens this summer.
Left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon last August and missed the entire season. Joe Alt moved from the right side to fill in for Slater, but multiple injuries limited him to six games before he landed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
On Wednesday, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said at a press conference, via multiple reporters, that the team expects both players to be ready for camp.
“It looks that way,” Harbaugh said.
The Chargers’ offensive line woes contributed to their latest first-round exit from the playoffs, so they’ll be hoping that Alt and Slater can both be around for all of a longer run during the 2026 season.
Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz said last week that keeping safety Derwin James in the organization for his entire career was a high priority and that became a likelier outcome on Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, James has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the team. The deal is reportedly worth $75.6 million with $57.5 million in guaranteed money.
The $25.2 million average annual salary during the extension is the most at the safety position.
James was a first-round pick in 2018 and he has started every game he’s played since joining the Chargers. He was named a second-team All-Pro for the third time after posting 94 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks, and a forced fumble last season.
Safety Derwin James has been with the Chargers since entering the NFL in 2018 and the team would like to see him continue to wear their uniform through the end of his playing days.
James is moving into the final year of his current contract and General Manager Joe Hortiz said last month that he anticipated an acceleration of talks about a new deal after the draft. It’s almost June now and Hortiz said on Up & Adams that getting something done remains at the top of his list of priorities.
“It’s high, it’s high,” Hortiz said. “I’ve told the story, in Baltimore we had Derwin up there as the number one player on our board in that draft, you know, the No. 1 player available when we were picking. And we took a trade back and he got picked. I said to him when I first met him, I’m like, ‘Gosh, you should’ve been a Raven. We traded away from you, but I’m glad you’re not because I’m here now.’ He’s such a special, special leader and person. Like Justin [Herbert], the talent is real and it’s there, but the leader and motivator and energy he gives to everybody within the organization, throughout the entire building, it’s so unique. One of the best I’ve ever been around in terms of leadership, talent and character.”
James has been both productive and durable over recent seasons and he’ll get a chance to continue to do both for the Chargers as long as all goes well at the negotiating table.
The Chargers have announced a handful of promotions on their coaching staff.
On the offensive side of the ball, Shane Day will be the offensive passing game coordinator along with his previous title of quarterbacks coach while Josh Hammond is now an assistant wide receivers and special teams coach.
Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale will be the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive line coach Mike Elston will be the defensive run game coordinator. Mike Hiestand will have the title of defensive run game specialist.
The Chargers also announced that Jarrod James, Jimmy Thompson and Beau Snuggs have been named the team’s Alex G. Spanos Coaching Fellows for the 2026 season.
