On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Chargers quietly turned the page on a key offseason question. After weeks of waiting, Jim Harbaugh and the front office locked in their answer to life after Jesse Minter. The decision landed with purpose and timing, and the message was clear that the Chargers wanted continuity without standing still. In doing so, Harbaugh made his final call on the defensive side and set the tone for what comes next in the City of Angels.

Soon after, the organization made it official online.

“On lock… we’ve agreed to terms with Chris O’Leary to be our defensive coordinator,” the announcement post wrote on X.

Notably, O’Leary is no stranger to the Chargers. After working with Jim Harbaugh in 2024 as the team’s safeties coach, he now returns to the Bolts following a season running the defense at Western Michigan.

Before coming back to SoFi Stadium, O’Leary left a strong imprint at Western Michigan. In 2025, he guided the Broncos’ defense that powered a 10-4 finish and a Mid-American Conference title, only the fourth in school history. More importantly, his group became one of the toughest units in the country, ranking ninth nationally in scoring defense while sitting near the top of the MAC in yards allowed.

Previously, Chargers fans saw his impact firsthand. During the 2024 season, the Bolts finished first in the NFL in scoring defense and shut down opponents inside the red zone better than anyone.

At the center of that success was Derwin James Jr., who thrived under O’Leary’s guidance and earned another Pro Bowl nod along with All-Pro recognition. As the season closed, James took things even further. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December and January after stacking sacks, tackles for loss, turnovers, and timely breakups when games mattered most.

And now that same play-caller is back. However, now let’s have a look at the offensive side.

Jim Harbaugh’s OC, Mike McDaniel, provides updates on the offense

During his first press conference with the team, Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was asked about possible changes to the offensive coaching staff. Rather than rushing answers, he shared that the process was still unfolding and nothing was close to finalized.

“We’re still going through it; it’s early,” he said.

The offensive line coach spot was already empty after the Chargers moved on from Mike Devlin, along with Greg Roman, at the end of the season. Because of that, McDaniel and Jim Harbaugh needed to solve that piece before addressing anything else.

According to Cameron Wolfe, the Bolts landed on a familiar name. Miami offensive line coach Butch Barry will likely take the same role in Los Angeles. Barry spent three seasons working with McDaniel in South Beach and crossed paths with him earlier in San Francisco, back when McDaniel ran the offense for the 49ers.

Beyond that, the bigger picture matters even more. One of Harbaugh’s clear offseason priorities involves spending up front. The Chargers already handed Rashawn Slater a massive deal before last year’s injury, and pairing him with Joe Alt creates a level of talent Barry has never coached before.

Then, the interior line remains a concern, and it feels unlikely the Chargers can simply bring back Bradley Bozeman and Mekhi Becton as the answer. With a new OC and a new line coach in place, the Bolt Fam now waits to see how Harbaugh and McDaniel truly reshape this offense.