The Los Angeles Chargers, as good as they looked at the start of the season, fell short of the postseason. Quarterback Justin Herbert played like an MVP, but the lack of protection limited what he could have done. So, while he may not have reached his ceiling this year, Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker isn’t pinning it all on the quarterback.

“We have probably the most talented quarterback in the NFL throwing-wise,” he said in a conversation with Jon Gruden. “The things we get to see every single day, it’s like, ‘Okay, this is different’.”

This opinion isn’t an isolated one. Some would agree with Dicker. For instance, NFL analyst Sam Monson revealed he cast a first-place MVP vote for Herbert, and it drew instant backlash from a lot of NFL fans. While many believed it cost second-year quarterback Drake Maye the award, Monson tried to justify his vote by stating that the ‘value’ of a player was impossible to objectively evaluate.

Watching Herbert week after week made one thing clear: the Chargers leaned heavily on him, especially with how shaky the offensive line was. Still, the numbers spark uncomfortable questions. He ended the year almost 1,000 passing yards behind Matthew Stafford and nearly 20 rating points below Drake Maye. So, where does that leave the idea of value? And how much weight should the word really carry? That debate is far from settled for fans. But then, there is another perspective to this debate.

Herbert had to manage things despite injuries to the tackle positions.

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The Chargers’ offensive line was unsettled almost from the start, as All-Pro left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon in practice during preseason, ending his year before the season even started. It called for some reshuffling, as head coach Jim Harbaugh moved sophomore lineman Joe Alt from right tackle to left, his natural position, which worked for a while.

But in Week 9, Alt suffered a season-ending high ankle fracture and required a procedure, and from there on, the protection issues amplified. The interior line struggled throughout the year, and center Bradley Bozeman graded near the bottom of his position group, while Herbert kept taking on multiple sacks every game.

The Chargers surrendered 60 sacks over the season. Pro Football Focus ranked the unit 30th in pass-blocking efficiency and second-worst in pass-blocking grade, which makes sense because Justin Herbert faced pressure from everywhere.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman ended up getting fired in January, and despite the hurdles, Justin Herbert still finished with 3,727 passing yards, 26 scores, and 13 picks. So, Dicker knows the obstacles Herbert had to overcome this year. His take should carry weight among the fans and even inside the Chargers’ building.

There were stretches when the line was relatively intact during the start of the season, and Herbert was putting up MVP numbers during that period. In the first ten games, he threw at least one touchdown every week, and with better health up front, maybe the season would’ve ended differently. Even with a Super Bowl appearance.

Cameron Dicker believes the Chargers are Super Bowl-caliber

The Chargers’ season ended with a rather disappointing loss to New England, wherein they managed just 207 yards of offense against an explosive Patriots defense that ended up reaching the Super Bowl. So, when Jon Gruden asked Cameron Dicker directly whether the Chargers might have been playing on Super Bowl Sunday if not for the injuries, the player sounded pretty confident.

“100%. I think everybody was a little bit disappointed with how it ended for us. Everybody’s really excited because we’re able to compete with the best of the best,” Dicker said. “Some big injuries at our tackle positions, which was a bummer for the team, but guys stepped up, did what they needed to do, and got us into the playoffs. And then, we got to figure it out now.”

Dicker’s confidence is not surprising, considering the Chargers’ sense of urgency during the offseason. After moving on from Greg Roman, the Chargers hired former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to run the offense, and the biggest question around him is how McDaniel plans to unlock Herbert’s best, hopefully with a healthier offensive line.

“It can be taxing over time for a player to necessitate an incredible play too often to be able to score points and win football games,” McDaniel said in January.

Basically, the goal is to take some pressure off Herbert’s shoulders, and when the offense is healthy, that approach could make Herbert’s production a lot better.

The Chargers also brought in a familiar face, Chris O’Leary, as their new defensive coordinator after Jesse Minter left to become the fourth head coach in Ravens history. The new coordinator spent 2024 as the Chargers’ safeties coach under Minter before taking over as Western Michigan’s DC in 2025, and that familiarity could matter.

“I have the confidence in myself that the foundation of this defense, what makes this defense special and different, I own those areas,” O’Leary said earlier this month. “I feel I have a mastery of those areas.”

There is also financial flexibility to consider. Los Angeles is heading into the offseason armed with approximately $87 million in available cap room. And with 26 players eligible for free agency in March, some big roster decisions will be made. The front office needs to get it right.

With Justin Herbert under Mike McDaniel, Jim Harbaugh at the helm, and healthy cap space in the offseason, next year should be something the Chargers fans look forward to.