“I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame,” remember the dream that Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh saw a few days ago. He had bonded well with his players last year. And they even had an impressive 11-6 regular season before the Texans eliminated them in the wild-card game. While he is dreaming about Super Bowls, he isn’t waking up and doing what’s needed to turn that into reality. In fact, some of his decisions have left the team devoid of solid players.

Two months have passed since the nose tackle Kaylon Nakia ‘Poona’ Ford Jr. walked out the Chargers’ door, and yeah, it still hurts. Not just because he signed with the Rams (talk about an insult to the injury), but because Ford was more than just a name on a depth chart. In 2024, his lone season with the AFC West franchise, he tied for his career best 3 sacks and the second highest solo tackles (24). Now, that middle feels worryingly hollow.

DE Morgan Fox, who led the team in interior pressures last season, is gone too. In 3 seasons, he started 19 games (played 51) and recorded 15.5 sacks with 54 solo tackles. That’s a loss of two big defensive players who hold on to the rivals pretty well. So, what did Jim Harbaugh do to patch the hole? Enter Da’Shawn Hand, Naquan Jones, and third-round rookie Jamaree Caldwell.

Hand played in 64 career games and started just 13. He recorded a maximum of 3 sacks in his rookie year with the Lions, but has been in and out of starting lineups since then. Both veterans have impressed the DC Jesse Minter. But asking the rookie Caldwell to be the disruptor is too much of an ask. The nose tackle position is one of the hardest in the sport. Jim Harbaugh might ask Teair Tart to step forward now. Last year, he started only 1 game (played 17) for them, finishing the 2024 season with 1 sack and 29 tackles (15 solo).

The truth is, LA lost its core up the middle. And it might become the key reason they will struggle against their rivals.

A reality check for Jim Harbaugh

The loss of talent in the free agency has not only left Jim Harbaugh short of options. Even defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is scratching his head in the current scenario. NFL analyst Albert Breer appeared on the June 13 episode of the Sports Illustrated podcast with Conor Orr. And he gave a hard reality check to the Chargers’ head coach.

Talking about their edge rushers, Breer noted, “Jesse Mentor thought that edge group was probably the strength of what he inherited when he got there last year. And I think it’s harder to say that’s the case now. Clearly, Joey Boss is gone, Tuipulotu is like probably probably going to be their best pass rusher by the end of the year. It’s interesting because you are again relying on two older guys.” The edge group was their strength in 2024.

Last year, with Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and a promising rookie in Tuli Tuipulotu, the unit had experience, pedigree, and emerging talent. It looked like a foundational group for Minter’s new scheme. But now? That’s a harder case to make.

Joey Bosa is gone, now in Buffalo, and while he had injury concerns, he was still an impact player when on the field. Khalil Mack remains, but he’s 33 and entering his 11th NFL season. They re-signed Bud Dupree. But he’s another veteran who has bounced around and is far from the game-wrecker he once was in Pittsburgh. It flashes the spotlight onto Tuli Tuipulotu, who they expect to be the best pass rusher on the roster by year’s end.

Jim Harbaugh and his defensive power are a less stable group than the one he had when he walked in. It could still be productive, but calling it a strength in 2025 feels like a stretch. And with no players to carry his plans, his dreams for Justin Herbert might remain daydreams only.