The Los Angeles Chargers have done a solid job this offseason of adding pieces across the roster, which seems to have put this team in a good position to make the playoffs once again and could potentially result in one of the better seasons thus far under head coach Jim Harbaugh .
While adding players is great, having players already on the roster continue to develop is even better. On that note, Chargers wide receiver Tre Harris made a bold statement during Thursday's media session about the progression of quarterback Justin Herbert , suggesting this could be one of Herbert's best seasons yet.
"It's going to be really exciting. I can tell you that. You know, I'm super excited for Justin because, you know, he does some special things that I get to see every day in practice, and I'm just super excited for everybody in the league one and and all the fans to be able to see what he truly can do, and he's put it on tape before. Everybody knows what he's capable of, but I feel like this year he's going to be even an even different monster than he already is," Harris said.
One of the biggest takeaways from Harris' statement about Herbert is the fact that he is truly excited for Herbert to take the field and showcase what he has done on the practice field in the summer and throughout camp.
Additionally, Harris emphasized that he believes Herbert is going to be much better than he already is when the 2026 season kicks off which should be terrifying for opposing defenses.
In 2025, Herbert had a great season, but he did have to do a lot of extra work due to the offensive line struggling to stay healthy and not being able to protect as effectively.
With the offensive line being so injured, Herbert had to move around a lot to extend plays, which he was able to do, but he did take significantly more hits than he should have, which is something the Chargers hope can change in 2026.
While Herbert did was under heavy pressure last season, he was quite productive as he totaled 3,727 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and completed 66.4 percent of his passes. Herbert also added 498 yards and two touchdowns on the ground which did help the Chargers to move the chains very often to extend drives.
Heading into 2026, Herbert should not only be more protected with offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater coming back, but also should be running a much more balanced offense under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel , who has found a way to establish a solid run game and get the ball out on the perimeter.
In McDaniel's offense, Herbert should be able to lean on the great playmakers the Chargers have.
In the backfield is the running back trio of Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell. On the perimeter, Los Angeles has several great weapons at wide receiver with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre Harris, as well as at the tight end position with Charlie Kolar, Oronde Gadsden, and David Njoku.
Getting back to Harris, he has seen Herbert's ability firsthand, and with the speed that Harris possesses at the receiver position, he could be an even more effective weapon for Herbert than he was last season.
During the 2025 season, Harris recorded 30 receptions for 324 yards, one touchdown, and 18 first downs, while averaging 10.8 yards per reception.
If Harris and Herbert keep growing their chemistry and get on the same page, this offense could very well have one of the more dangerous deep threats in the entire NFL.
So, as the Chargers head into 2026, if Herbert continues to progress and is able to distribute the ball all over the field in McDaniel's offense, Harris' statement could be proven right, with Herbert quite possibly putting himself firmly in the conversation as one of the top-five quarterbacks in the NFL.
