EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Welcome to West Coast Read, a weekly spin around what’s happening in the NFL on the Left Coast.
And to kick things off, we start with a conversation I had with new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and his plans for Justin Herbert. McDaniel displayed flashes of excellence as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but things ultimately fizzled in four seasons on South Beach.
However, McDaniel was highly sought after this offseason by several teams, both as a head coach and offensive coordinator, because of his reputation for innovation as a playcaller. With plenty of options on the table, McDaniel chose the Chargers because of the vast array of skills Justin Herbert has at his disposal, providing a stark contrast to the limited skill set his previous quarterback in Miami had in Tua Tagovailoa, taken one spot above Herbert at No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft.
McDaniel told me his 20 years of coaching in the NFL prepared him for this crossroads moment of his career in coaching the most talented quarterback he’s ever worked with in the league.
“It’s as simple as I’m not sure there are many players in my entire career that are more talented to play the quarterback position than Justin,” McDaniel told me in a conversation after practice during training camp. “And so, with those talents, I learned and built offensive systems around players who are not as talented, so it forces you to try and get really high-level play from guys that don’t have those supreme skill sets.
“Your offense and problem-solving are at its best, where maybe you don’t have to solve those problems from a coaching perspective [with Herbert]. There’s a sure protection or a sure defensive problem that’s introduced, and your quarterback can scramble and go get the primary down. And also you don’t have to unravel the issue as a coach. That’s the best blessing of bouncing round NFL groups as you evolve as a coach, since you get uncovered to so many forms of skills. So, you’re not pigeonholed.”
Mike McDaniel helped Tua Tagovailoa turn into a Professional Bowler throughout his time as Dolphins head coach. (Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Pictures)
McDaniel supplied this instance: if he had landed in New England early in his teaching profession working with somebody like Tom Brady again in 2007, he would have benefited from top-of-the-line quarterbacks ever at fixing pre-snap points, altering performs and protections that put his offense in the most effective conditions.
And perhaps that may have stunted his development as a play designer.
“After which, once you don’t have him, what kind of coach are you able to be?” McDaniel advised me. “I feel as a younger coach, I might have actually screwed it up. I might have requested for Justin as younger as potential, however I’m very a lot glad I’m lastly getting the chance to teach him now, after fixing issues with guys that may’t throw it as far or overcome a poorly designed play the place issues are gloved and simply scramble for the primary down.”
McDaniel stated he maintained self-discipline putting in the offense, ensuring to deal with Herbert’s footwork and bettering his capability to get the ball out fast on quick completions earlier than attending to the good things — the right way to reap the benefits of the Oregon product’s otherworldly arm power.
Mike McDaniel has raved about Justin Herbert all offseason after changing into the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. (Photograph by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune through Getty Pictures)
That occurred halfway by coaching camp, and the outcomes of that have been evident when Herbert related a protracted landing go to Quentin Johnston throughout a preseason sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams.
McDaniel will repair L.A.’s offense, so Herbert performs at an MVP stage by ensuring he doesn’t get uninterested in quick completions that assist transfer the chains and offering a extra constant working assault led by a wholesome Omarion Hampton.
However McDaniel wants to perform two issues to be deemed a profitable season for himself and Herbert: No. 1, his quarterback can’t repeatedly get belted like a piñata, main the league in sacks and quarterback hits. And second, Herbert’s postseason stat line should enhance from a profession 54.7 completion proportion, with two touchdowns and 5 interceptions for a 64.7 passer score. Herbert is 0-3 within the playoffs and underneath his path within the postseason, L.A.’s offenses have averaged 15 factors per sport.
Justin Herbert was sacked six instances within the Chargers’ loss to the Patriots within the postseason as Mike McDaniel will look to maintain his new QB secure. (Photograph by Kathryn Riley/Getty Pictures)
McDaniel believes good issues are in retailer for Herbert and the Bolts, however that should translate into some postseason wins.
“It’s been an attention-grabbing, very cool course of — bucketing all of the stuff we’re getting him to work on after which taking among the stuff that he’s completed at a really excessive stage and ensuring that isn’t misplaced on this offense,” McDaniel advised me. “That’s why I used to be front-loaded in watching all of the movie from his profession in order that I might construct an set up that each integrated the stuff I wished to work on however allowed for the sector to distribute in order that later in performs he could make off-schedule stuff occur like he at all times has.
“There’s completely different components of the sector that he can entry that the majority throwers can’t. So, there’s been some work on simply ensuring that talent set is utilized. Which, from an offensive perspective, is even a extra highly effective method to make the protection defend all the discipline. Balancing that stuff out — we didn’t work on something that was massive arm down the sector till most likely the final week — so, actually centered on small ball, getting the ball out on plant throws and quick-timing performs. I knew that was the most important leap he wanted to make. I used to be very happy with myself as a result of I postpone all of the enjoyable, down-the-field stuff till only in the near past.”
Talking of the Chargers, they’ve an opportunity to pair up with their crosstown rival Rams and obtain one thing unprecedented within the NFL.
Former Raiders CEO and Los Angeles native Amy Trask served as an intern when the Los Angeles Raiders gained the Tremendous Bowl after the group’s 1983 season after relocating from Oakland.
So, Trask understands what an all-Los Angeles Tremendous Bowl would imply for town.
“I’ve heard numerous discussions about this,” Trask advised me. “Some have recommended that may be disappointing for tourism and for the lodges business as a result of arguably you’d have far much less folks touring to the sport if neither of the groups have been positioned exterior of Los Angeles.
“However I’ve a distinct view. Whereas I perceive the purpose that’s made, I feel it might be an incredible alternative for the area to showcase itself. The Los Angeles space and the area itself did a spectacular job in the course of the World Cup. We after all have the Olympics coming in a pair years. However with the Tremendous Bowl coming in February, if it’s the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams, take into consideration what the area can do to showcase itself.”
The Rams are a heavy favourite to win the Tremendous Bowl after executing blockbuster trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, together with the return of All-Professional Aaron Donald from a two-year retirement.
After back-to-back 11-6 seasons underneath Harbaugh and fast exits from the postseason, the Chargers have the sixth-best odds to win the Tremendous Bowl at +1700.
This yr’s Tremendous Bowl is ready to happen at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14. The final time the Tremendous Bowl was performed in Los Angeles was in 2022, when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 on their house discipline.
The primary Tremendous Bowl in L.A. came about at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967, with the Inexperienced Bay Packers defeating the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, 35-10. In all, 9 Tremendous Bowls have been performed in Los Angeles. Solely Miami (11) and New Orleans (11) have hosted extra.
The Chargers gained their solely championship in 1963, a 55-10 victory over the Boston Patriots for the American Soccer League title at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. Together with successful all of it 4 years in the past, the Rams additionally misplaced to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the Coliseum in 1980 in Tremendous Bowl XIV.
Rams CEO Kevin Demoff not too long ago acknowledged it’s been 10 years because the Rams moved again to Los Angeles. It’s been 9 years because the Chargers relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles.
Throughout that point, the 2 groups have mixed for 11 playoff appearances and a Tremendous Bowl victory for the Rams after the 2021 season within the stadium that Rams proprietor Stan Kroenke constructed.
Sure, the identical Kroenke who simply purchased the Los Angeles Angels.
A Rams-Chargers Tremendous Bowl might be kismet.
“Having grown up in Los Angeles and dwelling in Los Angeles, you’ve bought every part right here,” Trask stated. “It’s a really affordable drive from the mountains, which could have snow on them, the desert, which shall be very stunning, and the seashores, that are at all times stunning. Exploit the area. Showcase the area. That’s what I feel might be completed if it ended up Chargers-Rams.”
Jeremiyah Love, whom the Arizona Cardinals took with the third total choose on this yr’s draft, flashed electrical playmaking capability in his first and solely motion in the course of the preseason, totaling 58 yards on 11 carries in a Week 1 contest in opposition to the Raiders. However Love suffered a high-ankle sprain and hasn’t practiced since, making his availability in his group’s season opener on the street in opposition to the Chargers a query mark.
Whereas most NFL observers contemplate Love probably the most proficient working again on this yr’s draft class, a longtime NFL expertise evaluator believes Love’s backup at Norte Dame, Jadarian Value, could be the higher participant.
Scott McCloughan served as San Francisco’s high personnel man for 4 seasons and Seahawks normal supervisor John Schneider’s right-hand man as senior personnel govt from 2010 to 2013. McCloughan additionally labored in personnel for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders and at the moment serves as a draft marketing consultant for groups and brokers that rent him to judge NFL prospects.
“I feel he’s Nick Chubb,” McCloughan advised me about Value. McCloughan was in Cleveland once they drafted Chubb. “He’s a giant man who can run downhill. He’s bought some pace. He’s bought some elusiveness and ball abilities. I advised Johnny [Schneider] once they drafted him, ‘You simply bought a hell of a participant dude.’”
The Seahawks took Jadarian Value within the first spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft. (Photograph by Jack Compton/Getty Pictures)
At 5-foot-11 and 210 kilos, Value ran a 4.49-second, 40-yard time on the NFL Scouting Mix. And whereas he doesn’t possess the elusiveness or pass-catching capability of Love, he has a clearer path to a workhorse function for the Seahawks, with Kenneth Walker signing with the Chiefs in free company and Zach Charbonnet working his method again from season-ending knee surgical procedure,
Together with Love’s harm considerations, he’s additionally in a stacked working again room that features skilled veterans Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Love is definitely listed because the No. 2 working again on Arizona’s depth chart.
However McCloughan believes Value shall be a extra productive again than Love of their NFL careers.
“You understand what, it was very shut,” McCloughan advised me. “I imply, it wasn’t a slam dunk. And don’t get me unsuitable, Love’s actually good. And naturally, Love was the starter. However Jadarian, I feel he’s going to be a very good NFL working again. I do know Nick only in the near past retired, however when he was in his prime, he was kicking ass.
“He’s bought lots of energy, however he additionally has pace.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay predominantly used three-receiver units throughout his time with the Rams, normally main the league in that personnel grouping. Nonetheless, because of accidents and effectiveness, McVay’s Rams led the league by utilizing three tight finish personnel groupings on 331 snaps in 2025, averaging 6.2 yards per play. It’s by far probably the most a group has used that formation over the previous decade in a single season. The second-most was 183 by the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
League-wide, groups used three tight ends 5% of the time in 2025, up from 3.5% in 2024. Furthermore, 21 tight ends have been chosen on this yr’s draft, probably the most since 2002 (24).
The Rams drafted one other tight finish this yr in Max Klare and are carrying 5 on the lively roster, so McVay might be planning to lean on three TE units once more. Nonetheless, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who served because the San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach earlier than taking his new job, doesn’t anticipate the Rams to make use of three tight finish units as usually this season.
Terrance Ferguson had three receiving touchdowns as a rookie in 2025. (Photograph by Ric Tapia/Getty Pictures)
“Final yr, I feel they caught lots of people off guard by doing that, particularly in these first few weeks,” Fleury stated. “If you get into larger groupings, normally it simplifies the defensive menu. However as they proceed to place it on the sector, the defensive menu continues to develop as folks turn into extra ready.
“Going into this season, whereas which may seem to be an advantageous development for an offense to do, all the league has had all the offseason to give you their plan for defending their group personnel. So, I don’t assume you’re going to see fairly the identical benefits. We could have a few of it accessible and deploy it after we really feel applicable. However I don’t know that you’re going to get fairly the extent of manufacturing that the Rams had out of it league-wide.”
Prime 5 On The Westside
A weekly take a look at the highest 5 groups among the many NFC and AFC West:
5. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
I’m tempted to place the Chargers right here, however although he’s recovering from a knee harm, I belief Patrick Mahomes greater than Herbert.
4. San Francisco 49ers
They’re a M*A*S*H unit on each side of the ball, however Shanahan will determine the right way to cobble collectively sufficient wholesome our bodies to play successful soccer.
3. Denver Broncos
They’ve top-of-the-line defenses within the league and one of the vital underrated QBs in Bo Nix.
2. Los Angeles Rams
In Sean McVay we belief, except it’s reserving journey preparations.
1. Seattle Seahawks
To be the most effective, you could beat the most effective. Displaying the defending champs some respect right here, not like the remainder of the nation.
“There’s solely three gamers that I might arise and watch play: LT (Lawrence Taylor), Reggie White and Aaron Donald. These are three guys the place I might watch each play as a result of I’ve by no means seen nothing prefer it. And I feel Myles [Garrett] might be that very same kind of participant right here, for positive.”
Eric Dickerson to me on the impression Myles Garrett might have on the Los Angeles Rams.
