Eric Smith

Welcome back to theChargers Mailbag!

The offseason is here but the Mailbag keeps going. We'll do one of these every month or so in the offseason. Send in submissions for the Mailbag onTwitter @EricLSmithor by email at[email protected].

Off we go...

With the schedule coming out next week, which game are you looking forward to the most? (Tom via email)

In case you missed it, theChargers 2025 schedulewill be released on May 14.

I took a stab atpredicting all 17 gameson the docket with the hope being to get more correct (two) than I had last year.

But which one stands out the most?

Obviously, theChargers Week 1 game in Brazilwill be intriguing but the opponent for that Sept. 5 game hasn't been announced yet. We do know that it won't be Philadelphia, who will open the season at home on Sept. 4 as the defending champs.

And speaking of the Eagles, that's my pick here, and not just because they're the league's most-recent champion.

Ever since Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz arrived, they have talked about building a team that wins football games by dominating in the trenches and with a smashmouth style on offense.

You know which team does that better than anyone right now? The Eagles.

Philadelphia's identity features a menacing offensive line and powerful defensive line. Oh yeah, they also have that Saquon Barkley guy, too.

How does the Chargers offensive line fare against Jalen Carter and Co.? How does the Bolts defense try and slow down Barkley? Who wins the battle between top-tier quarterbacks inJustin Herbertand Jalen Hurts?

The storylines here will be aplenty, even if we don't yet know when this game will take place.

Simply put, the home game against the Eagles will be an excellent measuring stick for who the Bolts want to be.

I don't know about ever, that's some pretty high praise that this team will have to earn in the coming months.

But is this the deepest roster I've seen since arriving in June of 2022? No doubt.

And I say that when teams of the past might have had more top-end star power and name recognition.

It feels like there are more cornerstone pieces in place here (for both now and the future) that in recent years.

Offensively, that list is headlined by Herbert, Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt,Ladd McConkeyandOmarion Hampton, even if he hasn't played a game yet.

Khalil Mackis older, sure, but he's a leader of the defense that includes Derwin James, Jr., Daiyan Henley, Elijah Molden, Tuli Tuipulotu, Tarheeb Still and others.

And having a clutch 25-year-old kicker in Cameron Dicker is a luxury that most teams would take in a heartbeat.

Overall, this team feels solid from top to bottom. And while a playoff run should be the expectation in Year 2 under Harbaugh again the 2025 Chargers will need to work to make that happen during the spring and summer.

But with the 2025 schedule coming out next week, it's fun to imagine what the ceiling for this team looks like.

Every indication from Hortiz and Harbaugh this offseason, whether it was at the Combine, Annual League Meeting or other media sessions, made it clear that this is something they will try this offseason.

The vibe right now is that Johnson will shift from left guard to center and try and win that starting job. A collection of other interior offensive linemen Trey Pipkins III, Bradley Bozeman and Andre James are expected to battle for the left guard job.

Now, what we don't know is how Johnson will adapt to moving to the middle of the offensive line. The hope, of course, is that he crushes it and becomes a solid and reliable starter there in 2025. He certainly has the physical and mental traits to thrive at a position that demands a lot.

And if Johnson struggles to take to the new spot, there's always a chance he goes back to left guard. That would leave Bozeman and James as options for the center spot.

Hence why I said this is one of the deepest Chargers rosters in recent memory. Hortiz has constructed a deep group, particularly along the offensive line.

But Johnson's pivot to center will certainly be one of the top offseason storylines for the Chargers in 2025.

Combining these two questions since they both pertain to young wide receivers on the Bolts roster.

I'll start by saying I expect wide receiver training camp battles for roster spots to be among the fiercest of any position on the roster.

McConkey is a stud and is likely going to be one of Herbert's top targets again in 2025. But the real question is how the rest of the roster shakes out behind him.

Mike Williams will provide a veteran outside presence and could help show rookie Tre Harris what it takes to succeed in such a role.

Lambert-Smith can also play outside and it will be interesting to see where Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman has him line up in certain formations. The 2025 fifth-round pick will certainly bring some juice to the field with his 4.37 speed.

Quentin Johnston took a step in Year 2 and will hopefully take more strides in 2025. Derius Davis showed flashes as a receiver while maintaining his elite returner status.

That's already six wide receivers mentioned, which could be the number the Chargers keep on the roster.

We haven't even gotten to players like Jalen Reagor or Rice, both of whom could very well challenge for a roster spot.

Rice had a tough rookie season as he missed some time on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. Let's hope he's ready to go from the jump in OTAs later this month and makes a strong first impression in spring practices.