For Jim Harbaugh, shaking things up isn’t a course correction—it’s a calling card. Year one in LA didn’t go off with the bang everybody anticipated. With a franchise QB in Justin Herbert and a roster brimming with potential, the Chargers flailed through an unmemorable 2024 season. Lack of offensive consistency, issues with protecting the quarterback, and an identity crisis along the line made Harbaugh’s opening year more of a reality check.

But now, going into year two, the former 49ers and Michigan coach is doing what he’s best at, breaking down what doesn’t function and rebuilding it from the ground up. And that begins with throwing out the 2024 playbook completely. During a press conference posted on the Chargers’ YouTube channel, Harbaugh declared that the 2024 playbook was being left on the cutting room floor. The system, which had previously relied on deep-ball aggressiveness and strict formations, no longer fits the vision he’s building for Herbert. In its place, Harbaugh is embracing flexibility, especially up front. His number one priority? Cross-training Bradley Bozeman and Zion Johnson daily at center and left guard to determine the optimal inside combination.

“Yeah, that’s the plan right now,” Harbaugh said. “And I don’t know how many days that’ll go like that until we lock it in. But, uh, you know, we know we got a trusted agent, known friend, in Brad Bozeman at center. Um, and we know he can be a really good guard and has been a really good guard.” This shows the amount of trust they have in Bozeman’s versatility and veteran presence. Johnson, the franchise’s best candidate for linemen, is also getting the same amount of attention. Harbaugh said. “Will it be a better combination with him at center and Boze at guard, or is it going to be better with Zion at guard and Bose at center?” It showcases Harbaugh’s embracing of testing and outcome-oriented decision-making.

This rotation is not merely for show purposes. It’s based on last season’s offensive failures. Despite Herbert’s star caliber, the Chargers were unable to keep him consistently protected in 2024. The offense averaged just 23.6 points per game, Herbert absorbed 41 sacks, and posted 3,870 passing yards. The system lacked short-yardage rhythm, putting Herbert under pressure with inconsistent protection up front.

Harbaugh saw the writing on the wall. As he did in Michigan, where he constructed award-winning offensive lines and crafted his playbook to his quarterback’s strengths, so he’s doing in Los Angeles. By constructing fluidity in the interior line, he’s laying the foundation for an offense built on protection, efficiency, and the ability to adapt.

Mike Williams’ surprise retirement shakes up Harbaugh’s WR plans

When Mike Williams first signed a new deal with the Chargers back in March, it appeared a homecoming meant to bring some stability back to a re-shuffling wide receiver corps. Four months later, the veteran wide receiver has retired, and the move seems to be a surprise to the Chargers’ front office.

Williams leaves the game after seven seasons in powder blue and a brief foray with the Steelers and Jets last year. He was rehabbing from an injury this off-season and had only just been placed on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list when training started. Despite GM Joe Hortiz‘s earlier estimate that Williams would return “quickly,” the longtime Herbert favorite instead chose to retire.

On the production side, Williams has left some big shoes to replace. He’s 10th on the franchise’s all-time list of receiving yards (4,806), 13th in receptions (309) and tied for 13th in touchdowns (31). Beyond the numbers, though, Williams gave presence. A master of the contested catch and a guy who seemed to have a presence of mind about him when the game was most important, his loss is greater than just a personnel issue. “When everything mattered the most, he was going to show up,” Justin Herbert said. “That’s what I’ll remember most about him.” However, it is also true that he was a diminishing force in recent years.

With Williams out, the Chargers’ receiving corps shifts into a younger, untested phase. Quentin Johnston steps into a more prominent role, and rookies like Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith now have a clearer runway to earn snaps. For now, the show goes on. But inside the locker room, Williams’ absence will be felt, especially on Sundays when clutch moments call for a No. 81-sized response. That playbook’s on the cutting floor now anyhow.