The schedule is set, and the Los Angeles Chargers will kick off organized team activities next week at The Bolt. The 2026 season is coming into clearer focus.The Chargers know exactly what lies ahead, including a brutal stretch from Week 3 to Week 10. The Chargers know what the foundation of their roster will look like.The stage is set as coach Jim Harbaugh enters his third season and the organization seeks its first playoff win since 2018.Let’s reset with some of your questions.You ask. I answer.It’s the mailbag.Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length.Last year, the O-line “competition” didn’t feature a lot of different rotations in camp. How will it look this year with all these new linemen? — Sammy G.The Chargers did not do much tinkering along their offensive line last spring and summer. They briefly flirted with the idea of moving left guard Zion Johnson to center. That experiment was short-lived. By Aug. 4, the Chargers had settled on a starting five: left tackle Rashawn Slater, left guard Johnson, center Bradley Bozeman, right guard Mekhi Becton, right tackle Joe Alt.Harbaugh called those players the “best five” in a news conference that day. Most notably, there was never any true competition at center, outside of Johnson’s brief stint. Andre James was largely an afterthought.We all know what happened next. Slater suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon Aug. 7. Alt suffered two ankle injuries, the second of which ended his season in Week 9. Becton was in and out of the lineup with various injuries and ailments. Bozeman struggled. The Chargers failed to protect Justin Herbert, who was hit more than any quarterback in the league.The Chargers have overhauled their offensive line group this offseason to find players who fit offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s scheme. The Chargers have been looking for more range and athleticism. The result: 11 of the 17 rostered linemen are new to the team, including second-round pick Jake Slaughter.The competition in training camp within the starting unit will come at left guard. I see the other four positions as set: LT Slater, C Tyler Biadasz, RG Cole Strange, RT Joe Alt.A fully open battle at one position is definitely more starting competition than we saw last year. Slaughter will be in the mix at left guard along with Trevor Penning and Kayode Awosika. I predict Slaughter will be the Week 1 starter at left guard.The depth battles are going to be significantly fiercer than last year. The Chargers kept only eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster last year, including Austin Deculus, whom they traded for in late August. This year, the Chargers have at least a dozen players competing for nine or possibly 10 roster spots. The Chargers’ three Day 3 picks — Travis Burke, Logan Taylor and Alex Harkey — make this a competitive depth battle.Every offensive lineman is going to have to earn their way onto the 53-man.Imagine a timeline where the Chargers enter the playoffs next year with 12 wins and an AFC West title. What three decisions made by the team this offseason would you assume were most important in achieving that result? — Larenz T.For those who missed my schedule breakdown, I made my one and only record prediction for the year. I have the Chargers at 10-7, making the playoffs as a wild card. Our question asker poses a scenario in which the Chargers exceed my prediction. It would be the Chargers’ first division title since 2009. The leading rusher on that team was Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson.His outcome is within the realm of possibility. I could not quite get there because the schedule is very, very difficult. But it’s not a pipe dream. If the Chargers finish 12-5 and win the AFC West, these would be the three most impactful offseason decisions that got them there:1. Hiring McDaniel. If the Chargers stay healthy, they can have a top five offense. McDaniel is going to limit the hits on Herbert. He is going to give Herbert easier answers. The Chargers are going to be more efficient while asking less of their franchise quarterback. And the running game is going to be explosive.2. Signing Biadasz. The Chargers desperately needed more capable play at center after the last two seasons with Bozeman. Biadasz is a pro who will provide an upgrade in all phases, including, most importantly, as a pass protector.3. Drafting Akheem Mesidor. If Chris O’Leary is going to find success in his first season as Chargers defensive coordinator, the pass rush must be the engine. That was how Jesse Minter constructed his defenses. O’Leary will have the chance to do the same with Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Mesidor. The known passing packages are going to be physical, violent and versatile. The production should follow. Mesidor is the part that will allow that vision to materialize.Which position group do you think has the biggest potential to make a solid jump from last season? — Jexxy D.The running backs are going to make the biggest jump of any position group. Offensive line is also in consideration here, but we touched on that group at length earlier.Chargers running backs ranked 23rd last season in yards per carry, according to TruMedia. First-round pick Omarion Hampton was just breaking out when he suffered a freak ankle injury in Week 5. Kimani Vidal set a career high with 643 rushing yards, but he was not very efficient. Vidal finished 22nd in EPA/rush among 33 backs with at least 150 carries.If Hampton stays on the field, he has the talent to be one of the best backs in football. There is more meat on the bone for Vidal, even after an important step forward last season. Free-agent addition Keaton Mitchell is an ideal fit in McDaniel’s scheme. This could be a top 10 running backs group in 2026 with McDaniel calling the plays.Pay 45? — Clint G.No. 45 would be Tuipulotu, the Chargers edge rusher who is coming off a career-high 13-sack season. The easy answer to this question: Yes, the Chargers should absolutely pay Tuipulotu via a contract extension.The more difficult questions: What is a fair price? And when will the two sides come to terms on what that fair price is?Tuli Tuipulotu is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)I could see this negotiation stretching on for a bit. Tuipulotu is under contract on his rookie deal for 2026. If he puts up another 13-sack season, his price tag will increase substantially. So there is some incentive for Tuipulotu to play out his contract, though that always comes with injury risk.For the Chargers, if they do the contract this offseason, they would be inking Tuipulotu to an extension at high tide, fresh off his best pro season. They could wait until next offseason. The price goes up if Tuipulotu replicates his 2025 production. The price goes down if he does not.In the end, the two sides will end up settling in the $32 million- to $34 million-per-year range. That is a fair price for a really good player in Tuipulotu. It might take some time to get there, though.Do you think they add another CB to the room, or do you think they are comfortable with who they have? — Richman_1717I’ll never rule out general manager Joe Hortiz’s adding to the roster. It is the fabric of his team-building philosophy. The roster is a 365-day process.However, I don’t think adding at corner makes a lot of sense. First and foremost, there are no available players who would be decisive improvements. The only cornerback remaining in my top 150 is Marshon Lattimore. He is coming off an ACL injury and is a much better fit in a more man-heavy defense.The Chargers also believe in their young corners. They have good depth in this group. Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart are solid players. They have a chance to improve even further entering their third seasons. Donte Jackson is a reliable veteran. The Chargers are also really high on two 2025 undrafted free agents, Nikko Reed and Eric Rogers. Rogers was a preseason standout and made the 53-man, but he ended up missing the entire regular season with an injury.The Chargers are comfortable with letting some of these young players duke it out in training camp. It should be a fun battle.