3. What is Zion Johnson’s market?
Offensively, the Chargers biggest name who is slated to be a free agent is Zion Johnson.
A 2022 first-round pick, the left guard played perhaps his best football in 2025. He was dependable and didn’t miss an offensive snap until the Bolts rested their starters in the regular-season finale.
But Hortiz is well aware that a 26-year-old player potentially hitting free agency, especially an ascending linemen like Johnson, means there is certainly going to be plenty of suitors.
“We’ll meet with his agent this week. We’ve talked to him already and we’ll continue the dialogue,” Hortiz said.
Does Hortiz have a number in mind of what Johnson’s market could be? Yes.
Is that number flexible? Yes.
“Yeah, we have a range. Not just Zion, but every player, we tag a guy with a range,” Hortiz said. “There’s an evaluation and that’s what we do. Is it a hard ceiling? No. I don’t think you ever place a hard ceiling on a player.
“But you have to pay what you think a player is worth. Or somewhere near that,” Hortiz added. “We’ll see what happens with Zion, where the market goes, if he gets to the market. We’ll stay engaged with him through the process.”
Johnson is one of seven offensive linemen from the 2025 season who are slated to be free agents next month.
The rest of that group includes Jamaree Salyer, Trey Pipkins III, Andre James, Bobby Hart, Austin Deculus and Trevor Penning.
Add in Bradley Bozeman’s retirement and the interior of the offensive line will certainly be a focus for Hortiz and the front office in the coming weeks.
4. O’Leary back with the Bolts
McDaniel isn’t the only new coordinator the Chargers hired this offseason.
The Bolts also reunited with Chris O’Leary, who is now the Chargers Defensive Coordinator after spending the 2024 season as the safeties coach. O’Leary was Western Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2025.
Hortiz was asked Tuesday about what stood out in O’Leary’s interview?
“Well, his plan, his intelligence, his energy. We knew a lot of that from when he was here,” Hortiz said. “But his preparedness for the interview. I talked to Chris even before Jesse [Minter] actually got a job. I said, ‘Listen, Jesse has got nine interviews and we’d like to interview you if we can get it set up.’
“We had a chance to interview him down in Mobile [at the Senior Bowl]. Just his energy, his creativity, his ideas for going forward. Not just, ‘This is what I did,’ but this is what he wanted to learn. He just did a great job,” Hortiz added.
O’Leary defense at Western Michigan defense ranked second in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (17.4 points per game), a mark that was also good for ninth in all the FBS.
The unit was also second in yards allowed per game (305.5) in the MAC and 19th in the country allowing 179.9 passing yards per game.
Hortiz said O’Leary, who will be a first-time play caller in the NFL, certainly benefitted from being in that role in college.
“Anytime you gain that confidence of doing it for a year, I’m sure that will help him,” Hortiz said.
“He’s a great coordinator in the sense that he knows his staff makes him a great coordinator and great playcaller. He’ll rely on all the guys in the room and put together something good,” Hortiz added.
Hortiz later noted that O’Leary wasn’t viewed as a favorite in the process, he just happened to blow the Chargers away in the interview process.
“He didn’t surprise me because I knew how talented he was when he was here in 2024. But he did what I thought he would do,” Hortiz said. “To say we have a favorite? No. We were looking inside and externally. We interviewed a lot of great candidates internally and externally.
“There were a number of guys to do the job but we just felt he was the best option,” Hortiz added.
