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Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden

Jim Harbaugh enters his third season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, looking to get past the AFC Wildcard for the first time in his tenure with the organization.

The Bolts had a strong offseason on both sides of the ball, with notable additions to the coaching staff and additions to the roster.

With offseason training ongoing, one NFL writer dropped a list of all the ‘best-kept secrets’ for all 32 teams in the league, naming a second-year player for the Chargers.

Chargers Former Fifth-Rounder Labeled “Best-Kept Secret’

GettyChargers second-year player named ‘best-kept secret’ for the team

Justin Herbert threw 3,727 passing yards in the 2025 season, the fewest in his career when playing more than 13 games in a season. Despite the career worst, the quarterback may have found a new weapon on the squad.

Oronde Gadsden, who was a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, had a strong rookie season. The tight end logged 664 receiving yards and 4 touchdown catches in 2025.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report labeled tight end Gadsden as the team’s ‘best-kept secret‘ ahead of the 2026 season.

“Oronde Gadsden II has always been a weapon in the passing game. At Syracuse, the tight end/oversized wide receiver posted two 900-plus yard seasons when healthy. The fact Gadsden entered the Los Angeles Chargers’ lineup as a rookie and caught 49 passes for 664 yards came as no surprise whatsoever,” Sobleski wrote. “The 165th overall pick in last year’s draft should expect a bigger workload this fall.”

“First, Keenan Allen hasn’t re-signed, which frees up 122 targets. Also, the organization brought in veteran tight end David Njoku on a one-year deal… The Chargers can lean heavily on 12-man personnel (1 running back and 2 tight end set) without losing any playmaking thanks to Gadsden and Njoku’s capabilities.”

The former has the potential to become Justin Herbert’s new security blanket and control the middle of the field.

Herbert previously said that Gadsden is a “pro” and that someone who will “keep coming back no matter what, saying the team is lucky to have him.

Oronde Gadsden Faces Competition in the RB Room

GettyChargers added David Njoku on a one-year deal

Oronde Gadsden cemented himself as the first option at tight end on the Los Angeles Chargers roster, though the latest additions to the tight end room can make him a bit worried.

David Njoku is a two-time Pro Bowler who has yet to play with a quarterback as good as Justin Herbert. Pairing with him could give the former Cleveland Browns the career resurgence he needs (alongside playing with a playoff contender).

With the additions of Charlie Kolar, who will mainly have blocking responsibilities, could get a snap in a pass play every once in a while.

LA also signed Johnny Pascuzzi after he had a rookie minicamp tryout. While the UDFA is a long shot to make the roster, he still presents a threat during training camp and could affect his rep count during practice.

Despite all this, Oronde Gadsden appears to be a steal for the Chargers after last year’s draft and continues to be the best option at tight end for the Bolts going forward.