Will Chargers GM Joe Hortiz spend in FA? Team reporter sounds off

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz is entering his third season with the organization, and this free agency period is of utmost importance.

There has been much success in the last two years under Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh, but they have yet to add a playoff win to their resume. The team has over $87 million in cap space this offseason, and if they play their cards right, can assemble a serious contender.

The Bolts have shown flashes of brilliance, such as their 3-0 start in 2025. But the last two playoff berths have resulted in first-round exits.

That needs to change in 2026 and it's unclear what route Hortiz will take in free agency.

The Athletic's Daniel Popper provided some insight on Hortiz's philosophy and what role he will play for the team in the coming weeks.

"They have the resources to be aggressive and show some urgency in the roster build. Some in the league are watching to see if Hortiz sticks to his philosophy, which he honed over 26 years working in the Baltimore Ravens front office. Or if he adapts. This tradeoff is central to so many of the decisions the Chargers will make in the coming weeks," Popper writes.

With the second-most effective cap space in the league, the Chargers can afford to shake things up and the 2026 season is the perfect time to do just that. They looked like serious contenders at the start of last season, but fizzled out down the stretch.

Now, Hortiz will have to build a roster that can withstand the playoffs as the Chargers look to make a deep postseason run. Will he be aggressive in spending to make it happen, though? Only time will tell.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Will Joe Hortiz stick to free agency philosophy or shake things up?