Chargers TE room completely molded in Jim Harbaughs square-jawed image

For years, Jim Harbaugh’s preferred brand of football felt almost old-fashioned.While much of the NFL chased lighter personnel groupings, spread formations and smaller, faster defenses, Harbaugh continued to build offenses around physicality, versatility and tight ends.Now, the rest of the league appears to be catching up.One of the more intriguing observations from Albert Breer’s latest offseason notebook centered on the Chargers’ revamped tight end room.Breer suggested Los Angeles’ overhaul at the position could end up being one of the most important developments of the offseason — and it speaks to something much larger than a player or position group.The Chargers finally are becoming a complete reflection of Harbaugh’s football identity.You can see it throughout the roster.There’s first-round running back Omarion Hampton, a physical downhill runner capable of carrying a heavy workload.

There are massive offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.The defense is built around rugged edge players including Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor.And then there are the tight ends.Breer highlighted the additions of Charlie Kolar and David Njoku alongside second-year hybrid weapon Oronde Gadsden II.

Kolar arrives from the Ravens as one of the league’s better blocking tight ends and gives the Chargers a true in-line presence.Njoku can align all over the formation, creating matchup problems while allowing offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel greater flexibility in how he deploys personnel.That flexibility has always been central to Harbaugh’s offenses.At Stanford, tight ends were featured weapons.

Future NFL players Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz, Levine Toilolo and Jim Dray all flourished under Harbaugh.At Michigan, Jake Butt became a Mackey Award winner, while Colston Loveland developed into one of the nation’s premier tight ends.Harbaugh’s offenses consistently treated the position as more than an extra blocker.

Tight ends were foundational p...