The 2025 edition of the NFL's free agency period is just around the corner.

Free agency, which marks one of the busiest times of the offseason, kicks off next week.

Here are five Chargers questions ahead of free agency:

1. What approach do the Chargers take?

The Chargers enter free agency with a surplus of both pending free agents and cap space.

The Bolts have roughly $66 million in projected cap space, which is among the highest figures among all teams.

And while some of that is likely to be allocated to the 29 internal players slated to hit free agency next week, the Bolts could be in position to add a splashy external free agent, too.

On the flip side, they could also take a more well-rounded approach by focusing on value while signing a larger pool of players that don't break the bank.

Here is what Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz said in January when asked how the team would tackle free agency this offseason.

"You look at it from a responsible way just like we did last year," Hortiz said. "Last year we had less money to spend but we were responsible with our spending.

"I think you always stay responsible with your spending on the salary cap. There's a lot of things to balance," Hortiz added. "In the end, if you get reckless then you always pay the piper eventually. We're going to be responsible and clinical in our approach and there's going to be a plan for it. That's how we're going to roll."

Hortiz did a masterful job in Year 1 while having limited finances to work with. It's a good bet he'll make shrewd decisions again, even with more cap space this time around.

2. What happens with Khalil Mack?

Khalil Mack is the headliner of the Chargers free agent class.

He's a future Hall of Famer who routinely sets the standard on and off the field, with teammates and coaches raving about his leadership and work ethic.

But the 34-year-old is also set to be a free agent for the first time in his career, something Hortiz acknowledged last week at the 2025 NFL Combine.

"I'd like to get him done before free agency starts but Khalil's never been a free agent in his life," Hortiz said.

"So it might be something where Khalil says, 'Hey, I was a free agent, I did it and I came back to LA.' If it gets to that, that's my hope," Hortiz added.

The Chargers are eligible to sign Mack, and their other pending free agents, to a deal even before free agency starts Wednesday.

We'll know more in the next week or so if Mack is coming back to the Bolts.

3. Do the Bolts keep their D-line together?

The Chargers compiled the league's No. 1 scoring defense in 2024 by allowing just 17.7 points per game.

A key reason for that success was the play of their interior defensive line, most notably Poona Ford.

Ford signed a 1-year deal with the Bolts last offseason and delivered Pro-Bowl level play alongside Morgan Fox and Teair Tart, two players that are also slated to hit free agency next week.

The Bolts have Otito Ogbonnia and Justin Eboigbe under contract for 2025, but losing all three of the pending agents would be a big blow to the Chargers front seven.

It will be fascinating to see how Hortiz and the Chargers address a position group that exceeded external expectations in a big way last season.

4. Does J.K. Dobbins return?

ESPN's Mike Clay recently put out his free agent rankings and had Dobbins at the top of his list among running backs.

There's a reason for that, too, as Dobbins tallied 907 rushing yards and 1,000-plus scrimmage yards during a 2024 season that saw him bounce back from a previous Achilles injury.

Dobbins had 27 carries of 10-plus yards in 2024 and provided juice to a Chargers run game that was inconsistent without him on the field.

Given how much Hortiz and Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh want their offensive identity to be built on smashmouth football, it will be interesting to see if Dobbins fits into those future plans.

The Bolts still have Gus Edwards, Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal under contract for 2025, but Dobbins was clearly the top option in the backfield last season.

5. What about backup QB & special teams?

These aren't the sexiest pair of topics to end on, but are important when thinking about the overall roster.

At quarterback, Taylor Heinicke and Easton Stick are each set to be free agents. If they both head elsewhere, that means the Chargers would be looking for a backup for Justin Herbert in either free agency or the draft.

Special teams is also worth keeping an eye on, too.

Punter/holder J.K. Scott is a pending free agent who is a weapon for Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken when at the top of his game.

It's also bears mentioning the role Scott has played alongside Cameron Dicker and Josh Harris on a highly successful field goal operation the past two seasons.

Elsewhere, key special teamers such as Nick Niemann and Troy Dye are also slated to be free agents.

Do those players come back? If not, that means Hortiz will be tasked with filling out the bottom part of the roster with players who can excel in Ficken's scheme the way those two players did in 2024.

We'll know more on these five questions over what should be an eventful few weeks.