The Los Angeles Chargers are anticipating the return of Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater this weekend, who has been working "off to the sides" in practice. This timeline means Slater will miss Thursday's preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, but his progressing recovery offers a significant boost to the team's offensive line.
Slater has missed eight consecutive practices after experiencing a flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee earlier this month. The injury initially surfaced during the Chargers' opening padded practice of training camp. While he returned for a lighter session the following day, he has since been held out as the team takes a cautious approach with the knee he tore his patellar tendon in last summer. Slater had previously downplayed the setback, referring to it as a "little" flare-up and emphasizing the importance of caution when returning from a major injury.
However, the Chargers' offensive line received concerning news hours after head coach Jim Harbaugh's update on Slater. Starting center Tyler Biadasz was carted off the field during a joint practice with the 49ers after a defender fell on his leg. Biadasz was unable to put weight on his injured leg, and the severity of the injury remains unknown. This new development makes Slater's impending return even more critical.
Biadasz was a key addition in the team's offseason efforts to reinforce the offensive line and protect quarterback Justin Herbert, especially after a season plagued by injuries that led to the line cycling through multiple combinations and Herbert absorbing 54 sacks. The Chargers lost Slater before the season last year and later Pro Bowl selection Joe Alt, severely impacting their pass protection.
In Slater's absence, players like Trey Pipkins, Branson Taylor, Logan Taylor, and Travis Burke have seen time at left tackle. The team is also working to settle its left guard competition. Should Biadasz miss time, rookie center Jake Slaughter, a second-round pick, could be called upon to fill in.
Slater's track record highlights his importance, with a career pass-blocking success rate allowing pressure on only 2.4 percent of his snaps, surrendering nine sacks and 17 hurries across 1,339 career pass-blocking plays. While the Chargers have little incentive to rush him, Biadasz's injury underscores the increased significance of Slater nearing full availability. The team's offseason focus was on building a more stable offensive line, and Harbaugh's update on Slater provides a hopeful sign that a crucial element of that protection is on the path to recovery.