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The Los Angeles Chargers are figuring out ways to move on without starting left tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater went down with a knee injury a few weeks back and will miss the entire season after recently undergoing surgery. The injury is a tough one to move on from, as the former All-Pro tackle is among the best in the NFL. He is a great protector for Justin Herbert, and there will be no replacing his ability.
The Chargers recently traded for tackle Austin Deculus from the Houston Texans. The Bolts are hoping he can be a swing tackle for them, and he provides needed depth. The Chargers recently initiated their 53-man roster, which saw eight linemen on it. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman broke down the reasoning as to why there are currently only eight names.
“I feel great about who we have. We’re going to learn more about Austin (Deculus) as we get going here. But things are fluid. Things can always change. So I don’t know that that’s the number. It might change.”
The Chargers have moved Joe Alt to left tackle. Alt played left tackle at Notre Dame and was the 5th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He transitioned over to right tackle, but with this recent injury to Slater, the Bolts feel moving Alt to left tackle is the smart move. Trey Pipkins will also return to his former role as the starting right tackle.
Zion Johnson will be the starting left guard, while newly added Mekhi Becton will be at right guard. Bradley Bozeman and Andre James could rotate at center, but Bozeman should be the starter early on. The other backups are Deculus and Jamaree Salyer. Roman believes in who he has in the trenches right now, but it would not shock anyone if the Bolts tried to upgrade the line at some point during the campaign.
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