Chargers miss out on best remaining free-agent tackle despite glaring need

The Los Angeles Chargers should've made a play for George Fant but it would appear that did not happen and now Fant is reportedly signing with an NFC team.

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the Los Angeles Chargers in need of more help at offensive tackle in the wake of the season-ending injury to Rashawn Slater, arguably the best free-agent available at the position is now off the board.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, free-agent offensive tackle George Fant is signing with the Washington Commanders.

While the Chargers were not reported to have interest in Fant, they definitely should have at least kicked the tires on him after the loss of Slater, which will lead to a duo of Joe Alt at left tackle and Trey Pipkins at right tackle.

In his last healthy campaign in 2023, Fant surrendered three sacks and 23 pressures in 915 snaps with the Houston Texans that season.

Now compare that to Pipkins, who gave up six sacks and 29 pressures in 838 snaps in 2024. If we go back to 2023, Pipkins was even worse, surrendering nine sacks and 49 pressures.

It's abundantly clear that the Chargers needed to add another option to the mix and Fant would have been an adequate one. That's not to say Fant would have taken the starting job from Pipkins initially, but he could have grabbed it down the line if Pipkins struggles, which feels inevitable.

Again, there were no reports connecting the Chargers to interest in Fant, so it would appear they didn't pursue him at all. It remains to be seen why that is the case.

We know that money certainly isn't an issue, as the Chargers are sitting with $31.4 million in cap space currently.

Hopefully this is all much ado about nothing, but based on what we've seen from Pipkins over the years, the failure to go after and sign Fant could be a decision that comes back to bite the Chargers this season.

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