49ers vs. Chargers Will Reveal If LA Needs Emergency Trade, Free Agent Signing

A preseason showdown for the Chargers will reveal just how bad things are after the Tyler Biadasz injury.

Justin Herbert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just like that, preseason Week 2 is one of the most important landmarks on the 2026 calendar for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Not much of an exaggeration there after the brutal Tyler Biadasz injury. 

The crown jewel of the Chargers’ free-agency push this year, Biadasz was the stabilizing veteran piece of the offensive line at center. His presence was supposed to prop up a three-man interior unit that will roll out new starters, not to mention the returning offensive tackles coming back from season-ending injuries. 

Rookie Jake Slaughter, too, was supposed to be the new starter at left guard. The transition wasn’t going all that well after the head-scratching draft pick. Now, he’s tasked with becoming the new starter in place of Biadasz. 

Thus, preseason Week 2 and his full-blown ascent as a starter at his natural position being a major nexus point for the entire season. 

Jake Slaughter’s starting chance and impact on Chargers’ plans

Jake Slaughter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Make no mistake, Slaughter was coming along slowly at guard, yet showed some nice flashes, especially in the preseason opener against Houston. 

But now he’s back to center. And if there aren’t encouraging flashes there, the Chargers might be thinking about more than upgrading the depth behind him. 

Before kickoff, it’s safe to presume the Chargers are looking at waiver wire, free agent and trade options to improve the depth behind Slaughter. Right now it’s just college free agent Jacob Spomer, mostly. 

If Slaughter struggles, though, the Chargers might need to be looking for drastic moves. 

Good news: The Chargers have roughly $40.5 million in free cap space and draft assets they could use via the trade route. One could ask why they’re sitting on so much free cap space instead of finding even better depth behind Biadasz, but that’s a (very deserved) criticism for another time. 

Bad news: Even high-quality backups aren’t easy to find right now, especially at center. And the cost of acquiring one would be substantial in terms of overpay. 

So it goes. This season is that important for the Chargers. Mike McDaniel is in town directing the offense and, barring a stunner, he might only be around for one year. This feels like the all-in year around Justin Herbert. 

That sort of theme in mind, if Slaughter struggles on Thursday night, it’s only going to amplify the chances the Chargers start looking for desperation moves. There’s a time and place for a rookie to learn on the fly for 17 games. Last year would’ve been a good time. This year…not so much.

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