Chargers Can’t Afford to Duplicate Last Season’s Most Distressing Statistic

There’s the adage that states more is less. After a rough year in 2025, some continuity would be ideal for the Chargers' offensive line this upcoming season.

Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) is carted off after an injury during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was somewhat impressive that the Los Angeles Chargers managed to reach the playoffs this past season considering a key component of their team had a forgettable campaign due to numerous factors.

Jim Harbaugh’s club lost two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater before the season even began. To make matters worse, second-year right tackle Joe Alt slid over to the left slide to replaces Slater. His 2025 season would last a total of six contests.

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Combine that with shaky play on the interior and it’s no wonder that via Pro Football Focus, the Chargers’ offensive front graded out as the third-worst in the league this past season behind the dead-last Las Vegas Raiders and the 31st-ranked Cleveland Browns.

Football analyst Matt Okada of NFL.com pinpointed each team in the league’s most defining number for 2026. For Harbaugh’s Chargers, it’s a figure that is beyond disturbing.

Too many lineup changes on the Chargers’ offensive line in 2025

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“Across 17 games last season,” explained Okada, “the Chargers played 18 o-line combinations, most in the NFL and nearly double the league average. The Chargers lost several o-lineman this offseason but added reinforcements in free agency and the draft. The entire starting interior is new and both tackles—Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater—should be back…Pending good health, Justin Herbert's protection should be vastly improved in 2026.”

The health of their starting tackle tandem is imperative to say the least. Herbert ran far too much last season and was still sacked 54 times in 16 regular-season contests and was dropped six times in the 16-3 wild card playoff loss to the Super Bowl bound New England Patriots.

Lots of new faces on the inside of the Chargers’ offensive line

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As for the aforementioned interior, the new starting center is Tyler Biadasz, who was inexplicably released by the Washington Commanders this offseason for reported financial reasons. Chargers’ general manager Joe Hortiz wasted little time signing the six-year pro before the start of the new fiscal year.

In terms of the guard spots, Hortiz added veteran Cole Strange (Dolphins) and Kayode Awosika (Lions) in free agency and also drafted four offensive linemen in April. The most notable was University of Florida pivot Jake Slaughter, who could wind up the club’s starting left guard.

One of the big keys to offensive line play is continuity, and it’s safe to say that the Chargers had little or none of that this past season. And in the addition of tight end Charlie Kolar and the prowess of fullback Alec Ingold and the blocking for Harbaugh’s club could be exceptional this season. However, it has to start with a healthy and solid offensive front.