Can Chargers’ Offensive Line Bounce Back From Rough 2025 and Latest Setback?

There had been a lot of positives regarding the Chargers’ offensive line. The team can’t allow the sudden loss of a key performer affect them this season.

Jun 17, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers tackle Joe Alt (76) during minicamp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First things first. At the conclusion of the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line was ranked 30th in the NFL by the fine folks at Pro Football Focus. Only the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns earned lower grades. The combination of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater (who missed all of 2025) and Joe Alt (played in 6 games) along with substandard play on the interior made for a painful season for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Offensive line was a priority for the Chargers this offseason

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This year, general manager Joe Hortiz addressed this area in numerous ways. There were the free agent addition of center Tyler Biadasz (Commanders) and right guard Cole Strange (Dolphins). In April, he used four of the team’s eight draft choices on offensive linemen. That included a second-round selection on University of Florida center Jake Slaughter, who would make the transition to left guard.

PFF’s Gordon McGuinness certainly took notice. In his 2026 offensive line rankings released earlier this month, he had the Bolts at the number seven spot. “Slater ranked second among all offensive tackles with a 90.9 PFF grade in 2024 before missing all of last season, while Alt had allowed just seven pressures from 118 pass-blocking snaps before his injury last year. The guard spots are a bigger question mark, but the health of their tackles will drive their success in 2026.”

Chargers will be without C Tyler Biadasz in 2026

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Of course, this group will now be without Biadasz, who was placed on season-ending IR after suffering an ACL injury during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers just over a week ago. In last Thursday’s preseason clash with the Niners, the former Gator was the starting center for Jim Harbaugh’s club. Tackle Trey Pipkins and guard Kayode Awosika opened on the left side, while Strange and Alt were at right guard and right tackle, respectively.

All of Jake Slaughter's starting center reps from the 49ers game: pic.twitter.com/rQmYKGocnA

— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) August 21, 2026

Meanwhile, the key component to this unit rebounding from this latest setback is a former undrafted free agent from the University of Buffalo.

Awosika entered the league with the Philadelphia, then spent the past four seasons with the Detroit Lions. The 6’3”, 312-pound performer, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal in late March, played in 49 regular-season games with the club (11 starts), and made a career-high four starts for Dan Campbell’s club this past year He also has some postseason experience as well.

If Slater and Alt can stay upright, and a new-look interior can come together quickly, the Chargers’ offensive front may be on its way to bouncing back from a forgettable 2025.