Tyler Biadasz Injury Update Latest Creates Emergency Scenario for Chargers

The Tyler Biadasz injury is as bad as it seems for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Biadasz suffered a scary-looking injury during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of a preseason game between the two clubs this week.

Not long after, the first official reporting is a disaster for the Chargers.

Appearing on NFL Network, Mike Garafolo classified the injury as leading to a “long-term absence” with "several ligaments injured".

The Chargers, naturally, will need to look at an updated list of trade and free-agent options for help.

Garafolo cautioned that the Chargers were still doing testing to find out the severity, so there’s an outside chance it won’t cost Biadasz the entire season. But either way, the injury leaves them lacking at a serious spot of need.

Tyler Biadasz injury update fallout

Los Angeles Chargers center Tyler Biadasz — Tyler Biadasz | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s red-button time for the Chargers.

Biadasz was the big three-year, $30 million deal for the Chargers this offseason, a huge move for a club with a front office that doesn’t really make huge moves. That speaks to just how poor center play had been in front of quarterback Justin Herbert for years.

Technically speaking, the Chargers drafted one of the best centers in this year’s class with Jake Slaughter. But they did so with the intention of morphing him into the starting left guard. He’s struggled to do that, getting mired in a competition with fourish other names there.

After Biadasz suffered the injury during joint practice, it was Slaughter who fully took over the starting job with the ones.

A problem, though. ESPN’s Kris Rhim wrote that the rookie had some issues: “Slaughter's play at center fluctuated. I had him down for holds on back-to-back plays during the final 11-on-11 period after he was beaten by Odighizuwa and Sam Okuayinonu.”

The Chargers will likely give Slaughter plenty of leash to find his footing as the starting center. Branson Taylor or Kayode Awoskia figure to emerge as the starting left guard now, with two joining free-agent signing Cole Strange to make up a completely rebuilt interior offensive line for new coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Keep in mind, though, outside options will be on the table for the Chargers. It could be something as simple as a depth move via the waiver wire, but losing the biggest signing of the offseason before the games start to matter won’t have the Chargers sitting around doing nothing.

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