The loss of Rashawn Slater is a gut punch for a Chargers offense built to dominate in the trenches under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman. But with the season still young, the Bolts have options—some internal, some external—to keep their ground-and-pound blueprint alive.

Option 1: Sliding Mekhi Becton to Left Tackle

Recent addition Mekhi Becton was originally drafted in the first round by the Jets to be a franchise left tackle. While his early career was plagued by injuries and inconsistency on the blindside, he enjoyed a career revival in Philadelphia last year, thriving at right guard.

Still, Becton revealed in interviews that he was the Eagles’ emergency swing left tackle and believed that, with time, he could have succeeded there. His size and athleticism make him a tempting option for a plug-and-play LT switch—especially since it could allow the Chargers to patch the interior line via free agency.

Option 2: Moving Joe Alt to Left Tackle

Joe Alt was drafted to be the future bookend opposite Slater, starting his rookie year at right tackle to maximize immediate impact while easing his transition to the NFL. The simplest “like-for-like” approach would be to move Alt to the blindside, then fill the right tackle spot with one of the remaining internal or external candidates—Becton, Pipkins, or Salyer.

However, shifting Alt comes with trade-offs:

• Double Disruption – Moving Alt means you’re altering two positions instead of one, especially if Becton also moves from guard to tackle.
• Developmental Considerations – The Chargers committed big money to Slater at LT. Keeping Alt at RT could give him continuity and allow him to master his position and work towards their future vision of him and Slater on the field together for years to come.

If the team believes Alt’s footwork and processing are ready, this could still be the cleanest way to preserve O-line strength without overhauling the interior… but certainly presents some challenges.

Option 3: Leaning on Trey Pipkins or Jamaree Salyer

Trey Pipkins has starting experience at both tackle spots and is a steady pass protector. However, his lack of push in the run game is a poor fit for Roman’s downhill rushing scheme.

Jamaree Salyer has been more than serviceable as a swing tackle, but asking him and Pipkins to simultaneously hold down a starter role and the swing role might be too ambitious for a team chasing a playoff berth.

Option 4: Shopping the Free Agent Market

The tackle market is thin—Jedrick Wills, George Fant, Isaiah Wynn, and Andrus Peat headline a less-than-stellar group. None offer the upside of a healthy Slater, and each comes with risk.

However, the free agent guard market is far more appealing. Veterans Dalton Risner, Brandon Scherff, and potentially Shaq Mason could all provide immediate upgrades. Signing two of them could allow the Chargers to confidently move Becton to left tackle while fortifying the interior.

The Smart Play? Minimize Moving Parts

If the Chargers truly want to preserve Harbaugh and Roman’s vision, the most stable path might be sliding Becton to LT without uprooting Joe Alt, then signing two veteran guards to solidify the interior. That approach keeps Alt’s rookie year focused on one position while maintaining the physical identity of the offense.

Moving both Alt and Becton in one stroke is possible, but the risk is creating too many variables at once—something NFL coaches generally try to avoid midseason.