Jim Harbaugh, Joe Hortiz, and Greg Roman have been very transparent with their desire to build the Chargers’ offense through offensive line dominance. It was widely assumed the Chargers would draft a wide receiver with their first round pick, or potentially trade down to collect extra draft capital and to fill multiple holes in this rebuild year. Instead, they kept to their consistent mantra and drafted Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick despite already having former 2nd-Team All-Pro Rashawn Slater at left tackle and an above-average (when healthy) right tackle in Trey Pipkins who will average $9 million per year over the next two seasons.
To avoid speculation and a potential power struggle over the left tackle spot, Hortiz and Harbaugh immediately announced Alt would be transitioning to right tackle. Trey Pipkins was given the opportunity to win the right guard job, where he currently sits as a starter on the depth chart. Slater’s fifth-year option was also exercised, keeping him under team control through the 2025 season.
Most discussions around the potential of this line center around Joe Alt’s transition to right tackle, Trey Pipkins’ transition to right guard, and whether Bradley Bozeman can return to his 2021 form when he was an above-average center for the Baltimore Ravens. It’s widely assumed that a healthy Rashawn Slater will continue being one of the best left tackles in the league… but what happens if Slater gets hit by the injury bug yet again?
Rashawn Slater being uncharacteristically subpar in his run blocking was largely overlooked as the Chargers had far more pressing issues, like lack of wide receiver depth and the woes of watching Will Clapp at center. Slater’s PFF run grade dropped from 88.0 the year prior (in a limited sample size) to a paltry 59.5, as he often seemed to lack his usual foot quickness, mobility, and tenacity. Some fans speculated and Duke Manyweather later confirmed that Slater had in fact been hampered by a significant injury through the majority of the season.
A healthy season for Rashawn Slater would thrust him into All-Pro discussions again, just in time for contract negotiations in 2025. Joe Hortiz could opt to extend Slater now, which would likely only require a modest raise over Penei Sewell’s $28 million APY, or he could wait until next year when Slater’s representation will instead push for Sewell’s cap share percentage, driving his value above $30 million APY. There’s also urgency to get a deal done before Tristan Wirfs, as he’s certain to reset the tackle market and possibly break the $30 million ceiling before the season starts. Slater’s leverage in these negotiations will increase even more if he matches or outperforms his rookie season, and adds the corresponding accolades to his resume.
While the most plausible scenario for this line is Slater and Joe Alt developing into one of the more reliable, if not dominant, tackle duos in the league, the presence of Trey Pipkins does add an interesting insurance plan for Harbaugh’s Chargers. If Rashawn suffers another major injury in 2025 and misses significant time, would Greg Roman opt to switch Alt to his natural side, flex Pipkins out to right tackle, and plug Jamaree Salyer at right guard? Although we’ve heard past coaching regimes preach the importance of continuity along the line, both Alt and Pipkins would be reverting to positions they have played for the last few years, and Salyer would be plugged into his previous starting position of right guard. There’s an argument to be made that the comfort of these familiar positions would allow the line to operate as a unit much quicker than if Salyer is back at left tackle, and Alt and Pipkins continue adjusting to their new positions.
If the Chargers had to move forward with this “break glass in case of emergency” scenario, and Trey Pipkins and Joe Alt emerge as a very capable bookend pairing, intrigue would escalate for the Bolts in the 2025 offseason. The Ravens had a dominant tackle pairing in Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr., until Brown Jr. demanded a trade in hopes of continuing his career as a team’s franchise left tackle. The Ravens netted an impressive haul for the trade, sending Orlando in the final year of his contract, along with their 2021 second and 2022 sixth-rounder for the Chiefs’ 2021 first, third, fourth, and 2022 fifth-rounder. The Dolphins also made a similar blockbuster trade in 2019 when they sent Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, and a 2020 fourth and 2021 sixth-rounder to the Texans for their 2020 first-rounder, 2021 first and second-rounder, tackle Julién Davenport and cornerback Johnson Bademosi. Dominant tackles rarely become available in free agency or the trade block, heightening the chance of a bidding war overpay.
These hypotheticals are put to bed if Rashawn Slater stays healthy and has the dominant season we all know he is capable of having. They have the cap and the mindset to lock Slater up long term and work towards building a best-in-class offensive line. However, given the new management style and the Ravens’ culture of making smart, unemotional management decisions, it’s hard to escape the though that Pipkins’ presence might have a dual purpose.
If Slater gets injured, I predict Alt is moved to LT, Pipkins is moved to RT and “the next best RG" plays at RG (Salyer, McFadden, Leatherwood or Barnhart). Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.
Thanks for pumping out content during summer Kyle. It’s not easy. And I love your usage of transitioning to describe players changing their position on the field. Brings all sorts of images to mind 🤣
My hopes for the o-line this season:
Slater is healthy and hungry
2024 Zion > 2023 Zion
Bozeman doesn’t have to be Linsley, but he can’t be Clapp
Pipkins finally pays off
Alt looks like Slater as a rookie—or at worst he looks like a well-above-average rookie
If all (or most) of these things happen, I like the line. Oh, and stay healthy. Please dudes, do your stretches, eat your greens, get your sleep.
I believe a healthy Rashawn returns to form, gets his new contract, & we have bookend All Pro tackles for the foreseeable future. Won’t that be a relief!!
Slater did look a little off last year. Not as dominant and now we know why. If him and Alt get rolling the Chargers could have ten year tackles. If Zion can get rolling that left side could be deadly as well.
Hey everyone, I back-linked it in the article, but I wrote another contract projection for A to Z Sports on Rashawn Slater’s upcoming extension. I didn’t want to give it a separate topic since I gloss over it here, but give it a read when you have a chance and let me know what you think!
https://atozsports.com/los-angeles-chargers/will-chargers-extend-rashawn-slater/
Great work on these contract scenarios. I’m hoping the team settles up with Slater *before* he returns to form. If he plays the way we all hope he plays in 2024, and Wirfs gets his bag, the FO is going to have some big decisions to make.