The Los Angeles Chargers‘ biggest problematic area entering the offseason was their offensive line.
Last season, it was decimated due to injury, and Justin Herbert was lit up 54 times, the third-most in football. That can’t happen again.
Star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater are both reportedly making progress in their returns from season-ending injuries last year, and if the pair are fully healthy, L.A. is a vastly different proposition.
Given how poorly the offensive line played last season, is it fair to suggest that the Chargers’ season is fully dependent on them?
For CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan, it’s possible.
“The Chargers’ offensive line was in shambles last season due to injury,” Sullivan wrote. “Left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in August and erased his entire season. Then, fellow star tackle Joe Alt suffered a season-ending ankle injury in November.
“With that in mind, checking in on how both Slater and Alt are doing on the health front will be a key storyline in camp. If they are back to full health, it dramatically raises Los Angeles’ ceiling.”
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Are Chargers dependent on Alt and Slater?
Of course they are, and if you are a team that has two star tackles, and you lose them both, naturally, you’re going to struggle.
For me, the thing about L.A. is that the depth was severely lacking last season. That’s what torpedoed them.
Yes, they still made the playoffs, but Herbert wasn’t protected. Now with Tyler Biadasz, along with Alt and Slater returning, the Chargers are beefed up.
But are they just one injury away from disaster? With Mike McDaniel at the helm now, I think they’re in a better position to deal with the ups and downs of an NFL season.
Still, keep Alt and Slater healthy, and you’ll go places in 2026.