Rashawn

Slater

Chargers GM Joe Hortiz said both players were ahead of schedule when asked about them a week before the NFL Draft. Slater suffered a season-ending ruptured a patellar tendon last August and did not play a snap in 2025. Alt was unable to recover from a high-ankle sprain during the season and finished the year on injured reserve. All signs point to the Chargers having their elite tackle duo healthy for the start of the year. With an improved offensive line and Mike McDaniel on the headset, this is truly a make-or-break year for Justin Herbert.

Both players are ahead of schedule, though Hortiz smartly notes, “coming back from injuries, you don’t rush anything.” The goal is for both players to be ready for the start of training camp. Slater ruptured a patellar tendon last August, ending his 2025 season before it began. Alt attempted to come back from a high-ankle sprain in-season last year before suffering a second high-ankle sprain in the same joint, ending his season.

The Chargers began last year’s training camp possessing one of the league’s best offensive tackle duos in LT Rashawn Slater and RT Joe Alt. Things changed quickly. Slater suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture on August 7th, and Alt underwent season-ending surgery on his right ankle in early November, following a pair of high-ankle sprains. Deepening the offensive line rotation is a smart move for a playoff contender like the Chargers.

Slater is apparently already running full speed. The 27-year-old stalwart left tackle’s absence was a big reason the Chargers struggled badly in pass protection in 2025. This update doesn’t give clarity on his OTA status, but more than a year removed from tearing his patellar tendon, Slater is likely to be ready for training camp.

This is terrible news. Slater is one of the league’s best left tackles. He and OT Joe Alt formed, perhaps, the NFL’s premier tackle tandems. Slater now has a long road to recovery ahead, and will hopefully be fully healthy in time for the 2026 season. With Slater out, Alt will shift from right tackle to left while swing tackle Trey Pipkins III starts on the right. Slater will undergo surgery to repair the tendon and be placed on injured reserve.

Slater dealt with a topical right foot issue in July, but this injury is unrelated. If Slater misses an extended period of time, it will likely have a ripple effect across the whole offense. Slater and RT Joe Alt form one of the NFL’s best offensive tackle duos. Fortunately, Alt had been taking snaps on the left side while Slater was previously sidelined. OT Trey Pipkins III can serve as a capable fill-in on the right side. Slater signed a four-year, $114 million extension less than two weeks ago.

Slater returned to practice for the first time since signing his four-year, $114 million extension. The injury that kept him sidelined, per Slater, was a blister on his right foot that needed to be “carved out.” Sounds great. The newly-paid tackle did individual drills on Monday but is expected to do more on Tuesday. It doesn’t sound like there’s much to be concerned about here, as Slater should be a full-go shortly.

Slater will get $92 million in guaranteed money on his deal and now becomes the highest-paid offensive lineman in league history. Slater was drafted No. 13 overall by the Chargers in 2021 and has started all 51 games he’s appeared in since being drafted. He suffered a torn biceps in 2022, which limited him to just three games, but he played in 32 of the possible 34 regular-season games over the next two years. Slater earned a PFF offensive grade of 91.1 last season and allowed just 22 pressures and three sacks on 547 pass-blocking snaps. He’s been absent from training camp due to a “minor” injury, but we would expect this extension to have a near-immediate impact on his availability.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Slater has a “minor” injury as he sits out his third straight practice of Chargers training camp. The franchise left tackle worked off to the side at the start of practice, according to the Athletic’s Daniel Popper. More notably, Slater is in the final year of his rookie contract and awaiting an extension from the Chargers. He reported to minicamp, but is now nearing holdout territory, despite Harbaugh’s diagnosis of an injury. Expect the Slater and the Chargers to continue extension talks throughout camp.

Things seem to be going well for both sides, though one would like to see pen put to paper sooner rather than later. Slater fully participated at mandatory minicamp after missing organized team activities this spring.