The Los Angeles Chargers knew they needed to improve their offensive line this offseason, and they have been doing just that. Since the unit will significantly improve from the returns of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt at the tackle spots, L.A. focused on the interior of the offensive line in free agency. The team signed center Tyler Biadasz and guard Cole Strage, but the franchise shouldn’t be done.
In a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Moe Moton laid out a trade the Chargers could make to continue improving their offensive line. The writer suggested a move to acquire Cleveland Browns guard Zak Zinter. Not only would Zinter help fill an important need, he’d be reunited with Jim Harbaugh, who he played four seasons under at Michigan.
Bleacher Report proposes a Chargers trade for Browns guard Zak Zinter
Moton detailed how all of the change in Cleveland, to the coaching staff and offensive line, could open the door for the Browns to move on from the 2024 third-round pick. Considering his history with Harbaugh, and Los Angeles’ need at the guard spot, the analyst thinks a trade centered around Zinter could make sense for both teams.
"The Browns have a new coaching regime led by Todd Monken… Besides that, the Browns have signed Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson, two interior offensive linemen. Zinter has started in just three out of 22 games. So, he could have an uphill climb for a starting position in Cleveland… The Chargers can plug Zinter into the right guard spot where he lined up at Michigan, allowing Strange to start at left guard."Moe Moton (Bleacher Report)
While Moton does a good job of explaining why each team should consider this move, it is worth asking how much will Zinter help the Chargers on the offensive line. As the writer pointed out, the guard hasn’t exactly been a productive contributor in his two seasons with the Browns. He appeared in all 17 games as a rookie, but only started three, and only appeared in five games this past season. It wasn’t like Cleveland had a solid line that didn’t need help either, so there are fair concerns.
However, sports are often circumstantial, so Zinter not producing with the Browns doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bad lineman. If Harbaugh and company believe they can get the lineman to be a solid starter, they should explore a trade.