Branson Taylor's transformation may leave pair of Chargers draft picks in the dust

Heading into training camp, the Los Angeles Chargers had one glaring storyline for fans to follow— the competition for the starting left guard spot.

At the outset, the landscape at the position seemed relatively clear. The expectation was that second-round selection Jake Slaughter had the inside track for the job, while Trevor Penning and Kayode Awosika would also get a chance to compete for reps. As training camp has unfolded, though, we now have a new picture entirely.

Both Branson Taylor and Trey Pipkins III have also taken first-team reps at left guard. Although it's unclear what sort of path either has to winning the starting job, they both now need to be accounted for in the coaching staff's looming decision.

Taylor has been particularly impressive. A sixth-round selection of the Chargers in 2025, Taylor appeared in just one game last season and spent much of the campaign on the practice squad. But he's evidently made major advancements this offseason— a sentiment Jim Harbaugh says is reflected across the organization.

If Taylor has truly improved that much this offseason, it seems as though he's a lock for the 53-man roster. But what does that mean for the Chargers' pair of sixth-round selections in this year's draft, Alex Harkey and Logan Taylor?

Branson Taylor's development makes the path narrower for a number of the Chargers' depth pieces

Taylor has always been a bulky, strong linemen with roots at both the tackle and guard spots. Coming into the league, the expectation was that run protection would be his strong suit, but he would need to develop quickness and agility in order to be an NFL level pass protector.

In the context of Mike McDaniel's zone-blocking scheme, that's the sort of advancement that would put him immediately on the coaching staff's radar as a potential starter. Taylor has looked fluid in training camp. Even if that's not enough for him to win the starting role, it's certainly a positive sign for his long-term development.

In an offseason where the primary mission for the Chargers was clearly to re-shape their O-line depth, any development from Taylor is a major victory.

But Los Angeles has 14 offensive linemen competing for either nine or 10 roster spots, depending on how some of the other position groups shake out. They simply cannot afford to keep everyone on the 53-man roster.

The Chargers' decision to select a pair of depth guards in the sixth round of the NFL Draft was already somewhat polarizing. Logan Taylor's college experience was primarily at tackle, but the expectation was that his strength could help him slot inside to the guard spot upon his transition to the NFL. Harkey, meanwhile, has long-term upside as an athletic blocker within McDaniel's scheme, but his inconsistent approach and lack of steady footwork mean that it will take some time before he's ready for NFL snaps.

If Branson Taylor is a lock for the roster, then that leaves leaves a total of five guards already guaranteed to be on the 53-man— Slaughter, Awosika, Penning, Taylor, and Cole Strange. Add in Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, Tyler Biadasz, and Trey Pipkins III, and that puts you at nine total roster spots dedicated to the offensive line. Jacob Spomer may be competing for a backup center role, and Los Angeles still needs to account for fifth-round selection Travis Burke as a depth tackle.

Taylor's emergence, therefore, could leave both of the Chargers' sixth-round selections destined for the practice squad in their rookie campaigns.

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