Chargers are set to get a long-awaited glimpse at their starting O-line vs Rams

For the Los Angeles Chargers, the preseason has largely been a time to experiment and get a solid look at the potential backups for 2026.

The full set of starters only played one drive against the San Francisco 49ers—and it was a three-and-out with a Justin Herbert overthrow. Apart from that, we've gotten smatterings of glimpses at Jake Slaughter in his center role and at Kayode Awosika at left guard.

Needless to say, the biggest question lingering for Los Angeles at this point in the offseason is the starting offensive line. With the injury to Tyler Biadasz, things were suddenly thrown into upheaval—Slaughter will now need to move to the center spot and Awosika seems slated to take over the left guard role.

Now that we're a week removed from his injury, things have had a chance to settle. But we still haven't had a glimpse at the full projected starting offensive line for this upcoming season— Rashawn Slater missed a number of practices and the Chargers' last preseason matchup with what was described as a "soft tissue" injury, which left Trey Pipkins III in at left tackle next to Awosika.

Thankfully, in discussing what starters will play on Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams, Jim Harbaugh said that the only starters not appearing will be Derwin James Jr. and Khalil Mack, which implies that Slater, who's been available for the past four practices, will make his first preseason appearance.

It will be a small sample size— but we'll get the glimpse at the Chargers O-line we've all been waiting for

Of all the variables that will play into the Chargers' hopeful offensive turnaround in 2026 under new coordinator Mike McDaniel, the offensive line is almost certainly the biggest.

The returns of both Slater and right tackle Joe Alt should be automatic boons to the unit as a whole— they're both among the top 10 at their position when they're healthy. But with Biadasz out, everything else takes on an extra degree of uncertainty.

No matter what, the interior should be better than it was last season, even simply by virtue of McDaniel's zone-blocking scheme. But by how much?

Cole Strange looked rough in his limited reps against San Francisco, and Awosika doesn't have an extensive pedigree as a starter. Slaughter was one of the best centers in all of college last season, but it's no secret that the leap from that level to the NFL carries a steep learning curve.

Although we can largely set any imminent concerns about Slater's missed practices to the side, there's also no guarantee that he'll be able to reach the same level upon his full return from the patellar tendon injury that took away his last campaign. Chargers fans have certainly been anxious to see him in action whenever possible over the past month.

But perhaps the extra days of practice and an (hopefully) increased focus on run blocking has this unit looking more cohesive against the Rams. Harbaugh has said that the starters will play somewhere between six and nine snaps regardless of how the first drive goes— meaning that we're not in danger of another three-and-out immediately taking the starters off the field.

If the offensive line, and specifically Slater, can look solid against the Rams, that will go a long way towards casting an optimistic shadow on the looming Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

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