The Los Angeles Chargers were supposed to have a stabler and deeper offensive line heading into 2026.
At the very least, how could things get any worse than last year? When both Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater went down for the season, the Chargers were left with a revolving door of tackles sandwiching one of the worst interiors in the league. Zion Johnson was the only offensive lineman that showed any semblance of true competency last season, and even he was as inconsistent as they come.
With Alt and Slater back in the fold, Mike McDaniel's blocking scheme was meant to maximize the talent they did add along the interior. Cole Strange had a stretch of inspiring play late last season with the Miami Dolphins, while Tyler Biadasz and Jake Slaughter could offer high-upside bets at center and left guard.
Then the injuries started piling up.
Biadasz went down for the season with an ACL injury in a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Trey Pipkins III, rotating in with Kayode Awosika at left guard in Week 1, suffered a knee injury that seems destined to keep him out for multiple weeks. Awosika is set to 'miss some time' with a fibula injury after the Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Although Trevor Penning will be the one stepping in on the left side of the line, the pressure now falls upon Cole Strange to meet the expectations that were set for him in the preseason. The line desperately needs a more established quantity on the interior right now, and Strange needs to be that piece as the left side of the line undergoes turmoil.
Cole Strange hasn't yet justified his contract (or his guaranteed starting spot) with the Chargers
Of course, Penning is the real question mark here heading into Week 3. He was sidelined with an injury for much of the offseason program and portions of training camp, and he was cast out of the competition for the starting left guard spot almost as soon as it kicked off. He'll need to provide at least replacement-level play if Los Angeles is going to survive this next matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
But it's hard to ignore the fact that Strange went unchallenged as a starter this offseason. While there was a competition at left guard, Strange was essentially handed the starting right guard spot as soon as he walked in the building. So far, that looks like a mistake.
Granted, there was some improvement between Week 1 and 2. In Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, Strange allowed five pressures on 39 pass-blocking snaps—grading out at an abysmal 10.6 in Pro Football Focus's pass-blocking system. He allowed zero pressures in Week 2, raising that grade up to a modest 56.9, but his run-blocking suffered in his second outing in a Chargers uniform.
Strange was never going to be a sure-fire bet. The gamble on the Chargers' part was that, given the development McDaniel saw late last season, some extended time in this scheme could help him finally solidify himself as an NFL-caliber guard. If the rest of the line was healthy and clicking, there would be plenty of time for him to make that adjustment.
But with Awosika and Pipkins out and the offense as a whole working its way through the muck and mire of the early season, the onus on Strange has changed. He needs to be someone Los Angeles can rely on in both the run and passing game, and he needs to have a major performance against a surprisingly adept Buffalo defensive line in Week 3 if there's going to be any confidence surrounding him.
Strange is only on a two-year, $13 million deal—so it's not like he's getting paid top dollar. But the Chargers need elevated performance across the offensive line as they battle these injuries, and Strange must (unfortunately) be the first person they turn to as the pressure continues to ramp up.
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