The Los Angeles Chargers, for the most part, approached this offseason with a sense of measured aggression.
They didn't make any of the blockbuster moves that fans and pundits advocated for. Tyler Linderbaum, for example, went to the Las Vegas Raiders. Although they were connected to A.J. Brown at one point, his trade to the New England Patriots on Monday put an end to that saga before things ever truly began.
But they did make a number of major additions across their roster through both free agency and the Draft, most notably along their offense. Charlie Kolar, Keaton Mitchell, Alec Ingold, and David Njoku will each prove to be major contributors in their own ways this season. Tyler Biadasz, who the Chargers signed to a three-year, $30 million contract before the start of free agency, could quickly prove to be one of the best additions of the offseason for any team.
The one position they gambled on, however, was offensive guard. They quickly tabbed Cole Strange as their starting right guard, but they've left their left guard spot up to a positional battle in camp. Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning, and Kayode Awosika will duke it out for the right to start in Week 1.
If this battle yields a viable starter, it will have been a worthy gamble. But that will remain a major 'if' until the season actually begins.
The ceiling of the Chargers' offensive line likely depends on their battle at left guard
In Bleacher Report's recent piece on every team's biggest position battle heading into OTAs, the answer for the Chargers was obvious. But Kristopher Knox's analysis highlights one major question mark Los Angeles must still face this offseason.
"Having Slater and Alt back will be huge, and Tyler Biadasz should solidify things at center. However, L.A. still has some questions at guard. Fortunately, it also put some capital into addressing the position. Trevor Penning is back, and the Chargers signed Cole Strange and Kayode Awosika before drafting Jake Slaughter, Logan Taylor, and  Alex Harkey. If the competition at guard yields two capable starters, Los Angeles should have one of the better overall lines in the NFL this season."
For now, we'll set aside the question about whether Strange is a capable starter. He showed some promise last season as both a run and a pass-blocker in Mike McDaniel's scheme, and that's enough for now.
The real questions lie at left guard.
Trevor Penning didn't put much inspiring play on tape last season at either guard or tackle. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed 26 pressures and five sacks across 348 pass-blocking snaps. Awosika has starting experience, having started 11 games for the Detroit Lions over the past two seasons. But he's never been much more than a viable backup at the NFL level.
Slaughter, while promising, did not play a single snap at guard at the college level. There's a serious chance there could be a major learning curve for him as he transitions to the NFL.
The good news is that, of these three players, Los Angeles only needs one to emerge as a semi-viable starter by Week 1. If that happens, the returns of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater coupled with the addition of Biadasz should be enough to yield the Chargers one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
But as of now, none of these players have truly proved themselves. It's a gamble Los Angeles has been fine living with, but it's one they better hope pays off over the rest of OTAs and training camp.
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