At his post-draft press conference, LA Chargers GM Joe Hortiz was asked if the team is making progress on an extension with LT Rashawn Slater. The 2021 first-round draft pick is entering the $19.04M fifth-year option of his rookie contract. For the most part, Hortiz kept his messaging brief and simple.
"We've had conversations," Hortiz said. "Progress. We keep talking, that's progress. Yeah, I mean I guess. When the deal's done, you know, we'll report it. I promise you."
Asked if there is an expectation that an extension will get done, Hortiz replied with, "I'm hopeful that it happens."
Just a question earlier, Hortiz was asked about LG/C Zion Johnson's fifth-year option decision. For the most part, he declined to give an actual answer apart from saying that they've had internal discussions about it. The deadline to officially decide on Johnson's option is May 1st.
Chargers have key decisions to make regarding the future of the offensive line
Those are two question marks that need to be answered sometime this summer before the Chargers envision their long-term offensive line. For Slater, it's probably a matter of when a deal gets done. The numbers that the Chargers likely have to beat for an extension have already been laid out by the Penei Sewell and Christian Darrisaw deals.
It's more than likely a matter of contract structure, guarantees, and cash flow. Chargers Executive Vice President of Football Administration/Player Finance Ed McGuire will be involved as he has been on previous big money extensions for Los Angeles.
The Chargers will open up roughly a little over $10 million in 2025 cap space once they extend Slater based on the previous structure of the Sewell extension. That money could be used for free agents and the in-season budget once a contract extension is officially agreed upon by both sides.
For Johnson, there's more certainty that the fifth-year option will be declined. In a contract year, he'll be asked to potentially convert to center after the Chargers have clearly laid the groundwork for declining the option.
We'll probably have a better understanding of where LA stands with Slater's contract extension once the Chargers return for offseason summer activities like OTAs and training camp. Historically, this is when most of the big extensions have gotten done for Los Angeles.