For the Los Angeles Chargers, it's almost impossible to overstate the importance of their two star tackles— Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.
When Slater went down with a torn patellar tendon in an offseason workout prior to the 2025 campaign, things were already dire. Alt was required to move to the left side, and Trey Pipkins III's struggles through the first three weeks of the season made it clear that the Los Angeles offense could not reach its ceiling without both of their starting tackles available.
Then Alt went down in Week 4 with an ankle injury, only to return and go down again in Week 9 with what was ultimately a season-ending ailment. Although the Chargers won 11 games and earned a Wild Card playoff berth, their season was effectively over at that moment.
The hope for 2026 is that the restructuring of their interior offensive line— with their additions of Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange and their ongoing competition at left guard— will be enough to complement the returns of Alt and Slater. But for that to happen, both tackles need to return to the top of their games.
The league seems to think it's a real possibility. In Jeremy Fowler's recent offensive tackle rankings (compiled by votes from various scouts, execuitves, and coaches), both Alt and Slater made the list in some fashion. Alt was ranked as the ninth-best tackle in the NFL, but Slater still has some work to do to regain his dominant standing.
Rashawn Slater needs to prove he can stay healthy and operate at the top of his game in 2026
Few would argue with Alt's standing in the top-10, although there's certainly room for him to push higher this season with a fully healthy campaign. Slater, for his part, is the first name outside of the top-10, and Fowler's not from an anonymous NFC executive reveals a clear path to re-joining Alt in that category.
"He's absolutely a top-10 tackle. He'll be back on it next year, I believe."-- NFC executive, via ESPN
There's not much material to go on there, but the implication is clear. Slater has now suffered season-ending injuries in two of his five NFL campaigns. When he's healthy, he's a top-10 tackle. So is Alt. But there are certainly questions lingering around what kind of form Slater can return to after an injury of that caliber.
The Chargers coaching staff has projected nothing but quiet confidence in both Alt and Slater's abilities to return to full strength in 2026. But Los Angeles is rolling the dice on a resurgence from their entire offense this year, and that extends, most pointedly, to its offensive protection.
The addition of Biadasz should provide a major upgrade over the abysmal play of Bradley Bozeman last season. But by rolling with Cole Strange and one of Jake Slaughter, Kayode Awosika, and Trevor Penning at the guard spots, the Chargers are hinging the viability of their offensive line pretty heavily on both Alt and Slater.
It's reasonable to expect elite-level play from Alt as he heads into his third NFL season. When it comes to Slater, the Chargers frankly have no choice but to hope that this anonymous executive's prediction proves correct.
With the way the O-line is constructed, the burden of its resurgence will be shouldered by both Alt and Slater. If Los Angeles is going to reach its ceiling in 2026, they need top-10 level play out of both tackles, and there's no way to avoid that fact.
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