Chargers make offensive line addition to roster that nobody asked for

Even with the addition of fifth-overall pick Joe Alt at right tackle, the LA Chargers' offensive line has not lived up to expectations this season. Most of the issues stem from the inside, where both the starters and the depth options have struggled thus far in the 2024 campaign.

Untimely injuries to several Chargers offensive linemen previously forced the Chargers to roll out units that were not worthy of blocking for Justin Herbert. This was on full display in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, where Herbert was pressured on 51.7% of his dropbacks.

One of the aforementioned linemen who struggled in that AFC West matchup was practice squad elevation Sam Mustipher. Mustipher somehow logged a Pro Football Focus score in the 20s and recorded a whopping 0.0 score in true pass block sets.

That is about as bad as it gets for an offensive lineman in the NFL and Mustipher has not been seen since. However, that may change in the near future, as the Chargers signed Mustipher to the active roster on Wednesday.

Chargers shockingly sign Sam Mustipher to the active roster

The Chargers believing in Mustipher (likely because he is a former Raven) has been a pain point for fans this season. General manager Joe Hortiz has been so great about working around the roster fringes with Mustipher being the one exception that fans cannot wrap their minds around.

It was apparent heading into the season that the Chargers would need to add more center help than just Bradley Bozeman, who was coming off a poor season with the Carolina Panthers. It would have behooved the Chargers to bring in a cheap veteran with actual starting experience or draft someone to develop in the later rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.

That is not what the team did, however. Instead, the Bolts brought in Mustipher and have rode with him ever since even when he has not earned it with his play.

Signing Mustipher to the active squad also raises questions about the Chargers offensive line. Is there a new injury Chargers fans have to worry about? It is bad news for the Chargers if Mustipher has to log any snaps for the team moving forward.

The hope is that Mustipher is just rounding out the depth of the interior offensive line room and that he won't be asked to play any meaningful snaps moving forward. As much as the Chargers seem to believe in him, it is hard not to be afraid based on his performance on the field.