The Los Angeles Chargers, first and foremost, have massively increased the upside of their offensive line this offseason.
The returns of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater from their respective season-ending injuries will be game-changers. So should the additions of Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange, coupled with whoever emerges from the left guard competition between Jake Slaughter, Trevor Penning, and Kayode Awosika.
But the impetus for improvement extends even beyond that. Ultimately, it falls upon the successful implementation of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and offensive line coach Butch Barry's zone-blocking scheme. If the emphasis on mobility and power pays dividends in the run game, the offensive line will be just fine in 2026.
Even if the the team's protection plan comes to fruition in 2026, though, there will likely still be a period of major adjustment. In offensive line expert Brandon Thorn's recent interview with Chargers Weekly, he outlined a pair of concerns that could slow down this transition— Slater's return from injury and Slaughter's transition to guard.
At the end of the day, Thorn thinks this could easily be a top-10 (or even a top-five) unit in the NFL. But he makes clear that it could be a rocky path to getting there.
Chargers are depending on two variables for their O-line to come together in 2026
The first concern that Thorn highlights is Slater's recovery from the torn patellar tendon he suffered in an offseason workout in 2025. Players have recovered from this injury before and returned fully to their former level of play, but there's always a world in which Slater is somewhat slow to get back on his feet.
"It remains to be seen how quickly he can come back and what percentage of player he is year one back from that injury. I think there's a pretty decent chance he's not quite himself, at least over the first half of the season or something like that."
Even with Alt still on the line after Slater's injury last season, the Chargers were effectively dead in the water. Trey Pipkins III, who was filling in at tackle, allowed an absurd 16 pressures over his first four games, per Pro Football Focus. Of course, things stabilized on his end later in the year, but it's clear Los Angeles doesn't have the depth beyond Slater to lose one of their star tackles again.
Slater seems to be heading into 2026 fully healthy, and that's an excellent sign. Even 75% of what Slater can provide is likely better than what Pipkins or Trevor Penning can provide at tackle. But Los Angeles' protection so clearly depends upon their two star tackles being in top shape, and a slow start for Slater could slow down the transition for the line as a whole.
The second concern that Thorn highlights is the transition of Slaughter to guard, assuming he's the day-one starter for Los Angeles. Slaughter flashed the athletic traits that McDaniel and Barry seek out during his time in college, but he also played all of his 2,070 college snaps at center.
"It's a very difficult transition and there will probably be some rocky moments in pass protection," Thorn said, "I think that'll be mitigated more in this scheme than about any other."
That's far from an easy transition to make. As Thorn points out, even if Slaughter shows enough promise to beat out Penning and Awosika for the starting spot, there will likely be some rough moments early in the season.
Both of these issues are intensified by the fact that the Chargers can't really afford an extended slow start to the season. After the first two weeks of the campaign, they'll enter a gauntlet of matchups— with bouts against the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Kansas City Chiefs pre-bye.
Ultimately, it's fair to think that the Chargers' offensive line will find its footing in 2026. But as Thorn points out, we may need to show some patience while the team irons out the kinks in its new protection scheme.
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