Chargers still have a lingering Joe Alt question to answer in make-or-break campaign

Heading into 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers' hopes undeniably hinge on the performance of their offensive line.

Even with all the failings of Greg Roman's scheme and injuries to offensive playmakers the Chargers suffered last season, their doom was ultimately solidified by the absence of their two star tackles— Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Combined with sub-par play from the interior protectors over the course of the season, this was not a recipe for offensive success.

But Los Angeles has allowed new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to shape the interior protection in his scheme's image, adding Tyler Biadasz at center and enlisting Cole Strange and some combination of Jake Slaughter, Kayode Awosika, and Trevor Penning to serve at the guard spots.

Those moves alone should raise the ceiling of the Chargers' protection exponentially. But ultimately, it will come down to Alt and Slater's ability to stay healthy and perform at the top of their games. There's a world where both tackles have firmly entered top-10 territory by the end of this season, and Alt has expressed excitement at the thought of having a full campaign to compete alongside Slater.

The Chargers don't just need both tackles healthy to compete in 2026, though. They need both tackles to play at the top of their games in order to determine what the ceiling of this O-line is long-term.

The Chargers' Joe Alt contract decision should be easy— but they need to see everything come together first

The pairing of star tackles is a central aspect of Los Angeles' schematic identity. They spent top draft capital on both Alt and Slater, and these pieces are expected to be the cornerstones of the team week-in and week-out.

But so far, we've only seen one complete season with both tackles on the field— 2024, in which Alt played 16 games and Slater appeared in all 17.

Both pieces were excellent that season. Alt got down-ballot votes for Offensive Rookie of the Year, allowing 20 pressures and six sacks on 602 pass-blocking snaps. Slater earned a Pro-Bowl nod, allowing just 22 pressures and three sacks on 547 pass-blocking snaps.

But the line as a whole was still relatively weak. The Chargers sat just outside the bottom-10 in sack percentage, and Herbert was still under pressure on 32.7% of his dropbacks (compared to an abysmal 42.7% in 2025).

In short, the pairing of Alt and Slater has never been granted a full season with a competent interior. Hopefully that will come in 2026.

By the time we reach next offseason, the Chargers will have a decision to make on Alt's fifth-year option or perhaps an extension on a second contract. That choice should be relatively easy. Alt could very well become one of the league's top-five tackles by the time he exits his rookie contract.

But committing that amount of money to both tackles— they already owe Slater $114 million over the next four seasons— is a move that would handicap their ability to build out the rest of the roster. If both player can stay consistently healthy and help establish one of the best protection units in the league, it's more than worth the price.

The Chargers, though, would certainly like to have proof of concept before that decision comes due.

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