Of all the challenges the Los Angeles Chargers were going to face in sorting out their final 53-man roster, the offensive line was always going to be the trickiest.
Heading into camp, the Chargers had 15 linemen competing for what was likely to only be nine or 10 roster spots. Thankfully, things have crystallized somewhat over the past few weeks.
The injury to Tyler Biadasz essentially put an end to the competition for starting left guard, moving Jake Slaughter over to center and giving Kayode Awosika a clear path to the job. Biadasz's placement on the season-ending IR potentially opens up another roster spot, leaving an extra measure of flexibility for the Chargers' coaching staff to work with.
Rashawn Slater, Awosika, Slaughter, Cole Strange, and Joe Alt are all obvious roster locks. So are Trey Pipkins III, Travis Burke, and (probably) Trevor Penning. That leaves one or two roster spots left to be claimed between now and Aug. 30— when cuts need to be made.
The problem is that Branson Taylor, who was one of the biggest risers of camp and even was in the mix for starting left guard at one point, hasn't practiced since he went down with an apparent upper-body injury in Los Angeles' last preseason matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. It appears highly unlikely that he'll get any run agains the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday.
Has he done enough in camp to warrant leaving someone like Jacob Spomer or Logan Taylor off the roster?
Branson Taylor's injury presents the Chargers with a serious conundrum ahead of roster cuts deadline
There was a point where Taylor felt like a lock.
The coaching staff was raving almost daily about the transformation in athleticism and intensity he'd undertaken this offseason. He looked fluid and violent in run protection, and he saw a stretch of first-team reps at left guard when the competition was beginning to unfold.
With roots at both guard and tackle, Taylor might be exactly the type of versatile piece the Chargers would like to have among their O-line depth.
But, needless to say, Taylor got hurt at the wrong time. Spomer has been one of the most consistent centers in the entire league during the preseason, looking especially athletic when working in the run game and allowing zero pressures across 61 pass-blocking snaps. With Biadasz now out, Los Angeles may value having an extra center on the roster over the flexibility that Taylor provides.
Sixth-round selection Logan Taylor should also be a consideration here. Although it seemed as though Branson Taylor's transformation could quickly block off his namesake's path to the 53-man roster, Logan Taylor has continue to churn out impressive performances in his absence.
Logan Taylor has the flexibility to play both guard and tackle, and while there's some clear strides to be taken in terms of his footwork and athleticism on the outside, he's largely acquitted himself as a depth piece through the Chargers' two preseason games.
Let's assume that Branson Taylor doesn't appear against the Rams on Thursday. The Chargers will be left making a decision based on data and impressions from nearly two weeks ago by the time we arrive at the Aug. 30 deadline.
What Branson Taylor's injury has created, at the very least, is an opening for Spomer and Logan Taylor. Don't be surprised if one or the other seizes it on Thursday night.
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