The LA Chargers are scrambling for offensive line depth after Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending torn patellar injury. Los Angeles worked out a handful of tackles and quickly signed David Sharpe, although he projects to be a camp body more than anything.
Ideally, the Chargers find an upgrade over Sharpe before the start of the 2025 season. Thankfully, every team in the NFL has to cut its roster down to 53 players at the end of August, giving the Chargers some opportunities to land quality depth.
Chargers fans should pay close attention to the Washington Commanders as they currently boast someone who has deep ties to the Bolts: Tyre Phillips. Better yet, Phillips appears to be on the outside looking in, as Commanders beat reporter Nicki Jhabvala projects him to miss out on the 53-man roster.
Commanders could hand Chargers offensive line depth via Tyre Phillips
Is Tyre Phillips going to save the Chargers offensive line in 2025? Not at all. In fact, in a perfect world, Phillips wouldn't even suit up in a game if he joins the Chargers as that would signal health at the starting tackle positions.
However, he is someone with deep ties to the Chargers organization that would start further along than other potential options. Phillips knows what it's like to be in a Greg Roman offense, and that means something.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Phillips in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft while Chargers GM Joe Hortiz was the director of player personnel. Roman was the offensive coordinator in Baltimore at the time, and maintained that role throughout Phillips' entire tenure with the team.
Phillips, who came into the league as someone who could theoretically play guard or tackle, never lived up to his potential in Baltimore. He beat out former Charger D.J. Fluker, who was his draft comp coming into the league, for the starting job ahead of his rookie season.
However, Phillips' role as a starter did not last long as he was put on injured reserve with a lingering ankle injury that impacted his play early on. And while he was later activated, he was never fully 100% in his rookie season.
His sophomore campaign ended as soon as it started. Phillips tore his ACL in Week 1 in what was his last game with the Ravens. A year later, prior to the start of the 2022 season, Phillips was released by the team.
Phillips has since bounced around the NFC East practice squads and did get a chance to play for a beaten-up New York Giants offensive line in 2023. The former Mississippi State Bulldog was serviceable as a pass blocker but did struggle as a run blocker.
Phillips finished with a 64.5 Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade and a 96.4 pass blocking efficiency rating. That's actually better than the 95.8 rating Trey Pipkins finished with last season.
The Chargers aren't going to find a game-wrecker to fix their offensive line. However, it would be a massive win to land someone with ties to the coaching staff (both Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin) who may still have untapped potential.
Phillips is that guy, and Chargers fans should keep a close eye on the situation in Washington.