The Los Angeles Chargers' re-shaping of their offensive line was no small feat.
They first discarded Bradley Bozeman, who likely retired in anticipation of his release from the roster, and Mekhi Becton, who still remains a free agent as teams are well underway into their offseason programs. They allowed Zion Johnson to walk to the Cleveland Browns on an eye-popping deal for a guard of his level of inconsistency. Jamaree Salyer and Austin Deculus also departed in free agency.
These spots have been filled with ample depth, and the Chargers devoted a significant portion of their resources this offseason to ensuring that was the case.
For these former Chargers, however, an abysmal year as a unit in Los Angeles has likely hurt their stock, at least in the short-term.
But one former lineman, guard/tackle Jamaree Salyer, is currently competing for a starting role with the Miami Dolphins. Although he was carted off the field in practice last week, he appears to be slated for a quick return.
Perhaps his departure from the Chargers will yield him a fresh lifeline on his NFL career.
The Miami Dolphins' roster competition is wide-open. Jamaree Salyer could be a major beneficiary.
With all the injuries the Chargers dealt with in 2025, Salyer turned out to be an important depth piece, starting five games and taking 449 snaps between left tackle, right guard, and right tackle. The final two seasons of his rookie contract, however, were a far cry from what the expectations were when he joined Los Angeles in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Over his first two seasons with the Chargers, Salyer got extensive starting opportunities at both left tackle and right guard. But Los Angeles' addition of Joe Alt and their continued quest to deepen their offensive line left Salyer as a backup by the end of his rookie contract.
Per Pro Football Focus, Salyer allowed 19 pressures and four total sacks on 273 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.
If Salyer had stayed with the Chargers (or gone to virtually any other team), his backup status likely would've been cemented. But Miami is surviving in the wake of a major roster teardown, in which they moved on from virtually every high salary on their roster apart from De'Von Achane. It's been made clear through their offseason program that they want to foster competition at virtually every position in order to account for the talent deficit.
Although Salyer was carted off the field last week during OTAs, he could still be in the midst of carving out a starting opportunity. Salyer is currently competing with right guard Jonah Savaiinaea for a spot on the offensive line.
While the Dolphins could look to develop their 2025 second-round pick this season, let's just say Salyer's competition is not all that stiff.
Per Pro Football Focus, Savaiinaea was the worst-graded guard in the entire NFL last season, allowing 45 total pressures and eight sacks on 579 pass-blocking snaps played at left guard. Savaiinaea has already been displaced from that spot with Miami's addition of Kadyn Proctor in the Draft.
Now, if Salyer is able to return from his injury quickly and find his stride again before training camp, the former Charger could quickly become a major beneficiary of the Dolphins' roster competition.
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