3 Chargers who are not safe following the 2024 NFL Draft

Jamaree Salyer/Trey Pipkins

It is hard to currently tell who exactly is going to get the short end of the stick out of the Chargers drafting Joe Alt. At first, it seemed obvious that Pipkins was going to be the one getting benched as Alt is going to start over him at right tackle.

That being said, Harbaugh said the team views Pipkins as a starting-caliber offensive lineman and that the team will simply start its five best linemen. This seems to indicate that Pipkins could be in play to start at guard, which would kick Jamaree Salyer to the bench.

Salyer took a step back as the starting right guard in 2023 after such a stellar rookie season at left tackle. It might be better for all parties involved if Salyer simply slides back to a bench role as a versatile weapon who could play both tackle spots and guard.

If that is the case, Salyer is obviously the one who is not safe. This would be unfortunate for the third-year offensive lineman, as he has to continue racking up starts in order to maximize how much he can make when his rookie deal is eventually over.

If Harbaugh is just saving face with Pipkins and he ends up on the bench then he will be the one negatively hurt by this. While he will be paid a pretty penny just to be a swing tackle, it will still hurt his career in the long-term if he just gets benched this year for Alt.