4 Chargers who robbed the team blind in 2023

Trey Pipkins robbed the Chargers blind in 2023

After a breakout season in 2022 that was the best of his career, Trey Pipkins became a key must-sign for the Chargers in the offseason. The Chargers ultimately got the job done, inking Pipkins to a three-year deal worth $21.75 million.

Fast forward nine months and most Chargers fans wish that the deal probably did not happen. The Chargers offensive line has struggled immensely this season and Pipkins has particularly been bad. Pipkins has looked more like the frustrating developmental tackle who wasn't developing as he was before.

Now the Chargers are in an interesting predicament where a new regime may want to upgrade at right tackle. But doing so is not black and white because of Pipkins' deal. Are the Chargers really going to pay Pipkins just under $9 million to be a swing tackle? That doesn't seem likely.

Either way, the Chargers had to make several huge restructures last offseason in order to afford Pipkins (amid other moves). Those restructures are what put the team in a bind this upcoming offseason and that does not seem worth it at all with how Pipkins has played.

To be fair to Pipkins, a lot of the blame can be put on coaching and not having a real starting center. The Chargers have been awful at picking up blitz packages and stopping free rushers. That falls on coaching. In addition to that, the team has no good blocking tight ends, which makes it impossible to help on the outside, making Pipkins more vulnerable.

Pipkins needs to be better, plain and simple. But there is a world where with better coaching and better tight ends, Pipkins returns to form next season.