The Chargers’ offensive line was dealt a massive blow during yesterday’s loss. Left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a torn biceps tendon, and will likely miss the remainder of the season, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). 
It was already known that the 23-year-old was eyeing a lengthy absence in the aftermath of the team’s game against the Jaguars. This represents the worst-case scenario after today’s testing, though, and could be a crippling loss for Los Angeles’ offensive front.
The No. 13 overall pick last year, Slater was an immediate full-time starter on the blindside as a rookie. He entered the league with questions about whether he would be better suited on the inside at least to begin his career. He answered those rather definitively, earning Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors.
The Northwestern alum generated a PFF grade of 83.6 last year, and his play led to similar ratings so far this season. The Chargers have taken significant steps in recent years to protect quarterback Justin Herbert, including the selection of Slater and signing of center Corey Linsley last offseason. The team invested another first-round pick in Zion Johnson this April to man the right guard spot.
With those two in place, Los Angeles should be better-equipped to handle a loss like this than in years past. Still, replacing Slater with, in all likelihood, Storm Norton, will notably weaken the team’s o-line. This news also marks another unfortunate update on the injury front early in the campaign.
Reserve tackle Andrew Trainer is on IR. More significantly, cornerback J.C. Jackson has only played in one contest so far, after undergoing offseason ankle surgery. Herbert is currently dealing with the rib cartilage injury he suffered last week, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Yesterday, four-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa suffered a groin injury which will necessitate further tests (Twitter link via Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport). Regardless of the length of the pass rusher’s absence, the Chargers’ 2022 prospects have taken a major hit.
Not built like tj watt I see
Watt has a partial pectoral tear that won’t require surgery and will heal on its own. Slater has a full rupture of the biceps tendon. He’ll need surgery to reattach the tendon, heal from the surgery, then get his range of motion and strength back. It’s a long healing process.
Where’s the depth on this team? Heard before the season was going to beat the Chiefs and win the AFC West? Chargers were going to the SuperBowl. Remember depth important to win it all. Injuries is part of the game!
Seasons over, the backup is Storm
How many teams have the depth to adequately replace a high end left tackle? Green Bay and… ?
Slater is 23 and played 100% of their offensive snaps last year. I don’t get why they didn’t invest more in right tackle before the season, but this is just brutal luck.
The Bengals have horrible depth at offensive line. Heck their starters aren’t even that good
All seems quiet on the Herbert is better than Tua talk this year! I look forward to the typical excuses; bad coaching, bad line, bad ownership, injuries…
That’s hilarious.. everyone is quiet because it never really was a debate .. only you and tua’s mom would pick him over Herbert .. Tua is the triple threat .. Oft-injured , short and left handed ..
I didn’t pick Tua. But both have the same playoff record; 0-0. Funny how the hype wears out real quick though.
Playoff record is more a team stat if you want to compare two players that play the same position just use their stats
link to espn.com
Justin Herbert (25 games )
66.2% completion 10260 yards 76 td 27 int
125 rushes for 545 yards and 8 td
link to espn.com
Tua Tagovailoa (26 games)
66.9% completion 5392 yards 35 td 17 int
82 rushes 238 yards and 6 td
Numbers don’t lie Herbert > Tua
three seasons into the career of two top 6 picks in the draft, playoff wins are about as meaningless as stats can get
Really? I thought pro sports was about winning and going to the playoffs. Guess I was wrong. Only been watching both college and pro sports for 40 years.
W-L clearly favors Tua. 16-18 for Herbert (.457). 18-8 (692) for Tua.
link to statmuse.com
Win lose is a team record. That’s as bad as looking at pitchers win lose in baseball. Look at the numbers I posted
Like I said in my first post, I look forward to the excuses; thanks! As if Miami was a competent team under B. Flores.
So if a kicker has a chance to win the game and pulls the kick wide left and they lose the game because of it you put that on the qb?
Just admit you are wrong. Herbert has 1 less game over 2x the touchdowns and almost 2x the passing yards. It’s not even close
Kirk Cousins always has great stats. Last year he passed for over 4,000 yards and a 33-7 TD Int & finished 8-9 last year. What’s your point?
You just proved yourself wrong. Great numbers for Kirk with a losing record. The record is a team effort
Lamar Jackson is 39-13. Baker Mayfield has a higher winning percentage than Herbert and Burrow. Teams picking first usually have the worst roster so those quarterbacks aren’t going to have high winning percentages until the rest of the roster is fixed
Burrow, like Herbert doesn’t impress me. Always multiple picks and sack games for 2+ seasons. They got hot mid season last year. They were around 7-6, 500 there about before taking off. Then came back to earth this year 1-2.
Do I think Burrow, & Herbert can be successful, sure. But I have to see it consistently.
So who do you think is good and young?
Take your clown glasses off, there’s a reason the rest of the world sees Herbert as a top 10 qb already
I’m starting to think you are brownsbacker9. You know you’re wrong you just like to argue
I don’t think arty is brownsbacker, he’s been around awhile. I think it’s no politics guy.
Very possible, just seems to act exactly like brownsbacker9. Defending his side to the death even though he’s wrong. Either way doesn’t matter
I don’t care about stats I would take Herbert faster than you can spell Tua. If you look at Lawrence’s numbers only you would pass on him. Anyone think he is not a good QB? He is on the second most dysfunctional team in the NFL.
If they would sign a perv that should be in jail they might be the most. Hard to beat the Brownies with the whole perv thing and the way they handled Baker. Plus Herbert is in a tougher division. That has to be part of the equation.
You do realize that Baker is the lowest rated quarterback right now. Baker is not starting quarterback material. The Browns needed to upgrade at quarterback, whether it’s Watson or someone else. Baker was owed nothing but his money
Again with the excuses ‘2nd worst franchise’ for Herbert. Miami hasn’t done squat since Marino retired in the late 90’s. Is that a good franchise?
Marino never won a Super Bowl he must have been a garbage qb right ?