The Chargers’ decision to select Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft naturally displaced Trey Pipkins, who has served as the club’s primary RT over the past two seasons. The Bolts have no intention of moving Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater from the blind side, so with Alt now in the mix and possessing Pro Bowl upside of his own, Pipkins has been shunted to the interior of the line.
Still, head coach Jim Harbaugh recently called Pipkins one of his club’s five best O-linemen, thereby implying that the 27-year-old blocker would remain in the starting lineup. That appears to be the case, with Daniel Popper of The Athletic noting that, after the Chargers rotated the right side of their first-team OL during the first two open OTAs, Los Angeles had Alt taking all of the first-team RT reps during the latest open OTA, with Pipkins handling all of the first-team RG reps (subscription required).
Assuming that setup holds, the domino effect of the Alt selection would force 2022 sixth-rounder Jamaree Salyer — who started 14 games at LT in place of the injured Slater in 2022 and who settled in as the Chargers’ starting RG last season — to the bench. And that is likely an acceptable outcome for Los Angeles, as Salyer did not fare particularly well on the interior of the line after impressing on the outside as a rookie. In 2023, Salyer earned a mediocre 54.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, placing him as the 56th-best guard out of 79 qualifiers.
Pipkins did not fare much better as a right tackle than Salyer did as a right guard, with PFF ranking the former as the 50th-best OT out of 81 qualified players (though he did grade out as an above-average performer in terms of pass blocking). That was actually an improvement over his 2022 showing, at the end of which he was rewarded with a three-year, $21.75MM deal (to be fair, he did battle an MCL sprain throughout the 2022 season).
That contract was authorized by the Chargers’ prior regime, but Harbaugh clearly thinks highly of Pipkins, and it is certainly possible that his play improves by shifting to the interior. While he is under club control through 2025, he is not guaranteed any more money past the upcoming campaign, so a strong effort in 2024 could at least position him well to remain on the club and collect the $6.75MM base salary he is due in 2025, or even to land a new contract.
49ers need to call and try to make a trade for Salyer.
Salyer could compete with, and likely beat out, Colton McKivitz for the starting RT job. Then, Puni, Nugent, Burford, and McKivitz would be the OL back-ups across the line, with Salyer sliding over to LT if Trent Williams needed to miss any time.
I’m sure the Chargers would probably like to keep Salyer around as a versatile back-up, but the 49ers could entice them with a conditional 5th Round pick and former Wolverine CB Ambry Thomas.
That would likely be enough to get the deal done, and it would benefit both teams moving forward.
From the Chargers point of view, they have a very young secondary which lacks any experienced depth. CB Ambry Thomas, who is still cost efficient on his rookie deal, is also familiar with Jim Harbaugh, being a former Michigan Wolverine himself. Then, as previously mentioned, the Chargers also receive a 5th Round pick, which will give them another minor asset to work with moving forward.
From the 49ers poont of view, as they’re currently constructed, they don’t really have a backup plan at LT. McKivitz is barely able to masquerade as a starting caliber RT as it is, and he gets absolutely manhandled when he’s attempted to line up as their LT. It was a complete disaster, and that is putting it mildly.
Jaylon Moore does a poor, albeit slightly better job, but he may not even make the 53-man roster. Puni is being groomed at Guard, although he did play Tackle in college. I don’t think Hubbard has really been healthy in 3 years, and they don’t have anyone else that’s even remotely an option…lol
In my opinion, you can’t be a legitimate Super Bowl contender and have a glaring hole like that when your starter is much closer to 40 than he is 30. Salyer would fit in perfectly, plain and simple.
Like I said before, both teams get to cheaply address one of their biggest weaknesses, it’s a win-win..
@richardc chargers are going to keep salyer. I just think alt was the second guy on the board behind Harrison Jr, so it created a logjam that will be fixed next year. If they cut pipkins he ends up costing them more money than keeping him.if anything hortiz might be looking to deal pipkins for a 5th or 6th pick.