The Los Angeles Chargers needed offensive line depth heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, and they certainly got it.
They first added center/guard Jake Slaughter in the second round, quickly making it apparent that the plan was for him to compete with Trevor Penning for the starting left guard spot. They then added a 6'8" swing tackle in Travis Burke, who will likely compete with Trey Pipkins III for a role as a depth offensive lineman. With those goals accomplished, therefore, it came as somewhat of a surprise when the Chargers spent their final two selections of the Draft on a pair of guards— Logan Harkey and Alex Taylor.
There's a world where Los Angeles could have used one of those selections to address a depth need in their cornerback room or even at tight end, if they saw anything on the board worth taking. In hindsight, though, adding Harkey and Taylor makes sense.
New offensive line coach Butch Barry has a strong developmental pedigree, and both players have the tools to enter that relatively small class of sixth-round linemen who have found success at the NFL level.
However, with the amount of linemen the Chargers have added this offseason, both Harkey and Taylor will have to fight to prove themselves and earn secure roles and roster spots. In his recent mailbag for Chargers.com, Editorial Director Eric Smith painted an intriguing picture of what training camp could look like:
"Branson Taylor, Kayode Awosika, Ben Cleveland and Josh Kaltenberger are depth pieces along the interior, as are 2026 sixth-round picks Logan Taylor and Alex Harkey. That's 14 players I've mentioned along the offensive line. With nine or maybe 10 roster spots available, the competition will be fierce within that group for playing time and confirmed roles."
Chargers have set themselves up for a 'fierce' offensive line competition in training camp
Competition is a good thing, especially for players you're trying to develop into quality, NFL-caliber pieces. There will be plenty of it for Harkey and Taylor heading into 2026.
Out of the current offensive linemen, one would imagine that Tyler Biadasz, Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, and Cole Strange are all secure in their starting jobs. Beyond that, Trevor Penning, Travis Burke, and Jake Slaughter likely all have guaranteed spots on the roster.
If Smith's projection of nine (or possibly 10) roster spots designated for offensive linemen proves correct, that leaves a total of two or three spots for Harkey, Logan Taylor, Branson Taylor, Kayode Awosika, Ben Cleveland, and Josh Kaltenberger to compete for.
Out of that group, Harkey and Logan Taylor likely have the best chances at making the roster. Harkey has experience at tackle but needs to improve his anchor if he wants to stick at guard at the NFL level. Taylor, meanwhile, has a much more league-ready and solid skill-set, even if he lacks some of the athleticism and pop you'd look for in a McDaniel scheme.
But that doesn't mean they're absolute locks for the job. Cleveland didn't see significant snaps last season, but he has years of experience as an NFL backup. The same goes for Awosika, who saw four starts for the injury-riddled Detroit Lions in 2025.
Any player a team spends draft capital on will get preference in a competition for a roster spot. But especially if the Chargers want to maintain some veteran presences among their O-line depth, Harkey and Taylor could have a difficult reality waiting for them in training camp.
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