As Slater works toward being ready for the regular season, he's also getting adjusted to **[Mike McDaniel's](https://www.chargers.com/news/what-mike-mcdaniel-hopes-to-see-from-chargers-offense-in-preseason-opener)** new offensive scheme and a new offensive line coach in **[Butch Barry](https://www.chargers.com/news/butch-barry-offensive-line-coaching-staff)**.
"Coach Barry, I think he's a great coach. I think a lot of our beliefs about O-Line play are very similar. He's a big fan of a lot of the techniques I have always pride myself on," Slater said. "It's fun to be able to play for him and learn from him. I think we have some really fun stuff. It feels good to lean on the stuff that I feel most comfortable doing, too."
He later added of McDaniel: "He gets a lot of credit for his scheme ... but just like Butch, he's more about how you do things than what you're doing. All that matters of course, but at the end of the day, he sees it as the mentality and approach you have to take to practice every day is what's most important. I like that a lot."
And, a dozen practices into camp, there is still a left guard battle raging on next to Slater's spot at left tackle.
While Slater said he might usually prefer to get ample reps next to the left guard, the fact that everyone is in a new system changes that mindset a bit.
"We're all new to this scheme, per se, so some of the techniques and stuff, we're all learning together," Slater said. "I think that helps a little bit because we're all starting off on the same page."
When healthy, Slater has been among the NFL's best players at his posiiton.
That was true in 2024 when he posted an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 91.1, a mark that ranked second among all offensive tackles.
He also posted a 90.4 pass-blocking grade, which ranked third among tackles. And his 82.8 run-blocking grade ranked fifth among players in his position group.
And if we look at the 2021, 2023 and 2024 seasons — when Slater has played at least 15 games — he's been an elite player.
His overall PFF grade in those three seasons is 89.6, which ranks 20th among all players with at least 2,400 snaps. That mark is seventh among all offensive linemen and is fifth among tackles.
So, while it may be frustrating for Slater to miss some practice time now, the whole goal is for him to be ready to roll for Week 1 against the Cardinals when he can resume his place among the NFL's best left tackles.
"Just controlling what I can control, doing everything I can and staying locked in mentally and physically, too," Slater said. "I know it's coming and when that happens, we're not going to be worried about this. I just keep that in mind and trust the process."
He later added: "I feel like the real celebration is going to be when I'm out there playing again on Sundays."