The Los Angeles Chargers are facing a potentially serious situation, as All-Pro offensive lineman Rashawn Slater had to be carted off the field in what appears to be a significant injury situation.
Per multiple reports, Slater went down during team activities, and fellow players all approached him to give him a hug. The usual case for players surrounding a fellow teammate and offering condolences generally points to bad news.
The Athletic's Daniel Popper revealed that Slater is dealing with a left leg issue, and he had to be carted off the field.
Slater has emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL and agreed to a four-year, $114-million deal less than a month ago. He also received $92 million guaranteed, which is a record for offensive linemen's contracts.
The Chargers will do more tests to determine the severity of the injury, but things appear to be bleak right now. Having to be carted off the field is never a good sign. However, players carted off the field also don't always end up with season-ending injuries.
Slater has been responsible for anchoring the Chargers' offensive line, helping to protect Justin Herbert, but also to jumpstart the running game.
The Chargers saw their first year under former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh be a success, as he led the team to a postseason berth. A big reason for that was the addition of Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, and a rushing attack that helped to reinvigorate the career of J.K. Dobbins.
Dobbins has since joined the Denver Broncos, but he had a solid 2024 season of 905 rushing yards, nine touchdowns, and 115 receiving yards.
Behind the likes of Slater, the Chargers were able to wear down opponents with a strong ground game. The team was able to bring in Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton to continue this strong offensive attack.
Now, the Chargers could potentially be down one of their most important players and most important people on the offensive line. Again, Slater has not been deemed out for the season or any extended period, but he may have suffered something rather serious.
Chargers' head coach Jim Harbaugh is likely to provide an update as soon as it's available.
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