It's never good to see a player go down with injuries. However, the show must go on, and the Los Angeles Chargers will need to figure out what to do after left tackle Rashawn Slater had to be carted off in practice. Maybe they should consider giving a call to an experienced lineman who last suited up for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Just one week after signing a monster extension, Slater suffered what could turn out to be a season-ending injury. It's hard to tell what the Bolts will do, but they could switch right tackle Joe Alt to the opposite edge and have Trey Pipkins line up at right tackle.
That could more or less help the Chargers withstand Slater's potential absence. However, they could still use a bit of help on the interior offensive line.
It makes sense for the Chargers to sign Brandon Scherff amid the Rashawn Slater news
Even before Slater went down, left guard and center were going to be weaknesses for Los Angeles. The left tackle's absence could further expose their dearth of talent at those two spots. Following the injury, the Chargers may finally decide to reinforce their offensive trenches. Brandon Scherff could most definitely help.
As noted before, Slater plays left tackle, but Los Angeles needs help on the interior. Scherff has played right guard throughout his career, and Mekhi Becton is projected to start at that spot. The Chargers would have to shuffle their offensive line and move either Scherff or Becton to the left side, but either one of them would be an upgrade over Zion Johnson, who gave up seven sacks and 34 total pressures last year.
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What would the Chargers (or any other team) get in ex-Jaguars OG Brandon Scherff?
The fifth overall pick in 2015, Brandon Scherff is no longer the dominant guard who made five Pro Bowls during his seven-year stint with the Washington Commanders. However, he's still a dependable player who can rely on his technique and football knowledge to play.
On top of that, the former Iowa Hawkeye has proved to be quite durable, making 51 consecutive starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is noteworthy because the last time he played a full season before signing with the Jags in 2022 was in 2016. This begs the question, why hasn't Scherff found a new home since hitting the open market?
The answer is simple: the grizzled veteran will be 34 in the regular season. The Cincinnati Bengals seemed to be a potential destination before the draft, but they ultimately stayed put. It's also possible that he's waiting for the right opportunity. Heck, many players who are still available by training camp start to find homes when the injury bug strikes. That could very well be Brandon Scherff's case.
And in light of the Rashawn Slater injury, the Los Angeles Chargers may have just become the ideal landing spot for him.
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