The Los Angeles Chargers, one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents this season, will be without star left tackle Rashawn Slater for the entire season.
Slater went down during the team’s training camp practice after engaging with a player on a block and immediately grabbed his knee. It was reported afterwards that he had suffered a torn patellar tendon that would require season-ending surgery.
The Chargers and Slater agreed to a four-year, $113 million extension in July before the injury. Following the loss of Slater for the year, the Chargers announced they would move 2024 first-round pick Joe Alt from right tackle to left tackle. Alt played left tackle during his career at Notre Dame.
Without Alt to hold down the right side, Trey Pipkins will step into that role. Over his career, Pipkins has stared 56 games, and started 15 games for the Chargers in 2024 at right guard.
It is a tough blow to a Chargers team who had just signed Keenan Allen as they geared up for a hopeful run at playoff success in the second year of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach.
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