There’s concern that Rashawn Slater suffered a serious leg injury after the star offensive lineman left Chargers practice on a medical cart on Thursday, Aug. 6.
The injury was first reported by Daniel Popper, who covers the Chargers as a senior writer for The Athletic. Popper tweeted: “Cart is out. Appears to be a left leg issue. He’s being carted inside. Teammates all coming up to hug him.”
Popper later added, “Rashawn Slater threw his helmet in frustration. He slammed his hand onto the cart. A trainer placed a towel over Slater’s head. Slater was then helped inside The Bolt by two trainers.”
Jason Delgado, host of Chargers Central, appeared to catch the play in which Slater was injured on video.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport called the injury, which occurred during team 11-on-11 drills, a “potentially serious issue.”
There are no further updates available at this time.
What This Could Mean for the Chargers
The injury comes less than two weeks after Slater signed a deal to become the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. The Los Angeles Chargers inked the franchise left tackle to a four-year, $114 million contract on July 27. The deal includes a record-setting $92 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Slater was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old has started 51 games and earned two Pro Bowl appearances in four seasons with the Chargers. He was the second-highest-rated tackle in the NFL last season, according to PFF.
Ryan Nelson, a first-year player who spent the past three seasons in the UFL, is currently slotted as the Chargers’ backup left tackle. However, in the event Slater misses significant time, the team could do some positional reshuffling. Recent free agent signing Mehki Becton was drafted as a tackle before converting to guard.
The Bolts could also look to add another lineman in free agency. Jedrick Wills Jr., a former first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns, is listed as the best available tackle, according to NFL Insider Gregg Rosenthal’s free agency tracker list.
The Chargers made significant offseason additions as they entered the second year of the Herbert-Harbaugh era, aiming to build on their 2024 playoff berth. The team re-signed longtime wide receiver Keenan Allen to a one-year, $8.52 million deal just two days before the injury occurred. They also brought in Pro Bowl running back Najee Harris and drafted exciting rookie wide receiver Tre Harris.
While the severity of Slater’s injury is still unclear, losing one of the league’s best offensive linemen for any period of time could be a devastating blow for the Chargers.
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