The Chargers’ guard situation looked shaky when the offseason began, and for good reason. After Mekhi Becton was released, right guard was wide open, and left guard was still waiting for someone to claim it. Los Angeles added Cole Strange and Kayode Awosika, but not the kind of headline move that instantly settles a problem area.
Now, though, the picture has started to shift in camp.
Mike McDaniel has sounded more optimistic than the early offseason buzz suggested, calling the offensive line a “highly competitive room” and saying he thinks the Chargers can come away with five starters they feel good about, plus a few more players who can help during the season.
Cole Strange looks like the cleanest fit of the bunch. The Chargers brought him in to reunite him with McDaniel, and that matters after Strange started 14 games for the Dolphins last season. Knowing the system already gives him a real edge in a battle where comfort and communication matter.
The more unsettled spot is left guard, and that’s where the competition has become the story.
Awosika has been getting a steady stream of first-team work and entered camp as one of the early favorites. Jake Slaughter, the team’s second-round pick, has also been right in the mix even though he was drafted mainly as a center. Trey Pipkins opened camp taking snaps at left guard, but he now appears to be back in his more natural swing tackle role.
That mix of players might actually be the best thing going for the Chargers.
Instead of being stuck with two shaky answers, they have several options pushing for the job. Awosika has kept pressing all offseason, and Slaughter has shown enough to earn a legitimate shot from the coaching staff. There’s also Trevor Penning, who has guard experience and could add another layer of depth if he makes the roster.
None of that removes the bigger concern. Once the regular season starts, the guard play has to hold up, because keeping Justin Herbert protected is the whole point. The Chargers also can’t afford another year of injuries constantly forcing them to reshuffle the line.
Still, this doesn’t look nearly as bleak as it did a few months ago.
Los Angeles didn’t solve the problem with a splash signing. Instead, it’s leaning on competition, versatility and McDaniel’s system to squeeze more out of the pieces already in house. If that works, the guard spots could end up being one of the more unexpected bright spots on the roster.
In Other News...
Amar Johnson Just Turned Up The Heat In The Chargers Backfield
Amar Johnson spent the preseason game against Houston showing why the Chargers backfield is starting to feel crowded in a hurry. He handled six carries for 17 yards and added two catches for 68 yards, flashing the kind of versatility that can make a young running back stand out when roster spots are at a premium.
Johnson also gave Los Angeles a look at what he can do as a receiver, which matters in a room that already includes Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell, Kimani Vidal, Greg DeRosiers and Jared Patterson. The Chargers are sorting through a lot of competition at one position, and Johnsons night at least made the conversation a little more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Roster Battle Just Got Tougher After What Happened In Houston
The Chargers got another look at the back end of their roster picture in Houston, where several fringe players made a case to stick around. Jahmeer Carter, Jake Slaughter, Keandre Lambert-Smith, Marlowe Wax, Amar Johnson and DJ Uiagalelei each had moments that matter in August, the kind of snaps coaches and front office staff lean on when the decision-making gets tougher later in camp. It is the sort of preseason performance that can help a player climb from the outside of the conversation to the edge of it.
Amar Johnson, in particular, added some real intrigue with a showing that caught the attention of the sideline, while Uiagaleleis night also gave the staff a chance to evaluate him in game action. For a team sorting through the final layers of its roster, games like this can quietly shape the last few spots and special teams depth, even if the bigger names barely enter the discussion. The Texans matchup did not settle anything, but it did make the competition a little more crowded. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Front Seven Could Steal L.A. Bragging Rights From The Rams
The two teams sharing SoFi Stadium are heading into the season with very different defensive vibes. The Rams made the louder offseason splash with aggressive moves for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, and there is still intrigue around whether Aaron Donald might come back into the picture. The Chargers, by contrast, were quieter in free agency, but their 2025 defense already showed real promise, especially up front, and that has kept them in the conversation in a town where every edge gets compared.
Training camp has only sharpened that view, with the Chargers front seven drawing steady attention as a group that could change the way the race for L.A. bragging rights looks this fall. First-round pick Akheem Mesidor has been part of that buzz, and the broader expectation is that both defenses should be better at getting to the quarterback. For the Chargers, the question is whether a less flashy offseason can still translate into the kind of pass-rush improvement that makes the rest of the city notice. [Read more 🡒]