The Chargers’ offensive line took a major hit Sunday, with the team placing starting center Tyler Biadasz on season-ending injured reserve after the left knee injury he suffered in last week’s joint practices with the 49ers.
Biadasz was hurt during an 11-on-11 period when Chargers guard Kayode Awosika threw 49ers defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez to the ground while pass blocking. Valdez fell into the back of Biadasz’s leg, and Biadasz went down right away before being carted off the field.
He had been seeking additional opinions and holding out hope that he could return this season. But after the Chargers’ preseason loss to San Francisco on Thursday at SoFi Stadium, coach Jim Harbaugh said Biadasz had sustained an ACL injury and added that the prognosis “doesn’t look promising.” Harbaugh still stopped short of officially ruling him out at that point.
That is no longer in question.
Biadasz signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chargers in free agency this offseason and was viewed as one of the biggest pieces added under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. His ability to block on the move made him a strong fit for the scheme, and he was expected to be a clear upgrade over Bradley Bozeman, who had started at center in each of Harbaugh’s first two seasons in Los Angeles.
Now the Chargers are shifting to rookie Jake Slaughter. Drafted in the second round in April, Slaughter originally was expected to compete for the starting left guard job, but that plan changed once Biadasz went down. He has looked at ease at center during training camp and the preseason, which is also the position he played exclusively in college at Florida.
The Chargers at least have a workable answer in Slaughter, but the injury still darkens what had been a promising summer. Last year, the team lost starting left tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending knee injury during training camp. This year, another starting lineman is gone before the regular season has even begun.
In Other News...
Chargers May Have Found Unexpected O-Line Help At The Right Time
An undrafted rookie has quietly become one of the more interesting offensive line storylines in Chargers camp. Jacob Spomer has been getting work at center and, with injuries thinning that part of the depth chart, he has taken on added importance as the team looks for someone who can at least keep the middle stable in a pinch.
Spomers recent outing offered a promising snapshot of why the staff has kept paying attention. He posted an 82.6 percent pass-blocking rate and did not allow a sack or pressure, a solid sign for a player trying to carve out a role in pass protection. With Tyler Biadasz sidelined, the Chargers could use another dependable interior option, and Spomer is giving himself a real chance to stick around the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have Found A Backfield Difference-Maker In Omarion Hampton
During a joint practice against the 49ers, Omarion Hampton gave the Chargers a flash of the kind of backfield presence they have been looking for. The young runner showed off the physicality and burst that have made him such an intriguing piece, even powering through a run that ended with a defender on the turf. It was the sort of practice sequence that can turn heads quickly, especially for a team still sorting out how much punch it can generate on offense.
Justin Herbert also noticed, praising Hampton for his toughness and leadership as the back enters his second season healthy after an injury-shortened rookie year. For the Chargers, the appeal is obvious: Hampton looks like a player who could matter right away in an offense that needs reliable difference-makers under coach Mike McDaniel. The bigger question now is whether this training-camp momentum carries into a role that matches the promise he showed on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers O-Line Plans Just Took A Brutal Hit Before Week 1
A few days before Week 1, the Chargers were forced to scramble along the offensive line after Tyler Biadasz suffered a severe ACL injury and additional knee damage during joint practices. Los Angeles placed him on injured reserve, ending his season, and the blow landed at a time when the team was still trying to settle its protection plans in front of Jim Harbaugh's first roster.
Harbaugh called it a freak accident, but the real challenge now is practical: the Chargers need to sort through replacement options quickly and keep the line from becoming a weak spot before the games start counting. The team did make a roster addition in wide receiver Gary Jennings, yet the bigger question remains how Los Angeles fills the void created by Biadasz's absence. [Read more 🡒]