The Chargers have come a long way from the ugly injury mess that wrecked their 2025 offensive line, but there’s still one spot that could use a grown-up in the room.
That’s the basic argument for Los Angeles making a move for veteran guard Kevin Zeitler. With Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back and working toward the 2026 season, and Tyler Biadasz added at center, the line looks much sturdier than it did a year ago. But the picture is still incomplete.
Right guard appears to be headed toward Cole Strange, while left guard remains wide open. Kayode Awosika, Jake Slaughter, and Branson Taylor have all shown something in camp, but none of them has separated from the pack. At the moment, the Chargers still don’t seem to know who the starter will be there.
That’s where Zeitler enters the conversation.
He spent last season with the Tennessee Titans and was steady on the interior, bringing the kind of résumé teams notice when the young guys are still sorting themselves out. Zeitler has 14 years of NFL experience and 214 starts, and that kind of bankable veteran presence can matter a lot when a line is trying to find its footing.
The production backs up the case, too. Pro Football Focus gave Zeitler an overall grade of 74.5, which ranked No. 13 among guards.
His pass-blocking grade came in at 75.4, good for No. 9, and his run-blocking grade was 70.8, placing him No. 20.
He also gave up only four sacks and 16 pressures on 590 pass-blocking snaps.
That’s the sort of consistency the Chargers need if they want to keep Justin Herbert clean and give their run game a chance to breathe. It also fits what offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel wants to do, because stability up front opens more doors in both phases.
If Los Angeles did bring in Zeitler, it would likely settle the left guard battle immediately. Instead of letting Awosika, Slaughter, and Taylor keep trading reps, the Chargers could plug in a proven starter and let the competition end there.
It may feel late in the process for a move like this, but the need is still obvious. The Chargers can’t afford instability on the interior, especially after what happened in 2025.
There’s also a practical bonus. Adding Zeitler would deepen the interior at both guard spots and could give Slaughter a flexible role if injuries hit. That kind of versatility matters over the course of a season.
For now, the plan appears to be letting Awosika, Slaughter, and Taylor play it out in the preseason. But if Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel still aren’t ready to name a starter at left guard when that wraps up, Zeitler could be sitting there as the cleanest fix.
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 🡒]