The Chargers got an uneasy look at training camp when Rashawn Slater left practice and headed to the medical tent with an apparent issue in the same left leg that cost him the 2025 season. It was a brief scare, but it also opened the door for Branson Taylor to step into a bigger role.
Taylor handled first-team reps at left tackle, sharing the work with Trey Pipkins. For a second-year offensive lineman who entered the league as a developmental prospect out of Pittsburgh, that’s a meaningful jump. The Chargers drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the early returns suggest the time spent developing him has not been wasted.
At six-foot-ix and 330 pounds, Taylor has the kind of frame teams dream about at tackle. Size, length and power were always part of the appeal.
The question was whether his technique would catch up enough for him to handle real NFL snaps. Training camp has become the place where he’s getting that answer.
Los Angeles has made a point of building depth along the offensive line under head coach Jim Harbaugh, knowing full well that injuries are part of the job. Left tackle is one of the hardest spots to patch over, which is why Taylor’s chance mattered so much once Slater left practice.
Even if Slater’s exit turns out to be precautionary, the reps Taylor picked up are still valuable. Working against starting-caliber edge rushers every day gives a young lineman a faster education, and lining up with the veteran offensive line helps sharpen the communication that can matter later in the season.
That’s especially true for a team with protecting Justin Herbert near the top of the priority list. Slater missed all of last season after a torn patellar tendon, so any issue involving that same left leg naturally draws attention. The Chargers would obviously prefer to avoid more time lost there.
Still, camp is built for these moments. Depth gets tested, young players get thrown into the fire and coaches find out who can handle the next call. Taylor’s work at left tackle suggests he’s putting himself in position to be that option if Los Angeles needs one.
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