Rashawn Slater’s absence has become one of the more uneasy storylines in Chargers camp, and it’s stretching longer than the team initially expected.
The starting left tackle has now sat out five straight practices, keeping him on the sideline after a minor flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee. The issue first surfaced during a padded practice in San Diego on August 4, and while Slater briefly returned, he ended up back out again. Jim Harbaugh initially described the time away as veteran rest, but the stretch has gone well beyond that explanation.
Slater addressed the situation earlier this week and downplayed the concern. “Nothing crazy, just being thoughtful and learning,” Slater said. “I mean, you have a surgery like that, the rehab went great but things can still happen and things are different.”
The two-time Pro Bowl tackle missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his patellar tendon and undergoing surgery, so this is his first full return to football in more than a year. Slater said his knee feels strong and stable, and he’s handling things day by day with the regular season in mind.
Harbaugh has said the current problem is muscle-related, while Slater pointed out that the tweak is in the same leg that had surgery. That has left the Chargers in a cautious holding pattern with one of the most important players on their offensive line.
The timing matters, too. Los Angeles is installing a new system under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and the line needs as much continuity as it can get with Justin Herbert behind it. In Slater’s absence, the Chargers have rotated younger linemen and veterans, but they still want their starters getting preseason reps together before the games start to count.
Slater has already shown he can be one of the league’s better left tackles when healthy. Right now, though, the focus is on getting him back on the field without pushing the issue. The Chargers are monitoring him closely, and the full picture on his timeline is still unfolding.
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