Tyler Biadasz was supposed to be the steadying force for the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line. Instead, a knee injury in Tuesday’s joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers may have blown up that plan before Week 1 even arrives.
That twist could open the door for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Biadasz is out indefinitely after sustaining ACL damage and additional knee injuries. The 28-year-old center is still seeking more medical opinions, and Los Angeles is now staring at a depth chart that looks a lot shakier than it did when Biadasz signed a three-year, $30 million deal.
The Chargers needed the help. Justin Herbert was sacked 54 times in 2025, a career high and the third-most in the NFL behind Geno Smith and Cam Ward.
The protection issues were already brutal: Rashawn Slater missed the season with a torn patellar tendon, and Joe Alt lasted six games before ankle surgery. Herbert’s 54 sacks also came four more times than Ben Roethlisberger took in 2009, when he was dropped a career-high 50 times.
Now Los Angeles may have to pivot fast, and Pittsburgh has a possible answer in Brock Hoffman.
Hoffman, 27, has outperformed Ryan McCollum in camp, giving Omar Khan a trade chip if the Chargers come asking. He’s listed as Spencer Anderson’s backup on the Steelers’ preseason depth chart, but his value goes beyond one spot.
Hoffman has played 54 career games with 16 starts for the Dallas Cowboys, and across four seasons there he allowed only half a sack. He can play center or either guard spot, which is exactly why he pushed McCollum further down the roster picture before camp even opened.
That flexibility matters in Pittsburgh, where the line picture is still being sorted out. Zach Frazier is locked in as the starter, but Hoffman has taken first-team right guard reps and may be the Steelers’ best backup at all three interior spots. With roster cuts approaching, that kind of versatility carries real weight.
The Chargers do have another path if they want to avoid paying up. Second-round rookie Jake Slaughter, taken 55th overall after 33 college starts at center, can step in.
Los Angeles also has Josh Kaltenberger and Jacob Spomer behind him, though neither has played in a regular-season NFL game. After last season’s weekly protection mess, leaning on three rookies would take some nerve.
That’s why Pittsburgh shouldn’t treat Hoffman like a bargain-bin piece. McCollum is the more realistic low-cost option because he’s strictly a center reserve and is fighting just to stick on the roster. Spencer Anderson, meanwhile, brings five-position flexibility and started at center in college, but he’s currently working as Pittsburgh’s first-team right guard.
If the Chargers come calling, a Hoffman deal should not come cheap. The Steelers would likely need a useful Day 3 pick, not a throwaway late-round swap.
Slaughter’s NFL experience has come in the preseason, and Biadasz was supposed to give him time to develop without being rushed. Instead, Slaughter took over when Biadasz went down Tuesday. If Los Angeles reaches out and Pittsburgh doesn’t like the price, the rookie gets the first shot at keeping Herbert upright.
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Aaron Rodgers Just Raised The Stakes On Pittsburgh's Next QB Decision
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ESPNs Dan Graziano reported that Rodgers own season could speed up or slow down that timetable. If he plays well, Pittsburgh is expected to ride with him through the year and then sort out the next step afterward, but if his play slips, the Steelers may be pushed to lean on Howard or Allar sooner than expected. Either way, Rodgers has already raised the stakes for how the next quarterback decision gets made. [Read more 🡒]