The Chargers may be staring at a major shakeup on the interior of their offensive line after center Tyler Biadasz was carted off during Tuesday’s joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers.
ESPN’s Kris Rhim reported that 49ers defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez landed on Biadasz’s knee, and the veteran center was unable to put weight on it after being evaluated by trainers. Fernando Ramirez of The Sporting Tribune added that Justin Herbert and several teammates came over to check on Biadasz before he left the field.
It was a tough scene for a player the Chargers made one of their top offseason priorities. Biadasz signed before free agency opened on a three-year, $30 million deal, a move designed to stabilize a position that had been a problem spot in front of Herbert for years.
If Biadasz has to miss significant time, the ripple effect could be immediate. Rhim noted that second-round rookie Jake Slaughter was the first player to step in at center once Biadasz exited, and that could force a bigger reshuffling across the line.
That matters because Biadasz had been the one dependable piece on the interior until coaches made it clear that another free-agent addition, Cole Strange, had locked down the right guard job. The left guard battle, meanwhile, had already been one of the most closely watched competitions in camp.
Kayode Awosika entered as the early favorite there, but Branson Taylor’s sudden rise from former practice squad player became one of the camp’s more interesting developments. Now, with Biadasz potentially sidelined, the Chargers could be looking at Slaughter at center in Week 1 while Awosika and Taylor sort out the left guard spot.
How that group holds together without Biadasz’s steadying presence could end up being one of the biggest questions surrounding the offensive line.
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