What Rashawn Slater's Season-Ending Injury Means for the Chargers

Aug 07, 2025 at 04:15 PM

Eric Smith

Editorial Director

The Chargers announced Thursday that Rashawn Slater sustained a torn patellar tendon earlier the day in practice and will undergo surgery to repair the injury. He will miss the 2025 season and be placed on Injured Reserve.

Slater was blocking in a team drill when he went down and had to leave the field on a cart. Teammates and coaches gathered around Slater before he left the field.

You certainly feel for Slater, who just signed a multi-year contract extension on July 27th.

A first-round pick in 2021, he's since developed into one of the league's best tackles as he has two Pro Bowls and a Second-Team All-Pro honor on his resumé.

But now the focus will turn to how the Chargers adapt without one of their offensive linemen. Immediately after the injury, Joe Alt shifted to left tackle and Trey Pipkins III slotted in at right tackle.

Alt, of course, was a stud left tackle at Notre Dame before the Chargers took him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

He had a standout rookie season, finishing with a 94.3 percent pass-block win rate, according to ESPN, which was the fourth-highest mark among offensive tackles in the regular season.

Alt started at left tackle in Week 18 of the 2024 season and also took reps there this offseason and during training camp, so having someone of Alt's caliber to slot in at left tackle is a luxury the Bolts have.

Pipkins, presumably, will slide into a position he knows well at right tackle. Overall, Pipkins has played more than 3,000 career snaps at tackle. There's a reason the Chargers kept him on the roster this offseason as he was projected to be the swing tackle before Slater went down.

The rest of the Chargers offensive line appears set with Zion Johnson at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center and Mekhi Becton at right guard, as Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier this week he was getting close to settling on that starting group.

So, what now for the Bolts?

There's no doubt that the Chargers will miss Slater in 2025, but Harbaugh also prides his team on being tough and adaptable.

The Bolts open the season in 29 days against the Chiefs in Brazil, meaning there is plenty of time to get a revamped starting unit together and have them gel before September 5.

With four weeks (and a day) to go until the 2025 season opener in Brazil, Harbaugh and his staff will no doubt have the offensive line ready to go for the upcoming season.

1 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Washington Football Team on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at FedExField in Landover, MD. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 20 - WAS 16]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

2 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: DAL 20- LAC 17]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

3 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, October 10, 2021 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 47 - CLE 42]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

4 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 17, 2021 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. [FINAL SCORE: BAL 34 - LAC 6]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

5 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 7, 2021 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - PHI 24]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

6 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, November 21, 2021 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 41 - PIT 37]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

7 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, November 28, 2021 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 13 - DEN 28]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

8 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, January 2, 2022 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 34 - DEN 13]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

9 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: MIA 36 - LAC 34]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

10 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 28 - MIN 24]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

11 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 26, 2023 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: BAL 20 - LAC 10]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

12 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, December 31, 2023 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO. [FINAL SCORE: DEN 16 - LAC 9]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

13 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: KC 13 - LAC 12]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

14 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, October 13, 2024 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 23 - DEN 16]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

15 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 26 - NO 8]

Katie Albertson/Los Angeles Chargers

16 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 26 - NO 8]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

17 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - CLE 10]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

18 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - TEN 17]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

19 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - TEN 17]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

20 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 34 - CIN 27]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

21 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, November 25, 2024 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: BAL 30 - LAC 23]

Mia Jones/Los Angeles Chargers

22 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 17 - ATL 13]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

23 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 17 - ATL 13]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

24 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, GA. [FINAL SCORE: KC 19 - LAC 17 ]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

25 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, GA. [FINAL SCORE: KC 19 - LAC 17 ]

Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

26 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the New England Patriots on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 40 - NE 7]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

27 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the New England Patriots on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 40 - NE 7]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

28 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 12 - HOU 32]

Mia Jones/Los Angeles Chargers

29 / 30

The Los Angeles Chargers play the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. [FINAL SCORE: HOU 32 - LAC 12]

Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers