The Los Angeles Chargers are a team that is going to be led by a tough offensive line. This is common knowledge from the moment Jim Harbaugh was named head coach.
But there could already be a major chink in the armor of this year's team, as the offensive line has not gotten off to a good start in the health department. Rashawn Slater went down with a devastating knee injury in camp that has ended his season and free-agent signing Mekhi Becton has been hobbled this summer as well.
That does not bode well for a team already having to start Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman and Trey Pipkins this coming season.
The Chargers kept just eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, with Jamaree Salyer and Andre James being the only players kept beyond the starting five. The team curiously released David Sharpe, a veteran tackle with some playing experience, and then made a trade for a different tackle... Austin Deculus.
The team got him for next to nothing, sending a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027 to the Houston Texans. Deculus, 26, was a sixth-round pick of the Texans in 2022. In his second stint with them, he has also played for the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. He was a college teammate of Joe Burrow at LSU in college.
However, Deculus has played in just 13 career games, making only one start. It seems like the Chargers could have gotten that from Sharpe without having to give anything up, but they must think they know something about Deculus that seemingly nobody else does.
It does speak to the state of the offensive line that the team chose to trade for Deculus rather than keep any of Branson Taylor, Corey Stewart, Ryan Nelson, Karsen Barnhart, Nash Jones or Josh Kaltenberger, all players who spent training camp with the Chargers. At least a couple of them will likely be brought back to the practice squad, but the team could also look at the waiver wire for another possible addition.
READ: Chargers' once-hyped draft pick's career may already be in jeopardy
Harbaugh wants a dominant offensive line, perhaps more than any other coach in the league. It's hard to imagine this current group satisfying his vision.
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