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Rashawn Slater

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/25

August 9th, 2025 at 7:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Baltimore Ravens

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Gaskin worked out for Baltimore on Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. The 28-year-old is far removed from his most productive days, which came with the Dolphins. Since the start of the 2022 season, Gaskin has handled just 13 carries. He will offer the Ravens depth in the backfield through their two remaining preseason games.

One week ago, the Jags signed Wallace in a move which allowed him to compete for a depth spot in their secondary. The 30-year-old has 96 appearances and 72 starts to his name, but an injury has quickly ended his chances of making Jacksonville’s roster. White was waived when Wallace arrived, so he will simply continue in his bid to earn a special teams role ahead of roster cutdowns later this month.

Chargers Confirm Torn Patellar Tendon For LT Rashawn Slater

August 8th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 8: Harbaugh confirmed (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim) that Alt will replace Slater on the blind side with Pipkins taking over at right tackle. The Chargers are also planning to work out some offensive linemen this weekend to find another swing tackle. They’ll also get a chance to evaluate Salyer, who is starting Sunday’s preseason game at left tackle, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

AUGUST 7: Rashawn Slater was carted off the field during Thursday’s practice. Hours later, the worst-case scenario emerged. Testing on the Chargers’ franchise left tackle indicates he will not play in 2025.

Slater is feared to have suffered a torn patellar tendon, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The team has since confirmed Slater suffered the tear. This is a brutal blow for Slater and the Chargers, who indicated the Pro Bowl tackle is heading to IR.

This also represents incredible timing for Slater regarding his extension. The Pro Bowl blocker established the new AAV standard for offensive linemen ($28.5MM), agreeing to terms before training camp. The Chargers paid Slater after he had solidified their LT position, a job that had seen turnover between King Dunlap‘s tenure and the Tom Telesco regime drafting Slater in the 2021 first round. Slater will still be expected to live up to the contract, but that effort is now delayed.

The Bolts gave Slater a four-year, $114MM extension that came with $56MM guaranteed at signing. Among left tackles, only Andrew Thomas — on a five-year Giants deal — bettered the at-signing figure. Slater managed to beat out tackles with better rookie-contract resumes, benefiting by the Chargers waiting until his fifth NFL offseason to pay him. Now, major questions emerge regarding the Bolts’ 2025 O-line.

Joe Alt played left tackle at Notre Dame; the Chargers moved the 2024 No. 5 overall pick to the right side due to Slater’s presence. After another full offseason of RT training, Alt sliding to the blind side would be a gamble for the Bolts. But that would be an option due to his dominance there with the Fighting Irish. The Chargers also moved Trey Pipkins from right tackle to guard to accommodate Alt’s 2024 arrival. Pipkins had re-signed to play right tackle. Jim Harbaugh announced earlier this week a starting five that did not included Pipkins. This could be a way back for the supplanted blocker, as ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim indicates an Alt-at-LT, Pipkins-to-RT plan is the most likely outcome following the Slater news.

Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper) the Chargers had decided on a Slater-Zion Johnson–Bradley Bozeman–Mekhi Becton-Alt front five. Slater, Becton and Alt were entrenched starters, while Johnson and Bozeman entered camp with positional uncertainty. Pipkins (56 career starts, most coming at right tackle) gives the Chargers options most teams do not have when they lose a player of Slater’s caliber. Alt moving over makes more sense, as Pipkins has not played more than 77 LT snaps in a season since his rookie year.

A 2019 third-round pick, Pipkins worked as the Bolts’ full-time RT starter from 2022-23. The Chargers passed on Malik Nabers at No. 5 last year to install Alt at RT, kicking Pipkins inside. The transition was not exactly successful, as Becton has since booted Pipkins from the starting lineup. Pro Football Focus graded Pipkins outside the top 60 at guard last season; the advanced metrics site did not grade him higher than 50th during his time as the Chargers’ top RT.

Teams certainly never have great options when losing a Slater-like presence. Alt was a two-time All-American left tackle at Notre Dame, honors that propelled him into the top five of last year’s draft. The three-year, $21.75MM deal Pipkins signed in 2023 — Telesco’s final offseason in charge — could represent a lifeline for both the Chargers and the contract-year blocker. Pipkins, 29, is also not the only possible contingency plan here.

Slater had bounced back from a three-game 2022, when he was shut down because of a biceps tendon tear. The Northwestern product played in 32 games over the past two seasons, missing one in 2024 due to a pectoral injury. The 2022 season also revealed another potential Bolts option, as Jamaree Salyer replaced Slater at left tackle.

A 2022 sixth-round pick out of Georgia, Salyer slid to guard in 2023 but was unable to keep a first-string job following the Alt move last year. Salyer worked as the Bulldogs’ starting left tackle from 2020-21. While Salyer made only four starts last season, he joins Pipkins as possible contingency plans for a Chargers team that has devoted considerable resources to its O-line.

Unfortunately, the team’s top piece is out of the picture. PFF graded Slater as the NFL’s second-best tackle last season. The standout missed offseason time while angling for a new deal, and the fifth-year tackle going down soon after signing it stands to significantly affect a Bolts team that doubled down at running back — via the Najee Harris signing and Omarion Hampton first-round investment — this offseason.

This Chargers offseason brought depth up front. Pipkins and Salyer join four-year Raiders center starter Andre James in representing the Bolts’ newfound depth. It would stand to reason the Chargers will call on Pipkins or Salyer to move into the lineup following this injury, and it will be interesting to see if Alt indeed makes the switch back to his college role for this season.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Chargers, Rashawn Slater Agree To Extension

July 27th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:25pm: Mike Florio of NBC Sports delivered some details on Slater’s new record-setting contract. Of the $92MM in guaranteed money, $29MM comes in the form of his signing bonus. His base salaries in 2025 ($2MM) and 2026 ($11MM) are fully guaranteed, as are the $7MM roster bonuses in each year. His base salaries for the remaining years are $26MM in 2027 (guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2026), $23.29MM in 2028 ($10MM guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2027), and $20.75MM in 2029. He can also receive a $7MM roster bonus in 2029, giving Los Angeles incentive to let him play out the final year of the deal.

The deal is structured in a way that rewards Slater with the largest one-year, two-year, and four-year cash flows for an offensive lineman in NFL history. Daniel Popper of The Athletic adds that Slater’s cap hits as a result of the new contract will be $14.8MM in 2025, $23.8MM in 2026, $31.8MM in 2027, $29.09MM in 2028, and $33.55MM in 2029.

1:03pm: Rashawn Slater will not enter the 2025 campaign as a pending free agent. Talks on a Chargers extension produced an agreement Sunday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports team and player have agreed to a four-year, $114MM extension. This monster pact – which is now official – includes $92MM guaranteed and makes Slater the highest-paid offensive linemen in NFL history. As a result of this pact, he is on the books with Los Angeles through 2029.

Given the Chargers’ decision to pick up Slater’s fifth-year option last spring, he was on track to collect $19.04MM in 2025. A mutual interest has long existed for a multi-year pact to be worked out, however, and after skipping OTAs the former No. 13 pick attended mandatory minicamp. Expecting to land an extension in time for Week 1, Slater was also present for the start of training camp this month. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Slater sat out early practices while the agreement was finalized.

When Penei Sewell inked his Lions extension last offseason, he moved the bar to $28MM in average annual value. Tristan Wirfs narrowly surpassed that mark on his second Buccaneers contract, and Slater has now moved to the top of the pecking order. The 26-year-old’s AAV of $28.5MM is a new watermark for offensive linemen, and his guarantee figure – which will come into greater focus when the full structure of this pact is known, of course – far outpaces the other top earners along the O-line.

Slater has started all 51 of his regular season games with the Bolts, putting to rest questions about his arm length potentially preventing him from operating as a left tackle at the NFL level. The Northwestern product earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie and has rebounded from a health perspective since being limited to three games the following year. Slater finished a career-worst 17th in terms of PFF grade in 2023, but he landed a far better evaluation last season.

In 2024 – with No. 5 pick Joe Alt handling right tackle duties – Slater received a 90.9 PFF grade, good for second amongst qualifying tackles. The Chargers will be counting on that level of play continuing for the foreseeable future. Alt loomed as a potential candidate to replace Slater on the blindside starting in 2026, but today’s move ensures that tandem will remain in place for years to come.

Strength up front was, to no surprise, a key target for the Jim Harbaugh-Joe Hortiz regime when it took over last year. The Chargers now have Slater under contract long term while Alt has plenty of runway on his rookie pact. Mekhi Becton was signed in free agency after his stellar one-and-done Eagles campaign, and he will occupy the right guard spot. A rotation between left guard and center is ongoing with respect to Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman, but regardless of how that plays out the offensive line will again be expected to be among the league’s best in 2025.

The Bolts made the postseason in Harbaugh’s first year in charge, but a turnover-filled performance on the part of quarterback Justin Herbert resulted in a wild-card exit. If the team is to take a step forward this year, Slater will no doubt play a major role. His performance will now be measured with a record-breaking commitment on the part of the team in mind.

Checking In On 2025 Fifth-Year Option Performers

June 21st, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2021 draft class has produced some of the NFL’s best players. Patrick Surtain claimed Defensive Player of the Year acclaim, after signing a monster extension that reset the cornerback market, and Ja’Marr Chase posted a triple-crown campaign that ended up pushing the wide receiver market past $40MM per year. Penei Sewell remains the NFL’s highest-paid tackle, and the DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle deals helped shape other WR contracts over the past year.

Several players from that first round also did not pan out, with the quarterback crop being the most notable underachievers. Only Trevor Lawrence received an extension among the five 2021 first-round passers, though Justin Fields did do fairly well as a free agent this offseason. The 2021 first-round class did see 15 options exercised (and three players extended; Rashod Bateman has already been extended twice), marking a bump from the 2020 first-round contingent.

Nine players from that first round, however, exited this year’s offseason programs still tied to their rookie deals. Even though the 2020 CBA helped players on this front by making fifth-year options fully guaranteed, it can still be argued the options do first-rounders a disservice due to teams having five years of player control compared to four on deals ranging from Round 2 to Round 7. But the option system — now in its 15th year — is not going anywhere. And more than a fourth of the NFL’s franchises are moving toward training camp with big decisions to make.

Here is a look at where things stand between those teams and the batch of 2021 first-rounders on fifth-year options:

Kyle Pitts, TE (Falcons); option salary: $10.88MM

Flashes of upper-crust tight end play have emerged for Pitts, but Terry Fontenot leaving Chase on the board — months before the Falcons traded Julio Jones — was obviously a mistake. Pitts joined Mike Ditka (and now Brock Bowers) as the only rookie-year tight ends to clear 1,000 yards; the Florida product has not approached that range since. While Pitts has played 17 games in each of the past two seasons, the MCL injury he sustained in 2022 brought a hurdle that became difficult to negotiate. QB play has hurt Pitts, but the Falcons have not seen him justify the No. 4 overall investment. A contract-year uptick certainly could provide a gateway to a big 2026 free agency payday, however.

No Falcons extension rumors have surfaced this offseason, but Pitts has been the subject of trade talk. The Falcons are believed to have listened on Pitts earlier this offseason. A Day 2 pick was believed to be the desired asking price for the 24-year-old pass catcher. Barring a trade, Pitts will be counted on to help Michael Penix Jr.‘s development, alongside fellow Fontenot top-10 skill-position draftees Drake London and Bijan Robinson. Pitts’ age still points to a big-ticket 2026 deal being a reasonable outcome; he can remove notions of a “prove it” contract being necessary with a quality contract year.

Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys); option salary: $24MM

In NFC East drama, the Cowboys traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Eagles, as Philly’s plan to outflank the Giants on Smith worked. Dallas won the prize here, landing Parsons at 12. Although Surtain has received the top honor among this draft class and Chase has become the highest-paid player, Parsons is also one of the NFL’s best players. He will be paid like it, and the Cowboys are operating on an eerily similar timeline compared to their slow-playing of other recent extensions.

A three-time All-Pro, Parsons is the best player still attached to a fifth-year option. And the EDGE market has changed significantly this offseason. Parsons, 26, confirmed the Cowboys’ latest delay will prove costly. A strange subplot between Jerry Jones and Parsons’ agent (David Mulugheta) also became known during these drawn-out negotiations. The former No. 12 overall pick has expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender, and it seems likely he will eclipse Chase’s $40.25MM-per-year deal as well. The Cowboys, whose slow-paced dealings with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb defined their 2024 offseason, have been in talks with Parsons.

Even after a value gap was revealed, a report of common ground surfaced. A franchise that accustomed to — prior to the Lamb and Prescott deals, that is — long-term contracts also looks to have hit a term-length snag here. Trade rumors came out here months ago, but nothing on that front has surfaced in a while.

After Maxx Crosby eclipsed Nick Bosa‘s defender AAV record, Danielle Hunter cleared $35MM (albeit on a one-year bump) as well. Myles Garrett‘s $40MM-per-year accord now sets the market, and T.J. Watt and Aidan Hutchinson should benefit. Parsons having waited boosts his prospects as well, and being nearly four years younger than Garrett will present a clear case for the Penn State alum’s second contract to come in noticeably higher. When will the Cowboys complete their latest arduous contractual journey?

Rashawn Slater, LT (Chargers); option salary: $19MM

The Bolts did well to add Slater at No. 13. Like Parsons, not much doubt appears to exist about Slater’s prospects for a mega-deal. The Northwestern alum, who joined Parsons and Sewell in opting out of the 2020 COVID-19-marred college season, has started every game he has played with the Chargers. After missing 14 games due to injury in 2022, Slater bounced back and earned his second Pro Bowl nod (in 2024).

Last year brought extensions for Sewell, Christian Darrisaw (chosen 10 spots after Slater) and 2020 first-rounder Tristan Wirfs. Slater’s market will check in at a similar place. Extension talks began early this offseason, as the Jim Harbaugh–Joe Hortiz regime has now observed him for a season. Slater skipped OTAs but expects his second contract to come from the Chargers.

The period between minicamp and Week 1 regularly brings extensions, and this will be the most likely window for the Chargers to come to terms with their O-line anchor. Slater signing a second contract soon would allow it to overlap with at least two Joe Alt rookie-deal years, providing a benefit to an L.A. team with a $53MM-per-year Justin Herbert deal on the books.

Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Jets); option salary: $15.31MM

After bouncing between guard and tackle, Vera-Tucker has settled at his natural position. The USC product, whom the Jets chose 14th overall in 2021, worked exclusively at right guard last year. Although the Jets faceplanted in Aaron Rodgers‘ only full season leading the charge, Vera-Tucker stayed healthy after suffering season-ending injuries in 2022 and ’23. Vera-Tucker started 15 games last year; Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s ninth-best guard.

The Jets are believed to be eyeing the post-draft period to discuss a second contract with Vera-Tucker, though the team — its struggles notwithstanding — has several extension candidates. Even if Breece Hall may not be one of them, the Jets have 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson extension-eligible now.

Vera-Tucker, who turned 26 this week, could take precedence due to being in a contract year. It is also possible a new Jets regime would want to see more given the guard’s injury struggles. Another quality year would make Vera-Tucker one of the top 2026 free agents, but the Jets hold exclusive negotiating rights until March 2026.

Jaelan Phillips, OLB (Dolphins); option salary: $13.25MM

While Vera-Tucker created some distance from his injury issues last season, Phillips sank deeper into that abyss by suffering an ACL tear after a November 2023 Achilles tear sent him off course. Chosen 18th overall in 2021, Phillips already carried injury baggage based on his UCLA past. He rocketed onto the first-round radar following a transfer to Miami, and the ex-Hurricane showed promise during the early years of his rookie contract. Phillips posted 25 QB hits and seven sacks in 2022 and was on pace to clear that career-high sack mark by a comfy margin in ’23, but the Dolphins soon saw injuries derail their edge rusher plan.

Phillips and Bradley Chubb‘s returns from malady-marred stretches represent a central Dolphins storyline. Their returns, which are nearly complete, will be paramount for a regime suddenly in some hot water. The GM who selected Phillips (Chris Grier) 18th overall remains in place, potentially helping the 26-year-old OLB in the event he can shake the injury trouble. But no extension rumors have emerged. This season will be about Phillips reestablishing his old form. If he does, a 2026 franchise tag or a lucrative deal coming in just south of that rate may await.

Kwity Paye, DE (Colts); option salary: $13.39MM

Paye’s value checks in below the Parsons-Slater tier, but he may also not be in “prove it” territory like Phillips. The former No. 21 overall pick has not battled major injury trouble nor has he delivered A-list production. Settling in as an upper-middle-class edge rusher thus far, the Michigan alum has recorded 16.5 sacks since 2023.

Paye, 26, played a big role in the Colts setting an Indianapolis-era record for sacks in a season (51) in 2023 and has certainly not been a bust for Chris Ballard‘s team. A decision will need to be made soon, though, even as the Colts have bigger issues to sort out. The Colts have done well to extend or re-sign their core players, but Ballard backtracked on an inward-focused approach this offseason by paying Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Will those deals affect Paye’s standing?

Indianapolis also has two veteran D-tackle contracts on the books (for DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart), and the team used a first-round pick on D-end Laiatu Latu last year. A Paye payday would complement Latu’s rookie-deal years, and the Colts acting early could create a discount opportunity due to Paye never eclipsing nine sacks or 12 QB hits in a season. Those numbers also could give the team pause about Paye’s long-term viability. Paye was not interested in a 2024 extension, but it would stand to reason he would be prepared to talk terms now. No extension rumors have followed, though.

Travis Etienne, RB (Jaguars); option salary: $6.14MM

An Urban Meyer draftee, Etienne has now been a Lawrence teammate for eight years. The Clemson-developed running back delivered quality work for the 2022 and ’23 Jaguars teams, becoming a high-usage player under Doug Pederson in that span. Meyer had telegraphed a hope the Jags could draft Kadarius Toney in 2021, but Etienne proved the far better pick by posting back-to-back seasons of 1,400-plus yards from scrimmage after missing his rookie year with a foot injury. However, Etienne’s stock mirrored that of the team last year. Tank Bigsby cut into his RB1 role, and career-worst marks followed.

Etienne does not appear an extension candidate in Jacksonville, and trade rumors emerged before the draft. Linked to Ashton Jeanty at No. 5, the Jags pulled off a smokescreen operation centered around Travis Hunter. Even with Jacksonville going with Hunter over Jeanty, the team drafted two running backs (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) ahead of Liam Coen‘s first year in charge. Coen did throw cold water on an Etienne trade, but the 26-year-old RB appears set to play out his rookie contract and test free agency in 2026. It will be interesting to see if Coen, who coaxed a promising rookie-year season from Bucky Irving, can move Etienne back on track. But a post-draft report also indicated the new Jags HC is not especially high on the former No. 25 overall pick.

Greg Newsome, CB (Browns); option salary: $13.38MM

As Hunter headed to Jacksonville instead of Cleveland, Newsome saw his status receive an 11th-hour update ahead of the draft. Rather than see Hunter’s two-way role impact him, Newsome enters 2025 in a similar spot. The Browns traded down from No. 2 and took Mason Graham — in a draft that did not see Cleveland draft a cornerback — but Newsome still may not be long for Cleveland.

The Browns dangled the 25-year-old corner in trades before the draft; that followed a pre-deadline trade rumor. In April, it looked like Hunter’s part-time CB role would affect Newsome. But the Browns and Jags had been working on a trade for more than two weeks before the draft. Those trade talks may have been merely a reflection of the organization’s view of Newsome, the 2021 No. 26 overall pick.

Former third-rounder Martin Emerson has operated as Denzel Ward‘s perimeter complementary performer during his career, relegating Newsome to a slot role in sub-packages. Last season, that meant only three starts for Newsome, who described some frustration with his role during the winter. A trade may still be something to monitor ahead of the November deadline, especially if the Browns want to keep stockpiling ammo for a 2026 QB move.

Odafe Oweh, OLB (Ravens); option salary: $13.25MM

Like Paye, Oweh has submitted an extended sample of quality production. Neither had revealed themselves to be difference-making presences going into 2024, but after the Ravens moved on from Jadeveon Clowney, Oweh took a long-awaited step forward. The former No. 31 overall pick broke through for 10 sacks and 23 QB hits. Oweh had never previously surpassed five sacks or 15 hits in a season, with 2024 representing a significant development for a Ravens team that has otherwise relied on veteran stopgaps since Matt Judon‘s 2021 free agency departure.

With David Ojabo not yet panning out, Oweh still has a clear runway in Baltimore. An extension is in play for the ex-Parsons Penn State teammate. Not too much has come out on this front just yet, and the Ravens may also be interested in seeing if Oweh can replicate his 2024 production. Then again, the team has four years of intel on the 26-year-old pass rusher.

Waiting until 2026 to make a play here would run the risk of Oweh’s price rising beyond Baltimore’s comfort zone. No stranger to letting pass-rushing talent walk in free agency and recouping compensatory picks, the Ravens have also not been able to rely on a homegrown pass rusher since Judon. That would stand to make Oweh a reasonable priority in his contract year.

LT Rashawn Slater Expects To Sign Chargers Extension

June 13th, 2025 at 7:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

Rashawn Slater was away from the Chargers during OTAs, but he was in attendance for this week’s mandatory minicamp. When speaking about that decision and his ongoing extension talks, the Pro Bowl left tackle struck an optimistic tone.

As things stand, Slater is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025. He is owed $19.04MM for the year, but negotiations on a long-term deal have been taking place for much of the offseason. A raise will be in store for the 26-year-old once an extension is agreed to, although it remains to be seen when that will be the case. Slater declined to say if he would give thought to a holdout in the event no deal were to be in hand by training camp.

“We’ll see,” the former No. 13 pick said (via the team’s website). “I think, you know, my agent obviously is having those conversations on my behalf, so for me I’m just focused on training and whatever happens happens.”

When asked about Slater’s situation, head coach Jim Harbaugh echoed the previous sentiments of general manager Joe Hortiz that the team aims to hammer out a long-term accord. Work still needs to be done of course, but Slater noted he expects that will take place. The Northwestern product was limited to three games in 2022, but otherwise he has proven to be durable protecting Justin Herbert‘s blindside. Slater earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie and repeated that feat in 2024, the first season of Los Angeles’ tackle tandem with he and Joe Alt.

Selected fifth overall in his draft class, Alt could take over the left tackle spot in the event Slater were to depart in free agency next spring. The Chargers could ensure an effective setup at both talks spots for years to come with a long-term Slater pact, though, and finalizing one will be a priority for the summer. Los Angeles’ blindside blocker will no doubt look to join the 15 tackles currently earning $20MM or more annually; in any case, he will remain the team’s highest-paid O-lineman by a comfortable margin if and when a second contract is signed.

With spring work now in the books, Slater’s attention could turn to the matter of his extension. Questions about training camp participation will increase if he remains a pending free agent by mid-July. For now, at least, he is at ease with respect to his financial outlook.

“I have no concern about it at all,” he added. “Realistically speaking, I’ve known for a long time, it’s how these things go. It’s not something that’s bothered me. It’s just the business of football so I have full confidence. I feel good.”

Chargers’ Rashawn Slater Absent From OTAs

May 29th, 2025 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

During each of his first four seasons in the NFL, Rashawn Slater attended the opening session of organized team activities. The Chargers’ left tackle has deviated from that trend in 2025, though.

Slater was absent from the beginning of Los Angeles’ OTAs, as detailed by Gavino Borquez of ChargersWire. The move comes against the backdrop of an extension being sought in this case. The 26-year-old is currently set to play out his fifth-year option in 2025.

Since joining the Bolts as a first-round pick, Slater has handled full-time starting duties on the blindside. He earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie and added another to his resume in 2024. The intervening years included a biceps tear which limited him to three games in 2022, but he managed to play a full campaign the following season. With his value to the Chargers’ offensive line well established, extension talks have unsurprisingly taken place since at least February.

Not long after the draft, it became clear team and player were still discussing a long-term pact. General manager Joe Hortiz expressed his desire for an agreement to be reached, but that is obviously not the case yet. Voluntary workouts will continue for the Chargers until mandatory minicamp takes place from June 10-12. The prospect of fines for missed time would only emerge if Slater remained absent for that event.

The Northwestern product is owed $19.04MM in 2025 as a result of Los Angeles’ decision to pick up his option last spring. That figure is guaranteed in full, but an extension will bring with it plenty more in terms of locked in compensation as well as a raise. 15 offensive tackles are currently attached to a deal averaging at least $20MM per year, with six carrying an AAV of $25MM or more. The latter group includes right tackles Penei Sewell and Lane Johnson, though, so Slater would be joining exclusive company in terms of blindside protectors if his new deal were to check in at the higher rate.

The Chargers used the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft on Joe Alt, and he operated at right tackle as a rookie. The Notre Dame product looms as a potential successor to Slater given his college experience on the opposite side, but the team would of course prefer to keep its tandem in place for years to come. Doing so will require working out a lucrative pact for Slater, and there is still clearly progress to be made on that front.

Chargers Working On Rashawn Slater Extension

April 28th, 2025 at 2:12pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers are continuing extension talks with left tackle Rashawn Slater, according to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, and general manager Joe Hortiz is “hopeful” that the two sides will come to an agreement.

Slater, the 13th overall pick in 2021, is entering the final year of his rookie deal on a fifth-year option worth $19MM. He has been one of the league’s premier blindside protectors since he entered the league, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. A torn biceps tendon ended his second season after just three games, and he’s starting 48 of the Chargers’ 51 regular-season games in his other three years in Los Angeles.

The former Northwestern Wildcat has been ultra-consistent in pass protection, with only two games in his career with more than four pressures allowed, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Slater is also an excellent run-blocker, though the Chargers have not posted strong team-wide rushing numbers in his tenure.

Slater’s extension could make him the league’s highest-paid left tackle. Christian Darrisaw reset the market at $26MM per year last July, and Trent Williams surpassed him in September with a $27.55MM APY. However, this offseason saw Ja’Marr Chase and Myles Garrett reset their positional markets by significant figures, and Slater could push to do the same by becoming the first offensive lineman to earn at least $30MM per year.

The Chargers would likely balk at such a figure this year, as the 2026 franchise tag for offensive linemen is projected to be $27.6MM, per OverTheCap. Los Angeles could tag Slater next offseason and continue negotiations after another increase in the salary cap. A second franchise tag in 2027 would cost another $33.1MM, resulting in a two-year average of $30.4MM that could help the two sides find a middle ground on a long-term deal.

Chargers Have Discussed Extension With Rashawn Slater

February 25th, 2025 at 10:46pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers have discussed a contract extension with left tackle Rashawn Slater, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

“We’ve had conversations,” said general manager Joe Hortiz (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim). “I love Rashawn. And Rashawn is a great player, and he helps us win football games, so I’d love Rashan to be around for a long time.”

Slater has been one of the league’s best left tackles since being drafted with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. His rookie season featured Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, as well as a fourth-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. A torn biceps prematurely ended his second year, but he bounced back with a solid season in 2023 and another Pro Bowl nod in 2024.

The Chargers picked up Slater’s fifth-year option last March and are set to pay him just over $19MM this year. A long-term extension could lower his cap hit considerably, giving Los Angeles even more money for free agency next month.

Slater, who will turn 26 in March, will likely seek a top-of-the-market left tackle contract. For comparison, fellow 2021 first-rounder Christian Darrisaw signed a $26MM APY extension with the Vikings heading into his age-26 season in 2024. With another significant cap increase this offseason, Slater will likely surpass that number and could even push to match the $27.5M per-year salary of Trent Williams.

Both Hortiz and director of player personnel strategy Corey Krawiec came up in Baltimore, where the Ravens have a history of extending franchise cornerstones. Slater would certainly fall under that category as a premier left tackle, making an extension with the Chargers seem like an inevitability.

Chargers’ Justin Herbert Expected To Play In Week 4

September 28th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers will be shorthanded along the offensive line during their Week 4 game against the Chiefs. They are on track to have Justin Herbert available, however.

Los Angeles’ franchise passer is expected to play tomorrow, Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. As long as a last-minute setback does not occur regarding Herbert’s high ankle sprain, he will be in the lineup against Kansas City. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds Herbert made it through the practice week without issue and that he is feeling better now than he was ahead of last week’s contest.

That game saw the 26-year-old exit after taking a sack which aggravated his ankle sprain. Herbert’s availability was in doubt for the following contest, but he quickly expressed optimism he would be able to suit up for Week 4. Signs pointed in that direction midweek, so today’s update comes as little surprise. Herbert will likely have two backup offensive tackles protecting him as he aims to play a full game, though.

Left tackle Rashawn Slater has been ruled out due to the pectoral injury he suffered last week. Rookie right tackle Joe Alt, meanwhile, has been downgraded to doubtful as a result of his MCL sprain. This year’s No. 5 pick is expected to miss time, so he is likely to join the likes of Slater and edge rusher Joey Bosa on the inactive list tomorrow.

The Chargers started 2-0 to kick off Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure as head coach, but Week 3 resulted in a 20-10 loss to the Steelers. The team’s offense was entirely ineffective during the second half, a discouraging sign for backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke if he finds himself back on the field at some point on Sunday. If all goes well, though, it will be Herbert in place throughout the contest.

Chargers RT Joe Alt Expected To Miss Time; LT Rashawn Slater Suffers Pectoral Injury

September 23rd, 2024 at 5:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

It remains to be seen who the Chargers will have at quarterback for Week 4. Regardless of if Justin Herbert is on the field or not, the team will likely be shorthanded up front.

Right tackle Joe Alt suffered an MCL sprain during the Chargers’ loss on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. As a result, this year’s fifth overall pick is expected to miss time. Rapoport does add, however, that surgery will not be needed.

Alt exceled on the blindside during his time at Notre Dame. He emerged as the top prospect in a deep offensive tackle class, and by the time his name was called by the Bolts it came as little surprise he would be joining the team. With Rashawn Slater in place on the left, Alt took on the right tackle gig as a rookie. Prior to the injury, he had thrived in that role.

The 21-year-old is unlikely to be available against the Chiefs in Week 4. Los Angeles is on the bye in Week 5, however, so Alt’s absence could prove to be short-lived especially since no surgery will not take place. The team will hope the same holds true of Slater, whom Rapoport notes is dealing with a strained pectoral muscle. The 2021 first-rounder exited Sunday’s loss to the Steelers.

In the second half of that game, Los Angeles recorded negative-five yards of total offense. Taylor Heinicke was at quarterback for much of that time, and the team’s injuries at both tackle spots were obviously a contributing factor to that production. Slater is set to collect $19.04MM next season on the fifth-year option, but it would not come as a surprise if the Chargers were to pursue an extension. Any injuries affecting him during the campaign could alter his value, though, of course.

As expected, Jim Harbaugh‘s first season as head coach of the Chargers has included a run-heavy approach on offense. That will remain especially true if Herbert cannot play in Week 4, but in addition to questions about his status it will be interesting to see how the team’s O-line looks when that game takes place.

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