HEADLINES

Trey Pipkins

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.

AFC West Rumors: Bozeman, Mahomes, Rice, Raiders

June 1st, 2025 at 9:24pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chargers‘ interior offensive line blocking was a weakness of the team in 2024. The team addressed the right guard position by signing Mekhi Becton after the former first-round pick had a breakout season in Philadelphia. The center and left guard spots, though, are currently a bit more up in the air as Los Angeles has been experimenting with swapping Bradley Bozeman and Zion Johnson from the positions at which they started in 2024.

As the team has continued in this experiment, Daniel Popper of The Athletic has called into question whether or not Bozeman will start at all. While Bozeman has been a starting lineman in the NFL for most of the past four seasons, he has never graded out as one of the NFL’s best interior blockers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Bozeman filled starting roles at left guard and center for the Ravens throughout his rookie contract, but they allowed him to walk in free agency. He signed with Carolina as a backup, only earning the starting center role because of injury. The Panthers did re-sign him, but they quickly released him only a year into his three-year, $18MM deal.

After he started for a year in Los Angeles, the Chargers gave him a more reserved two-year, $6.5MM deal. Popper seems pretty sure that Johnson will be starting, though whether at center or left guard remains to be seen. He thinks Bozeman could end up starting at the other position, but the team has set themselves up well regardless. Free agent signing Andre James provides insurance at center, while Trey Pipkins III and Jamaree Salyer both started games at guard last year and could potentially step in if Bozeman struggles. The Chargers also drafted Branson Taylor out of Pittsburgh in the sixth round and worked him at left guard in rookie minicamp. Suffice it to say, Los Angeles has plenty of options as they continue to try and improve their interior offensive line.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the AFC West, starting with a couple from Kansas City:

  • There was a bit of chatter after it was decided that NFL players would be allowed to participate in flag football in the 2028 Olympics concerning which players would be best suited to represent Team USA. One player sure to show up on many people’s dream team took himself out of the running. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes told reporters he was not planning on playing, saying that he would “leave that to the younger guys.”
  • Another Chiefs player is making less light-hearted news as wide receiver Rashee Rice continues in his legal struggles. Per Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Rice is now facing a third lawsuit related to the street-racing crash in Dallas back in March of 2024. Kayla Quinn is the latest person to allege that she and her son sustained physical and mental injuries as a result of the incident.
  • According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Raiders have developed a reputation for traditionally operating in a cash-poor manner. New limited owner Tom Brady has reportedly made it known that he intends to change that reputation. Per Breer, Brady promised any coaching candidates in January that he and his fellow new limited partners would “materially change” the team’s spending habits.

AFC West Rumors: Chiefs, Chargers, Miller

May 1st, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs took a gamble on injured tackle Josh Simmons, who saw a patellar tendon tear ding his draft stock a bit. The Ohio State standout went down six games into the season, and some debate existed going into the draft about his availability for the season. Simmons said (via The Athletic’s Mike Jones) a July return point, potentially in time for training camp, is expected. The Chiefs have doubled up on tackles this offseason, adding Simmons after giving Jaylon Moore a two-year, $30MM deal in the early hours of the legal tampering period. Kansas City, which used four LT starters last season before its makeshift setup unraveled in the Super Bowl, has seen extensive turnover here since Eric Fisher‘s 2020 AFC championship game injury. If Simmons makes his way to the LT role early, it is worth wondering the team’s Moore plan.

Andy Reid said the Chiefs view Moore as capable of playing multiple O-line positions. Seeing as Moore has never played a guard snap in the NFL, this would mean those positions are LT and RT. Jawaan Taylor has underwhelmed at RT, becoming known for penalties and a phantom start that could draw more. The Chiefs guaranteed Taylor’s $20MM 2025 compensation in 2024, but Moore could potentially compete with the free agency miss this offseason. For now, Moore appears to be a Chiefs stopgap at left tackle.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

Chargers Re-Sign C Bradley Bozeman, P J.K. Scott

March 10th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time, Bradley Bozeman has reached an agreement to re-sign with a team. After the Panthers reupped the veteran center in 2023, he is sticking with the Chargers.

The Bolts re-signed Bozeman and punter JK Scott on Monday. Bozeman, 30, played for just $1.13MM with the Chargers last season. The Panthers had given him a raise in 2023, but after playing for the veteran minimum last season, Bozeman may not match the $6MM-per-year deal he was previously on as a Panther.

Despite Bozeman’s low-end contract, he started 17 games for the Chargers. That marked the former Raven’s second straight season of perfect attendance. Pro Football Focus was not particularly complimentary of Bozeman’s initial Chargers year, ranking him 29th among center regulars. That came after the advanced metrics website placed him 21st in 2023.

Los Angeles may not be eyeing Bozeman as a starter once again. GM Joe Hortiz said recently (via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper) that former first-round pick Zion Johnson will be tried at center this offseason. The Bolts, who had previously relocated Trey Pipkins from tackle to guard, have used Johnson as a starting guard — both LG and RG — in each of his three seasons.

Hortiz expressed confidence Johnson could make the transition, despite not playing center at Boston College, either. While Pipkins remains on Los Angeles’ roster, he profiles as a cut candidate, Popper adds. The Chargers could save $6.75MM by releasing the converted tackle, who has been with the team since 2019.

A seven-year veteran, Scott has been the Chargers’ punter for the past three seasons. The 29-year-old specialist has averaged just north of 46 yards per punt in each of the past two seasons.

AFC West Notes: Franklin-Myers, Broncos, Brady, Raiders, OL, Chiefs, Cook, Chargers

June 19th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Jets work on a solution to bring trade acquisition Haason Reddick into the fold, the Broncos have longtime Gang Green D-line starter John Franklin-Myers penciled into a starting post. Franklin-Myers is expected to start alongside Zach Allen and D.J. Jones in Vance Joseph‘s 3-4 scheme. The Broncos acquired the 27-year-old D-lineman for only a 2026 sixth-round pick, with the deal amounting to a salary dump on the Jets’ part. Denver reworked Franklin-Myers’ deal, with terms (two years, $15MM) north of where a Jets pay-cut offer came in, and improved one of their DE spots from last season. The former Rams draftee said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold) he spoke with Joseph and Broncos senior defensive assistant Joe Vitt about how he would fit in Denver’s scheme, helping move the trade across the goal line.

While significant questions remain about the Broncos’ viability as a contender, the team has experienced cogs at just about every spot across both lines. Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • The Chiefs boast experience at four positions on their offensive front, but the reigning champions’ left tackle post is unsettled as of now. Second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia looks to hold an early lead on 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris for the job, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor. Suamataia took the majority of the first-team reps during minicamp. Training camp will, of course, provide a clearer indication of this position battle (subscription required). Should Suamataia end up losing the competition, it would stand to reason he would have a shot to eventually claim it as he develops. But the BYU product is off to a nice start, albeit in unpadded work.
  • Down Bryan Cook for their final nine games due to an ankle injury, the Chiefs saw the third-year safety participate fully in minicamp, Taylor adds. This certainly brings good news, given that Cook was carted off Lambeau Field in early December. The Chiefs, who lost fill-in Mike Edwards to the Bills this offseason, are once again planning to turn to Cook and Justin Reid as their starting safeties.
  • Trey Pipkins‘ move to guard is looking likely to produce a starting opportunity. Pipkins joined Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman and Joe Alt in taking every first-team rep during the team’s final OTA and the minicamp open to media, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper writes. Jim Harbaugh said this group is on track to be a “top-tier” O-line. A career-long tackle, Pipkins’ guard move has been in the works for a bit now. Two seasons remain on his three-year, $21.75MM deal.
  • Jim Leonhard interviewed for the Eagles’ defensive coordinator job last year and appeared the frontrunner for the Packers’ DC gig in 2021. After leaving his Wisconsin DC post following the 2022 season, Leonhard spent last year as an analyst at Illinois. Sean Payton hired Leonhard to coach the Broncos‘ DBs this year and said (via DNVR Sports’ Zac Stevens) he attempted to hire the former safety in 2023. Leonhard undergoing a hip replacement delayed this partnership, but he has since replaced Christian Parker, who joined the Eagles this offseason.
  • Nearly 13 months have passed since Tom Brady agreed to buy a Raiders stake. The owners continue to table the matter, with multiple issues — from the stake price (since resolved) to the conflict of interest with Brady’s FOX job — coming up. Owners did not discuss this at last month’s meetings, but the Washington Post’s Mark Maske notes Brady still is more likely than not to end up a Raiders minority owner. Roger Goodell said Brady’s access to team facilities and practices would need to be addressed if he is approved. Barring a special session, the owners’ next chance to vote in Brady as a Raiders part-owner comes in October.

Chargers’ Trey Pipkins In Line To Start At RG?

June 9th, 2024 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers’ decision to select Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft naturally displaced Trey Pipkins, who has served as the club’s primary RT over the past two seasons. The Bolts have no intention of moving Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater from the blind side, so with Alt now in the mix and possessing Pro Bowl upside of his own, Pipkins has been shunted to the interior of the line.

Still, head coach Jim Harbaugh recently called Pipkins one of his club’s five best O-linemen, thereby implying that the 27-year-old blocker would remain in the starting lineup. That appears to be the case, with Daniel Popper of The Athletic noting that, after the Chargers rotated the right side of their first-team OL during the first two open OTAs, Los Angeles had Alt taking all of the first-team RT reps during the latest open OTA, with Pipkins handling all of the first-team RG reps (subscription required).

Assuming that setup holds, the domino effect of the Alt selection would force 2022 sixth-rounder Jamaree Salyer — who started 14 games at LT in place of the injured Slater in 2022 and who settled in as the Chargers’ starting RG last season — to the bench. And that is likely an acceptable outcome for Los Angeles, as Salyer did not fare particularly well on the interior of the line after impressing on the outside as a rookie. In 2023, Salyer earned a mediocre 54.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, placing him as the 56th-best guard out of 79 qualifiers.

Pipkins did not fare much better as a right tackle than Salyer did as a right guard, with PFF ranking the former as the 50th-best OT out of 81 qualified players (though he did grade out as an above-average performer in terms of pass blocking). That was actually an improvement over his 2022 showing, at the end of which he was rewarded with a three-year, $21.75MM deal (to be fair, he did battle an MCL sprain throughout the 2022 season).

That contract was authorized by the Chargers’ prior regime, but Harbaugh clearly thinks highly of Pipkins, and it is certainly possible that his play improves by shifting to the interior. While he is under club control through 2025, he is not guaranteed any more money past the upcoming campaign, so a strong effort in 2024 could at least position him well to remain on the club and collect the $6.75MM base salary he is due in 2025, or even to land a new contract.

Chargers Slotting Joe Alt At Right Tackle; Trey Pipkins In Play For Guard Job

May 3rd, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Alt only played left tackle at Notre Dame, but the Chargers have a Pro Bowler protecting Justin Herbert‘s blind side. They are not moving Rashawn Slater, with SI.com’s Albert Breer indicating the No. 5 overall pick is set to compete for the team’s right tackle job.

All 33 of Alt’s Fighting Irish starts came at left tackle, and his father — John, a 1984 Chiefs first-round pick — operated as a left tackle for 13 NFL seasons. Alt is set to move to the spot Trey Pipkins has manned for the past two seasons. The Chargers have Pipkins tied to a three-year, $21.75MM deal; his $6.25MM 2024 base salary is guaranteed.

Jim Harbaugh called Pipkins “one of our best five” linemen and expects the multiyear starter to still have a place along the Bolts’ starting offensive front. This would appear to challenge incumbent right guard Jamaree Salyer, who slid from Slater left tackle replacement to starting guard in Brandon Staley‘s final season. Pipkins “could very well” move to right guard this offseason, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

“I think he’s one of our five best right now, and that’s not going to change,” Harbaugh said of Pipkins. “I’ve been extremely impressed with Trey, and he also has that kind of freaky athleticism and also building the strength and power to match that athleticism. I would predict that there’s a spot in the starting five for Trey Pipkins.”

A 2019 third-round pick out of Division II Sioux Falls, Pipkins has started 41 games — including 31 over the past two seasons. The Chargers had not seen much right tackle stability in the years before Pipkins won the job in 2022. Pro Football Focus graded Pipkins 50th among tackles last season, though moving to guard at this stage of his career would figure to be a challenge. Pipkins, 27, has never played a snap at guard in five pro seasons.

Georgia’s starting left tackle during the first of its back-to-back national championship seasons (2021), Salyer filled in for an injured Slater for much of the 2022 season. The sixth-round pick did not fare especially well upon moving inside last year, grading as one of PFF’s worst run-blocking guards. Jordan McFadden could also be an option at right guard, per Popper. The Chargers chose McFadden in the 2023 fifth round. McFadden started two games as a rookie.

With Harbaugh adding he would “play five tackles” if he could, the Bolts certainly seem prepared to gauge Pipkins’ value as a guard. The Chargers are almost definitely set to ask two of their top three tackles — Alt and Pipkins — to switch positions, as Slater stays put. With Alt the Chargers’ highest-drafted O-lineman since Russ Washington in 1968 and the team having Pipkins on a $7.25MM-per-year contract, this will be a situation to monitor ahead of Harbaugh’s first season back in the NFL.

Chargers To Re-Sign RT Trey Pipkins

March 14th, 2023 at 3:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the Chargers’ top priorities in the build-up to this year’s free agency period was retaining RT Trey Pipkins. They have reportedly done just that, as ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry tweets that an agreement has been reached on a three-year deal to keep him in Los Angeles. The three-year deal is worth $21.75MM, per SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).

The right tackle spot was lined with several big-name options in this year’s free agent class, and a few lucrative deals have already come about at the position as a result. Pipkins could have tested the market against the Chargers’ best offer, but he will instead remain with the team that drafted him in the third round in 2019.

The 26-year-old operated primarily as a backup across his first three seasons in the league. He took on a full-time starting role for the first time in 2022, however, logging a career-high 898 snaps in 14 regular season games. He dealt with an MCL sprain throughout the campaign, one in which he was charged with 28 pressures allowed in pass protection by PFF. As a result, he earned an overall rating of just 59.2.

It was expected, though, that the Chargers would value Pipkins more than most other teams, and he was thus at or near the top of the team’s to-do list for March. With a new deal in place, the Division II product has financial security to along with an extended opportunity to retain his starting spot on the right edge. The Chargers will now have several young options to choose from at the tackle spots.

Left tackle Rashawn Slater was limited to just three games in 2022 due to a biceps tear. That injury forced Los Angeles to turn to rookie Jamaree Salyer on the blindside, giving them an even more inexperienced tackle tandem for much of the year. While Pipkins underperformed compared to the latter, per PFF, his level of play was sufficient to earn him an extended look on the o-line. All three lineman will now be under contract for 2023 and beyond as the Chargers look to take another step forward next season.

OL Rumors: Taylor, McGlinchey, Pats, Powers

March 8th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Right tackle will be one of this year’s top positional markets to monitor. One of the best players set to hit the market, Jawaan Taylor, is expected to do very well. The Jaguars blocker may move into position to command a deal worth at least $17MM on average, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. The Jaguars used their franchise tag on Evan Engram, with that cost being $7MM cheaper than the O-line tag, but they are attempting to bring back Taylor. The former second-rounder has never missed a start as a pro and has earned plus grades for his pass protection. Although Pro Football Focus viewed Taylor as one of the league’s worst run-blockers last season, the advanced metrics site rates him as the eighth-best pass-protecting right tackle over the past two years.

The Jags already have Cam Robinson tied to a top-10 deal at left tackle, which will make keeping Taylor difficult. A deal at $17MM AAV would move Taylor into the top five at the position. Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:

  • Another of the top right-siders set to be hit the market, Mike McGlinchey is not expected to return to the 49ers. The Bears would be in position to outmuscle other suitors for the five-year starter’s services, holding a near-$30MM lead in cap space (at $94.7MM). McGlinchey should be expected to join Taylor on a deal north of $17MM per year, per Adam Jahns of The Athletic (subscription required). Kaleb McGary could profile as a slightly cheaper alternative, per Jahns, who notes Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan was the Falcons’ O-line coach when they drafted the Michigan product in the 2019 first round. The Bears have gone through a few options at right tackle since releasing Bobby Massie in 2021. This represents a good year for the team to address the position.
  • Excepting their 2017 Stephon Gilmore payment and the 2021 spending frenzy, the Patriots are not known for deep dives into free agency pools. But they also look set to investigate the right tackle market. New England is seeking an upgrade here, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes, pointing out that the team is content on the interior (with center David Andrews and guards Michael Onwenu and Cole Strange). Trent Brown is still under contract on the left side. Beyond the top three RTs, Trey Pipkins, Kelvin Beachum and Andrew Wylie are ticketed for free agency. Isaiah Wynn is not expected back in New England, which is not exactly a surprise given his dismal contract year. The Pats hold more than $32MM in cap space, giving them some capital to use at this need area.
  • Currently carrying a $32.4MM Lamar Jackson franchise tag on their cap sheet, the Ravens should not be expected to retain their top free agent (now that Jackson is tagged). Ben Powers‘ quality contract year should lead to his Baltimore departure, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes. Powers needed to win a left guard competition in training camp. Upon doing so, the former fourth-round pick proceeded to rank in the top 10 in run and pass block win rates, per ESPN. Powers, 26, will be one of the best guards available next week. The Ravens’ Jackson tag has them $9MM over the cap as of Wednesday afternoon.
  • USC tackle prospect Andrew Vorhees suffered a torn ACL while doing drills at the Combine, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. While Vorhees still managed to perform 38 reps in the bench press after the injury, this setback will undoubtedly hurt the top-100 prospect’s draft stock.

Bolts GM: Team Not Trading Keenan Allen

March 1st, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not long after the Bengals shot down the notion Tee Higgins is available via trade, the Chargers are effectively taking another big name off the wide receiver market. Tom Telesco put a stop to Keenan Allen trade rumors.

During an appearance on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, the longtime Chargers GM said there has “never been any thought” of moving Allen. Two years remain on the 11th-year veteran’s four-year, $80.1MM extension.

Keenan Allen (vertical)“Keenan Allen, to me, he’s our Andre Reed. He’s our Charlie Joiner,” Telesco said (Twitter link). “He’s an incredible football player. We have a great quarterback and we need weapons around him. There’s never been any thought of [a trade].”

Allen may not be on track to join those pass catchers in Canton, but he has been one of the most important Chargers players during this era. The Chargers gave Mike Williams a three-year, $60MM contract last March and have a Justin Herbert megadeal to negotiate. These big-picture components, Allen’s age (31 in April) and the Bolts’ cap situation have pointed to a potential separation. But a Herbert extension could pair with Allen’s money ($20MM AAV) for at least another season.

As the Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray extensions most recently showed, big-ticket QB contracts often carry low cap numbers in Year 1. Watson, Murray and Wilson all checked in below $18MM for first-year cap hits on their respective accords. Herbert’s deal following suit would complement Allen’s $21.7MM cap hit. The Chargers could look to reduce that via other methods as well.

Allen’s trade value took a hit last season as well. He missed seven games because of a recurring hamstring injury, limiting the top-shelf route-runner to 752 receiving yards. In terms of per-game impact, however, Allen’s 75.2 average was his best since 2017. The former third-round pick should have a bit more left in the tank to help the Bolts, who have relied on him for 10 seasons as a starter. With Higgins and Allen trades being squashed, that would only make the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks more valuable as part of a receiver landscape that does not feature a high-end free agency class or the kind of draft crop teams have grown accustomed to in recent years.

The Chargers are still $20MM over the cap. Allen staying on the payroll will force the team to make other adjustments. The Bolts want to keep right tackle Trey Pipkins, and The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes linebacker and fellow UFA-to-be Drue Tranquill is likely in the team’s plans as well. Pipkins joins an intriguing right tackle market, which houses Mike McGlinchey, Jawaan Taylor and Kaleb McGary. Tranquill’s position group is one of the deepest, which should make the versatile ‘backer affordable for the Bolts. But the AFC West team still has work to do before it can make any re-signings happen.

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