The Los Angeles Chargers face a ton of tough decisions over the next few weeks of training camp and preseason action.
Few, if any, though, feel as important as the battle happening at the left guard spot.
There, the Chargers drafted Jake Slaughter in the second round hoping that a college center would take over the guard job after a smooth transition to both the position and the pros.
No dice. Yet.
Slaughter has been joined by a platoon of names rotating with the first team during training camp practices, both in and out of pads. Some of the names aren’t shocking, while others certainly register as such.
Given the poor recent history of the Chargers and the guard spot in front of Justin Herbert, it’s a little alarming that some of the names in the mix are journeyman free agents and even former practice squad players.
So, to summarize, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff have thrown the following names in the mix with Slaughter at guard:
- Kayode Awosika
- Branson Taylor
- Trey Pipkins
- Trevor Penning
Awosika only just joined the team via free agency. Pipkins is technically the backup swing tackle. Penning came over last year via trade and had problems making an impact. And Taylor is a former sixth-round pick who went to the practice squad after he couldn’t make the 53 as a guard under Greg Roman.
The Chargers are certainly taking the positive approach when asked about their situation in public.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to name one sooner than later, but really I won’t be mad if there’s two guys who are separating themselves from the pack,” Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said, according to Eric Smith & Omar Navarro of Chargers.com. “If I can’t make that decision, that’s not a bad problem either. We’re right in the midst of it.”
Harbaugh himself has mentioned that the hope is to nail down the starter around the second preseason game.
So far, it’s Taylor who has seen the most work and even got the first-team reps over everyone else at the first full-contact padded practice. It’s a pretty sudden, shocking climb, all things considered.
So, if this keeps up, onlookers will have to believe that Taylor has hit on a developmental leap, Mike McDaniel has helped him make a leap into his offense, or some combination of the two.
And if Slaughter doesn’t end up winning the job? It will look like a rough usage of a second-round pick at a spot they have continually struggled to address well.
Regardless, the Chargers need the best possible starting five on the line. They’re all-in on McDaniel. If he says it’s Taylor and/or says Slaughter needs to ride the bench while he develops, then that’s how it will be for 2026. But the clock on the decision is ticking.
Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest – OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter
Add us as a preferred source on Google
