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The Los Angeles Chargers, more than anything else, are likely looking forward to the return of their two star offensive tackles in 2026.
Rashawn Slater missed the entirety of last season with a torn patellar tendon he suffered during an offseason workout. Joe Alt suffered an ankle injury in Week 4, only to return in Weeks 8 and 9 before re-aggravating the injury and going down for the remainder of the season.
Both are on track to enter 2026 at full health, and that is an excellent sign for the ceiling of the Chargers' offensive protection. In theory, both players should be able to cement themselves as top-10 tackles with a pair of fully healthy campaigns.
But as ESPN's recent trade asset rankings drawn up by Bill Barnwell highlight, there's a difference between Slater and Alt's path back to dominance. While Barnwell projects that Alt would be worth two first-round picks on the trade market, he cites Slater's injury history as the reason why many teams would be hesitant to provide even one first-round selection.
"The best case and most likely scenario is that Slater comes back from his ruptured patellar tendon and again plays at a high level, but smooth returns from serious incidents are never guaranteed. Slater has missed the better part of two seasons between a torn biceps in 2022 and the patella injury in 2025, which would scare some teams given his $28.5 million average salary." Bill Barnwell, ESPN
Of course, the Chargers aren't trading either Alt or Slater, but that's not the point. Barnwell's rankings serve as an uncomfortable reminder of what could loom for Slater and Los Angeles in 2026.
Rashawn Slater's return to full health isn't 100% guaranteed— not until we see it happen
Throughout virtually the entire offseason, the Chargers coaching staff has projected confidence that both Alt and Slater will be ready to go when training camp kicks off on July 29. For a team incorporating an entirely new blocking scheme and offensive approach, that's an excellent sign.
But as Barnwell points out, there are examples of players who have struggled to return from injuries of that caliber. Ronnie Stanley suffered his with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. Although he posted a Pro Bowl campaign in 2024, he hasn't returned to the heights he saw prior to that injury.
There are also players, like Josh Simmons of the Kansas City Chiefs (who tore his during his final season at Ohio State), that found success relative to expectations immediately upon their return from injury.
Barnwell's point, therefore, is not that Slater is guaranteed to falter in 2026. In fact, he believes that Slater returning to form is the 'most likely' scenario.
But, at the very least, there's ample room for Slater to get off to a slow start— something the Chargers can't necessarily afford given the rough nature of their early-season slate. There's also the very real concern that Slater has missed two of his five NFL seasons due to major injuries. His four-year, $114 million contract extension kicks in this season.
Los Angeles, frankly, cannot afford for Slater to miss any more significant time. While Barnwell's trade asset rankings may not be of consequence for pillars like Alt and Slater, therefore, the concerns he outlines for Slater are very real.
Until Slater proves he can return to full strength this season, his injury status will be, at the very least, an underlying cause for anxiety.
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This article was originally published on boltbeat.com as Chargers' most trade-worthy assets come with an uncomfortable Rashawn Slater reminder.
