As the Los Angeles Chargers head into the second week of the preseason, there are three key questions they must answer.
The Los Angeles Chargers head into the second week of the preseason and look to be in a solid spot overall after winning the preseason opener against the Texans. However, there are still some areas that need clarity on this roster.
So, heading into the second preseason game this week, here are three key questions that the Chargers must answer.
1. Who Will Start at Left Guard?
Even after the preseason opener, there is still no clear answer as to who the Chargers will start at left guard. On this week's unofficial depth chart, Kayode Awosika, Branson Taylor, and Jake Slaughter were all listed as starters, which clearly shows that no one has won the job yet.
On the interior of the offensive line, it is critical to have continuity and consistency, but that will be very hard to do, especially if this competition goes up to the start of the regular season. In the first preseason game, Awoksika, Taylor, and Slaughter each got snaps, and all of them had their moments, which is why all three of them could also see snaps this week against the San Francisco 49ers.
It is important to note that Slaughter is the backup center as well, so if he does not win the job, he should be a great depth piece on the interior of the offensive line.
So, heading into Thursday, it will be very interesting to monitor whether each of them plays significant snaps and whether or not one of them is able to make a strong claim as the top left guard on the roster.
2. Does Akheem Mesidor Need More Preseason Action?
The second question the Chargers have to answer is whether rookie defensive end Akheem Mesidor still needs more preseason snaps or if he is ready for the season. On that note, Mesidor is listed as the second-string defensive end on the unofficial depth chart for this week, so it will be very intriguing to see how Los Angeles uses Mesidor throughout the rest of the preseason.
Against the Texans last Thursday, Mesidor played just nine snaps, but did make the best of each snaps as he recorded a pass rush grade of 74.6 according to Pro Football Focus. While Mesidor did not get himself on the stat sheet, his pass rush technique looked solid and suggests that he could be a solid contributor to the Chargers' pas rush unit in 2026.
After playing nine snaps, it is worth wondering whether or not Mesidor is ready for the regular season, as playing an NFL game is a lot different than anything Mesidor has done thus far. Additionally, giving Mesidor a few opportunities to make big plays on Thursday against the 49ers could be huge for his confidence and ability to adapt well to the NFL pace.
As the Chargers prepare for Thursday, Mesidor will have an opportunity in the joint practice against the 49ers to get more live reps, but if Los Angeles feels he needs more reps to prepare for the season, it is possible he finds himself playing on Thursday as well.
3. Is Trey Pipkins III the Best Option as the Swing Tackle?
The final question that the Chargers need to find an answer to is at swing tackle and whether or not Trey Pipkins III is the best answer for it. The main reason this is such a big deal is that last season both Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater missed a major portion of the season, and so far, heading into the second week of the preseason, Slater is still trying to get back to as close to 100 percent as he can.
The injuries to Alt and Slater in 2025 forced Pipkins into the lineup, and throughout the season, he had major struggles as he allowed four sacks, 27 pressures, tallied seven penalties, and had a run-blocking grade of 42.7 (No. 89 among 89 OTs) according to Pro Football Focus.
With that said, Los Angeles may want to consider other options like rookie offensive tackle Travis Burke or Branson Taylor. Both Burke and Taylor have limited experience at the NFL level, but in the first preseason game, both looked solid and could compete with Pipkins for the swing tackle position.
Specifically, Burke could be a solid option with his 6-9 and 315-pound frame due to the fact that he was very consistent with Memphis last season, as he allowed three sacks, 13 pressures, recorded six penalties, and had a run-blocking grade of 84.2 (No. 10 among 632 OTs) per PFF. While Burke does still need to adjust to the NFL level, his preseason debut looked promising if he can replicate that performance consistently.
Heading into the second game of the preseason on Thursday, it will be very intriguing to see if the Chargers play key rotational players, and if so, the performances of Pipkins, Burke, and Taylor will definitely be worth monitoring how the competition for the swing tackle position shakes out.
