The Chargers hoped their offensive line issues were behind them, but three games into the season, the same problems are showing up again. Cole Strange has struggled, while Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater have also had their share of issues.
The Los Angeles Chargers entered this season hoping their offensive line would finally become a strength. Instead, three games into the season, it is starting to look like the same problem all over again.
The biggest concern coming into the season was the interior of the offensive line. The Chargers knew what they were getting with Cole Strange. He had his struggles in Miami and there were plenty of questions about whether he could actually be an upgrade at right guard.
So far, those concerns have been justified.
Strange currently has a 35.7 overall PFF grade, which ranks 71st out of 73 qualified guards. His 37.2 pass-blocking grade ranks 68th while his 42.7 run-blocking grade ranks 69th.
That is simply not good enough.
But Strange isn’t the only problem.
The Chargers’ biggest advantage was supposed to be their tackles. Having Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back together gave this offensive line two players who were expected to anchor the unit for years. Instead, both have had their issues early in the season.
Alt has dealt with penalties and inconsistent play while adjusting back to the right side and playing in Mike McDaniel’s new offensive system. Slater’s situation is a little different. He is still working his way back from the devastating knee injury that cost him the 2025 season, and there have been flashes of the old Slater, but he has not consistently looked like the dominant left tackle Chargers fans were accustomed to seeing.
Kris Rhim recently highlighted some concerning numbers surrounding the Chargers’ offensive line, and they paint a picture that is difficult to ignore.
That doesn’t mean Slater is suddenly a bad player or that Alt isn’t going to bounce back. It is only three games. Slater is coming off a major injury and Alt is still adjusting to a new system. There are legitimate reasons for both players to need some time.
But the Chargers can’t keep waiting for everything to magically fix itself.
The offensive line was supposed to be one of the foundations of this team. Instead, Justin Herbert is once again dealing with inconsistent protection and an offense that can’t establish any rhythm. The Chargers entered the season believing they had addressed their biggest problems up front, but the early results suggest there is still plenty of work to do.
The frustrating part is that the Chargers don’t necessarily need to rebuild the entire offensive line. They need their best players to play like their best players and they need the interior to stop being a liability.
Cole Strange has to be better. Alt has to get back to playing like the player the Chargers drafted fifth overall. Slater needs time to regain his form.
Until that happens, however, it is hard to look at this offensive line and believe the Chargers have actually solved anything.
