The Chargers entered the 2026 offseason with a clear priority: upgrade the trenches to support Justin Herbert and a run-heavy scheme under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. They made a strong early splash by signing center Tyler Biadasz to a three-year, $30 million deal.
However, their handling of the guard positions stands out as the worst offseason move, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell.
Here is what Barnwell said about the moves made at guard:
The organization unsurprisingly moved on from Mekhi Becton. It was a bit of a surprise to see them re-sign Trevor Penning, who was acquired midseason as an emergency left tackle option before quickly moving back to the interior. Penning has not been an NFL-caliber lineman since being drafted in the first round in 2022. McDaniel also brought fellow former disappointing first-rounder Cole Strange from Miami, and though Strange is coming off a solid season with the Dolphins, he has had significant injury issues, and he’ll be making $7 million this season.
Hortiz then took a big swing by using a second-round pick on Florida center Jake Slaughter, who probably will start his NFL career at guard given the presence of Biadasz. Slaughter could be an option at the pivot down the line, but he didn’t take a snap at guard for Florida. He would have been a great Day 2 pick for a team that needed a center. At guard, I’d be a little nervous about whether Slaughter can step in quickly and play a new position at the highest possible level.
After the departures of Mekhi Becton and Zion Johnson, the Chargers, instead of pursuing proven impact guards on the open market, signed Cole Strange to a two-year, $13 million contract. While Strange is familiar with McDaniel’s scheme, the team had plenty of cap space to execute a more substantial deal for an elite guard. Strange is projected to be the starting right guard for the upcoming season.
The opposite side of the line offers even less reassurance. The Bolts are counting on Trevor Penning or second-round pick Jake Slaughter at left guard. The play of Penning, a former first-round pick, has been underwhelming. Meanwhile, the coaching staff is banking on Slaughter learning to play guard at the professional level, despite having very little experience at the position.
Even with elite bookend tackles in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back in the mix, this could hold Los Angeles back from boasting the league’s top offensive line.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: What was the Chargers’ worst offseason move?
Reporting by Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
