The battle for the starting left tackle spot is one of the most compelling position competitions for the Chargers this training camp.
After Los Angeles split ways with Russell Okung, the team chose to not find his replacement this offseason.
Instead, they decided to roll with their in-house options, leaving a competition between Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton and Trent Scott.
At the moment, Tevi appears to be the player with the leg up.
According to head coach Anthony Lynn, Tevi is “in the driver’s seat,” at the position.
Tevi, the sixth-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, started at right tackle the past couple of seasons. But he also has a game at left tackle under his belt, which came back during his rookie season.
“Sam’s been in the system,” Lynn said. “He’s played both sides for us. He’s played more.”
Tevi’s competition, Pipkins – the team’s third-round pick of last year’s draft – has been pegged as the projected starter by some. But Lynn prefers the experience of Tevi.
Pipkins started three games at left tackle in 2019 while Okung missed some live game action. While the former Division II product may have been thrown into the fire a bit early, Lynn still likes what he saw from a small sample size.
“When Trey came in last year, I didn’t think it was too big for him,” explained Lynn. “I liked the look he had in the Oakland game. I thought he held his own. So, I am expecting Trey to compete as well.”
Another player who was thought to be in the competition for the starting left tackle spot was Forrest Lamp. Lamp played tackle in college, but he made the transition to guard since arriving to the NFL. The only issue is that he has struggled to stay healthy.
Based on Lynn’s remarks, he isn’t ready to throw him into the mix.
“We gotta make sure Forrest can compete at one spot before we start trying to teach him two spots,” Lynn said. “I know he played left tackle in college (at Western Kentucky), but that’s college. (It is) a little different game up here. I’m not saying that he can’t do it, but I like Forrest inside before he got hurt a few years ago. No doubt, he can be a starting guard in this league.”
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Tevi enter Week 1 as the starting left tackle. But it will be interesting to witness how the competition unfolds throughout the remainder of training camp.
