The bad injury luck has continued this year for the Los Angeles Chargers, and one of the biggest blows has been the loss of left tackle Rashawn Slater, perhaps for the entire season.
In the face of Slater’s injury, the Chargers turned to rookie sixth-round pick Jamaree Salyer to protect Justin Herbert’s blind side last week against the Houston Texans.
Salyer rose to the occasion in Week 4, finishing his performance as the Chargers’ highest-graded offensive player (according to Pro Football Focus), with an incredible pass blocking grade of 90.4, and giving up zero pressures against a solid edge rusher in Jerry Hughes.
Salyer also proved his worth in the run game, as well, as Austin Ekeler steamrolled the Texans for a pair of touchdowns on the ground, reinforcing Salyer’s status as a ‘bowling ball’ of a left tackle.
Spending the majority of his career in Georgia at tackle, it was clear Salyer had the pedigree to transition to the spot in a pinch, despite pro projections that preferred him as an interior blocker. He had excellent pass blocking grades in college, as well, proving to be one of the most reliable left tackles in the entire country while protecting quarterback Stetson Bennet in the Bulldogs’ high-powered offense.
Draft pundits were a bit stunned to see the Salyer fall all the way to the sixth round, given his success at a premium position for a national champion program. But Salyer has flipped the script, and given validation to those that tabbed him with a Day 2 grade.
It looks like the Chargers indeed landed a steal here, and could have some of the league’s best depth at the tackle position moving forward. The only question now is, can Salyer maintain this momentum, and continue to be a cornerstone of the Chargers’ offensive line, even when Slater returns to the lineup.
