Chargers’ Rashawn Slater carted off in potentially massive injury blow
The Chargers’ Super Bowl aspirations may have just taken a literal massive hit.
Star offensive tackle Rashawn Slater had to be carted off the field Thursday after suffering an apparent leg injury, according to The Athletic.
A pair of trainers helped Slater inside, and the former first-round pick slammed his helmet and had a towel over his head, according to the outlet.
His teammates reportedly gathered around him following the crushing development.
Losing Slater, 26, would be a devastating blow for the AFC West contenders, especially after their fantastic first season under Jim Harbaugh in 2024.
The No. 13 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is considered one of the best linemen in the sport, and the Chargers rewarded him just last month with a four-year, $114 million contract with $92 million guaranteed, per ESPN.
That deal made him the highest-paid lineman in NFL history in terms of annual average value, and came on the heels of his second Pro Bowl season.
Slater started at least 15 games in three of his first four seasons, with the lone exception coming in 2022 when a ruptured biceps tendon limited him to three games.
Beyond the massive impact of potentially losing a player of Slater’s caliber, any absence would also be a tough blow for a Chargers team that employs a run-first mantra under Harbaugh.
Los Angeles tallied the 12th-most carries in the NFL last season, and used the No. 22 pick in this year’s draft to select Omarion Hampton from North Carolina and signed veteran Najee Harris in free agency.
Slater is also responsible for protecting franchise quarterback Justin Herbert’s blind spot and helped him produce a strong 2024 campaign.
The Chargers went 11-6 last year before a stunning 32-12 road loss to the Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
They open their 2025 season in Brazil against the Chiefs on Sept .5
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
