Tyler Biadasz being placed on season-ending injured reserve exposes key weakness in Los Angeles Chargers’ roster depth
The Los Angeles Chargers had a roster depth problem on the interior offensive line before Tyler Biadasz’s injury. Now, the weakness is even further exposed.
The Los Angeles Chargers suffered a significant blow to their 2026 offensive line plans when starting center Tyler Biadasz was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Biadasz went down during a joint practice session with the San Francisco 49ers, the victim of a friendly fire exchange where left guard Kayode Awosika threw a 49ers defender and the Chargers’ starting center saw his legs get taken out in the crossfire. The loss leaves Los Angeles with a glaring interior offensive line depth problem heading into the regular season.
Biadasz joined the Chargers during the 2026 NFL offseason after the Washington Commanders released him. He signed a 3-year, $30 million contract with Los Angeles to fill the starting center role. His addition was part of a broader interior offensive line rebuild through free agency, with Awosika and Cole Strange joining a group that featured Branson Taylor and Trevor Penning. The Chargers also added 2026 second-round draft pick Jake Slaughter to the mix.
The experience problem on the Chargers’ interior offensive line
What’s painfully apparent after Biadasz was placed on injured reserve is that this group lacks experience, specifically experience playing together.
Strange has appeared in 44 career games with 43 starts over four seasons in the NFL. Awosika has played in 50 games but has only 11 career starts. The problem is that both players are expected to be starters for the Chargers this season, and neither has been particularly good in the preseason. Strange had a 4-play sequence against the 49ers in the preseason that was really discouraging.
Slaughter, now likely sliding into the starting center role, will be playing between Awosika and Strange. It’s a concerning situation on the offensive interior, especially when you consider the strength of two AFC West opponents’ defensive lines.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos both boast formidable interior pass rushes that could exploit this weakness. Kansas City’s defensive tackle group remains one of the best in the NFL, and Denver’s front has proven it can collapse pockets against weaker offensive lines. The Chargers’ revamped interior will face a steep learning curve against that caliber of competition.
Los Angeles should pursue an upgrade before the season
With roster cuts approaching, the waiver wire and potential trades present realistic avenues for the Chargers to upgrade. It would go a long way toward stabilizing the interior offensive line group. It’s just up to GM Joe Hortiz to get aggressive and go after it.
Slaughter will get a chance to integrate and play, given his status as a high draft pick. However, an upgrade over Strange or Awosika should be a priority for Los Angeles heading into the 2026 NFL season. The Chargers invested heavily in rebuilding this unit through free agency, but Biadasz’s absence removes the unit’s one proven anchor. Without a move to address the problem, the interior offensive line could become the biggest liability on a roster with legitimate playoff aspirations.
