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Rashawn Slater has been one of the best left tackles in the NFL, and the Los Angeles Chargers are rewarding him as such.
The Chargers and Slater agreed to a four-year, $114 million contract extension, according to ESPN, which makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Los Angeles confirmed the deal on Sunday, though the financial details were not involved in the announcement.
Slater’s contract includes $92 million in guaranteed money, as well.
Slater was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, which included a fifth-year option being the 13th overall pick in 2021.
That’s what Slater was going to play on this year, with potential free agency looming after that. It was a $19 million option for the 2025 season, but the Chargers made sure Justin Herbert’s blindside protector was locked up long-term.
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The pick of Slater paid off right away, as he was named second-team All-Pro during his rookie year. However, a bicep injury held him out most of the 2022 season, where he’d play just three games on the Chargers’ line.
Since then, though, Slater played a full season in 2023 and 15 games last year, when he was named to his second Pro Bowl squad.
But while Slater’s pass protection is key for a functional Chargers offense, Greg Roman’s group is heavily committed to the run game as well. Slater is also highly proficient in that aspect of the game.
Slater owns a Pro Football Focus run block grade of 82.8, which ranks fifth among 140 eligible tackles. His pass block grade of 90.4 ranked him third among those 140 tackles as well.
In the run game, the Chargers have rookie Omarion Hampton and veteran Najee Harris joining the fray after J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards carried the workload in 2024. Los Angeles also recently signed Nyheim Hines, who can be versatile in the pass game as well.
With the Chargers ranked just 20th in total offense per game (324.2 yards), they’re hoping to build off Jim Harbaugh’s debut season as head coach and having Slater in the building long-term answering what could’ve been a looming question heading into Week 1.
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