The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Sunday that a major part of their offense will not suit up this season due to a season-ending injury.
The team placed starting center Tyler Biadasz on season-ending injured reserve after he sustained an ACL injury during the team’s joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers last week.
The 28-year-old was the Chargers’ prized offseason addition, as he signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the team after being released by the Washington Commanders. Biadasz was set to be an upgrade over Bradley Bozeman, who had started at center in each of the last two seasons for Los Angeles.
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Biadasz sustained the injury when Chargers guard Kayode Awosika threw 49ers defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez to the ground during an 11-on-11 drill. Valdez fell into the back of Biadasz’s legs, and the center immediately went to the ground and was eventually carted off the field.
Biadasz was entering his seventh season in the NFL. He spent his first four with the Dallas Cowboys after they drafted him in the fourth round out of Wisconsin, and then spent the last two with the Commanders. He made the Pro Bowl during his third season with Dallas.
Second-round rookie Jake Slaughter will replace Biadasz at center. Slaughter had initially been competing for the starting left guard job, but will now slide back to center.
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Slaughter played center during his college career at Florida and had taken snaps at center in training camp and the preseason.
It is the second straight season the Chargers have come out of training camp with a major injury to one of their offensive linemen. Last season, franchise left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon about a week after signing a four-year, $114 million contract extension.
In his absence, the team moved Joe Alt from right tackle to left tackle. However, Alt was limited to just six games after dealing with multiple ankle injuries, leaving the Chargers’ offensive line in a weakened state.
Justin Herbert can only hope that Biadasz’s injury isn’t a precursor to more injuries on his offensive line this season.
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