Remember when the Chargers grabbed Jake Slaughter in the second round? Everyone figured a pick that high meant a guy ready to push for significant playing time, maybe even lock down a starting spot. But just two days into training camp, it feels like that plan is totally off the rails. Slaughter has spent the vast majority of his time running with the second-team center unit, and when he does get a look at left guard, it’s barely with the 2s or 3s. For a second-round rookie, that’s a head-scratcher, plain and simple. What are we even doing here?
Where’s The Left Guard Competition?
This isn’t just about Slaughter’s reps, or lack thereof. The current starter at left guard, free-agent signee Kayode Awosika, has pretty much owned that spot. He was with the first-team offense on Wednesday. But then, on Thursday, his snaps actually went down, and they were giving Trevor Penning a look in front of Justin Herbert! So, if the team is already fiddling with the starter and testing other guys at left guard, why isn’t Slaughter getting some of that action? It feels like they’re trying out everyone *but* the guy they spent a second-round pick on for that position.
This Pick Is Already Looking Like A Major Question Mark
Honestly, if the Chargers are serious about Jake Slaughter competing for the starting left guard spot, they need to start giving him real, consistent reps there, and fast. You don’t draft a guy in the second round to have him exclusively running with the second-team center, occasionally getting a sniff at guard with the backups. If this trend continues, that second-round selection is going to look even more perplexing than it did the moment they made it. Why invest such a high pick if you aren’t going to give the guy a genuine shot at the position he was supposedly drafted to play?
Look, it’s still super early. Things can definitely shift dramatically before the regular season kicks off. But this situation with Jake Slaughter is already one of the Chargers’ biggest storylines this summer, and for all the wrong reasons. The stakes are clear: will they actually give their high-draft pick a chance to compete at left guard, or is he destined for a backup role and a lot of questions about the value of that second-round investment? Everyone will be watching to see if Slaughter starts getting the first-team reps he needs to prove himself.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bolts from the Blue.
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