Rashawn Slater injury gives Chargers potential trade target with Michigan ties

The LA Chargers lost Rashawn Slater for the season to a torn patellar tendon that could impact his long-term production for the team. This forced the Bolts to reshuffle the offensive line, significantly impacting the depth of the offensive line room behind the starting five.

General manager Joe Hortiz took the first step to addressing this newfound lack of depth by signing former Ravens offensive lineman David Sharpe after working him out. While Sharpe provides immediate depth for the preseason, the Chargers would be wise to look for upgrades as the 2025 season approaches.

The Chargers won't land anyone who will save this offensive line situation. However, the team could tap into the Cleveland Browns' offensive line depth to reunite Jim Harbaugh with someone he coached at Michigan.

Browns' Zak Zinter could be a Chargers trade target after Rashawn Slater injury

Zak Zinter is a compelling name, both because of his potential availability and because of his past. The former Michigan Wolverine has direct ties to the Chargers and may already be on his way out one year after being drafted in the third round by the Browns.

Zinter came into the league recovering from a broken tibia and fibula and it definitely impacted his play in the limited run he got with the Browns. In 233 total snaps in his rookie season, Zinter posted a disappointing 43.9 PFF grade.

While that may seem like a red flag to stay away, it's important to remember the position Zinter was in. He was coming off two injuries that often time hamper performance and was playing on a team with nothing to play for. That's not necessarily a situation that breeds excellence.

On the Chargers, Zinter would be reuniting with his former head coach, who knows exactly what it takes to get him in the best position to succeed. That's not to say Harbaugh will turn Zinter into a Pro Bowler, but is in a much better position to maximize him than the Browns were.

But would the Browns really give up this quickly on their third-round pick from a year ago? Well, if the draft pick return was enough (perhaps a conditional sixth-round pick), then the answer is probably yes. After all, the Browns have already signaled a lack of faith in Zinter with the moves the team has made.

Cleveland signed Teven Jenkins to be the primary swing guard, bumping Zinter down to the fourth guard on the depth chart. It's not every day a team can trade its fourth-string guard for draft capital.

Zinter wouldn't directly help the Chargers at the tackle position as he is exclusively a guard. However, he would free Jamaree Salyer up to be the team's swing tackle moving forward. Salyer has risen above expectations at tackle in the past and he's a far better swing tackle option than anyone the team can get on the market.

In a perfect world, the Chargers wouldn't even need to use Salyer and Zinter as that would signal offensive line health throughout the season. But as Chargers fans know all too well, the team cannot prepare for ideal scenarios.

Zinter won't magically fix the Chargers' offensive line, but he would give the team more flexibility and is a cost-controlled asset that is familiar with the culture that has been built in Los Angeles. At this point int ime, he may be the best-case (realistic) scenario.