Trey Pipkins Reflects on His Journey That Led to Him Being Named Chargers' Starting Right Tackle

COSTA MESA – Just one season ago, Trey Pipkins was faced with struggles trying to keep the pocket clean for his quarterback. Despite potential being there for Pipkins, he lacked consistency.

Now, eight months removed from last season, Pipkins has impressed the coaching staff, earning himself the starting right tackle role.

It will be the first time in which he's slotted in as the full-time starter throughout his career. Across his first three years in the NFL, Pipkins has made just 10 starts.

"I’m really proud of Trey. He’s come a long way since one year ago, today," coach Brandon Staley said of Pipkins. "It’s what the NFL means to me. That’s why you stick with players. You don’t ever stop. You don’t give up on anybody, you stay with them. You keep at it and you keep competing together. Trey deserves full credit because he’s the one that invested so much in his game."

Pipkins beat out Storm Norton after a long, highly-anticipated training camp battle. The two right tackle candidates split the bulk of the reps with the Chargers' first-team offense throughout the greater part of training camp. But in the final week leading up to the Chargers' last preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, Pipkins had taken all the reps with the first unit in practice, insinuating a shift in which he had pulled ahead of Norton.

“I tried not to think about it. Just going out there, playing, doing the best that I could and just let the chips fall where they may," Pipkins said when asked if there was a point in camp when he realized he had won the competition.

But in being formally declared the starter, Pipkins said a lot of validation came with that after a long offseason of refining his skillset.

“A lot of validation. I don’t know if validation in myself, but more that it felt good to get the belief of everybody around me," he said. "That was a cool experience, just to put that work in and come back and have people see it, respect it, things like that.”

Pipkins points to the technical side of his game that has undergone the biggest area of improvements. It's the minor details that he's really taken a focus towards.

Throughout the summer, Pipkins spent time with offensive line guru and coach Duke Manyweather, who he's credited for helping shape his craft.

"Just in the way that I set in my pass protection, where I place my hands in the run blocking, things like that," Pipkins said on where he's improved the most. "Little technique stuff like that have helped me a lot.”

When reflecting on his journey, going from a struggling player just trying to make his mark in the league, to a starter for one of the premier offenses, Pipkins was humble in saying the road it's taken him has ultimately led to where he wanted to be all along – a starting NFL player.

“It all led to here, so I can’t complain about where I’m at now," Pipkins said on his journey the last four years. "There are times that I look back and I’m like, ‘Oh, I wish that I played a little better here,’ obviously, things like that. But it all led me to where I’m at now, and I’m ready to take advantage of it.”

That doesn't go without saying, the mental aspect to this, was not an easy one. Having a strong mindset has been a key factor for Pipkins, trying to remain positive even when things weren’t going in his favor early on in his career.

“I think everybody in the NFL has to have a ton of mental toughness," he said. "It takes a lot to stay positive and keep looking forward and keep working and things like that, not get down."

Pipkins saw just 173 snaps a season ago, and didn't allow a sack over that span, according to the data of PFF. He'll try to reciprocate that in 10 days when the regular season gets underway.

Pipkins will get thrown a tall order on Sept. 11 when the Chargers host the Raiders in Week 1. He'll be tasked with slowing down the duo of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones – no easy feat for any offensive tackle.

With growing confidence in himself and from the coaching staff, paired with the new technical aspects he's added to his game, Pipkins will attempt to shore up the right side of the offensive line for the 2022 season.

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• Chargers Name Starting Right Tackle Following Competitive Training Camp Battle
• RB Sony Michel to Visit Chargers Following Release From Dolphins
• 5 Takeaways From Chargers' Initial 53-Man Roster

Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.