The Los Angeles Chargers made a last-minute roster change, promoting Trey Pipkins III, after left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon and will miss the entire 2025 season. However, fans are now concerned for quarterback Justin Herbert, who will have to adjust his plays behind Pipkins, Zion Johnson, and Bradley Bozeman.
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater speaks during a press conference (AP)
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“Rashawn Slater sustained a torn patellar tendon in today’s practice and will undergo surgery to repair the injury. He will miss the 2025 season and be placed on Injured Reserve,” LA Chargers confirmed on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Earlier on Thursday, Slater had to be taken away mid-way through training camp practice. The Athletic reported that several of his teammates huddled around him. It is unclear what exactly caused the injury.
Slater signed a four-year, $113 million contract extension with the Chargers recently.
Trey Pipkins III comes in
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While, as per reports, the Chargers have chosen Trey Pipkins III as Slater's replacement, fans are concerned.
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While, as per reports, the Chargers have chosen Trey Pipkins III as Slater's replacement, fans are concerned.
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“I am numb. I can't believe we have to watch Trey Pipkins as a starting Tackle for the Chargers in 2025,” one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“I can just see it now. Justin Herbert behind a line of Pipkins, Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman -- and he's going to get all the blame,” another person tweeted.
Pipkins, a versatile veteran with nearly 3,000 regular-season snaps at right tackle from 2022-2023, will likely shift to that position as soon as the team's preseason game next week. Rookie Joe Alt, the 2024 No 5 overall pick, moves from right to left tackle, a role he played at Notre Dame.
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Ryan Nelson (LT) was also listed as a potential backup to Slater in the O-Line.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
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