The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have all the kinks worked out along their offensive line early in training camp, but one thing they have going for them is remarkable depth. Thanks to the heavy O-line investments from general manager Omar Khan over the past four years, the Steelers have quality backups at tackle, guard, and center.
The same can't be said for the Los Angeles Chargers. And after their latest injury scare, the Steelers might have just stumbled upon a golden opportunity.
During Tuesday's practice, Daniel Popper, a senior writer covering the Chargers for The Athletic, posted on X that starting left tackle and two-time Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater went to the medial tent with a trainer after his first 11-on-11 period.
While Slater appeared to be walking around fine after practice, this injury scare serves as a reminder to the Chargers that their backup O-line had their season in the tubes last year... and they are potentially one injury away from the same thing happening again.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could trade Broderick Jones to the LA Chargers after the Rashawn Slater injury scare
The downfall of the Chargers last season was their decimated offensive line. Slater, unfortunately, missed the entire season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left leg last August. To make matters worse, Chargers' 2024 first-round pick Joe Alt played just six total games after dealing with separate high-ankle sprains.
The last thing this team needs is to waste another prime season of quarterback Justin Herbert behind a bad offensive line—and LA had arguably the worst O-line in the NFL last season without its two best players.
That's where the Steelers come in.
Pittsburgh is currently four deep at offensive tackle. Troy Fautanu is the guaranteed starter at left tackle this year (barring an injury), while first-round pick Max Iheanachor and Dylan Cook are battling it out for the right tackle role in training camp. This leaves Broderick Jones as a clear reserve player, but one who might offer some value in a trade.
Jones was the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Georgia product has started at both left and right tackle during his first three seasons with the Steelers. Jones has 38 starts in 45 career games over his first three seasons.
Since his scary neck injury in November 2025, Jones has been fully cleared to return to the field, and he's been practicing with his Steelers teammates. Jones' recent spinal fusion surgery could scare off a potential trade partner; however, his reputation as a young, athletic tackle with a first-round tag and three years of starting experience could be enticing to an NFL team.
The Chargers' current depth chart has Trey Pipkins III backing up Slater. Pipkins was forced to start all 17 games last season, and the results were atrocious. The veteran OT earned a 49.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 79th among 84 qualifying NFL tackles. And considering Pipkins will be 30 years old by the start of the season, the Chargers can't expect him to suddenly get better.
The only other option projected to make the team is rookie fourth-round draft choice Travis Burke. However, the big offensive tackle out of Memphis doesn't have so much as a preseason snap under his belt at this point.
Obviously, the Steelers couldn't ask for much in a Broderick Jones trade. Though the first-round OT recently turned 25 years old, he hasn't made the strides the team hoped for, and he's coming off a neck injury. Still, his experience and profile make him a respectable option as a swing tackle for an NFL team.
In all likelihood, the Steelers are probably looking at a Day 3 draft pick in exchange for Jones. But considering the depth they still have on the team and the fact that Jones' contract will expire after the 2026 season, it's better to get something for him now than to have him rot on the bench and get nothing when he leaves in free agency next offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't loaded with star power these days, but they have plenty of depth at some key positions, and they should use injury scares like that of Rashawn Slater to open trade talks with teams in need of depth insurance.
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