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The Los Angeles Chargers will be without their starting center for the entire 2024 season after placing Tyler Biadasz on season-ending injured reserve Sunday. The 28-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers the previous week, forcing the team to shelve one of its marquee offseason acquisitions.
Biadasz arrived in Los Angeles on a three-year deal worth $30 million after the Washington Commanders released him, positioning him as the team’s centerpiece offensive line upgrade. The former Dallas Cowboys draft pick was expected to improve the unit at the position, replacing Bradley Bozeman who had anchored the middle of the line for the previous two seasons.
The injury occurred during an 11-on-11 drill when Chargers guard Kayode Awosika drove 49ers defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez backward. As Valdez fell, he collided with the back of Biadasz’s legs, causing the center to immediately drop and requiring him to be removed from the field on a cart.
Second-round pick Jake Slaughter will step into the starting role at center after originally competing for a left guard position. Slaughter played center throughout his college career at Florida and received snaps at the position during training camp and preseason workouts.
This marks the second consecutive year the Chargers have faced a significant offensive line injury during the preseason period. Last year, franchise left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a patellar tendon tear approximately one week after signing a four-year, $114 million contract extension, forcing the team to relocate Joe Alt from right tackle to left tackle.
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