EL SEGUNDO — Coach Jim Harbaugh named a starting left guard Wednesday for the first time since the Chargers arrived for training camp July 29. In the end, Kayode Awosika won an extended competition for the position after a compelling battle that began with five vying to replace Zion Johnson.
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Awosika will line up between Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater and rookie center Jake Slaughter, joining right guard Cole Strange and Pro Bowl right tackle Joe Alt for the Chargers’ season-opening game Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
Awosika will be the first Chargers starter at left guard other than Johnson since Johnson made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2022 season, after they drafted him 17th overall in the first round of the 2022 draft out of Boston College. Johnson signed with the Cleveland Browns during the offseason.
Harbaugh was cagey when asked if he would platoon Awosika and Trey Pipkins III, something he floated last week. It’s more likely that Pipkins and rookie Travis Burke would serve as swing tackles, filling in for Slater or Alt if needed. There was a reason the Chargers kept 11 linemen on the roster.
“He’s just been very good, very consistently good,” Harbaugh said of the 28-year-old Awosika, who spent one season with the Philadelphia Eagles and four with the Detroit Lions before signing with the Chargers as a free agent on a one-season deal worth up to $2 million in March.
It’s been several weeks since Harbaugh named Slaughter the starting center, only days after expected starter Tyler Biadasz sustained a season-ending ACL injury during the Chargers’ joint practice Aug. 18 with the San Francisco 49ers. Slaughter was the Chargers’ second-round draft pick in April.
“Really, really good, the job he did, the job the coaches did preparing him,” Harbaugh said of Slaughter’s play during training camp. “You know, it became evident in early August. I think it was August 4th or 5th, ‘OK, he’s ready to be a Game 1 starter.’ He’s done nothing but continue on that path.”
Asked for a specific example that convinced him that Slaughter was the right man for the job, Harbaugh said, “Like everything, you just know, like, biblically, in life, in people’s lives, in jobs, in football, gradually and then all of a sudden, you know? Things happen, and this was the case.”
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Harbaugh credited offensive line coach Butch Barry for his work with the linemen, starting with spring workouts through OTAs and minicamp and then during training camp. Barry followed offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to the Chargers from the Miami Dolphins in the offseason.
Improving the offensive line’s play was an offseason priority. General manager Joe Hortiz remade the interior of the offensive line via free agency, plus four of his eight draft picks were offensive linemen, starting with Slaughter. In addition, Barry was hired to replace Mike Devlin, who was fired at the end of the 2025 season.
Quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked 54 times last season, a career high.
“I’ve been enamored with Butch Barry and his coaching style since the first or second day we were on grass during OTAs, during meetings, during individual periods, there hasn’t been a day where things have changed, where he’s had a bad day and therefore the players haven’t had a bad day,” Harbaugh said.
“They’ve been locked and loaded for every one of those days. Every single guy, I mean. Why did we keep 11 offensive linemen on the 53(-man roster)? Because they’ve all done a tremendous job in their training, in taking what they’re learning onto the field and then executing it. Happy where that position group is right now.”
EXTRA POINTS
Herbert needs 180 passing yards Sunday in order to reach 25,000 for his career. He set a franchise record with 5,014 yards during the 2021 season. …
Cornerback Deane Leonard did not practice Wednesday because of an injury. …
The Chargers will host the Cardinals for the first time at SoFi Stadium. Past home games against the Cardinals were either in San Diego or at the then-StubHub Center in Carson.
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