The Los Angeles Chargers have an elite left tackle in Rashawn Slater, and he’s about to receive a massive contract extension. A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Northwestern product has been an elite blocker from Day 1 and is now entering the final year of his rookie contract. Few positions are more important than left tackle, and Bleacher Report‘s Gary Davenport believes Slater will earn a massive payday on the open market.
In a recent article, the NFL analyst projected contracts for the eight biggest impending free agents, including Rashawn Slater. According to Davenport’s work, the offensive tackle will sign a four-year, $120.5 million contract with $84 million in guaranteed money.
“Slater’s injury history may well be why the Chargers are uneasy about backing up the Brink’s struck – he has missed time in three of his four pro seasons, including a ruptured biceps tendon that wiped out most of his 2022 campaign,” Davenport writes. “But elite offensive tackles are worth their weight in gold. And Slater weighs around 315 pounds.”
Rashawn Slater’s Projected Contract Revealed – Could Reset Market
Can the Chargers Pay This?
From a financial standpoint, the Chargers can easily afford to give a record-setting contract to Rashawn Slater. Despite entering the previous offseason with plenty of cap space, the team showed restraint on the open market. This team-building philosophy leaves them with a projected $108 million in cap space next year, so they could easily extend Slater without impacting their ability to create a well-rounded roster.
The only question is the injuries. As mentioned above, Rashawn Slater has missed time in three of his four seasons, but this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. While the biceps injury limited him to three games in 2022, he’s played at least 15 games in his other three seasons. Football is a physical game, and small injuries are inevitable. At the end of the day, Slater is an elite player at a premier position and deserves every penny coming his way.
Main Photo: Robert Hanashiro – Imagn Images
