The Los Angeles Chargers were riding high with the most recent signing of Keenan Allen, but things can never be good for longer than a few days if you are in Los Angeles.
Allen has his first day of practice of the year. Rashawn Slater had his last of the year. He suffered a brutal torn patellar tendon injury that will end his entire 2025 season. So, who are some trade targets for the Chargers to look into to replace the All-Pro Left Tackle?
4 Trade Candidates For The Chargers After The Rashawn Slater Injury
4. Kelvin Beachum – Veteran To Stabilize
Kelvin Beachum has been a long-standing NFL veteran who has played starting-caliber football since 2012, playing LT and RT, doing so for multiple different offenses, schemes and quarterbacks. This positional versatility, coupled with his experience, allows him to be an easy option for the Chargers to get a guy who can instantly raise the floor of their offensive line, after the Rashawn Slater Injury.
Beachum will step in and compete with Trey Pipkins for the starting Right Tackle spot. Even if he loses the job, he will be a very valuable swing OT who can bring veteran leadership to the younger Chargers’ offensive line room.
Chargers Get: Kelvin Beachum
Cardinals Get: 2025 6th Round Pick
3. Max Mitchell – Capable Backup Who Can Push For Starting Job
Max Mitchell has been a draft favorite of mine for quite some time, but it is unfortunate to see him lose out on starting due to his lack of development in the early years of his career. However, as a swing backup last season in a horrid offense, he was able to carve out a 65.1 PFF offensive grade, which would rank him 55th in the entire league.
If the Chargers want to bank on an upward trajectory on a younger offensive tackle with a fourth-round pedigree, they could take the 25-year-old offensive tackle and have him immediately compete for the starting offensive tackle spot. The principle of trading for Mitchell is the same as Beachum’s, but instead, he gives them the flexibility to re-sign or have him for the future if the Rashawn Slater injury is even worse than we think currently.
Chargers Get: Max Mitchell
Jets Get: 2025 5th Round Pick
2. Evan Neal – Buy Low, Win Big
Evan Neal has been a name swirling around Chargers media as a possible trade candidate. Neal is a guy with immense draft pedigree, who was drafted seventh overall in the 2022 NFL draft class. His traits and immense size at 6’7 350 are enough for any coaching staff to drool over, but unfortunately, the New York Giants have yet to get the most out of Neal at offensive tackle.
He is now moving to guard for the 2025 season, and could very well be traded away to a team that is in need of offensive tackle help, like the Chargers. If the Bolts’ coaching staff believes that they can develop his ability to pass block, Neal has the ability to become a top-half of the NFL offensive tackle.
Neal ranked ninth in the entire league at offensive tackle in run blocking grade on PFF, with an 80.8. A perfect fit in the Greg Roman/Jim Harbaugh offense.
Furthermore, Neal will be given an opportunity to turn around his career with the Chargers, then get a contract elsewhere to continue his development. This will give the Chargers a compensatory selection, possibly a pick that can cover the initial cost it will take to trade for Neal.
Chargers Get: Evan Neal & 2025 7th Round Pick
Giants Get: 2025 5th & 6th Round Pick
1. Braxton Jones – Expensive Rashawn Slater Replacement
The biggest name to replace Rashawn Slater after his injury is Bears starting offensive tackle, Braxton Jones. He is in the last year of his rookie contract and is expected to move on from the Bears after the 2025 season. This is due to the drafting of Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie, who were both day two selections from the previous drafts that were drafted to compete and replace Jones.
Going back to Jones, his 77.4 offensive PFF grade ranked him 21st out of all NFL offensive tackles, allowing him to be a plug-and-play starter across the offensive line. This pedigree of tackle would be expensive, but if he plays like he is known to, he can leave in free agency and net the Chargers a compensatory pick to help replace the picks they spent to trade for him.
All in all, if the Chargers can get the Bears to think one year ahead of schedule, they can get a good, starting offensive tackle for the 2025 season, who can still get his “bag” in free agency. The Bears will get valuable picks while playing time for their young offensive linemen, allowing for Trapilo or Amegadjie to take that next step into starting.
Chargers Get: Braxton Jones + 7th Round Pick
Bears Get: 3rd Round Pick
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images
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