After trading Russell Okung to the Panthers for Trai Turner, the Chargers got better at the guard position but there’s a big question mark hovering over the left tackle spot.
While there will be plenty of free agent offensive tackles that should intrigue Los Angeles, there is another one that was added to the crop after he was notified that he would not be back on Thursday.
The Eagles decided to part ways with legendary left tackle Jason Peters, a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection.
Over the past three seasons, Peters has been the model of production. Since 2017, he has an 82.6 grade per Pro Football Focus, which is 12th among offensive tackles, where he has played 2,163 regular season snaps along the way.
Even at 38 years of age, Peters only allowed 21 pressures on 562 pass-blocking attempts last season. He had the fourth-highest grade in pass blocking and 17th-highest grade in run blocking, per PFF.
Durability concerns loom as he has dealt with numerous injuries in recent seasons. However, he has started 29 of a possible 32 games the past two years, still managing to play at a fairly high level over that span.
Peters would be a really polarizing short-term option for the Chargers if they don’t want to throw a rookie into the fire or if they’d like to groom former third-round pick Trey Pipkins for another season.
For many, the left tackle position is seen as a pressing need that should be addressed in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. But success in a rookie’s first season, especially at that given position, is hit or miss.
Like offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said, “A rookie playing tackle in this league. I don’t care who you are, first-round pick or whatever it is, it’s tough.”
Los Angeles has always been a team that has coveted a strong locker room presence from veterans. With Okung gone, Peters could easily replace his voice, especially for a group of young linemen, too.
The bottom line is that the Chargers could benefit from a borderline elite left tackle at the cost of short-term salary cap space, which means essentially nothing without much long-term guaranteed money.
