There’s no denying that the Los Angeles Chargers had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL in 2019.
Left tackle Russell Okung dealt with a serious medical issue prior to the regular season and was then hit with various lower body injuries shortly after returning to the starting lineup.
Right tackle Sam Tevi had some knee issues that kept him off the field more than halfway through the season, but he hasn’t been reliable in the starting role. Trey Pipkins, the third-round pick in 2019, has potential but he is still a work in progress.
The bottom line is that the Chargers need to make the point to address the unit with offensive linemen that have proven themselves in the league. The team will have a slew of options to choose from in free agency, but offensive tackle Jack Conklin headlines the group.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski believes Conklin should be Los Angeles’ main free agent target when the period opens up on March 18.
The offensive tackle market went wonky the last two years and reset for subpar talent. Nate Solder and Trent Brown became the highest-paid offensive linemen in NFL history despite not being considered elite performers.
That’s the value of a good and experienced blocker in today’s game. Jack Conklin is about to get paid as the top available tackle on the market.
Sure, bigger names are available, but they’re on the downsides of their careers, while Conklin is only 25 years old.
Conklin was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie, struggled the following two seasons and came back strong in 2019.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive tackle situation is a disaster. Russell Okung enters the final year of his deal after last year’s health scare. Trent Scott and Sam Tevi simply can’t get the job done.
Slide Conklin into right tackle and let him protect the Chargers’ next quarterback.
The 25-year old tackle became an All-Pro as a rookie. Conklin is solid in pass protection, averaging just under four sacks allowed per season (3.75) in his career, per Sports Info Solutions. He is also an outstanding run blocker, overpowering defenders and creating run lanes. This past season, he ranked seventh out of 101 qualifying tackles, per Pro Football Focus.
Spotrac has his estimated value at a six-year, $90 million deal with an average annual salary of $15 million. It might require a little bit more to reel him in (given the tackle market) and even though it seems like a hefty amount of money, Conklin would be worth every penny. He is still young and he has proven to be one of the best tackles in the league.
The Chargers, who are projected to have $51 million in available cap space, will have some of their own in-house players to re-sign. But the franchise could clear up some space by restructuring and/or releasing some players who are still under contract. This should give them the funds to strike a deal with Conklin.