Whether it’s critical mistakes, poor matchups, or losing key players, the Chargers’ offensive line is in a state of disarray.
The Los Angeles Chargers just experienced a frustrating but somewhat predictable defeat against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. In a close 17-10 game, the injury-plagued Chargers had a real chance to win but fell short once again. Most of their problems stemmed from the underperformance of the offensive line, where critical mistakes, mismatches, and the absence of key players left the unit struggling to play at a winning level.
What’s Happening With The Chargers Offensive Line?
Heading into the season, the Chargers were praised for having a highly skilled offensive line, with talent to spare. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh even referred to them as “weapons.” However, their 2-2 start could have been much stronger if these “weapons” performed up to their potential.
“Offensive Linemen we look at as weapons. When we talk about attacking on offense… Offensive Line is the tip of the spear.”
– Jim Harbaugh pic.twitter.com/dxQoWzzOSc
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) April 26, 2024
Notable Weak-Link: A Former First-Round Pick Who Can’t Put It All Together
The weak links in what appears to be a strong chain are former first-round pick Zion Johnson and free agent addition Bradley Bozeman. Starting with Johnson, the 17th overall selection in the 2022 draft has not lived up to expectations. Initially viewed as a safe but unexciting choice by the Chargers to bolster their offensive line, he has, in fact, weakened it.
The former Boston College interior lineman falters in critical situations, resulting in mistakes that are difficult to fix. With an injured Justin Herbert, Johnson’s problems are even more evident since Herbert can’t compensate for the situations Johnson creates. His pass-blocking grade stands at a disappointing 38.8 over four games, necessitating improvement in that area. However, he excels as a run blocker, achieving a solid 76.2 grade, indicating he has potential.
Despite possessing the talent, athleticism, and understanding to succeed at this level, it’s perplexing to see someone like Johnson struggle. If it’s not a matter of talent or work ethic, then what is the issue?
The Man to Blame? – A Veteran Addition Not Performing to Expectation
The Chargers signed Bradley Bozeman on March 18th during the off-season, hoping he could serve as their center for a year or two until they found a long-term franchise player. This decision came after the unexpected loss of Corey Linsley, who had to stop playing due to a heart condition.
Familiar with Greg Roman’s system, Bozeman was expected to quickly adapt to the playbook and perform at his previous level before his decline in Carolina. While Chargers fans recognized he might be a liability on an otherwise strong offensive line, they didn’t anticipate his performance would drop this low, leading to the line’s ranking in the 20s according to PFF (the latest ranking was before Week 4, when the offensive line had arguably its worst outing of the season).
Bozeman currently holds a disappointing 46.1 PFF passing grade, which has been evident each Sunday. His struggles with communication, missed assignments, and poor movement have raised concerns that he needs to improve or be replaced urgently.
What We Need to See Changed ASAP
After pinpointing the weak links, what steps can be taken to address the problems facing the Chargers’ offensive line? How can the coaching staff better position these players for success?
Communication & Play Calling
Under Harbaugh and Roman’s offensive leadership, one would anticipate a well-structured game plan each week. However, the Chargers have been plagued by penalties that derail drives before they can even begin. They rank third in the league for False Start penalties with eight. Constantly starting drives at 1st and 15 puts a run-oriented offense in a situation that demands passing, which is particularly problematic with an injured quarterback, a shortage of reliable receivers, and, as previously noted, two offensive linemen struggling with pass protection. This creates a perfect storm for failure.
Every team has different protection rules so it's tough to say exactly what is being coached here, but something is clearly not being communicated properly because the Chargers are consistently letting IDL run free up the middle each week. Mustipher and Pipkins go right, Bozeman… pic.twitter.com/QaASAsfnHK
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) October 1, 2024
In addition to the penalty problems, there is a significant lack of communication within the offensive line. The player responsible, Bozeman, has gained a reputation for misdirecting protections, resulting in numerous unblocked rushers. He has also failed to handle blitzes and stunts effectively, which is unexpected from a seven-year veteran, leading to more plays that stall drives.
The Chargers must use their upcoming bye week to ensure their offensive line is prepared to play with discipline. Additionally, Greg Roman’s play-calling needs to revert to the creativity seen in the first quarter of the Chiefs game. Incorporating more trick plays, misdirection, and screens will enable the offensive linemen to operate in space and perform like the “weapons” they are meant to be. Keeping the defense guessing gives the offensive line that crucial split second to establish better pass protection depth for legitimate passing plays.
Bye Week Couldn’t Have Come Sooner – A Healthy Chargers Offensive Line for a Change
As previously noted, the Chargers’ offensive line has faced numerous injury challenges. Last week, they played without their starting tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. As a result, their new starting lineup (from left to right) consisted of Jamaree Salyer, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Sam Mustipher, and Trey Pipkins.
I don't mind the route combination that the Chargers dialed up here on 4th and goal. The Chiefs just shut it down perfectly. Ladd McConkey in the backfield is a cool wrinkle that they should definitely come back to.
What I do mind, however, is leaving a practice squad center… pic.twitter.com/ZBqagThURo
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) October 1, 2024
When three out of five offensive linemen are either out of position or haven’t played this season, miscommunication is inevitable. The left side struggled with pass protection, Bozeman had trouble calling protections, and Mustipher performed poorly throughout the game. The practice squad player was brought up to start against Chris Jones, and it was a rough outing.
The Chargers have a bye week coming up, which should help Joe Alt recover. Rashawn Slater is also expected to be close to returning, if not fully healthy. Another week to gel as a unit should enable the offensive line to improve. If they don’t show progress soon, General Manager Joe Hortiz may need to take action.
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