Injuries are an unfortunate part of life in the NFL. And while the Las Vegas Raiders have endured their share of issues on that front and many others over the last few years, the Los Angeles Chargers have also been chomped by the injury bug repeatedly at key positions, especially up front.
Last season, the Chargers' campaign got a bit derailed by the losses of star offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. The interior offensive line was a weakness before these two went down, so Justin Herbert was running for his life all year. It's a part of why Los Angeles didn't reach its goals.
This offseason, the Chargers went out and bolstered the interior with the signing of center Tyler Biadasz, and with everyone else expected to be back healthy, Los Angeles may have had a formidable group in the trenches once again. But Biadasz just suffered a long-term injury, and Slater is out again.
While this is devastating for the Raiders' AFC West foe, it certainly tilts the balance in favor of a Silver and Black team with some current struggles at the defensive tackle spot.
Chargers' Tyler Biadasz injury makes Raiders' Week 2 task less difficult
Biadasz was a very good center for the Washington Commanders over the last several years, and he inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chargers this offseason. But during Tuesday's joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, he was carted off the field with a serious injury.
It was later learned that Biadasz suffered damage to his ACL and sustained a number of other injuries to his knee. According to multiple reports, this is a "long-term" issue, and Biadasz will be sidelined "indefinitely." That certainly means he'll be out when the Chargers host the Raiders in Week 2.
And again, nobody in this fanbase or in the building in Las Vegas is wishing injury on opponents or poking fun at a player for going down. This is the worst part about the NFL. But Biadasz being sidelined also makes life significantly easier for the Silver and Black when facing Los Angeles.
Without Biadasz in the lineup, the Chargers will likely be forced to rely on rookie Jake Slaughter, a Day 3 prospect whom Joe Hortiz and Co. reached for in Round 2. Slaughter had been exclusively working at guard during training camp, and not always with the starters, so Jim Harbaugh's team is in flux.
Slaughter did get some reps at center in the Chargers' first preseason game, but the young player still has a long way to go. Simply put, he won't be thwarting the Raiders' defensive interior at times as Biadasz would have. And this is significant for Klint Kubiak's team and Rob Leonard's defense.
During the preseason opener, Las Vegas' run defense was putrid. And it was again during joint practices with the Houston Texans. And Biadasz is such a good run blocker that losing him is devastating for the Chargers. It does help the Raiders in this scenario, though.
Now, instead of Adam Butler, Tonka Hemingway and the gang going up against a Pro Bowl-caliber center, they'll get to go up against an overdrafted rookie in just his second NFL game. This may be obvious, but surely that'll help the Silver and Black's chances of getting some push up front.
Slater has also missed the last eight practices for the Chargers, but Harbaugh doesn't seem too worried about his long-term viability. Let's keep an eye on that, too, though. Because Los Angeles, when healthy, is still head-and-shoulders above where Las Vegas is right now.
But teams have to play with who is available, and health can be a significant advantage in the NFL. Obviously, Raider Nation hopes that Biadasz heals up as soon as possible. But when the ball is kicked off in Week 2, it'll all be about beating who is across from them.
And Las Vegas would rather see Slaughter or someone else than Biadasz, all things being equal.
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