Rashawn Slater Season Ending Injury - Who is Up?

[Xenos]

New swing OT. No idea how he is as depth.

[21&500]

Sharpe is the spear.

[Fouts2herbert]

New swing OT. No idea how he is as depth.

I think they can do better, but it's a start...

[Whydachargers?]

I don't know if anyone has posted this article, but I think these are the key points.

Slater will undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve. He will miss the 2025 season. What awaits is a recovery time of 10 to 12 months, according to Dr. Carlos Uquillas, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a team physician for the Los Angeles Angels.

“A lot of people do return from this injury,” Uquillas said. “Sometimes not at the same level.”

The Chargers are familiar with this injury. Cornerback J.C. Jackson tore his patellar tendon in Week 7 of 2022, eight months after he signed an $82.5 million free-agent contract with the team. Jackson suffered the injury in November. He was back for Week 1 of the 2023 season. Jackson played two games before he was traded to the New England Patriots. He has been out of the league since the end of the 2023 season.

According to Uquillas, though, the recovery for “speed players” like receivers, running backs and defensive backs tends to be “a little harder” compared to linemen.

“For linemen,” Uquillas said, “I think it’s potentially a little bit easier.”

Cleveland Browns tackle Jack Conklin, for instance, tore his patellar tendon in late November 2021. He returned in Week 3 of 2022 and played more than 900 snaps over 14 starts.

So there is some hope for 2026.

Later in the article:

Slater will have to dig more deeply than he ever has in the months ahead. The patellar tendon attaches the knee to the shin and, thus, the quad muscle to the shin. Without the tendon, Uquillas said, “you have no ability to extend your knee.”

Atrophy will occur without movement.

“It takes just a really long time to build the bulk and that strength back up,” Uquillas said. “Left tackles, their quads are massive. So to get back to that level takes a ton of time and effort.”


It will be interesting to see what happens after Joe Alt plays left tackle this season. Even if Slater is able to make a full recovery, he may have to switch positions if Alt has an All-Pro year on the left side. And I think Hortiz should be looking at the offensive tackles this college football season.

My impression (NOT an expert impression by any means) is Slater's body can't handle his workout regimen plus NFL seasons. I could be projecting here as I was the same way as a workout demon that my body could not support.Hence it breaks down with major injuries...first the biceps injury a couple years ago for Slater and now his knee. Because Slater is only 26 now I have to think his body just can't take both the demands of a 17-game season and his workout regimen. He breaks down to easily. It's fucked to have paid him so much money and have to realize he'll probably break down in a substantial way a couple years from now too. Something major in his body will give out again within two years after returning is my prediction. And I'm not super optimistic that Slater will be close to his old self after returning next year. Hope I'm wrong.

[QuiteFrankly]

Like my Dad used to say..the Chargers are snakebit.

[Steve]

I know it's not popular these days, but we could just wait to see how Slater recovers. No sense making the decisions now. There is simply no need to.

Slater was viewed by many teams as an OG, because of his lack of length. Then he proved he could play LT, and play at the highest level. If he loses some of his mobility, he can slide inside at play OG. If he doesn't, we can leave him at OT. Either way, it is way too soon to write him off.

As far as drafting players, we should consider drafting at OT even if we are 100% sure Slater is coming back. at a pro bowl level. So many fans get stuck on the labels that get put on players and can't shake them. Most OT can play OG. Most guys who are OG have some limitations and can't play OT. Hence, looking at OT and projecting them inside makes sense, even if we don't need them as OT.

Most colleges want their best/most athletic players outside rather than inside. So, the best college OL tend to be OT. Draft the best OL we can get our hands on and don't worry about the position.

[Whydachargers?]

I know it's not popular these days, but we could just wait to see how Slater recovers. No sense making the decisions now. There is simply no need to.

Slater was viewed by many teams as an OG, because of his lack of length. Then he proved he could play LT, and play at the highest level. If he loses some of his mobility, he can slide inside at play OG. If he doesn't, we can leave him at OT. Either way, it is way too soon to write him off.

As far as drafting players, we should consider drafting at OT even if we are 100% sure Slater is coming back. at a pro bowl level. So many fans get stuck on the labels that get put on players and can't shake them. Most OT can play OG. Most guys who are OG have some limitations and can't play OT. Hence, looking at OT and projecting them inside makes sense, even if we don't need them as OT.

Most colleges want their best/most athletic players outside rather than inside. So, the best college OL tend to be OT. Draft the best OL we can get our hands on and don't worry about the position.

I'm hoping that the Chargers are open to delaying Slater's return a bit. Maybe instead of playing him immediately in week one next year they can take their time with his rehab and return him as late as Halloween. I'm afraid Slater will do more than what his body can take in his rehab. Actually I'm very afraid of that.

[Boltx]

I know it's not popular these days, but we could just wait to see how Slater recovers. No sense making the decisions now. There is simply no need to.

Slater was viewed by many teams as an OG, because of his lack of length. Then he proved he could play LT, and play at the highest level. If he loses some of his mobility, he can slide inside at play OG. If he doesn't, we can leave him at OT. Either way, it is way too soon to write him off.

As far as drafting players, we should consider drafting at OT even if we are 100% sure Slater is coming back. at a pro bowl level. So many fans get stuck on the labels that get put on players and can't shake them. Most OT can play OG. Most guys who are OG have some limitations and can't play OT. Hence, looking at OT and projecting them inside makes sense, even if we don't need them as OT.

Most colleges want their best/most athletic players outside rather than inside. So, the best college OL tend to be OT. Draft the best OL we can get our hands on and don't worry about the position.

A reasonable take.

Damn, the Alt pick looks even better now.

[Fouts2herbert]

My impression (NOT an expert impression by any means) is Slater's body can't handle his workout regimen plus NFL seasons. I could be projecting here as I was the same way as a workout demon that my body could not support.Hence it breaks down with major injuries...first the biceps injury a couple years ago for Slater and now his knee. Because Slater is only 26 now I have to think his body just can't take both the demands of a 17-game season and his workout regimen. He breaks down to easily. It's fucked to have paid him so much money and have to realize he'll probably break down in a substantial way a couple years from now too. Something major in his body will give out again within two years after returning is my prediction. And I'm not super optimistic that Slater will be close to his old self after returning next year. Hope I'm wrong.

Why...

[richpjr]

A reasonable take.

Damn, the Alt pick looks even better now.

Hortiz was very smart to draft Alt, just like he was smart to draft Hampton.

[northerner]

we will find a way to make the OL work, the two saddest things are:

1. one more injury on the OL, and it starts to get very difficult. the OL was already our biggest question mark.

2. we will not get to see the "mountain right side" of the line with Becton next to Alt. I was really looking forward to that.

[Whydachargers?]

Why...

I don't know why exactly. Good question. What Slater is going through sounds familiar to me. Do you remember seeing Slater doing the deadlifts when he was in college? That was the definition of intensity. I very much relate to that level of intensity in my workouts. Slater personified intensity in that video. That can be a good thing - if your body can handle it. Your body can wear down from that too. That was my experience. I believe Slater's workout intensity and next level quality attitude could actually impede his healing to a degree. Slater's probably going to want to show everyone that the Chargers investment in him was smart and not a waste.That thinking has the potential of leading Slater to do more than he ideally should in his rehab schedule. And like I mentioned before, Slater has now had two major injuries (the biceps tear and now the ACL) by the age of 26 that seem to be a result of cumulative work load as opposed to an obvious acute one-time severe action type injury. If you look at Slater's ACL tear he wasn't even touched. No one fell on his knee. And I think the same can be said regarding Slater's biceps tear a couple years ago. His body gave out like he was much older. But I hope I'm wrong in my observations. I hope Rashawn comes back better than ever and STAYS healthy. I'm rooting for that.THAT and this post on page 15 of this thread by our "DerwinBosa"...





I don't know if anyone has posted this article, but I think these are the key points.

Slater will undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve. He will miss the 2025 season. What awaits is a recovery time of 10 to 12 months, according to Dr. Carlos Uquillas, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a team physician for the Los Angeles Angels.

“A lot of people do return from this injury,” Uquillas said. “Sometimes not at the same level.”

The Chargers are familiar with this injury. Cornerback J.C. Jackson tore his patellar tendon in Week 7 of 2022, eight months after he signed an $82.5 million free-agent contract with the team. Jackson suffered the injury in November. He was back for Week 1 of the 2023 season. Jackson played two games before he was traded to the New England Patriots. He has been out of the league since the end of the 2023 season.

According to Uquillas, though, the recovery for “speed players” like receivers, running backs and defensive backs tends to be “a little harder” compared to linemen.

“For linemen,” Uquillas said, “I think it’s potentially a little bit easier.”

Cleveland Browns tackle Jack Conklin, for instance, tore his patellar tendon in late November 2021. He returned in Week 3 of 2022 and played more than 900 snaps over 14 starts.

So there is some hope for 2026.

Later in the article:

Slater will have to dig more deeply than he ever has in the months ahead. The patellar tendon attaches the knee to the shin and, thus, the quad muscle to the shin. Without the tendon, Uquillas said, “you have no ability to extend your knee.”

Atrophy will occur without movement.

“It takes just a really long time to build the bulk and that strength back up,” Uquillas said. “Left tackles, their quads are massive. So to get back to that level takes a ton of time and effort.”


It will be interesting to see what happens after Joe Alt plays left tackle this season. Even if Slater is able to make a full recovery, he may have to switch positions if Alt has an All-Pro year on the left side. And I think Hortiz should be looking at the offensive tackles this college football season.



Chargers’ Rashawn Slater faces long road ahead after devastating knee injury
https://www.nytimes.com
According to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Carlos Uquillas: "A lot of people do return from this injury. Sometimes not at the same level.”