Rashawn Slater returns to Chargers minicamp amid contract talks

Los Angeles Times

a day ago

He wasn't under the watchful eye of Chargers executive director of player performance Ben Herbert this offseason. He didn't train in the team's El Segundo practice facility. But it doesn't mean Rashawn Slater wasn't working this offseason.
Making his first offseason appearance at the Chargers facility this week as the team started mandatory mini camp, Slater immediately passed the team's conditioning test. In fact, Jim Harbaugh said, Slater reported the test was too easy.
'Too easy,' the coach said, 'because he trains.'
Slater's return highlighted the Chargers' perfect attendance on the first day of three-day minicamp Tuesday. The star left tackle had missed all of voluntary organized team activities while in discussions for a contract extension.
Since the Chargers took him 13th overall in 2021, Slater has earned two Pro Bowl appearances and was named second-team All-Pro in 2021. After the team picked up his fifth-year option last season, Slater re-established himself as one of the top tackles in the league with the second-best overall grade and third-best pass blocking grade among his position, according to Pro Football Focus. In the final year of his contract, he is due to make about $19 million in 2025, which ranks sixth-most among left tackles, according to overthecap.com.
'Speaking on behalf of everyone in the organization, fully support Rashawn and what he's trying to accomplish for himself and his family,' said Harbaugh, who added he chooses not to worry about discussions as they continue between general manager Joe Hortiz and Slater's representatives. 'We're all in support.'
Slater has maintained his standing in the organization because of his respected work ethic that earned him distinction of being a team captain last season. Harbaugh counts Slater is part of an exclusive club made of the team's nine hardest workers. The coach's so-called 'Elite Nine' also includes Derwin James Jr., Khalil Mack, Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Daiyan Henley, Tuli Tuipulotu, Zion Johnson and Justin Herbert.
Now in his second year at the helm, Harbaugh expects confidence and polish during training camp from experienced players. The coach has already found a standard bearer in Herbert, who is still searching for his first NFL playoff win after having four passes intercepted in last year's wild-card loss to Houston,
'I wouldn't change a thing about Justin Herbert,' Harbaugh said. 'I think the important thing is everyone else, especially the guys he's counting on, on the offensive side of the ball, just look at his example, how he goes about his business, how he trains and they attempt to get to that level.'
The quarterback's training was so relentless that he missed his planned media availability Tuesday. He was lifting instead.
J.K. Dobbins signs with Denver Broncos
Former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins signed a reported one-year, $5.25-million deal with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after the Chargers placed a rarely used unrestricted free agent tender on the 25-year-old. The Chargers would have had Dobbins' exclusive negotiating rights if he hadn't signed with another team by July 23.
Dobbins is coming off a career-high 905 yards rushing last season when he finished as the runner-up for the NFL's comeback player of the year in his first full season since 2020. But his return to the Chargers has been in question since the team picked running back Omarion Hampton 22nd overall in April's draft.
Hampton, who rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior at North Carolina, has joined with free-agent addition Najee Harris to form an impressive one-two backfield punch.
'I like Omarion, how he's hitting the hole,' James Jr., said when asked which rookies are standing out to him. 'Can't really tell right now, but I like Omarion a lot.'
Hampton leads a rookie class that Harbaugh lauded as being 'as good of a rookie class as I've ever been around in terms of being about their business.'
'Being where they're supposed to be when they're supposed to be there,' Harbaugh said. 'We have to kick them out of the building.'
But even the staff's best attempts sometimes aren't enough. Harbaugh said he often notices the rookies looking for safe harbor in other rooms.
Etc.
The Chargers brought in receiver Willie Snead IV for a veteran tryout. The 32-year-old last played in an NFL game in 2023, appearing in four games for the San Francisco 49ers, catching two passes for 14 yards.