Chargers lose $30 million center for season after suffering ACL injury during joint practice
The Los Angeles Chargers will be without their starting center for the entire upcoming season after he suffered a torn ACL during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers last week, the team confirmed Sunday.
Tyler Biadasz, 28, was placed on season-ending injured reserve after the injury occurred during an 11-on-11 drill. According to the Chargers, Chargers guard Kayode Awosika had thrown 49ers defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez to the ground, and Valdez fell into the back of Biadasz's legs. Biadasz went down immediately and was eventually carted off the field.
Biadasz had been one of the Chargers' most significant offseason acquisitions. He signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the team after being released by the Washington Commanders and was expected to be an upgrade at center over Bradley Bozeman, who had held the starting role for Los Angeles in each of the past two seasons.
Originally a fourth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin by the Dallas Cowboys, Biadasz spent his first four NFL seasons in Dallas and played his last two with Washington. He earned a Pro Bowl selection during his third year with the Cowboys and was entering his seventh professional season.
With Biadasz sidelined, second-round rookie Jake Slaughter is set to take over as the Chargers' starting center. Slaughter had been competing for the starting left guard job but will now move back to his natural position. He played center throughout his college career at Florida and has taken snaps at the position during training camp and the preseason.
The injury continues a difficult trend for the Chargers' offensive line coming out of training camp. Last year, the team lost left tackle Rashawn Slater to a torn patellar tendon roughly a week after he signed a four-year, $114 million contract extension. The Chargers responded by shifting Joe Alt from right tackle to left tackle, but Alt played only six games because of multiple ankle injuries, leaving Los Angeles short-handed up front for much of the season.
Quarterback Justin Herbert and the rest of the Chargers' offense will now look to avoid a repeat of last year's injuries as they prepare for the regular season without their newly acquired center.